TL;DR Quick Hitters
- Regalla Thunderjaw is a 12,500 HP elite variant encountered during the The Way Home main quest at the Tenakth Regalla camp, with 30% higher damage than a regular Thunderjaw.
- Best loadout centers on a fully upgraded Forgefall Sharpshot Bow with plasma ammo, paired with Tearblast precision arrows for canister removal.
- Phase 1 ends at 50% HP (6250 HP), Phase 2 at 15% HP (1875 HP) where it enters enrage mode with 2x attack speed.
- Consistent canister destruction/explosion can chunk 40%+ of its total HP before it ever enters Phase 2.
- Mastering the 1.2s punish window after its laser sweep attack is the fastest way to get no damage clears.
Boss Overview: What Makes Regalla Thunderjaw Different From a Regular Thunderjaw?
If you've cleared a few outcrops, you've fought regular Thunderjaws. This isn't that. The Regalla Thunderjaw is an elite, Overridden variant planted by Regalla's rebels as the final gatekeeper to her main camp in Horizon Forbidden West, and it hits way harder than any standard machine you've fought up to this point. Let's break down the hard stats you need going in:
| Stat | Regalla Thunderjaw | Regular Thunderjaw |
|---|---|---|
| Total HP | 12,500 | 8,500 |
| Base Melee Bite Damage | 215 | 150 |
| Disc Launcher AoE Damage | 350 (per disc) | 240 (per disc) |
| Laser Sweep Damage | 120 per tick (5 ticks = 600 total) | 85 per tick (5 ticks = 425 total) |
| Charge Stamina Drain | 75% | 50% |
The key difference isn't just stats: this Overridden machine has modified attack patterns, adds a new unblockable charge combo, and enrages much earlier than a standard Thunderjaw. Most players walk into this boss fight underprepared and get one-shot by a disc launcher barage before they even take off its first canister.
Location: You'll encounter this boss northwest of Plainsong, at the main Regalla rebel camp during the The Way Home main story quest. There's no way to skip it, and if you're going for the 100% completion or Regalla-related ending, you have to put this thing down. This is one of the toughest boss fights in the entire game, so don't feel bad if you've wiped a few times — we're here to fix that.
Pro Tip: If you're playing on Ultra Hard difficulty, add 2500 extra HP (total 15,000) and 15% increased damage to all attacks. Bring extra healing potions and max out your valor surge before pulling this.Recommended Loadout & Setup: Tier Rankings for Weapons, Outfits, and Skills
You already know how to craft ammo and open the weapon wheel — this section is for min-maxers who want the exact setup to melt this boss in 3 minutes or less. We've ranked every viable option below, so you can build around what you have unlocked.
Best Weapons Tier List
| Tier | Weapon | AmType | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Forgefall (Fully Upgraded Sharpshot Bow) | Plasma Precision Arrows / Tearblast Precision Arrows | 145 plasma damage per arrow, 95 tear damage per Tearblast — can pop all canisters in 2-3 shots each |
| S | Death Seeker's Shadow (Fully Upgraded Hunter Bow) | Advanced Precision Arrows / Fire Arrows | Great for consistent body damage after canisters are removed, fast draw speed for procing elemental status |
| A | Explosive Blastsling (Fully Upgraded) | Advanced Explosive Bombs | Great AoE damage when the Thunderjaw is downed, 210 damage per direct hit |
| B | Icestorm Shredder Gauntlet | Freeze Shredders | Solid freezeprocs, but slower than bow methods for canister destruction |
| C | Any Melee Spear (even fully upgraded) | N/A | Only good for resists after a down — melee trades will get you one-shot every time |
| D | Tears of the Land God | Any | Slow fire rate, too much damage falloff for moving targets. Skip it here. |
Best Outfit & Skill Setup
For this boss strategy, your #1 priority is increased ranged damage + elemental damage boost. The best in slot is the Tenakth Tactician Outfit (fully upgraded) with 2 coils for +15% ranged damage and +15% plasma damage. If you don't have that, Oseram Artificer is a solid A-tier alternative, thanks to its 10% damage resistance to machine attacks.
Mandatory skills you must have unlocked before this boss fight:
- Concentration + Concentration Mastery: Gives you 8 seconds of slowed time to line up head/canister shots — non-negotiable for no damage runs. 2 points invested for max duration.
- Plasma Mastery: 2 points = +30% plasma damage and 20% faster status buildup. This cuts the time to proc a plasma explosion by almost half.
- Deep Concentration: Extends the duration by another 4 seconds, giving you enough time to pop two canisters in one concentration window.
- Valor Surge: Ranged Mastery: Max rank gives +50% ranged damage for 10 seconds — pop this after the Thunderjaw is downed to chunk 20% HP in seconds.
- Quiet Shot: Reduces draw noise by 100% so you can get a full first rotation of canister shots before it even aggros fully. Don't skip this.
