Getting your hands on a power cell in Horizon Zero Dawn is basically the ultimate rite of passage for any serious Aloy fan. You've probably seen that glowing bunker early on, tucked away in the Nora lands, and wondered why on earth you can't open that high-tech door. It's the Ancient Armory. Inside sits the Shield-Weaver armor, which is, honestly, the most brokenly powerful outfit in the game. It doesn't just look cool; it projects an automated hexagonal energy shield that soaks up every bit of damage until it flashes red. But to get it, you need five specific power cells scattered across the entire map, and if you miss them during main quests, you're going to be doing a lot of backtracking.
People often think they can just stumble upon these. You can't. They're hidden in the darkest corners of Old World ruins, usually deep underground or at the top of massive skyscrapers.
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Why the Power Cell in Horizon Zero Dawn is Harder to Find Than You Think
The thing about these items is that they aren't marked on your map. Most loot in the game has a nice little icon, but the power cell is treated like a "Special Item." It has a green icon, which is kind of ironic because it’s way more valuable than most "Very Rare" purple items. You have to rely on your Focus or just a really keen eye for blue-ish geometric glows.
Most players miss the first one immediately. It's in the Underground Ruins where Aloy fell as a child. You can go back there as an adult, but the entrance is easy to walk right past. Once you're inside, you have to find a doorway blocked by stalactites and stalagmites. Smash them. If you don't, you'll never see the room holding the first cell. It’s a classic "hidden in plain sight" move by Guerilla Games.
The Long Road to the Shield-Weaver
If you're looking for the second one, it's at the very top of All-Mother Mountain. This is where things get tricky because the mountain is locked for a huge chunk of the middle game. You basically get one shot at it during the "Womb of the Mountain" quest right after the Proving. If you miss it, you have to wait until almost the end of the story to get back in. Inside the temple, look for a locked door. There's a vent next to it. Crawl through. It’s dark, a bit cramped, and feels like you're trespassing in a holy place, which, well, you are.
Maker's End and the Vertical Climb
The third power cell is at the top of Faro Automated Solutions. This is the Maker’s End quest. You’ll fight a Deathbringer at the base of the tower—which is a stressful fight if you’re underleveled—and then you have to climb. And climb. And climb. Once you reach Ted Faro’s office at the very top, don't just watch the holograms and leave. Look behind you. There’s a catch-hold that lets you climb even higher to the literal tip of the skyscraper. It's terrifyingly high. The wind whistles, the view of the frozen wastes is incredible, and the power cell is just sitting there on a ledge.
The Grave-Hoard and GAIA Prime
The fourth and fifth cells are tied to the late-game missions "The Grave-Hoard" and "To Curse the Darkness." In the Grave-Hoard, it’s behind a puzzle door. It's not particularly hard to find, but by this point in the game, players are usually so focused on the lore reveals about Project Zero Dawn that they forget to loot the side rooms.
The final one in GAIA Prime is the real kicker. During the "The Mountain That Fell" quest, after you talk to Sylens’ hologram, you’re supposed to zipline down. Don't do it. Instead, go to the left of the zipline and look for a path leading down into a hidden area of the ruins. If you take the zipline, you have to fast travel and run all the way back up the mountain to get another chance. It's a massive pain.
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Common Mistakes with the Ancient Armory
I've seen so many people get all five cells and then get frustrated because the armor still won't unlock. Here is the deal: there are two separate puzzles.
- The First Set: You need two cells to get past the initial door.
- The Second Set: You need the remaining three to unlock the clamps holding the armor.
The puzzles involve holographic "clocks." You have to rotate the dials to match the times indicated on the nearby displays. It’s not just about finding the items; it’s about understanding the "Old Ones" and their military time. If the display says 1200, 1500, 1800, 2100, you point the dials North, East, South, West. Simple, right? But the second puzzle uses degrees (90, 180, 270, etc.), which catches people off guard if they aren't paying attention.
Is the Shield-Weaver Actually Worth It?
Honestly? Yes and no. For the base game, it makes you feel like a god. You can jump off cliffs (within reason) and ignore Watcher hits like they’re mosquito bites. It completely changes the way you play. You stop hiding in tall grass as much and start playing more aggressively.
However, if you're playing the Frozen Wilds DLC, the Shield-Weaver gets a massive nerf. The Daemonic machines in the Cut have a pulse ability that instantly disables the shield. If you rely too heavily on it, the Fireclaws will absolutely wreck you the moment your shield goes down. In the DLC, you're actually better off with the Banuk Werak Chieftain outfit because of the health regeneration.
How to Get the Power Cells Right Now
If you are sitting there with four cells and can't find the last one, check your quest log. Most likely, you missed the one at Maker's End or the GAIA Prime one because they require extra climbing after the "objective" is technically finished.
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- Step 1: Return to the Underground Ruins (Aloy’s childhood fall) and check the room with the stalactites.
- Step 2: Fast travel to the All-Mother temple. If the gates are closed, you must progress the main story until the quest "The Heart of the Mother."
- Step 3: Go to the top of the Faro tower. Use the yellow handholds to climb past the office floor.
- Step 4: In the Grave-Hoard, look for the room immediately after solving the third ring puzzle.
- Step 5: At GAIA Prime, look for the "secret" drop-down path right before the final zipline.
Once you have all five, head back to the Ancient Armory (it’s a Bunker icon on your map, North of the first Tallneck you likely encountered). Insert the cells, solve the dial puzzles, and grab the box from your inventory. You have to "open" the box in the treasure crates menu to actually equip the armor. It doesn't just appear on your body.
The Shield-Weaver is the ultimate reward for exploring the history of the world. It’s a piece of the past used to save the future. Just remember to watch the red light on your chest. When it flashes, start rolling.