Cradle of the Beast

Cradle of the Beast
Location	Giant's Hearth
Sublevels	3
Rescues	1
Treasures	12
Onions	0
Suggested Pikmin

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

The Cradle of the Beast is a cave in the Giant's Hearth in Pikmin 4. It is named for its boss, the Empress Bulblax, which in this cave gives birth to Bulborb Larvae. The second heaviest treasure in the game is found here, so Purple Pikmin are useful for carrying as well for stomping on smaller enemies. This cave has  × 1,305 worth of treasure.

How to reach

The entrance to the Cradle of the Beast resides in the southern part of the Giant's Hearth, guarded by a Bloomcap Bloyster and surrounded by dried plants. There are two paths the player can take to reach this cave, both of which require using fire starters to reach. One path is just south of the Abandoned Throne base and is the shortest of the two. The player will have to deal with a sprinkler system and a Masterhop before they burn away the hay bales leading directly to the cave. The second path is longer but easier. The only obstacles in this path are a pond with Wolpoles that must be drained to get a fire starter to the dried plants on the eastern edge and a pushable box near a Bug-Eyed Crawmad den. The cave can then be accessed by burning the last set of dried plants surrounding it.

Notes

Louie's Voyage Log

“So many creatures came toward me at once, it was like an all-you-can-eat buffet. My belly's so full. I couldn't eat another bite.”

Sublevel 1

Map of sublevel 1.

• Treasures:
  •  Citrus Lump × 1
  •  Delectable Bouquet × 1 (inside Fiery Bulblax)
  •  Memory Fragment (Bottom-ish) × 1
  •  Gold Nugget × 15
• Enemies:
  •  Fiery Bulblax × 1
  •  Puffy Blowhog × 1
  •  Scorchcake × 1
  •  Waddlequaff × 2
• Obstacles:
  •  Dirt wall × 1
  •  Water spout × 2
  •  Bag × 2 (both have a weight of 30)
  •  Dried plant × 12 (3 groups of 2, 2 groups of 3)
  •  Iron fence × 1
• Tools:
  •  Bonfire altar × 1
  •  Unlit bonfire altar × 1
• Wild Pikmin
  •  Red Pikmin × 10 (2 groups of 5, both groups sprouts)
• Others:
  •  Raw material pile (20 piece pile) × 1
  •  Candypop Bud (Purple) × 2
  •  Egg × 2

Most rooms are blocked off by haystacks, so you're gonna need to use a fire starter to open up the paths. The lit fire starter can be found on the room in front of where you start, with the sleeping Fiery Bulblax. The room might appear blocked oof by haystacks, but there is a small gap between them and the wall for you and the Pikmin to walk in there. Before defeating the Bulblax, send Oatchi to remove the watery geysers before waking the enemy. After that's done, flatten the paper bag to get the fire starter and start collecting all the treasure and defeating all the enemies in the level. Make sure to use the violet candypop buds to get Purple Pikmin. You'll need at least 12 Purple Pikmin but preferably should try to get 30. When you finish, the entrance to the next sublevel will be in an elevated room and blocked by more haystack. Throw a fire starter into the room and use Oatchi to jump up the ledge, then quickly send another Red Pikmin to pick up the thrown fire starter and bring it to the haystacks.

Sublevel 2

Map of sublevel 2.

• Treasures:
  •  Mouth of Lies × 1
  •  King of Meats × 1 (inside Porquillion)
  •  Gold Nugget × 20
• Enemies:
  •  Armored Cannon Larva × 2
  •  Porquillion × 1
  •  Skutterchuck × 3
  •  Wollyhop × 2
• Obstacles:
  •  Water spout × 2
  •  Paper bag × 1
  •  Breakable pot × 5 (1 group of 5)
  •  Iron fence × 3
• Tools:
  •  Clay mound (25 raw materials required) × 1
  •  Pup tunnel × 1
• Wild Pikmin:
  •  Rock Pikmin × 5 (fighting an Armored Cannon Larva)
  •  Rock Pikmin × 5 (fighting a Porquillion)
• Others:
  •  Raw material pile (15 piece pile) × 1
  •  Candypop Bud (Purple) × 1

