Cauldrons are areas in Horizon Forbidden West that can be completed to unlock specific machine overrides and mounts. Overriding machines can force them to fight alongside Aloy instead of against her, and there are unique mounts that can be unlocked through completing Cauldrons. These dungeons can be found in various locations around the map, and they each have a recommended level.
Two of the Cauldrons need to be completed as part of the main story missions in Horizon Forbidden West. The other four available Cauldrons are optional, but completing them is worth the rewards they offer. Each Cauldron will have climbing challenges and a boss battle at the end that must be completed before overriding the core and unlocking the machine overrides. Some of the machine overrides will only partially unlock, so players will need to finish crafting them at the Base by collecting parts from the corresponding machine. There are a total of 19 machine overrides that require crafting to complete.
By completing Cauldrons, players can unlock four mounts for Aloy to ride across the Forbidden West. From the start of Horizon Forbidden West, players will be able to use Chargers as mounts. The Sunwing, Bristleback, and Clawstrider can be unlocked as mounts for Aloy by completing Cauldrons, and none of them require any additional crafting. The mounts in Horizon Forbidden West can be unlocked in the IOTA, TAU, and GEMINI Cauldrons.
Cauldron TAU Location & Unlocks in Horizon Forbidden West
The Cauldron TAU, or Repair Bay TAU, is part of an early main story mission “The Dying Lands” in Horizon Forbidden West. The recommended level for this Cauldron is 15 making it the lowest level Cauldron in the game. Completing the Cauldron TAU will result in 9,000 XP and two skill points. Players can find the Cauldron TAU west of Plainsong, but it will be marked on the map as soon as “The Dying Lands” quest is started in Horizon Forbidden West. There are a few climbing sections to conquer in this Cauldron as well as a Grimhorn to defeat at the end, but it should be fairly easy to complete.
Cauldron TAU Unlocks
- Bristleback (Mount) – Full Override
- Grimhorn – Partial Override
- Plowhorn – Partial Override
Cauldron MU Location & Unlocks in Horizon Forbidden West
To get to the Cauldron MU, players will need to travel south of Plainsong and west of Chainscrape and Stone’s Edge. Completing the Cauldron MU will award players 8,000 XP and three skill points. The recommended level for Horizon Forbidden West‘s Aloy is 18 to complete this Cauldron. There are a few semi-difficult challenges to complete within the Cauldron MU, such as jumping between mechanical arms to get across an open area or sneaking through vents to avoid a Shellstalker. To finish the dungeon and override the core, Aloy will need to defeat a Widemaw.
Cauldron MU Unlocks
- Burrower – Full Override
- Scrounger – Full Override
- Grazer – Full Override
- Fanghorn – Partial Override
- Scrapper – Partial Override
- Widemaw – Partial Override
Cauldron IOTA Location & Unlocks in Horizon Forbidden West
The recommended level for the Cauldron IOTA in Horizon Forbidden West is 22, and completing it will give players 10,000 XP and three skill points. IOTA is the northernmost Cauldron and can be found directly north of Scalding Spear or northwest of the Base. However, the hidden entrance for IOTA is slightly northwest of the Cauldron marker on the map and in a ravine. Inside the Cauldron IOTA, players will need to defeat enemies and use their platforming skills as well as help to finish building a Tallneck whose machinery is jammed up. Upon overriding the network uplink, Aloy will also need to defeat a Horizon Forbidden West Rollerback to complete this Cauldron. IOTA is a fairly straightforward Cauldron that will unlock a large number of full and partial machine overrides.
Cauldron IOTA Unlocks
- Leaplasher – Full Override
- Glinthark – Full Override
- Lancehorn – Full Override
- Longleg – Full Override
- Clawstrider (Mount) – Full Override
- Skydrifter – Partial Override
- Bellowback – Partial Override
- Ravager – Partial Override
- Snapmaw – Partial Override
- Rollerback – Partial Override
Cauldron GEMINI Location & Unlocks in Horizon Forbidden West
The only machine override to unlock from the Cauldron GEMINI is the Sunwing, but it’s the fastest mount in the game and will allow Aloy to quickly fly around the map. It’s likely that players will come across this Cauldron before starting the main story mission, “Gemini,” but Aloy won’t be able to complete it until acquiring the quest. Since it’s part of a story mission, the Cauldron location will be marked on the map, but it can be found west of Scalding Spear. The recommended level for the Cauldron GEMINI is 30, and players will get 24,000 XP and two skill points for completing it. The boss at the end of the Cauldron GEMINI is a Slaughterspine that Aloy must fight in Horizon Forbidden West.
Cauldron GEMINI Unlocks
- Sunwing (Mount) – Full Override
Cauldron CHI Location & Unlocks in Horizon Forbidden West
Like the Cauldron GEMINI, the Cauldron CHI has a recommended level of 30. Completing CHI gives players 12,500 XP along with three skill points. The Cauldron CHI can be found south of Thornmarsh near the coastline. To enter the Cauldron CHI, players will need to go around the right side of the front entrance to find a cave that leads inside. The bulk of the Cauldron CHI is falling apart, so players will need to navigate through the ruins to complete it. At the end of the Cauldron CHI there will be a Slitherfang to defeat in Horizon Forbidden West.
Cauldron CHI Unlocks
- Frostclaw – Full Override
- Redeye Watcher – Full Override
- Shell-Walker – Full Override
- Clamberjaw – Full Override
- Behemoth – Full Override
- Stalker – Partial Override
- Shellsnapper – Partial Override
- Spikesnout – Partial Override
- Scorcher – Partial Override
- Fireclaw – Partial Override
Cauldron KAPPA Location & Unlocks in Horizon Forbidden West
The Cauldron KAPPA has the highest level recommendation at 40, so, naturally, it’s the most difficult Cauldron to complete. KAPPA can be found west of The Bulwark near the edge of the water. Aloy will need to have the Diving Mask to be able to get in through the underwater entrance. The Cauldron KAPPA has many challenging puzzles and requires Aloy to change the water level at various points. Completing the Cauldron KAPPA will award players 12,500 XP and three skill points. At the end of the Cauldron KAPPA, Horizon Forbidden West‘s Aloy will need to defeat a Tideripper.
Cauldron KAPPA Unlocks
- Rockbreaker – Full Override
- Tideripper – Full Override
- Tremortusk – Full Override
- Stormbird – Full Override
- Slitherfang – Partial Override
- Dreadwing – Partial Override
- Slaughterspine – Partial Override
- Thunderjaw – Partial Override
Horizon Forbidden West is available for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
