Cauldron is an incremental minigame RPG from SleepyDad Games, published by Caketown Interactive and released on Steam on 21 May 2025 for 14.99 euro, with a Nintendo Switch version following on 29 October 2025. You play Nyx, a young witch with a snarky pink ghost named Blinkie, clearing a map covered in Darkness one square at a time. Every square hides either a resource minigame or a monster fight, and the resources feed upgrade trees for more than 20 heroes.
Cauldron features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Standard | First playthrough | The full upgrade tree unlock path, and the knowledge every other mode assumes you have | Froggy |
| 2 | Idle | Any, once the autobattler is unlocked | Overnight resource accumulation without manual minigame play | Froggy |
| 3 | Pacifist | After Standard | A genuinely different playthrough, and the achievements attached to it | Nyx |
| 4 | Double Trouble | Post-Standard, with deep trees behind you | Wave survival practice that prepares you for EVIL | Nyx |
| 5 | EVIL | Endgame only | The toughest achievements in the 100 the game ships with | Nyx |
Standard: Starting Area
The base mode and the one to finish first. It teaches the minigames, combat, items, bribing, hero management and the map without the multipliers that later modes apply to enemies.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | First playthrough |
| Key Rewards | The full upgrade tree unlock path, and the knowledge every other mode assumes you have |
| Recommended Build | Froggy |
| Key Equipment | Fishing |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Clearing the Darkness square by square. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Idle.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Idle: Early Game
Enables autoplay and autobattle so progress continues while you are not at the keyboard. Paired with the upgradable collection box that gathers resources on its own, this is the mode that makes the incremental label honest.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Any, once the autobattler is unlocked |
| Key Rewards | Overnight resource accumulation without manual minigame play |
| Recommended Build | Froggy |
| Key Equipment | Fishing |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Minigame resource loops. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Fishing if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Pacifist.
Pacifist: Mid Game
Combat is off the table entirely. Encounters are resolved by bribing instead of fighting, which converts the game into a pure resource economy problem and makes every yield upgrade matter twice as much.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | After Standard |
| Key Rewards | A genuinely different playthrough, and the achievements attached to it |
| Recommended Build | Nyx |
| Key Equipment | Fishing |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Apple Picking becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Cauldron upgrade trees for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Double Trouble: Late Game
Doubles the enemy waves and introduces random hero spawns, so party composition is partly out of your hands. Players have posted long win streaks in it, but it assumes a mature upgrade base.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Post-Standard, with deep trees behind you |
| Key Rewards | Wave survival practice that prepares you for EVIL |
| Recommended Build | Nyx |
| Key Equipment | Apple Picking |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Apple Picking should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Talent Points and hero skill trees mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into EVIL.
EVIL: Endgame
The hardest mode in the game, stacking the largest wave counts on top of everything else. Community teams built for it lean on extra healing and defensive relics rather than trying to out-damage the waves.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Endgame only |
| Key Rewards | The toughest achievements in the 100 the game ships with |
| Recommended Build | Nyx |
| Key Equipment | Apple Picking |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Copy Cat-Bird for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Standard → Idle → Pacifist → Double Trouble → EVIL. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Cauldron Guides
- Cauldron Cauldron Overview
- Cauldron Best Builds
- Cauldron Tier List
- Cauldron Walkthrough
- Cauldron Beginner's Guide
- Cauldron Tips & Tricks
- Cauldron Weapons Guide
- Cauldron Combat Guide
- Cauldron Boss Guide
- Cauldron Crafting Guide
- Cauldron Classes & Characters
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