Horizon Forbidden West: Cauldron KAPPA Walkthrough

Cauldron KAPPA is a level 40 underwater dungeon in Horizon Forbidden West that requires the Diving Mask to enter. Since the max level in Horizon Forbidden West is 50, it’s likely players will not be able to complete Cauldron KAPPA until the later stages of the game. Cauldron KAPPA is not part of the main story, so completing it is an optional activity, but there are some valuable machine overrides and rewards to earn by reaching and overriding the core.

There are six Cauldrons to complete in Horizon Forbidden West, but only two of them are mandatory because they’re tied into the main story. Other than Cauldron TAU and Cauldron GEMINI in Horizon Forbidden West, the Cauldrons are side activities that can be completed at the player’s discretion. Cauldron KAPPA is the most difficult one to clear with a recommended level of 40 and a Tideripper boss to defeat. This Cauldron is also the only underwater one, and players will need to complete the “Sea of Sands” mission to obtain the Diving Mask before they can complete it.

As with the other Cauldrons in Horizon Forbidden West, once players enter Cauldron KAPPA, they won’t be able to exit until it’s completed. Cauldron KAPPA is located west of The Bulwark, and Aloy can use the Diving Mask to reach the underwater entrance. As soon as Aloy dives down, there will be a Snapmaw, but it can’t be fought underwater. Instead, players should sneak by to reach the Cauldron KAPPA entrance in the center of this area. There’s a Network Uplink to override, then players can enter Horizon Forbidden West‘s Cauldron KAPPA and start heading toward the core.

Finding Cauldron KAPPA’s Core In Horizon Forbidden West

After reaching the other side of the underwater passage, players can surface and use the Pullcaster to move the crate. It will need to be pushed into the water that Aloy came out of, but two Spikesnouts will jump out and attack while the crate is being moved. After defeating the machines, the crate can be pushed into the water. The current will position the crate underneath the pole on the other side so Aloy can climb up.

Players can head to the right and glide down, then continue forward until reaching a room with a moving pole. When the pole sinks down into the ground, Horizon Forbidden West‘s Aloy can stand on top of it and use it to reach the next platform when it rises up. The Network Uplink on this platform can be overridden to open up the core room. Attempting to jump to the core’s platform will cause the bar to break and Aloy will fall into the water below.

Changing Cauldron KAPPA’s Water Levels In Horizon Forbidden West

Next, players will need to swim to the area with a few machines roaming around. There are two Burrowers and a Snapmaw to defeat before heading to the next area. Once the machines are taken care of, players can climb up the nearby pole that’s across a few small platforms. Aloy will pass under a Network Uplink while shimmying to the other side, but it can’t be overridden until after she changes the water level. Using the Shieldwing in Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy can glide down from the platform to the next area. There are two more Burrowers to kill before overriding the node. Doing so will give Aloy access to the platform higher up.

Another Burrower is waiting on the higher platform as well as a Network Uplink that Aloy can override to raise the water level. Once the water rises, Aloy can glide over to the platform where a few more Burrowers are lurking. When the machines are defeated, players can jump across the poles to retrieve a crate and push it under the vent. Aloy can then use the crate to climb up and find another Network Uplink that will raise the water when overridden. The crate will be floating in the water, and players can pull it toward them using the Pullcaster. Next, players will need to dive into the water and locate the Network Uplink to bring the water level back down.

Players can glide back down to the other platform, then turn around to find the crate. Using the Pullcaster, players can move the crate into the U-shaped part of the platform. Horizon Forbidden West‘s Aloy will need to return to the higher platform to raise the water level again so that the crate is positioned right underneath a climbable pole. Climbing up the pole leads to an open area with a Spikesnout and two Shell-Walkers. After defeating them, Aloy can move the crate to reach the pole in the southern part of the room. There will be a machine flying by that Aloy can grab onto. Players should let go when prompted to perform a Strike From Above attack on a Burrower below.

With the Burrower taken care of, players can follow the path until reaching a Network Uplink. Overriding it will open the door leading to the flooded core room which also contains the boss for Cauldron KAPPA in Horizon Forbidden West. Players will need to swim under the arena to the other side of the room to find a Network Uplink underwater. Overriding it opens up a door leading back to the Network Uplink nodes that change the water level. The Network Uplink straight ahead will lower the water level revealing a platform to stand on in the core room. Once Aloy steps onto the platform where the core is, an Apex Tideripper will emerge from the water.

Defeating Cauldron KAPPA’s Tideripper In Horizon Forbidden West

The Apex Tideripper can be a difficult enemy to defeat in Horizon Forbidden West, but if players can deal Shock and Frost damage, the fight will be a little easier. Using Aloy’s Focus, players can identify the weak spots for the Tideripper in Horizon Forbidden West. The highlighted parts of the machine can usually be torn off or destroyed. Players should target the Tideripper’s heart to deal the most damage and destroy the Purgewater Sac and Purgewater Pouch to eliminate some of its stronger attacks. The Tideripper weaponizes Purgewater and has several powerful attacks to watch out for. Aloy should always be moving throughout the fight to dodge the Tideripper’s strikes. Once the Tideripper is defeated, Aloy will be able to override the core in Cauldron KAPPA. Overriding the core will unlock machine overrides and reveal the exit.

Cauldron KAPPA Overrides & Rewards In Horizon Forbidden West

There are eight machine overrides that unlock after completing Cauldron KAPPA. However, half of them are corrupted, so Aloy will need to finish crafting them at The Base before they can be used in combat. Machine overrides allow Aloy to recruit a machine as an ally in battle, and Cauldron KAPPA unlocks overrides for some of the most powerful machines in Horizon Forbidden West. Overriding Cauldron KAPPA’s core also awards players 12,500 XP and two skill points. Cauldron KAPPA is the most difficult Cauldron in Horizon Forbidden West, but there are a lot of worthwhile rewards to obtain for completing it.

Cauldron KAPPA Overrides

• Rockbreaker – Full
• Tideripper – Full
• Tremortusk – Full
• Stormbird – Full
• Slitherfang – Corrupted
• Dreadwing – Corrupted
• Slaughterspine – Corrupted
• Thunderjaw – Corrupted

Horizon Forbidden West is available for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.