Horizon Zero Dawn is a brilliant game that has everything you could ask for — a great storyline, compelling characters, and an immersive open world to get lost in. It also has a bunch of side quests that could possibly be missed, but are really handy in terms of advancing the story. From the Cauldrons to the hunting grounds, each quest seems to be placed there for a reason, and if you charge ahead on the main quests alone, you’re going to miss a lot.

One such quest is the Shield Weaver Armor. If you’re currently playing, get this: it’ll make your life a lot easier.

7 7. What Is It? Why Do You Want It?

Via: GamesRadar

When going through the game as Aloy, you can purchase armor from merchants that will protect you better against machines and means your health will last longer. As the game progresses and you encounter more and more difficult machines, you’ll want a good armor so you aren’t constantly dying; especially on the harder difficulties.

One such armor is the Shield Weaver. But unlike most others, this isn’t purchased from a merchant. It’s unlocked by collecting five hidden Power Cells throughout the game during a side quest.

And, as the most powerful armor in the game, it’s worth doing.

Here is a list of where to get each Power Cell and what to do with then.

6 6. Power Cell One

Via: VG247

As soon as the prologue is finished and you are playing adult Aloy, you can collect the first Power Cell!

Just East of Mother’s Watch, there are ruins marked. This is where you started out as a child, the underground winding cavern you had to escape from. Drop back down in there and follow the paths. If you go through the same way you did as a child, there is a room near the end blocked off with some spikes. Smash through them with your spear, and you can collect the Power Cell at the other side.

It’s easy to pass by these spikes, but they’re close to the exit and you should be able to spot them if you bear this in mind!

5 5. Power Cell Two

Via: All Gamers

When you wake up in All-Mother Temple, you can collect the second Power Cell. Go through two doors after Aloy wakes up and find the tunnel on the right. Crouch down and you can now make your way through this, finding the Power Cell at the other side.

If you’ve already completed this quest, no worries! Head back to the temple and run down the hill. Once at the bottom of the first slope, follow the corridor on the right and you’ll come to a circular room. The Power Cell is now on your left, and you can exit the Temple easily enough again.

4 4. Power Cell Three

Via: Horizon Zero Dawn Wiki

Note: this Power Cell is much more easily obtained if you do it while on the quest Maker’s End. You have to scale a tower, with your little yellow beacon guiding you, and when you get to the top of the tower there’s a spire with yellow handholds. Climb them for some amazing views and the Power Cell.

You can get this if the quest is already done, but with no Maker’s End yellow marker to guide you, scaling the tower is much more frustrating and takes some navigational skill and memory. Watch some walkthroughs on YouTube if you’re struggling to remember where to go.

3 3. Power Cell Four

Via: Power Pyx

This is available once you can access the mission The Grave-Hoard. In the ruins, there are three disc puzzles that are easy enough to solve. There’s then a ledge, where you can open a door and proceed. Through said door and off to the left is a Power Cell.

This one is pretty hard to miss but thankfully, not as difficult to access after the mission if you do happen to miss it.

The puzzles needed to get to this are not considered difficult but if you do have trouble, there are walkthroughs available on YouTube, much like the scaling the tower.

2 2. Power Cell Five

Via: YouTube

Located near the end of the main quests, you have to at least be on the mission The Mountain That Fell to get this. When you use the zipline to drop down to the lower area after claiming what you went to the Master Override, turn around. Your marker will be telling you to go straight ahead, but there is, in fact, a Power Cell a short climb behind you. You should be able to see its indicator once you turn around rather than going straight ahead.

This one is pretty easy to miss if you’re prone to just following the marker rather than exploring, so be careful with this. But, as with all of the Power Cells, you can go back and retrieve this after you’re done with the quest. It’s just going to take you less time to grab it while you’re up there.

1 1. Getting The Armor

Via: Gameranx

If you check your quests, the quest Ancient Armory should be marked. Activate it as your main quest, and you will see ancient ruins on the map. Head there.

There are a couple more spinning disc puzzles here. For ease of access, the first one is up, right, down, left up. The second is right, left, up, right, left.

Congratulations! You now have the Shield Weaver armor. There should now be a noticeable difference in combat for you, as the machines will find it much harder to inflict damage and you’ll be able to withstand a lot more. This is handy for making risky moves against the machines, and as long as you’re equipped with some decent health and a reasonable level for the mission you’re undertaking, no fights should take more than a single try to get through.

There are, of course, other decent armor sets in the game, but there’s a good reason you can’t just buy this one from a merchant and equip it. It’d be too simple for such an amazing set of armor.

NEXT: 10 Ways Horizon Zero Dawn Smashes Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (And 10 Ways It Doesn't!)