This guide covers the unlock quest, the storage and crafting mechanics, every notable upgrade path with material requirements, and the strategy timing that matters most.
1. What Is The Kuku Pot
A relic recovered alongside a Kuku bird in the depths of the Abyss. Its inner space is described as "linked to an infinite dimension that defies the laws of nature" — in practice, materials sealed inside can be re-shaped into entirely new items. Every Kuku-upgraded piece of gear in the game routes through this one tool.
The Pot has 230 storage slots, shared across all Kuku Pots you carry. The shared inventory matters: even if you craft multiple Pots, they all access the same vault, so nothing ever gets stranded.
2. How To Unlock The Kuku Pot
- Chapter: [Chapter 4: The Price of Knowledge](/guides/chapter-4-price-of-knowledge)
- Quest: [The Mysterious Cauldron](/guides/mysterious-cauldron-walkthrough) (main-quest #49)
- Location: Kilnden Workshop — due west of Hernand
- Key NPC: Grimnir, the dwarven craftsman
Grimnir won't hand the Pot over until you repair his workshop. The repair has four sub-objectives:
- Furnace (rune puzzle) — Rotate the stone rings (left / middle / right) until all runes glow blue. The dial clicks when an alignment locks in.
- Disconnected Kiln — Attach the cable, then push the lever left until the fires ignite.
- Dismantled Kiln — Use Axiom Force to align the flat piece, then aerial Force Palm on the top section. The pieces are behind the furnace.
- Fuel Kiln — Insert five fuel cores collected with Axiom Force from nearby spots (next to the kiln, in the water, in a bird statue's eye, at the tunnel entrance).
After all four are running, Grimnir gives you the Pot. You can also craft additional Pots at his shop using Iron Ore and Timber — both are abundant in the Hernand starting area, so spare Pots are never a bottleneck.
3. Storage and Crafting Mechanics
The Kuku Pot is not a normal inventory item. It only accepts:
- Abyss-type objects
- Machine parts
- General crafting components
- Aserion's Scales
- Abyss Cells
It does not hold weapons, armor, food, or regular consumables — those stay in your inventory.
Two interactions:
- Seal an item — Use Axiom Force (grapple) on a valid object. When the "Seal" prompt appears, the item goes into the Pot.
- Retrieve an item — Open the Pot menu and select "Discard". Despite the wording, this does not destroy the item; it drops the sealed object back into the world for pickup. Scales and Abyss Cells use the "Take Out" option instead, which sends them straight to inventory.
To craft a Kuku-upgraded item, take the base item plus a Kuku Pot to Grimnir and apply a Blueprint earned from a Witch's Sanctum. Each upgrade consumes one Pot — but since Pots are cheap and share inventory, this is rarely a constraint.
4. Notable Upgrade Recipes
The full Kuku catalog is large; these are the upgrades worth planning around.
Kuku Spears (Weapons)
Combine an elemental spear with a Kuku Pot. The upgrade doubles the spear's number of uses and grants unlimited durability. Variants: Kuku Spear, Kuku Flame Spear, Kuku Lightning Spear, Kuku Laser Cannon Spear, Kuku Bismuth Spear (petrification), Kuku Propeller Spear, Kuku Disruptor Spear.
Kuku Packs (Backpacks)
Base recipe: [Peddler's Pack](/wiki/armor/peddlers-pack) + Kuku Pot + Blueprint I (from the Sanctum of Penitence). The result is the basic Kuku Pack.
Specialized variants:
| Pack | Function |
|---|---|
| Watcher Pack | Deploys two miniature allied Watchers |
| Transmission 999K Pack | Mobile trading post across regions |
| Gardening Pack / Insect Gatherer's Pack | Attracts insects, speeds up plant growth |
| Flamespitter / Frostspitter | Flame / ice AoE damage device |
| Rocket Pack | Oongka's flying device |
| Enhanced Disruptor Pack | AoE stun + heavy damage |
Elemental Armor (Chest)
Flame and Frost versions unlock in [Chapter 5: Uninvited Guests](/guides/chapter-5-uninvited-guests). They grant near-immunity to that element and trigger a reactive explosion when you absorb excessive elemental damage. A third elemental armor type is available later in the game. Considered essential for harder boss fights.