Required Consumables
- 12+ Plasma Precision Arrows (Forgefall)
- 8+ Tearblast Precision Arrows (Forgefall)
- 4+ Max Healing Potions (+225 HP each)
- 1+ Precision Dye (+30% concentration duration for 5 minutes)
- 1+ Flame Resistance Potion (if you accidentally pop the fire canister early, cuts damage by 50%)
Attack Pattern Analysis: What Every Attack Does, and How to Dodge/Punish
Before we get into the phase breakdown, let's break down every attack this boss uses, how to avoid it, and exactly how long your punish window is. This is the most important part of getting consistent no damage clears.
| Attack | Tell | Damage | How to Avoid | Punish Window (Seconds) | Maximum Punish Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disc Launcher Volley | Back rears up, two discs slide out of the back launcher | 350 per disc, 700 total if both hit = 1-shot on most NG builds | Roll sideways right as the discs leave the launcher — don't roll early. Don't roll backward, you'll still get hit by splash. | 2.0s | 2 full plasma arrows (290 damage) |
| Laser Sweep | Head lowers, laser charges for 0.8s before firing | 120 per tick, 5 ticks = 600 total, guaranteed kill on anything but a maxed armor build | Roll toward the Thunderjaw, through the laser. The hitbox is thinner than it looks, and rolling in gets you inside the attack range entirely. | 1.2s | 1 full Tearblast + 1 plasma arrow (190 + 145 = 335 damage) |
| Forward Bite | Head pulls back, jaw opens 0.5s before strike | 215 | Roll sideways. If you're already in close, slide dodge under the jaw and get behind it. | 0.8s | 1 plasma arrow (145 damage) |
| Overridden Charge Combo | Plant front legs, whole body tenses for 1.2s, roars once | 380 on first hit, 215 on second bite = 595 total one-shot combo | Use your Valley Surge Pull or a well-timed roll to the right after the first charge connects. The second bite always tracks left. | 1.5s after second bite whiffs | 1 Tearblast to the back canister (95 tear damage + proc) |
| Stomp AOE | Lifts front leg, holds for 0.6s before slamming | 195 splash + 120 impact | Roll away from the leg. This attack is only used when you're in close melee range. | 1.0s | 1 arrow to the eye weakpoint (195 critical damage) |
| Tail Sweep | Whips tail to the left first, tenses for 0.4s | 240 | Jump over the first sweep, roll backward away from the second. | 1.0s | 1 arrow to the back disc launcher canister |
90% of players get hit by the laser sweep because they roll away from it — don't do that. Rolling into it puts you completely out of the hitbox before the sweep finishes, and drops you right in front of the Thunderjaw's chest canister for a free shot. That's the biggest punish opportunity in the entire boss fight, memorize it.
Phase-by-Phase Breakdown: Exact HP Thresholds and Step-by-Step Strategy
Regalla Thunderjaw has three distinct phases, each with different HP thresholds and attack behavior. We'll walk through each step-by-step, with exact damage targets to hit.
Phase 1: Pre-Enrage (100% → 50% HP = 12,500 → 6,250 HP)
Phase 1 is all about removing key components and procing canister explosions before the Thunderjaw gets aggressive. You get a free 3-second window after the cutscene ends before it attacks — use that. Follow these steps exactly:
- Immediately activate Concentration, switch to Tearblast arrows, and pop the two back disc launcher canisters first. Two Tearblast arrows per canister = they rip right off. This removes its highest-damage attack (the disc volley) permanently. That's 190 tear damage per canister, enough to remove both in 4 shots total.
- Next, target the chest plasma canister with plasma arrows. 3 plasma shots = full plasma proc, which causes the canister to explode for 1,800 damage. If the canister doesn't explode, one Tearblast shot will rip it off for 1,200 extra damage.
- Third, target the mouth power core weakpoint whenever it rears up to roar or attack. Each critical hit here does 195 damage, and it's exposed 70% of the time in Phase 1.
- Leave the two side fire canisters alone unless you're about to hit the Phase 2 threshold. If you pop them early, they just do splash damage to you and don't net much extra HP damage. Wait until the Thunderjaw is moving away from you to pop them for free damage.
By the time you hit 50% HP (6,250), you should have removed the disc launchers, chest plasma canister, and at least one fire canister. That means you've already chunked 40% of its total HP (5,000 damage) before Phase 2 even starts. If you're at 50% and still have the disc launchers on it, you messed up the priority — reset and do the disc launchers first. They're the biggest threat, always.
Pro Tip: If you can steal the Regalla disc launcher after removing it (you'll get the prompt to pick it up), each shot from it does 450 damage to the Thunderjaw. Unload all 6 shots into the power core in Phase 1 for an extra 2,700 damage — that drops it straight to 40% HP before Phase 2.Phase 2: Aggressive Mode (50% → 15% HP = 6,250 → 1,875 HP)
At 50% HP, the Regalla Thunderjaw enters Phase 2: it roars, its Override core glows red, and it gains 50% increased attack speed and 20% increased movement speed. This is where most players wipe, because they try to keep kiting from range instead of holding close and punishing. Here's how to handle it:
- Stick to its front-left quadrant at all times. All of its wide attacks miss here, and it can't track you fast enough to land the tail sweep or stomp. It can only hit you with the forward bite, which is easy to roll and punish.
- Prioritize removing the back Override core casing first. 3 plasma arrows will break the casing, exposing the core weakpoint which takes 2x damage. Every shot to