Horizon Zero Dawn Cauldron Rho - Entrance location & how to finish it

Cauldron Rho is one of the special dungeons in Horizon Zero Dawn. It’s an underground robot factory, filled with jumping puzzles and tough enemies. When you complete it, you’ll get a nice chunk of XP, and the ability to override new machines. In this guide, we’re going to tell you everythin you need to know about Horizon Zero Dawn Cauldron Rho – where to find it, how to solve the puzzles and how to beat the Snapmaw boss.

Cauldron Rho entrance location

Cauldron Rho is a level 11 challenge. The entrance is hidden in the mountains on the south of the middle of the map, the narrow area that connects the east and the west. You won’t enter using the front door – you’ll have to go down the hole in the ground, rappel and jump, until you reach another door under the ground.

Cauldron Rho jumping puzzles

Once inside, the first area will mostly require you to grab onto turbines and let them drag you to the other side of whatever obstacle you’re facing. You can change their direction by shooting them. The place has some nasty ravagers, but you can avoid combat altogether here.

Ride the first big turbine, but not all the way – jump and grab the container, which will lead you to safety. Override the bridge and get to the second big turbine. Ride it, then override the large switch. Go back to the first big turbine, and you’ll see the energy barrier was lowered. Let the containers take you across the gap. Jump off before the second barrier. Change the direction of the horizontal turbine to get to the next area.

Go down to the pool and look for a ladder on the wall. Climb it and you’ll end up in the Blaze Processing Chamber. You can take pot shots at the ravagers from here – they have no way to get to you. Ride the zipline down, use the turbine to cross the gap, then follow the walkway until you find a bridge to extend. Override the large machine and it will let you into the next area. Simply follow the corridor and you’ll reach the core.

How to beat Snapmaw boss

Climb the pylon and override it to lower the energy barrier. Now you have to fight the two snapmaws. They’re weak to fire, so prepare some fire arrows. They shoot freezing bolts from their tails. Their weak spots are the head and the canisters on their shoulders. The best way to deal with them is to shoot fire arrows at the canisters.

If they notice you, they’ll charge and thrash. This is difficult to dodge, so we don’t recommend close quarter combat. You could just snipe them from the little hiding places on the edges of the arena. Pop a shot, hide, wait for them to calm down, then repeat. You could also try setting tripwires near your hiding place, in case they charge at you. The ropecaster does wonders if you want to keep them at bay.

Cauldron Rho overrides & rewards

After you’ve completed the boss fight, you’ll be able to override the core. This will allow you to leave, and grant you your prizes:

• 6000 XP
• 1 skill point
• Rho overrides
  • Shell-walker
  • Snapmaw
  • Longleg
  • Ravager
  • Trampler