This sublevel is very dangerous for non-crush-resistant Pikmin, so Rock Pikmin are going to be the Pikmin you'll want to use. Dismiss all other Pikmin types and leave them at base where they will be safe. There are two paths you can start exploring, one through a pup tunnel where only Oatchi can go, and one through metal bars where only you with the Pikmin can go. The pup tunnel leads to a room with a Cannon Larva, some wild Rock Pikmin if you brough less than 100 Pikmin in the sublevel, a place to build a ramp, and some breakable pots that lead to a room with Wollywogs and more watery geysers. Through the metal bars is a room with Skutterchucks and a ramp that leads to the room with Wollywogs and watery geysers. Playing as Oatchi, enter the room and remove the watery geysers so the Pikmin can defeat the Wollywogs without them getting in the way, or you can try to remove them by rushing the Pikmin before they spew out water. After the hazards are cleared, have the Pikmin build the ramp to enter the last room in the sublevel. There is also a narrow secret corridor that takes you to the last room, but boulders are constantly rolling through it because of another Cannon Larva. You could go through that corridor by riding Oatchi and waiting for the boulders to pass by, but it's best to wait for the ramp to be finished building. In the room is a Porquillion that you can safely defeat with Rock Pikmin due to them being unable to die from its attack. The Porquillion will drop the second heaviest treasure in the game with a total weight of 300. If you are not able to collect the treasure, you might have to return at a later point with more Purple Pikmin, Oatchi after improving his Buff skill, or with more Pikmin after collecting more Flarlics. Once you're done, go to the hole and continue to the final sublevel

Sublevel 3

Map of sublevel 3.

• Treasures:
  •  Stately Rubber Cutie × 5 (inside Empress Bulblax)
• Enemies:
  •  Empress Bulblax × 1
  •  Bulborb Larva × 9 (also spawns infinitely from the Empress Bulblax until it is defeated)
• Obstacles:
  •  Crystal wall × 1
  •  Dirt wall × 1
  •  Numbered gate × 1 (lowers after 1 Empress Bulblax is defeated)
• Others:
  •  Castaway × 1 (buried)

There's only one corridor that leads you to the boss of this cave, which will be inhabited by dozens of Bulborb Larvae. Be very careful not to let the larvae too close to the Pikmin since they are fast biters and will eat a Pikmin in only a second. If one manages to grab a Pikmin, you can still react fast and try to kill it before the Pikmin dies. Purple Pikmin are particularly good against them, thanks to their ground stomp killing all nearby larvae, although their slow descend make it harder to rescue Pikmin once they're grabbed. The boss is an Empress Bublax, which will be birthing nonstop larvae that follow and slowly chase you and the Pikmin. Go towards the face of the Empress, and before you start to attack it, clear your surroundings of larvae so they won't eat any Pikmin as you battle. After being attacked for a moment, the Empress will shake off any Pikmin that are on her to the side and then begin doing her roll attack. Whistle early and quickly so the Pikmin escape before being flatten, and try to whistle them before she has a chance to shake them off. Of course, Rock Pikmin won't die from getting rolled over, so you can choose to only send Rocks to attack her, though they are very slow at doing damage. When she rolls, she will squash most, if not all, larvae that are coming towards you, so if you are getting approached by many of them, attack the boss so she begins rolling to clear the ground of the larvae. Continue to attack and dodge the boss and you will eventually defeat it, but be mindful of any larvae that may have stayed alive. Collect the five treasures the boss drops and head to the numbered gate to uncover the castaway. After you collected everything, head to the exit to leave the cave.

Gallery

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• 

  Oatchi being attacked by several Bulborb Larvae.

• 

  Oatchi looks at an egg.

• 

  A Porquillion sends its spikes upon Oatchi, while also being attacked by wild Rock Pikmin.

• 

  The rookie Rescue Officer takes the place of a castaway.

• 

  Oatchi is near a Scorchcake and Puffy Blowhog, both of which are trying to hurt it.

• 

  Oatchi near a Violet Candypop Bud.

• 

  Oatchi fighting a Fiery Bulblax.

• 

  Oatchi fighting two Wollyhops.

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  Oatchi fighting the Empress Bulblax wiht some Purple Pikmin.

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  The body of an Empress Bulblax, with Oatchi and some Pikmin near it.

Trivia

• Louie specifically mentions this cave ("something-something the Beast") in his fourth Fit for a Feast quest, when requesting a single Fiery Bulblax.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	けだもののゆりかご? Kedamono no Yurikago	Cradle of the Beast
Chinese (traditional)	野獸的搖籃 Yěshòu de Yáolán	Cradle of the Beast
Chinese (simplified)	野兽的摇篮 Yěshòu de Yáolán	Cradle of the Beast
Dutch	Wieg van het beest	Cradle of the beast
French	Pouponnière royale	Royal nursery
German	Kreaturenwiege	Creature Cradle
Italian	Culla della bestia	Cradle of the beast
Korean	짐승의 요람 Jimseung-ui Yoram	Cradle of the Beast
Portuguese	Berço da fera	Cradle of the beast
Spanish	Cuna de la bestia	Cradle of the beast

See also

• Giant's Hearth
• Empress Bulblax
• Frontier Cavern