How to complete Cauldron: Chi in Horizon Forbidden West

Cauldrons are locations around the map in Horizon Forbidden West that you can visit and explore to unlock new machine overrides. There are many that you’ll encounter in your journey with the game, and this guide explains how to complete one of them, Cauldron: Chi.

Where is the entrance to Cauldron: Chi?

Cauldron: Chi is located at the bottom of the map on the western side. It’s below the Greenhouse, where you’ll go for the Seeds of the Past main quest. However, the main entrance is blocked by vines, so you need to find an alternative way in. Move around to the right of the Cauldron and look for the waterfalls. Up on the cliff, there’s a gap that you can use to get into Cauldron: Chi. See below for a map reference for this location.

Step 1: Pull the power cells to complete the first puzzles

The first few puzzles revolve around using the Pullcaster to pull the blue power cells out. This causes them to flip and turn yellow, enabling Aloy to climb them. For some, you’ll need to be at a higher point in the room before you can pull them, so climb or use a container to get up higher. You’ll need to shoot the container out of its coupling to free it and use it in the first room.

Step 2: Move the arm to progress

The next room is filled with machines. Luckily, you emerge above them, so use your height advantage to take them out while having the floor around you as cover. When you’ve killed the machines, you can go down and use the Pullcaster again to move the arm. Then, use the Pullcaster to get onto the arm from the side and progress to the core of the Cauldron.

Step 3: Follow the trail and kill the machines

The core of the Cauldron has been destroyed. Use Aloy’s Focus to find the trail and follow it. You’ll need to push the container through the nearby shield so that you can use it to climb up the vents. Follow the path, and you’ll find a room with many power cells. When you find the one you need, you’ll be attacked. Defend yourself and kill the Clamberjaw before grabbing the power cell and taking the elevator out of there.

Step 4: Get to the core again

Now you need to drag the power cell back to the core. In the next room, use the Pullcaster to line the arm up with the platform you came in on. Dump the power cell on the container and use the Pullcaster to line it up with the path to the core. You’ll be ambushed by more Clamberjaws, but you should be able to handle them. Once you’ve killed the machines, grab the power cell and get back to the core.

Step 5: Kill the Slitherfang

Once you insert the power cell, a Slitherfang will appear and attack. This is probably the worst Slitherfang you’ll have fought in the game so far. It’s a ferocious machine that doesn’t stop cycling through spitting, electrocution, and charging attacks. Having fought it more times than we care to admit, we have some tips to help this go as smoothly for you as possible.

The Slitherfang is weak to fire damage, so use that whenever you can. However, it’s best to use any weapon with a high tear damage rating. You need to tear off as many parts of this machine as possible at the start of the fight. Aim for under the head and the tail. Removing these parts prevents specific attacks and makes the machine much weaker. Tearblast arrows are best, and using them as the battle starts will ensure that the machine is so weak for the rest of it that you finish it off quickly.

It helps to place traps around the arena as you move when the Slitherfang isn’t attacking, of course. Try to ensure these are explosive traps, but any trap will do because it will stop the machine in its tracks if it’s charging towards you. Placing traps near the broken bodies of the dead machines in the room will trigger firey explosions and deal fire damage to the machine. This is a great tactic for getting a lot of damage in if you can make it work.

Take your time with this fight and dodge the machine when it attacks. There’s no sense in eating damage when you can dive out of the way. Learn attack patterns and get the timing right for these because it’ll make the fight much easier in the long run. Once you’ve killed the Slitherfang, interact with the Cauldron to unlock overrides for Frostclaws, Red Eye Watchers, Shell-Walkers, Clamberjaws, Behemoths, Stalkers, Shellsnappers, Spikesnouts, Scorchers, and Fireclaws.