Horizon Forbidden West Cauldrons are very important when you want to override machines or use the machines as mounts.
Cauldrons are shown on your map by blue triangles, but you won’t know much about them until you get close enough to see them, and once completed these triangles turn green.
Each of these Cauldron locations is filled with challenging climbing puzzles, and each one must be completed with a boss battle in order to obtain the rewards they hold. To get through it all you’ll build up a large collection of Horizon Forbidden West machines that you can ride or get to help you fight.
To begin with, however, you must track down where they may be hidden. So here are the locations of all the Horizon Forbidden West Cauldrons in the game, as well as the rewards you’ll receive when you complete them.
What are Cauldrons in Horizon Forbidden West?
Cauldrons in Horizon Forbidden West are like special dungeons. They resemble underground dungeons, complete with hostile machines and parkouring parts to get through.
The ability to override new machines is one of the many benefits of clearing a Cauldron. New Machine Overrides are unlocked after successfully overriding the Cauldron Core. To be able to override a machine means you can tame them, some of the smaller machines can then be employed as mounts, while the larger ones will assist you in combat situations.
How Machine Overrides Work in Horizon Forbidden West
A full machine override from a Cauldron may not always be available, as some Cauldrons offer a mix of ready-to-use and crafted overrides. Using parts from the relevant machine, the craftable overrides can be done at the fabrication terminal back at the base.
So this means that in order to fully override some machines, you still have to take down a couple of them, even after you have completed the Cauldron mission, to be able to craft and fulfill its override requirement.
How many Cauldrons are there in Horizon Forbidden West?
Horizon Forbidden West contains a total of Six Cauldron locations. Even after completing the story, you can still find all of the Cauldrons in exploration mode.
- Repair-Bay TAU Cauldron
- GEMINI Cauldron
- MU Cauldron
- IOTA Cauldron
- CHI Cauldron
- KAPPA Cauldron
The first two Cauldrons are derived automatically from the main story (6th and 14th Main Quest). The most effective technique is to play through the story first, and then clear up any lingering Cauldrons after that.
All 6 Horizon Forbidden West Cauldron Locations
Repair Bay TAU Cauldron
The Repair Bay TAU Cauldron is an essential part of the main story quest #6: The Dying Lands, and cannot be skipped. Additionally, it can’t be done separately from the main quest.
Machine Overrides Unlocked:
- Full Override: Bristleback
- Unlocked Craftable Override: Plowhorn, Grimhorn
Recommended Level: 15
Location – Repair Bay TAU Cauldron:
You have to go to Plainsong, where you will come face to face with the NPC Zo, immediately upon successful completion of main story quest #5 – Death’s Door. Then she will guide you through an attack by Rebels and their Machines to your destination – the Sacred Cave, which is Repair Bay: Tau, the first Cauldron, as marked on the map below.
Objectives to complete Repair-Bay TAU Cauldron:
- Go to Plainsong
- Talk to Varl and Zo
- Meet Varl and Zo Outside the Chorus
- Enter the Sacred Cave
- Override the Door
- Go to the Repair Bay Core
- Override the Network Uplink
- Kill the Machines
- Kill the Grimhorn
- Override the Repair Bay Core
Rewards from Repair-Bay TAU Cauldron:
- +9000 XP
- +2 Skill Points
- +1 Utaru Whisperer (Face Paint)
GEMINI Cauldron
The GEMINI Cauldron appears during a crucial point in the game’s later part of the main mission, main story quest #14 – Gemini, and cannot be completed Just by exploring the Forbidden West. There’s no way around it. In order to override the core, the process requires traveling around the massive chamber and securing various sections.
Machine Overrides Unlocked:
- Full Override: Sunwing
Recommended Level: 30
Location – GEMINI Cauldron:
You won’t have to look for the cauldron because it will be found in the main story. In the center of the map, you’ll find Cauldron GEMINI just northeast of memorial grove, to the southwest of the Scalding Spear, as marked on the map below.
Objectives to complete GEMINI Cauldron:
- Return to the Base
- Talk to GAIA
- Talk to Varl
- Talk to GAIA
- Protect Beta
- Return to Beta and Varl
- Pursue HEPHAESTUS into the Cauldron
- Force HEPHAESTUS Back to the Core
- Return to the Assembly Chamber
- Kill the Slaughterspine
- Override the Network Uplink
- Return to Beta and Varl
Rewards from GEMINI Cauldron:
- +24000 XP
- +2 Skill Points
MU Cauldron
The MU Cauldron is recommended to be at least level 18 to partake. This can be the first Cauldron you’ll encounter just by exploring the Map. Jumping from large, swinging robot arms can be challenging and lead to some unpleasant game play. However, the process is quite simple and you should be able to breeze through it.
