You're standing in front of that glass wall in the Bunker, staring at the Shield-Weaver armor like it’s the holy grail of gaming. Honestly, it basically is. That suit makes Aloy nearly invincible by absorbing every hit until the energy bar flashes red. But then you realize you need five Power Cells. You check your inventory. You have one. Maybe two if you’re lucky. Now you’re scouring the web for a horizon zero dawn power cells map because the game doesn't give you a single waypoint for these things.
It’s frustrating.
Most people think they can just run back and grab them whenever they want. That’s partially true, but some of these locations are locked behind massive story beats. If you miss the one in All-Mother Mountain during the early game, you’re literally locked out of that area until the final act of the story. That’s dozens of hours of gameplay without the best gear in the game. It’s a classic Guerrilla Games move—hiding the best stuff in plain sight but making the path to get there incredibly specific.
Where the Power Cells are Actually Hiding
You don't need a high-res JPG to find these. You just need to know which main quests trigger the openings. The "map" is really just the timeline of Aloy’s life.
The Underground Ruins (The First One)
Remember when Aloy was a kid and fell into that hole? You have to go back there as an adult. It’s near the beginning area in Mother’s Watch. Inside the ruins, there’s a doorway blocked by stalactites and stalagmites. You’ve gotta smash through them with your spear. If you’re looking at your local horizon zero dawn power cells map and it just shows a dot near the starting zone, this is the one. It’s easy to miss because the game pushes you to leave the Nora lands quickly, but just double back. It’s right there in the dark.
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All-Mother Mountain
This is the one that ruins everyone’s day. During the quest "The Womb of the Mountain," you’ll wake up inside the mountain. Before you follow Teersa out like a good protagonist, look for a locked red door. To the left of it, there’s a small air duct. Crawl through it. The Power Cell is sitting at the end of that tunnel. If you miss it here, the gates to Mother’s Watch stay closed until the quest "The Heart of the Nora" much, much later. I've seen players restart their entire save file because they didn't want to wait 30 hours to get back in. Don't be that person.
Climbing High: The Maker’s End and The Grave-Hoard
Once you leave the Nora lands, the scale of the world explodes. You’re heading north into the freezing cold and the ruins of the Old World.
Maker's End
You'll eventually reach the top of a skyscraper during the "Maker’s End" quest. Most players watch the hologram, get the story bits about Ted Faro (who is the worst, by the way), and then immediately fast-travel away. Stop. Look up. There is a literal spire reaching into the clouds at the very top of that building. You have to parkour your way up the yellow handholds to the absolute tip of the tower. The Power Cell is perched there. The view is incredible, but the Cell is better.
The Grave-Hoard
This one is tucked away in the ancient military command center. It’s during the quest—appropriately named—"The Grave-Hoard." After you solve the three ring puzzles to restore power to the ancient door, don't just sprint toward the objective marker. Look around the side rooms near the electronic locks. It’s just sitting there on a desk. It’s arguably the easiest one to find, yet people blink and miss it every single time.
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GAIA Prime: The Final Piece of the Puzzle
You won't get the fifth cell until "The Mountain That Fell." This is late-game territory. Like, "the world is ending" late-game. When you’re navigating the ruins of GAIA Prime, you’ll reach a point where you have to zip-line down to a lower level. Do not zip-line yet. Instead, look to the left of the zip-line platform. There’s a tricky little path leading down the rocks to a hidden room. If you take the zip-line, you have to climb all the way back up or reload a save. It’s a cheeky bit of level design that punishes players for being too eager to reach the next cinematic.
The Shield-Weaver Math
Once you have all five, you head back to the Ancient Armory. You'll need to solve two separate circuit puzzles.
- The first puzzle (2 cells): You're setting the dials based on military time. Look at the display nearby. It’ll show 1200, 1500, 1800, etc. You just turn the dials to match the positions of a clock face. Top, Right, Bottom, Left, Top.
- The second puzzle (3 cells): This one uses degrees. $90^\circ$, $180^\circ$, etc. It’s basically: Right, Left, Top, Right, Left.
Once the clamps release, you get the Ultraweave box. Open it in your inventory, equip the armor, and you’re suddenly a god.
Why the Map Matters More Than You Think
A lot of people ask if the Shield-Weaver is even worth the headache. In the Frozen Wilds DLC, the fire-breathers and Frostclaws can actually strip the shield in one or two hits. It’s not a "win button." But in the base game? It changes everything. It allows you to play more aggressively. You can take risks with a Thunderjaw that would normally result in an immediate "Game Over" screen.
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The reality is that a horizon zero dawn power cells map isn't just about a suit of armor; it's about the lore. Each cell is placed in a location that defines the fall of the Old World. Finding them forces you to look at the environment, not just the quest marker.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Trying to get them too early: You cannot "sequence break" this. If the story hasn't taken you to Maker's End, you can't get in.
- Forgetting to loot: Sometimes players find the room but forget to actually hold the button to pick it up because they're distracted by the audio logs.
- The "Mother's Watch" Glitch: In older versions of the game, there were ways to jump the fence to get back into the mountain early. Most of these have been patched. Just wait for the story to loop back around.
Actionable Next Steps
To get this done efficiently, stop looking for them randomly. Check your "Quest" log. If you haven't finished "The Grave-Hoard," you physically cannot have more than three cells.
First, go back to the ruins from Aloy's childhood. It's the only one you can grab right now regardless of story progress (unless you're in the very first hour).
Second, check your inventory. Power Cells are kept in the "Special Items" tab, not your regular crafting resources. If you have four, and you've finished GAIA Prime, you're just one quick fast-travel away from being invincible. Go get the Maker's End one. It's the one most people skip because of that annoying climb.
Once you have the suit, head straight to the DLC area. The shield is basically required reading for the challenges up there in the Cut.