Tearblast Skip
Notice: This article is about the Tearblast Skip used in the Frozen Wilds speedruns, for the Smack% skip, see Tearblast Skip (Smack%).
General
The Tearblast Skip is often considered the hardest skip in Horizon Zero Dawn, and is used in all variants of the TFW speedrun, specifically in the Firebreak cauldron. The skip takes advantage of the tearblast effect from fired tearblast arrows.
How To Perform
In order to do the Tearblast Skip, you need to first own a sharpshot bow with tearblast arrows. You can then enter the Firebreak cauldron, and complete it until you reach the room shown in the image on the right. Now, head to one of the two edges of the platform circled in the image. Fire 2 or 3 tearblast arrows simultaneously on the edge of one of the marked locations. Wait a split second, then sprint forward and jump past the arrows just as they are about to explode.
You will then get launched to the other side, and will be able to immediately activate the override node, allowing you to progress through the cauldron. Note that this skip is extremely difficult to perform, and will fail more often than not.
Discovery
The skip was discovered on the 17th of April, 2020 by everydayaussie. It would immediately garner infamy due to its difficult nature, and would replace the previous wall-run skip used.
A video of TB skip:
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3q29neHbBw</youtube>
Alternatives
Due to the difficult nature of the skip, everydayaussie would later set out to find some alternatives to it, and would find 2 of them. Both are slower, but are still often favoured by those not going for a top time because they are easier.
1. Tearblast Skip Skip
Tearblast Skip Skip (TSS) was found on the 16th of January, 2021 by everydayaussie. It involves climbing a broken pillar, before using some pipes hanging from the roof of the cauldron to gain enough height to jump to the other side. TSS has never really been in use due to the quick discovery of TSS2, and the fact that TSS was seen as fairly difficult. Check the video for more details.
TSS discovery video:
<video>J6vK0UYOgyE</video>
2. Tearblast Skip Skip 2
TSS2 was found on the 22nd of February, 2021. This version is a lot easier once practised than TSS and the regular Tearblast Skip, but is a bit slower. Several runners still use it for the increased consistency however. In order to perform the skip, you must first wall-run, then jump to one of the platforms that blast out of the ground, before using the momentum from said platform to jump to a ledge. At this point you can just barely jump to the platform with the override node. Check the video for more details.
TSS2 discovery video:
<video>https://youtu.be/zipRILtJJfY</video>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zipRILtJJfY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
https://youtu.be/zipRILtJJfY?t=2
Trivia
- A full video on the history of Tearblast Skip was made by Fleur_Bleue101: https://youtu.be/D-X8b585BvA
- Tearblast Skip is one of only a few skips to have viable alternatives
- Tearblast Skip is one of only 3 skips that are too precise to be consistent for humans.
