Enemy

Last updated for version `1.8.0-BETA-7`

*Main article:* Horizon Wiki

NPCs, enemies have received a major overhaul in Horizon. Enemies scale dynamically based on player level, can mutate, exhibit genetic diversity, receive broader vulnerability based on type and race.

## General

### Legendaries

Enemies mutate (orange aura) into some kind of "legendary" enemy in Horizon. While doing so, their name pre-/suffix will change to "Mutant" and the health pool (HP) is instantly restored. Killing these enmies will grant more and better loot (legendary junk).

* Robots are prefixed by "Overcharged" instead of legendary
* Deathclaws are unchanged and still flagged "legendary"[*citation needed*]

### Adaptive Difficulty

Adaptive Difficulty or "Scaling System" was introduced with Horizon v1.6. Adaptive difficulty is a game design rather than a game mechanic itself, which is intended to mimic PC level (combat strength) and make the game more difficult, more challenging, but without punishing PC. This allows the game to feel more alive, and responsive.

### Level Scaling

*See: Player Threat Level • Dynamic Encounter • Dynamic Trap*

Level Scaling allows to scale NPCs (Companions included) damage/resistance better. In vanilla FO4, NPC's spawned with higher level based on PC level, but never were altered based on this. In Horizon however, NPCs spawn based on PC level/damage/resistance and stats/equipment are altered accordingly but not NPC level. Health is almost unchanged and never altered based on PC level and fixed on enemy type.

Many sub-types of NPCs are given specific hardcoded levels, so they balance with the Intimidation perks. An Enemy tagged  or  doesn't necessarily mean going to be tough to beat. Higher level enemies vary based on the enemy type. Creatures are often still balanced in "tiers" like vanilla was. Higher level ones are tougher than lower types.

### Durability Scaling

Durability scaling applies dynamically and reduces most damage taken based on PC level. Some special types of damage are allowed to penetrate durability, such as certain DOT-type attacks (bleeds, electric dots, etc.). This system can allow certain NPCs to take better damage from lower caliber rounds without as much of a DR penalty, at all levels.

Certain enemy types have increased durability to emulate "health scaling", but without the drawbacks that the vanilla health scaling system had.

### Durability vs Resistance Scaling

Most enemies generally fall into 1 of 2 categories: High armor or low/no armor.

* Enemies that are seen as having thick armor plating, often have resistance scaling (and no durability scaling)
* Enemies that are seen as having low/no armor, often have durability scaling (and no resist scaling)

The base resists can still vary on all enemies. So some enemies may have higher base resists, but they use durability based on PC level, instead of increasing resistances. This allows low calibers to still have a use, without getting washed away by vanilla DR. Vice versa, where some enemies will shrug off low calibers much easier, and really require high calibers or even armor piercing to effectively kill faster.

Many high armor enemies will now start with lower DR at low levels, and scale upwards smoother. It's recommended to use the Awareness perk and/or Target Scanner, if help in-game is needed, to figure out what resists enemies have.

Low calibers...

* work better against: Feral Ghouls, most animals, most insects, most humanoids (depends on their equipped armor), gulpers
* scale worse against: Deathclaws, mirelurks, robots, radscorpions, power armor, heavily armored humanoids, fog crawlers, anglers

## Vulnerabilities

NPCs also have had their vulnerabilities adjusted. Some take more damage in vulnerable areas, and/or take less damage in some defensive areas. Each section below will list these vulnerabilities and defenses.

### VATS

The base chance to hit on increased vulnerabilities of most of these creatures in VATS is slightly reduced while the base chance to hit on reduced damage areas of most of these creatures in VATS is slightly increased.

### Damage Multipliers

In order to do more damage to the enemy, it is advisable to aim at weak spots. Weak spots increase incoming damage according to the values in the following table.

## Killing Enemies

### Kill Types

Enemy types have a priority (ex: dogs are checked as dogs first, even if they are flagged as being Raiders).

 Humanoids
 Animals
 Mirelurks
 Insects
 Creatures
 Robots
 Android

### Kill Rewards

* Mailbox – If allied with a certain Faction killing Enemies will yield to rewards sent to the Mailbox (incoming container).
* Slayer – This new system allows to track what types of enemies have been killed and will yield bonuses based on count.

### Kill Statistics

Overall enemy kill statistics can be viewed when using the Field Kit. Located in "Skill Menu" > "View Enemy Kill Tracking".

* Humanoids
* Animals
* Insects / Arachnids
* Creatures
* Robots / Synths

* Humanoids
* Animals
* Insects & Arachnids
* Creatures
* Robots & Synths

## Enemy Tactics

*See: Guide/Combat Tactics*

Resistance – Cryo resistance usually means it takes increased fire damage.

* "Albino" creatures usually have very high DR, but are vulnerable to fire damage.
* "Glowing" creatures usually have very high ER, but low DR.

Softer targets that have very low damage resistance (DR) and thus allow lower calibers rounds to deliver their damage without be penalized as much.

* Consist of: feral ghouls, molerats, dogs, flying insects, radroaches, etc.

Creatures like Deathclaws are supposed to be tough, and may be bullet sponges. Take advantage of their vulnerabilities if possible.

Some robots are supposed to be tough, so use armor piercing or anti-robot weapons/ammo against them and find their vulnerabilities.

## Locations

🌀 *The content below is transcluded from Guide/Useful Locations#Enemies.*

With the appropriate equipment, many encounters are no problem. Instead, these give XP quickly and easily to make the player character even stronger. In the beginning of a game Yao Guai's and Rad Scorpions are worthwile to gain XP, both are fragile to fire (molotov cocktails). Robots such as Sentry Bots are also worth considering, they are not affected by the "Dynamic Encounter" mechanic, i.e. do not pursue the player and bring a lot of XP and only need about two bottlecap mines on average to bring them down.

Below is a not quite complete overview of fixed and random spawn locations of enemies. Searching an specific enemy type can be done under "Filter" top left corner of the map. The "Map" feature is in experimental state and if not displayed correctly, it is advisable to refresh the page (`F5`).

## Technical Issues

🌀 *The content below transcludes to Technical Issues.*
* Protectrons are in a somewhat experimental phase. I'm trying to make leg damage very vulernable to being crippled, but not be a high source of damage. Unfortunately, the engine doesn't seem to allow me to do exactly what I want, so it's still being tweaked.
* Pure "Scavenger" enemies drop multiple clothing items (chest) of the same type and never give any XP.
* BoS NPCs can drop enormous amounts of 5 mm cartridges (1000+ rnds) (Desolation Mode).
* Deployed Synth (Gen1) in Concord went hostile after settlement was claimed. It looks like the game is flagging them as residents and using the "hostile script"?.
* Corpse Targeting HUD: A mutated or poisoned enemy is not highlighted with e.g. red, blue, white. The mutation aura and/or poison aura overshadows the Corpse Targeting HUD effect.
* Bullet sponges, enemies such as super mutants can have very high damage resistance at some level and may require alot of bullets to drop
	+ Bloatflies can have very high health pools, this is a vanilla bug.
* Gunners, Raiders, etc. can drop multiple firearms (e.g. 1x scoped rifle, 1x pipe rifle) around level 20.

## See Also

* Difficulty
* Dynamic Encounter
* Dynamic Trap
* Player Threat Level
* Guide/Useful Locations
* Guide/Combat Tactics