While playing Horizon Forbidden West, players will participate in many different adventures, including going through mini dungeons known as Cauldrons. There are six of these, each of which must be completed to unlock machine overrides. This walkthrough will provide all the information you need to complete Cauldron Iota in Horizon Forbidden West, including details about the machines you need to override and the bosses you need to defeat.
Cauldrons are essential mini-dungeons every player has to complete while playing Horizon Forbidden West. These are important as they will help you progress and level up in the game and take you forward with the main story. As mentioned above, there are a total of six of these, each of which is uniquely designed and awaits different adventures.
Two of these Cauldrons are part of the main quests and can’t be missed, whereas the other four are optional. However, we recommend doing those for some hefty rewards.
Horizon Forbidden West Cauldron Iota Walkthrough
Cauldron Iota is one the hardest Cauldrons to go through as it’s a bit different from others and can get a little tricky to figure out how to work around it. In addition, it is hidden from the map, and you can easily miss it if you don’t carefully look around for its sneaky entrance.
But worry no more; below, we’ve provided an in-depth walkthrough for Cauldron Iota that discusses every aspect of it and how to overcome troubles that come your way while you’re present in it.
Where To Find The Cauldron IOTA Entrance
The Cauldron Iota’s main entrance is north of Scalding Speat and Northwest of The Base, but it is different from other cauldron entrances.
To access this Cauldron, head Northwest of the main entrance, where you will see a cliff to drop down from and a couple of Tracker Burrowers.
Defeat them and head straight where you will see a cave that will be your new entrance into the Cauldron.
You will find multiple enemies like Tracker Borrower, Scrounger, Fire Canister Leaplashers, and Clawstrider.
The recommended level for this Cauldron is Level 22, so be close to that level before heading into the Cauldron, or it will prove a bit harder for you. Once you enter the Cauldron, follow the platform to your left, which will take you down to the one of the starting Override Cauldron door.
You will find a scrounger in your path, and you can either take it down or just run through it.
Override the door you found, which will take you into the next room. Once you enter the next room, it will be patrolled by two Fire canister leaplashers.
After you have dealt with those two machines, jump to the other side of the broken platform. The moment you jump to the other side, hide behind one of the crates. That will help you in the encounter with the Clawstrider.
They are fast and agile, so start off with a sneak attack which will put you at an advantage. Once you have defeated the machine, look for an override uplink to the right side of the room.
After hacking it, you can easily climb up the leap on the forges to get to the next override uplink.
Once you have hacked it open, in the next room, you will encounter two Apex Burrowers and a Spikesnout. They will be patrolling around the area, so you can start by taking care of the Apex Burrowers.
Once you have taken care of them, engage with the Spikesnout. Start by destroying the Damage Damener Sac and Stamina Drain Sac, putting them at a disadvantage.
After you have dealt with it, climb the forges close by. You will have to be quick since it will be timed to reach the other platform, where you will find another cauldron door to override.
How to Defeat the Rollerback in Cauldron Iota
After you override the door, you will enter into the core of the Cauldron, where you will notice an incomplete hanging tallneck.
Drop down from the platform, and at your left will be an uplink. Once you have started overriding, you will be greeted by the Rollerback, a level 22 midweight transport machine that launches deadly rolling attacks and reattachs the armor it loses.
The roller back will be weak to Acid Damage and strong to Frost and Shock Damage.
This is not a Foe you can engage in melee combat, so your best option will be to stay at range.
Deploy traps and lure it into them to deal a good amount of damage and help gain distance again. Your mobility will be your biggest advantage in this battle.
Watch out for its Rolling attacks and its Tail slam attacks. Two or three of these attacks will eliminate you even in the normal difficulty.
After you defeat the Rollerback, override the Cauldron Core that will appear in the middle of the room, which will unlock overrides for various machines.
After unlocking the overrides, you cannot just go up on the lift, thanks to the incomplete Tallneck.
You have to find a new exit point and squeeze through the lift underneath you. You will have to drop down to a ledge where you will find an uplink.
Override it and follow the path to the next area where you have to jump across. Once you enter the next room, there will be an uplink at your left, guarded by a Fire canister Leaplasher.
Defeat it and override the uplink, which will unlock your way to the next platform. You will do some climbing in the next room. Make your way through by leaping around the room.
Once you reach the top of the platform, you will notice a Tallneck’s head being built and guarded by an Apex Scrounger and two Apex Burrowers.
Defeat them and look for a triangle-shaped light in the room. There will be a grapple point above it. Go upwards and climb onto the Tallneck’s head.
Free the head, which will become a ride for you. Defeat the enemies you find which may prove a hindrance for you.
How To Exit Cauldron IOTA
Once you’ve tackled all the craziness inside this dungeon, it’s time to head out and claim the rewards that are waiting for you. Simply go near the shield door, and take the path to the right, where you will find another Cauldron door.
Override the door, and there you will find your tall neck being repaired. Climb up again to the Tallnecks’ head, and override it. Overriding a tall neck is considered a map progression in Horizon Forbidden West, so be sure you do that. This will lead to a cut scene to unfold, and you’ll be out of the Cauldron IOTA.
Cauldron IOTA Overrides & Rewards
Upon completing the Cauldron IOTA dungeon in Horizon Forbidden West and the tasks within, players will receive +10000 XP, +3 Skill Points, Salt Bite Tallneck completion and the following machine overrides
- Clawstrider
- Leaplasher
- Glinthawk
- Lancehorn
- Longleg
- Corrupted Override: Skydrifter
- Corrupted Override: Bellowback
- Corrupted Override: Snapmaw
- Corrupted Override: Rollerback
- Corrupted Override: Ravager
