Windbag Ranch: Proving Grounds 2 (Bastion Guide)

Windbag Ranch is the proving ground for the War Machete. To clear it, you must wipe out all the enemies in the area as quickly as possible.

It sounds simple, but it’s one of the most skill-intensive challenges.

You’ll need to be both fast and precise to kill all foes in under one minute. Do that, and you’ll earn the top rank.

Windbag Ranch
Rank	Requirement	Reward
1^st	60 seconds or less	“Ghost Blade” Secret Skill
2^nd	90 seconds or less	“Something Pointy” Upgrade Material
3^rd	First clear	“Something Sharp” Upgrade Material

Preparation

Buff Up the Criticals of Your Blade

Upgrade your Machete’s critical hit chance and damage as much as you can. This lets you destroy the non-organic enemies faster, whose high health stat can slow you down. That’ll no longer be the case with your improved crits.

This gives you more time to hunt down the other enemies in the area.

War Machete Upgrades
Tier	Upgrade Name	Effect
1	Keen Edge	+20% Critical hit chance
2	Combat Handle	+100% Critical hit damage
3	Alloy Tip	+20% Critical hit chance
4	Reinforced Spine	+100% Critical hit damage

General Strategy + Tips

There are at least 50 enemies in total.

The ones that you want to take note of are these three:

Green Squirts. They’re the most numerous and most troublesome. They’ll run away from you and float off of the platform. If they stay beyond your reach, you’ll have to throw your Machete at them, which takes time to do.
Corn bins. They have the highest HP among the enemies. They can also spit out batches of blue Squirts. The good thing is that their Squirts will come to you instead of skittering away.
Security Turrets. They can hunker down for 2 seconds after taking damage. They’re invulnerable while in that state, so you’ll want to destroy them with one Power Shot.

Prevent the Green Squirts from Leaving Their Spawn Point

Task 1: Cut down the green Squirts at their spawn point.

As soon as you pick up the Machete, roll to the center of the grounds. Start hacking at the spots where the green Squirts spawn and don’t stop.

If you let up for even a second, you’ll allow some Squirts to slip through.

In case one does escape, don’t try to chase it. Keep swinging until they stop spawning.

Ignore the Blue Squirts as You Go After the Corn Bins

Task 2: Destroy the corn bins and the Turrets.

Next, you’ll want to remove the stationary enemies from play.

There are two pairs of corn bins and Turrets to the north. Plus there’s another bin at the south, and along its left are the remaining three Turrets.

One Power Shot against each Turret is sufficient to destroy them.

For the corn bins, mash the attack button as you slash them. You’ll have a greater chance of proccing crits by taking advantage of your fast attack speed. Once they’re gone, you’ll have less distractions for the next step.

A Failed Run Due to This Rogue Squirt

Task 3: Track down the remaining Squirts.

The blue Squirts will always come to you, so you don’t need to worry about finding them. It’s the green ones that can ruin your run if any of them slipped by you in Step 1.

They can be all over the place.

They may even be floating around the far corners of the grounds, where the platforms end.

For those, you must use your Machete’s throw attack. Power Shots aren’t necessary; regular throws are enough to kill them. You’ll need to be patient as you line up your aim. Your throws can go wide because of how the Squirts tend to move a lot.

Prizes

The Hard-Earned Prizes

You’ll get upgrade materials for both the 3rd and 2nd ranks, and a secret skill in 1st rank.

For the 3^rd rank, you’ll get a Something Sharp for your Machete.
The 2^nd rank gives you a Something Pointy for the Brusher’s Pike.
At 1^st place, your reward is the “Ghost Blade” Secret Skill for the Machete.

Secret Skill: Ghost Blade (War Machete)

A specter of the Kid charges forward in a straight line away from you. It swings its Machete as it advances. Anything that comes into contact with it will get slashed.

BACK TO THE MAIN GAME Bastion Full Strategy Guide

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Bastion
- Windbag Ranch: Proving Grounds 2 (Bastion Guide)

Louie Nelson Zafico

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As a frustrated otter who dreams of getting published, Louie instead wastes his life cuddling his cats. He spent his childhood playing Suikoden, grew up with Total War, and matured (somewhat) with EU4. He hopes to someday find a geopolitical JRPG with the 4X systems of a Paradox game.

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