The Palia A Catalyzing Caper quest represents one of the most challenging temple adventures in the game, taking you through complex mazes, arrow puzzles, and sliding tile challenges. I’ve completed this quest multiple times and mastered every shortcut and solution to help you navigate this fiery temple successfully.
Before tackling this temple adventure, you’ll want to familiarise yourself with the Plumehound Pilgrimage completion guide to maximise your success in these ancient ruins.
Quest Prerequisites and Essential Preparation
Starting Requirements
- Plumehound Pilgrimage – This must be fully completed first
Once you finish the Plumehound Pilgrimage Quest, Hassian and Sifuu will head over to the Temple of the Flames and unlock the door, automatically making A Catalyzing Caper available.
Critical Equipment Needed
- Fully repaired bow – Ensure it’s in perfect condition
- At least 100 Makeshift Arrows – You’ll need plenty for puzzle solving
- Clear inventory space for treasure collection
Pro tip: Stock up on arrows before entering. Running out mid-quest means backtracking to craft more.
How to Complete A Catalyzing Caper Quest in Palia
Meeting Your Team
Talk to Hassian inside the temple entrance. Although you’ve made it through the front door, there’s another locked door on the inside that requires your archery skills to open.
Your companions:
- Hassian – Provides quest guidance and tactical support
- Sifuu – Offers snacks and torches throughout the adventure
The First Arrow Puzzle
Opening the first door requires shooting symbols on the torches positioned on either side of the entranceway. The correct order is indicated on the arches above you.
To solve the door puzzle, you’ll need to look up at the arches above the locked door and identify the symbol sequence displayed there. Next, shoot the corresponding symbols on the torch bases in that exact order, then watch the door open once you’ve hit all symbols correctly.
Accuracy tip: Take your time with each shot. Missed arrows waste ammunition and delay progress.
Exploring the Massive Chamber
You’ll enter a massive room showing clear evidence of what happens when Flow and magic go awry. This impressive chamber contains multiple treasure opportunities.
For effective treasure hunting, head left first to find a chest with valuable loot, then continue left to spot another chest on a distant cliff. Glide over to collect the second chest, and don’t worry about falling in lava as you’ll simply respawn at the starting point.
Find Hassian and Sifuu standing in the centre of this massive room. Talk to both of them – Sifuu will share some snacks with you, like any good mum on a field trip.
Investigating the Mysterious Mural
Head right and go through the door leading to the next section. You’ll find a small room containing a mural, a brazier, and mysterious mechanisms.
Mural chamber steps:
- Talk with Hassian and Sifuu to understand the situation
- Get a torch from Sifuu when offered
- Use the torch to grab fire from the main brazier
- Light the smaller brazier to the left of the mural
- Watch the mural slide open revealing the maze entrance
Conquering the Three-Part Maze
The maze splits into three distinct sections, each with unique challenges and navigation rules.
In the first maze section, follow the golden rule by sticking to the wall method, take every left turn consistently, and light your torch at the brazier near the end.
The second maze section requires you to climb the ladders to reach the upper level, light the brazier next to the mural before proceeding, and look back for a hidden path leading to another treasure chest. For the main route, make only right turns to find the exit and light your torch at the exit brazier.
In the third maze section, watch out for lava underneath the pathways. Don’t panic if you fall, as you’ll respawn at the section start, work methodically to the end, and light the final brazier to unlock the door back in the foyer.
Maze exit: Glide back the way you came and speak with Hassian to return to the foyer.
The Second Arrow Puzzle
Back in the foyer, you’ll notice the blank murals are now filled with images from your maze exploration. These murals have associated symbols that give you the shooting order for the final door puzzle.
Second puzzle solution: The order of the story provides the sequence of symbols you need to shoot on the torch puzzle. Shoot the targets underneath the torches in the correct order, and the door between the torches will open.
Key insight: The mural story sequence directly translates to the symbol shooting order.
The Final Chamber Challenge
Head inside to discover the final chamber where you’ll see Tau on a platform in the distance. Somehow, this clever plumehound managed to bypass all the locked doors through sheer determination and good boy powers.
Crossing to Tau:
- Don’t overthink it – there’s an invisible bridge in the middle of the room
- Jump off the ledge and glide toward Tau
- Land safely on the invisible bridge
- Walk forward confidently to reach the other side
The Sliding Tile Puzzle
You’ll discover Tau has found a Kitsune friend – apparently a good enough reason to brave a dangerous lava temple! Complete the final sliding tile puzzle to finish the quest.
Tile puzzle solution (11 moves total):
- Right
- Up
- Right
- Down
- Left
- Up
- Right
- Down
- Left
- Left
- Left
Puzzle tip: This tile puzzle is more challenging than the one in Echoes of the Unknown. Follow the sequence exactly for success.
Rewards
With the tile puzzle completed, you’ll have successfully conquered the Temple of the Flames and unlocked significant new content.
Immediate unlocks:
- Vault of Flames in Nightsky Temple access
- New bundles to complete
- Achievement rewards, including Fiery Flummox
Achievement opportunities:
- Fiery Flummox Achievement – Automatic upon quest completion
- Scholar of the Flames Achievement – Read every tablet in the temple
Return Journey Options
Hassian will offer you a quick exit from the Temple of the Flames. You can accept his offer or spend time exploring the temple to read the fascinating lore scattered throughout the area.
FAQs
What happens if I run out of arrows during the quest?
You’ll need to exit the temple temporarily to craft more arrows. Bring at least 100 Makeshift Arrows to avoid this situation.
Can I complete this quest with friends?
Friends can accompany you for exploration, but puzzle-solving and archery challenges must be completed individually.
How long does A Catalyzing Caper take to complete?
Most players finish in 60-90 minutes, depending on exploration thoroughness and puzzle-solving speed.
What’s the hardest part of this quest?
The sliding tile puzzle typically challenges players the most, requiring precise sequential moves to achieve the correct pattern.
Can I return to collect missed treasures later?
Yes, the temple remains accessible after quest completion, allowing you to return for any missed chests or lore tablets.The Palia A Catalyzing Caper quest delivers an unforgettable combination of archery challenges, maze navigation, and puzzle-solving that showcases the impressive scope and creativity of the Temple of the Flames adventure.
Adam is a gaming guides writer at GamersPlan. His love for gaming has led to become a writer to show off his years of expertise in RPG and Action games. He has used almost all of the consoles, from NES to PlayStation 5. There is no console that he has not played on. Some of his favorite games include Red Dead Redemption 2, GTA V, and Baldur's Gate 3.