Frontier Cavern

Frontier Cavern
Location	Valley of Repose
Sublevels	8
Treasures	15
Hazards

The following article or section contains guides. The strategies shown are just suggestions.

The Frontier Cavern is the last cavern found in the Valley of Repose area. To get to it, the player may have to clear the area of Bulborbs, Blowhogs, Cannon Beetles, and a Cloaking Burrow-nit. Before building the bridge to the upper section, where the entrance is, they should get rid of the Withering Blowhog in the area. The Empress Bulblax is slightly different than the one in Hole of Beasts in that it gives birth to Bulborb Larva every few seconds. In this cave, there are 1395 Pokos worth of treasures.

Before starting this cave, you should probably have a good number of Purple and Blue Pikmin; make sure you have all other necessary types too. On the first sublevel there are three Doodlebugs which, getting enough Pikmin thrown on, should give out six total sprays. Be sure to stock up on them.

Notes

Ship's dialogs

“Yet another cave discovered! Venturing to the farthest reaches has proven rewarding!

You may be tired of walking, but now just one last leap remains! Now, go get that treasure!”

Sublevel 1

Sublevel 1.

• Theme: Snow
• Music: Snow 3
• Treasures:
  •  Essence of Rage
  •  Essential Furnishing
• Enemies:
  •  Doodlebug × 3
  •  Hairy Bulborb × 2
  •  Snow Bulborb × 6
• Obstacles:
  •  Bomb-rock × 4 (drop from the sky in dead ends)
• Plants:
  •  Figwort (small) × 15*
  •  Figwort (large) × 24*
  •  Shoot × 1*
  •  Violet Candypop Bud × 1 (in a dead end, and only if the player has less than 20 Purples)
• Others:
  • None

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			tutorial_3
"Main" object maximum (?)			35
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			2
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			50
Number of rooms (?)			3
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			{{{ctrratio}}}
Escape geyser (?)			No
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			3_MAT_nor4_hit2_blk1_snow.txt
Lighting file (?)			normal_light_lv1.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end with item	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor	Long corridor
Circular room with lumber	Room with 5 exits	Room with hole in wall

An excerpt from the level's music

This sublevel has many Snow Bulborbs and a couple of Hairy Bulborbs. Before engaging the Hairy Bulborbs, take out any Snow Bulborbs near it then attack the hairy monstrosities. Explore the area and have your White Pikmin unearth any buried treasures.

There is a Violet Candypop Bud if you have less than 20 total Purple Pikmin. When wandering about the area, you may encounter Doodlebugs. After they have emerged from their cover, they may skitter into a Figwort. If this happens you can wait until they move and release flatulence to locate them. This is a good time to stock up on ultra-bitter sprays.

*On New Play Control! Pikmin 2, the Figworts are absent, and there are 12 shoots instead.

Sublevel 2

• Theme: Snow
• Music: Snow 3
• Treasures:
  •  Joy Receptacle
  •  Icon of Progress
• Enemies:
  •  Decorated Cannon Beetle × 2
  •  Hairy Bulborb × 1
  •  Snow Bulborb × 6
• Obstacles:
  • None
• Plants:
  •  Figwort (large) × 2
  •  Figwort (small) × 4
• Others:
  • None

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			tutorial_3
"Main" object maximum (?)			9
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			2
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			50
Number of rooms (?)			3
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			{{{ctrratio}}}
Escape geyser (?)			No
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			3_MAT_ike3_mid2_sak1_snow.txt
Lighting file (?)			tutorial_1_light.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor	Long corridor
Room with ramp and thin ledge	Y-shaped room	Room with trunk in center

You are likely to fall where there is a large stump. Shelter all of your Pikmin behind it to protect them. Venture out into the sublevel without any Pikmin and use the Decorated Cannon Beetles to clear out any enemies. Then use one of the rocky projectiles to kill the other Decorated Cannon Beetle. Then have the colorful, rock-hurling creature kill itself by having the boulder home in on itself. Afterwards, take your comrades and collect the Christmas-themed treasures.