Boots
Two recipes worth chasing:
- [Breeze-Step Boots](/wiki/armor/kuku-breeze-step-boots) — create mid-air platforms for vertical exploration.
- [Rishi's Boots](/wiki/armor/kuku-rishis-boots) — improved dodge and double jump. Particularly strong for the Damiane fight.
Marni's Laser Helm
The Marni Laser Helm shoots lasers. It requires the [Enhanced Kuku Pot](/wiki/miscellaneous/enhanced-kuku-pot), which costs one Abyss Cell. The Enhanced Pot also unlocks higher-tier recipes at Grimnir's shop (legendary elemental sets, the Laser Helm itself).
A.T.A.G. Upgrades
Unlocked via the Ironflame Orcs faction ([Chapter 10: Counterattack](/guides/chapter-10-counterattack) and beyond). The Small Kuku A.T.A.G. Design is a component for the Blackstar Dragon mech via Abyssal Fusion. Each fusion consumes the unit entirely.
5. Tips & Strategy
- Start collecting materials in [Chapter 4](/guides/chapter-4-price-of-knowledge). You receive the Pot, but meaningful crafting opens in Chapter 5 with the Witch questline. The earlier you stockpile Abyss components and machine parts, the smoother the mid-game.
- Farm [Delesyia](/wiki/locations/delesyia) (southeastern corner) for robot drops. Batteries, Cogwheels, Lubricant, and Clockwork Insects all drop here at the highest rates.
- Finish major upgrades before [Chapter 10](/guides/chapter-10-counterattack). Some recipes (especially Pack variants tied to faction questlines) become harder or significantly slower to source after Chapter 10's branching path.
- Dispatch Comrades to Kilnden to passively craft spare Kuku Pots while you play normally. Free pots, no farming required.
- Lost the Pot? Check Camp's recovered items — it returns there after death events. You can also re-craft another at Grimnir's shop.
One Important Caveat
Kuku-upgraded equipment cannot be used to complete the in-game Challenges tied to the base item.
If you care about Challenge completion (achievements, dialogue triggers, etc.), keep an unupgraded copy of every Challenge-locked piece before applying a Kuku conversion. Marni's Helm has no known second copy — secure the unupgraded version before turning it into the Laser Helm.
6. FAQ
Q: When does the Kuku Pot become available?
A: [Chapter 4](/guides/chapter-4-price-of-knowledge), after completing [The Mysterious Cauldron](/guides/mysterious-cauldron-walkthrough) quest and repairing the Kilnden Workshop for Grimnir.
Q: Can I have more than one Kuku Pot?
A: Yes. Craft additional ones at Grimnir's shop using Iron Ore and Timber, or dispatch Comrades to the workshop. All Pots share the same 230-slot inventory.
Q: Why is "Discard" the only retrieval option?
A: It's a naming choice, not a destruction action — Discard drops the sealed item back into the world for pickup. Aserion's Scales and Abyss Cells use "Take Out" instead and go directly to inventory.
Q: Does upgrading consume the original item?
A: Yes — both the base item and the Kuku Pot are consumed. Since Pots are cheap, this only matters for the base item. Save before upgrading anything tied to a Challenge.
Q: Can I get the Pot back if I lose it?
A: Yes. Check Camp's recovered items, or craft another at Grimnir's shop.
Q: When should I unlock the [Enhanced Kuku Pot](/wiki/miscellaneous/enhanced-kuku-pot)?
A: Whenever you have a spare Abyss Cell and want access to legendary armor sets or the Marni Laser Helm. Most players unlock it during late Chapter 5 or Chapter 6.