How to Unlock the Shield-Weaver Outfit in ‘Horizon Zero Dawn’

Surviving the dangerous post-apocalyptic environments across the world of Horizon Zero Dawn is no easy feat to accomplish, namely due to the wild mechanical marvels known as “Machines” that roam the landscape. While many of these robotic creatures aren’t inherently aggressive, they will always attack when provoked by humans such as yourself, who hunt them for parts needed to create armor, weapons, and other survival equipment. As a lone Seeker on a quest for answers, you’ll encounter plenty of massive and powerful machines which can take you out in a matter of seconds if you slip up. But thanks to a secret set of armor tucked away in an old research bunker, that doesn’t always have to be the case.

Known as the Shield-Weaver outfit, the suit of armor is a relic from ancient civilization that will render Aloy immune to incoming attacks if you properly manage its force shield in combat. With it equipped, you’ll be able walk away from multiple Thunderjaw attacks without a scratch, making it the most powerful set available in the entire game. Here’s everything you need to know about obtaining it for your own collection:

Where to Find the Shield-Weaver Outfit

When you first leave the tutorial area and head into the Embrace, you’ll be able to venture straight into the bunker which contains the ancient set of armor: simply head to the middle of the Embrace and locate Devil’s Thirst. From the ruins, head slightly southeast until you come across a set of rocks which extends towards the river. Climb up the rocks near the rusted pylons and jump down into the underground lake tucked beneath to find the entrance to the old research bunker.

Once inside, you’ll immediately see the suit of armor sitting in front of you, but you won’t be able to access it without getting through two sets of advanced magnetic locks. At this point, a quest should pop up called “Ancient Armory,” prompting you to find additional power cells to replace the broken ones in each lock sealing the doors and clamps holding the set of armor in place.

How to Retrieve Power Cells

There is a grand total of five power cells you need to collect to get your hands on the Shield-Weaver outfit, which are scattered throughout Horizon Zero Dawn’s main story quests and open world. These power cells are extremely easy to miss due to their small size and hidden locations, but if you explore every corner while playing you probably will come across one or two before even finding the location of the old bunker. So even if you missed a few or already have some in your inventory, here’s where to find every single power cell required to unlock the armor’s protection:

• The first power cell is in the same ruins Aloy fell into when she was a child. Make your way back down into the ruins once you have access to the spear, and look for a door near the exit blocked by a series of stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Smash through them and head in to claim the power cell sitting on the table in front of you.

• Once you’ve completed the Proving at the beginning of Horizon Zero Dawn, you’ll awaken in All-Mother Mountain during “The Womb of the Mountain” main quest. After you’re up and about, collect your belongings and don’t follow Teersa to finish the quest. Instead, look for a locked bunker door, and proceed through the small ventilation tunnel to the left of it. Inside, you’ll find a power cell waiting for you.

• The third power cell is found in Maker’s End during the main questline. Once you’ve reached the conference room at the top of the Faro skyscraper, turn around and look for a series of yellow handholds you can use to climb to the very top of the ruins, where you’ll find a power cell laying on the ground.

• The next power cell is in the Grave-Hoard, a set of old ruins you’ll visit following the details Aloy uncovers at Maker’s End during the main questline. Here, simply follow the main quest that takes you through the ruins and you’ll find it laying past the door with three sets of locks next to a few other items. This one is nearly impossible to miss.

• The final power cell is once again found inside of an area you’ll reach during the main questline. During “The Mountain That Fell,” you’ll witness a hologram where Faro is talking to some scientists in a board room before being prompted to rappel down from the third floor. Instead of doing that, move towards the edge of the cliff until you can drop down to the ledge. Here, you’ll find a hidden area where the final power cell is located on a shelf in a room lit by violet light.

How to Unlock the Doors

After you have collected all five power cells, it’s time to head back to the old research bunker to plug them into their respective slots. First, you’ll plug two into the broken hologram slots at the door preventing you from entering the room with the Shield Weaver outfit. They’ll click in and a holographic interface will activate with a display on the right which reads: 1200, 1500, 1800, 2100, and 0000. Each holographic lock is a clock you’ll have to match to the corresponding time: (from left to right) top, right, bottom, left, top.

Proceed through the unlocked door into the room where the armor is stored, then move towards the back of the room to find an additional five holographic locks with three power cells missing. Plug in the three remaining power cells from your inventory to activate them along with another display which reads: 90, 270, 360, 450, and 630. These are angles, which must be matched just like the clocks: (from left to right) right, left, top, right, and left.

This should yield a very satisfying final click, releasing the clamps locking the Shield-Weaver outfit in place. Simply head back to the main room to collect your reward and complete the quest, which will give you a treasure box with the outfit inside. While wearing the outfit, you’ll be protected by a force field in combat — just remember that when it flashes red, you need to retreat to let it recharge.