Complete Cauldron ZETA in horizon zero dawn, including defeating Stalkers and the Thunderjaw. Find the secret entrance.
Walkthrough
- 1From the Sun Furrows Hunting Grounds, return to the Campfire at the southern, southwestern fork.
- 2Take the road to the north, northwest.
- 3Return to the fork and Campfire near where you met Erend.
- 4Continue north and ford a river.
- 5At the fork north of the river, turn west down a road a short distance.
- 6Turn down the first road to the north to reach the Unflinching Watch Carja fort, which has a Campfire.
- 7East of the fort's stairs, find an unmarked trail leading north through the hills.
- 8Dispatch any Scrappers in the hills.
- 9Continue north until you find a road, follow it east, then northeast to reach Cauldron ZETA.
- 10Outside Cauldron ZETA, three Stalkers lurk. Use tall grass for cover (press the cover button to crouch behind walls or objects). Use Shock Arrows to stun them, focusing on one at a time if possible, then finish them with Critical Strikes and impact damage-boosted arrows.
- 11Find a stand-alone pillar to the south with hand-holds. Climb to the top.
- 12Turn west and leap a gap to reach a ledge with a Redeye Watcher. Defeat it.
- 13Continue north until you find a secret entrance to the west, bypassing the force-field blocked main entrance.
- 14Override the door at the end of the secret passage.
- 15Continue down the linear tunnel until you reach a ledge overlooking a natural stone cavern.
- 16Drop down into the cavern. Loot the Supply Crate.
- 17Turn west and loot another Supply Crate.
- 18Loot a third Supply Crate to the north.
- 19Turn west, jump off a ledge into some water, and swim to the western shore.
- 20Climb onto dry land and loot two more Supply Crates.
- 21Dive into some water to the west, or descend carefully down ledges into shallow water.
- 22Go through a triangular wire to the south, southwest to reach the Cauldron Core chamber.
- 23Rappel down to the floor. Kill the two Watchers patrolling the energy bubble.
- 24Climb a tower and override the Discharge Pylon to start the Thunderjaw fight.
- 25Warning: The Thunderjaw is a dangerous machine. It has Blaze Canisters, a Data Nexus, two hip-mounted Disc Launchers, Freeze Canisters, a Heart, Power Cells, a Radar (your minimap with nearby blips and threats marked) on its back, Cannons on its face, and a tail. It can charge, perform tail sweeps, shoot lasers from its mouth, energy bolts from its Cannons, and air strikes from its Disc Launchers.
- 26To defeat the Thunderjaw: Knock off a Disc Launcher with a Tear-damage modified Shadow Hunter Bow or Shadow Sharpshot Bow.
- 27Shoot the Thunderjaw with Freeze Arrows (a modified Shadow War Bow takes about six shots or two Triple Shots).
- 28When frozen, pick up the discarded Disc Launcher and shoot the Thunderjaw. Hitting weak spots deals massive damage, but body shots are effective. Emptying a Disc Launcher can take it from full health to a quarter health or less.
- 29Try to freeze the machine again and finish it with normal arrow shots, or go after the other Disc Launcher.
- 30Once the Thunderjaw falls, loot it for its drops, which usually include three purple mods and resources.
- 31Override the Cauldron ZETA Core.
- 32Ride the elevator up.
- 33Head south through the large triangular door, which is now unsealed.
Tips
- Consider equipping Nora Protector Heavy armor before fighting the Thunderjaw.
- Use tall grass for cover when fighting the Stalkers outside the Cauldron.
- If you have cover and room to maneuver, a good strategy is to pick off the radar, then the Disc Launchers, then shoot off side panels, and finally aim for the exposed Heart.
- The secret entrance bypasses the force-field blocked main entrance.
- Loot all Supply Crates found within the Cauldron.
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