Machine Overrides Unlocked:
- Full Override: Burrower, Scrounger, Grazer
- Unlocked Craftable Override: Scrapper, Fanghorn, Widemaw
Recommended Level: 18
Location – MU Cauldron:
To get to Cauldron MU, you’ll have to walk a bit into the wilderness, which isn’t too difficult to find. Located Southeast of the map, at the base of the snowy hills, Southwest of Cinnabar Sand’s Tallneck.
Objective to complete MU Cauldron:
- Find the Core
- Go to the Core
- Override the Network Uplink
- Kill the Widemaw
- Override the Core
Rewards from MU Cauldron:
- +8000 XP
- +3 Skill Points
IOTA Cauldron
The IOTA Cauldron accomplishes two goals in one go. In order to override the core, you’ll need to kill several machines and scale platforms as usual. After completing the Cauldron, you’ll be presented with another task, which is to override the secret Tallneck “Salt Bite”.
Machine Overrides Unlocked:
- Full Override: Leaplasher, Glinthawk, Lancehorn, Longleg, Clawstrider
- Unlocked Craftable Override: Skydrifter, Bellowback, Ravager, Snapmaw, Rollerback
Recommended Level: 22
Location – IOTA Cauldron:
Located far north of the middle area of the map, directly North of Scalding Spear. If you’re still unclear, It’s just east for the circular lake at the top of the map.
Objectives to complete IOTA Cauldron:
- Listen to the Rumor About the Cauldron
- Find the Entrance
- Find a Different Entrance
- Find the Core
- Override the Network Uplink
- Kill the Rollerback
- Override the Core
- Search for a Way Out
- Release the Tallneck Head
- Follow the Tallneck Head
Rewards from IOTA Cauldron:
- +10000 XP
- +3 Skill Points
CHI Cauldron
The CHI Cauldron needs to do a lot of manual work, including figuring out how to get the battery back to its appropriate places. What you need to do is reactivate the cauldron’s power. Making climbing trails will involve frequent use of your Pullcaster. You’ll have to explore areas to look for the battery, and then you’ll have to bring it back to the core.
Machine Overrides Unlocked:
- Full Override: Frostclaw, Redeye Watcher, Shell-Walker, Clamberjaw, Behemoth
- Unlocked Craftable Override: Stalker, Shellsnapper , Spikesnout, Scorcher, Fireclaw
Recommended Level: 30
Location – CHI Cauldron:
Located along the island’s west shore, just off a beach, the open waterway in the southern area of the map, southeast of Thornmash camp.
Objectives to complete CHI Cauldron:
- Find the Core
- Override the Core
- Scan the Unkown Objects
- Follow the Trail.
- Scan for the Regulator Component
- Kill the Clamberjaw
- Pick up the Regulator Component.
- Place the Component in the Regulator
- Kill the Slitherfang
- Override the Core
Rewards from CHI Cauldron:
- +12500 XP
- +3 Skill Points
KAPPA Cauldron
The KAPPA Cauldron, is by far the most challenging. For one thing, you’ll have to swim in and out of the facility, and the time you spend investigating it will be spent mostly underwater. You’ll also have to deal with some challenging climbs and shifting water levels as you make your way through the course. Don’t underestimate the final battle; it’s going to be tough.
Machine Overrides Unlocked:
- Full Override: Rockbreaker, Tideripper, Tremortusk, Stormbird
- Unlocked Craftable Override: Thunderjaw, Slitherfang, Dreadwing, Slaughterspine
Recommended Level: 40
Location – KAPPA Cauldron:
The KAPPA Cauldron can be found on the shoreline in the northwest corner of the map, west of The Bulwark. During the main quest, The Sea of Sands, you’ll be able to craft the Diving mask, which is required to finish this Cauldron.
Objectives to complete KAPPA Cauldron:
- Find the Core
- Find a Way to the Core
- Override the lower pump
- Find a way out of the Pump room
- Find away to the Core
- Return to the Pump Room
- Override the Lower pump
- Return to the Core
- Kill the Tideripper
- Override the Core
Rewards from KAPPA Cauldron:
- +12500 XP
- +3 Skill Points
This covers all Cauldrons in Horizon Forbidden West that we discovered.
Horizon Forbidden West – All Cores Overridden Trophy
The All Cores Overridden trophy will be awarded to you if you find and successfully complete all 6 Cauldrons in Horizon Forbidden West.
If you like this guide, check out our other Horizon Forbidden West articles:
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- Horizon Forbidden West All Machines and Variants List
- Horizon Forbidden West All Editions – Details & Comparison
- Do You Need to Play Horizon Zero Dawn Before Forbidden West?
- Horizon Forbidden West All 12 Black Box Collectible Locations
- Horizon Forbidden West Original Soundtrack – Full OST Song List
- How to do Horizon Forbidden West Free PS5 Upgrade
Also check out this awesome video by 100% Guides on Horizon Forbidden West All Cauldron Locations & Solutions All Cauldron Walkthroughs: