Although “rare” is probably overstating things a bit. Greenshine is practically everywhere in one form or another, especially in Plainsong and Sunken Caverns, and while some Greenshine locations are seemingly random, there are a few areas guaranteed to house plenty of it.
What is Greenshine for in Horizon Forbidden West?
Greenshine has a few uses depending on what your needs are at the time. It’s a valuable trade item you can exchange with merchants and hunters for weapon coils and equipment weaves. Early in the game, you’ll primarily find less valuable Greenshine Slivers, though, later areas will be home to much more valuable chunks of the stone. You’ll also need Greenshine for upgrading weapons and improving your armor at workbenches. Similar to trading Greenshine, you’ll need rarer versions of the stone for higher-end upgrades.
Where to find Greenshine in Horizon Forbidden West
Some Greenshine pieces are just scattered in random places around the map, especially in The Daunt and Plainsong. You may find them in out of the way areas, in Ruins, or even just nestled against another structure or a cliff. They give off a bright green glow – hence the name – so they’re hard to miss if you’re nearby. You’ll almost always find Greenshine behind Firegleam and Metal Flower blocked paths, though you need the Ignitor and Vine Cutter, respectively, from story missions to deal with these obstacles.
Sunken Caverns in Forbidden West
Another guaranteed way to find them is exploring Sunken Caverns. You get access to these after completing the Sea of Sands quest and getting the Diving Mask. Each region has at least one Sunken Cavern, an underwater cave sometimes hidden behind Metal Flowers or other obstacles, and each Cavern contains multiple pieces of Greenshine, typically the higher value kind. A Sunken Cavern isn’t “cleared” until you find every piece of Greenshine in it, so you’ll know when you find them all. If you’re looking for more help as you navigate the wastelands, check out our other Horizon Forbidden West guides for further tips and tricks.