Sublevel 3

• Theme: Snow
• Music: Snow 2
• Treasures:
  •  Danger Chime (inside Spotty Bulbear)
  •  Fleeting Art Form
  •  Gemstar Husband (buried)
• Enemies:
  •  Bulbmin × 1
  •  Dwarf Bulbear × 6
  •  Spotty Bulbear × 1
• Obstacles:
  •  Bomb-rock × 4 (drop from the sky in dead ends)
  •  Electrical wire × 2
  •  Fire geyser × 2
  • [icon] Gas pipe × 2
• Plants:
  •  Figwort (small) × 6
  •  Ivory Candypop Bud × 1 (in a dead end)
• Others:
  •  Egg × 2 (in dead ends, 1 drops from the sky)

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			tutorial_3
"Main" object maximum (?)			14
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			2
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			50
Number of rooms (?)			4
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			{{{ctrratio}}}
Escape geyser (?)			Yes
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			3_MAT_d_g_m_renga.txt
Lighting file (?)			tutorial_1_light.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end with item	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor	Long corridor
Room with 4 exits	Room with 5 exits and 2 walls	Room with 4 exits and 2 walls

When landing on this sublevel, be warned that two wandering Grub-dogs will be patrolling the area so it is advised you don't take your time. Gather all of you Pikmin and scout the level, deactivating any electrical wires and Dwarf Bulbears. If you can, locate the Bulbmin and kill it before the Spotty Bulbear as it will make things easier.

If there are any, gather the juvenile Bulbmin and locate the Spotty Bulbear. Use whatever killing strategy you want, just make sure you bring its corpse back if it did not disintegrate and the Danger Chime. Explore the area once all the hazards are cleared and collect and unearth any treasures.

Sublevel 4

• Theme: Snow
• Music: Concrete 2
• Treasures:
  •  Innocence Lost
  •  Omniscient Sphere
• Enemies:
  •  Anode Beetle × 8
  •  Bumbling Snitchbug × 3 (1 drops from the sky when you touch the Omniscient Sphere)
  •  Swooping Snitchbug × 2
• Obstacles:
  •  Bomb-rock × 2 (drop from the sky in dead ends)
  •  Electrical wire × 2
• Plants:
  •  Figwort (large) × 2
  •  Figwort (small) × 8
  •  Violet Candypop Bud × 1 (in a dead end)
• Others:
  •  Egg × 3 (in dead ends, 2 drop from the sky)

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			tutorial_3
"Main" object maximum (?)			14
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			2
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			0
Number of rooms (?)			3
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			{{{ctrratio}}}
Escape geyser (?)			No
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			3_MAT_a_h_m_renga.txt
Lighting file (?)			tutorial_1_light.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end with item	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor	Long corridor

Gather all your Yellow Pikmin and kill all the Anode Beetles, but watch out for the Swooping Snitchbugs and Bumbling Snitchbug. After all the Anode Beetles are massacred, take out the Swooping Snitchbugs and the Bumbling Snitchbug and proceed to collect the treasures. When you attempt to collect a treasure in an alcove, however, another Bumbling Snitchbug will drop from the ceiling. Kill it then continue collecting the treasure. There is a Violet Candypop Bud here to harvest more Purple Pikmin.

Sublevel 5

• Theme: Soil
• Music: Rest
• Treasures:
  •  Brute Knuckles (inside a Mamuta)
• Enemies:
  • [icon] Caustic Dweevil × 2
  •  Mamuta × 4
  •  Unmarked Spectralids × 1 (number of groups)
• Obstacles:
  • None
• Plants:
  •  Clover × 8
  •  Figwort (large) × 3
  •  Figwort (small) × 12
  •  Ivory Candypop Bud × 1 (in a dead end)
  •  Lapis Lazuli Candypop Bud × 1 (in a dead end)
  •  Margaret × 4
  •  Shoot (large) × 1
  •  Shoot (small) × 1
  •  Violet Candypop Bud × 1 (in a dead end)
• Others:
  •  Egg × 1 (in a dead end)

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			tutorial_3
"Main" object maximum (?)			7
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			0
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			100
Number of rooms (?)			2
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			{{{ctrratio}}}
Escape geyser (?)			Yes
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			1_MAT_cent2_tsuchi.txt
Lighting file (?)			normal_light_lv0.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end with item	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor	Long corridor
Four-way circular room

A rest sublevel, but unique as it is one of the only 3 rest sublevels to possess a treasure. There are some Mamutas here, kill them all until one drops the Brute Knuckles. Kill the Caustic Dweevil before you collect the treasure as the four-legged nuisance will attempt to carry the Brute Knuckles on its back.

The Brute Knuckles allows you to use the Rocket Fist when collected. There are some Lapis Lazuli Candypop Buds and a Violet Candypop Bud here if you are low on Blue Pikmin and Purple Pikmin. Killing the Unmarked Spectralids will cause them to drop nectar to power up your leaf Pikmin and occasionally sprays.

Sublevel 6

• Theme: Soil
• Music: Soil 3
• Treasures:
  •  Priceless Statue
  •  Worthless Statue
• Enemies:
  •  Bulbmin × 1
  •  Decorated Cannon Beetle × 3
  •  Water Dumple × 4
• Obstacles:
  •  Fire geyser × 5
• Plants:
  •  Common Glowcap × 8
• Others:
  •  Egg × 1 (in a dead end)

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			tutorial_3
"Main" object maximum (?)			13
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			2
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			2
Number of rooms (?)			3
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			{{{ctrratio}}}
Escape geyser (?)			No
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			3_MAT_nor4_ike1_ike2_tsuchi.txt
Lighting file (?)			normal_light_lv4.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor	Long corridor
Room with a pond	Room with a ramp, thin ledge, and water	Circular room with lumber

The reason why so many Lapis Lazuli Candypop Buds were on the previous sublevel is this sublevel. Before taking your Blue Pikmin to collect treasure, have the Decorated Cannon Beetles kill the enemies, flame geysers, and each other then collected the two chess pieces with your Blue Pikmin and Bulbmin.

Sublevel 7

• Theme: Soil
• Music: Soil 1
• Treasures:
  •  Flame Tiller (buried)
  •  Spouse Alert
• Enemies:
  •  Dwarf Orange Bulborb × 10
  •  Iridescent Glint Beetle × 1 (in a dead end)
  •  Orange Bulborb × 3
• Obstacles:
  •  Boulder × 13 (drop from the sky)
• Plants:
  •  Common Glowcap × 8
  •  Ivory Candypop Bud × 1 (in a dead end)
• Others:
  • None

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			tutorial_3
"Main" object maximum (?)			26
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			2
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			50
Number of rooms (?)			3
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			{{{ctrratio}}}
Escape geyser (?)			Yes
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			3_MAT_cent_mid1_mid2_tsuchi.txt
Lighting file (?)			normal_light_lv4.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end with item	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor	Long corridor
Four-way circular room	Room with 6 exits	Y-shaped room

This sublevel has boulders falling from the ceiling, so when going from place to place, be cautious. Have a single captain cause the boulders to fall, preferably on the Dwarf Orange Bulborbs and Orange Bulborbs to kill or severely damage them. After they all have fallen, take your Pikmin and kill any stragglers and collect the treasures. Then have your White Pikmin dig up the Flame Tiller and collect it. There is also an Iridescent Glint Beetle on this sublevel that can be used to harness ultra-spicy sprays for the boss.

Sublevel 8

• Theme: Soil
• Music: Boss (when combatting)
• Treasures:
  •  Repugnant Appendage (inside the Empress Bulblax)
• Enemies:
  •  Bulborb Larva (18 spawned at start)
  •  Empress Bulblax × 1
• Obstacles:
  • None
• Plants:
  • None
• Others:
  • None

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			tutorial_3
"Main" object maximum (?)			10
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			0
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			0
Number of rooms (?)			1
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			{{{ctrratio}}}
Escape geyser (?)			Yes
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			1_units_queen_b_tsuchi.txt
Lighting file (?)			qchap_light.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Empress Bulblax arena

See also: Empress Bulblax strategy.

Time to have a rematch with the Empress Bulblax, only this time, she produces Bulborb Larva, always ravenous Grub-dogs. Have one captain clear out all or most of the larvae and have the other toss all the Pikmin up on the ledge behind the landing point. Have the captain you sent out call all the Pikmin and fight the huge Grub-dog. The Empress Bulblax also has more health than it did in the Hole of Beasts.

Don't worry about the larva after engaging the empress in combat as she will squish them when she does her rolling attack. After the battle, collect the Repugnant Appendage and kill any remaining Bulborb Larva. The Repugnant Appendage will grant the captains a massive speed boost and the resistance to a Puffy Blowhog's exhaling attack. Exit the geyser and continue your treasure hunt.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	辺境の洞窟?	Frontier Cave
German	Grenzland Höhle

This page is currently pending deletion. Reason: split into P2 and P4 varieties Discuss your opinion on the talk page.

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