Shield-Weaver (2024)

The Shield-Weaver, originally known as the UltraWeave Mk7.1, is a very rare and very powerful outfit. The armor trades the ability to modify it for a highly durable, rechargeable force shield that absorbs all incoming damage, massively enhancing Aloy's combat capabilities.

History[]

In the Old World[]

The original Ultraweave power armor suit consists of an exoskeleton with a full helmet, thick torso plates, and armor plates on the waist and thighs. According to Major Garrow, it utilizes flexible nano-fiber weave instead of plating, and enhances protection with a 400 eV hard light micro-projector.^[2]

In the New World[]

Stumbling into an ancient armory in the Sacred Land, Aloy came across a set of Ultraweave armor, locked in place by the ancient security systems. During her journey, she would find power cells in ruins, which she would use to repair the security lock and access the armor. By combining the armor's components with some of her pre-existing outfits, the Shield Weaver outfit was created.

Appearance[]

Once obtained, instead of taking the full Ultraweave power armor, the Shield Weaver consists of a modified Nora Brave outfit with some armor on the head, chest, shoulders, and knees.

Obtaining[]

See: Ancient Armory

Use[]

While this suit may not seem to offer much visible armor protection to the untrained eye, the suit frequently emits a glowing blue energy shield comprised of hexagonal projections that can block substantial damage, even from the Thunderjaw's normally devastating attacks. While the shield is active, Aloy cannot be staggered by ranged attacks.

However, the shield can only block so much damage, andwhen the shield isdepleted, it will flash from blue to red, at which point Aloy will receive any damage taken until the shield recharges. The shield will beep once fully recharged. At higher difficulties, the shield has progressively lowerHP. On top of enemies dealing increased damage, this can reachapoint wherea normal Watcher can completely deplete the shield with a single body slam on Ultra Hard. On the other hand, the lower HP means that the shield recharges at a faster rate compared to lower difficulties.

The only downside of this suit is that it completely does away with the ability to mod it. It also will not prevent Aloy from being staggered or knocked around by melee attacks like a Sawtooth's charge or a Thunderjaw's tail smash.

In The Frozen Wildsthere are various weapons and devices that can temporarily drain the armor of its shield energy, thus rendering Aloy vulnerable. Additionally, some enemies have the ability to instantly disable or ignore the shield with certain attacks, no matter the difficulty setting, such as the Control Tower's pulse.

The HP values for the shield are listed belowdisplayed from left to right following the difficulty order from Story to Ultra Hard, with Bold numbers being applied forNormal difficulty. Note that the shield'sHP is the same from Story to Normal difficulty.

Trivia[]

• An outfit using the same technology was used by Elisabet Sobeck to survive the then-inhospitable atmosphere while repairing the door to the GAIA Prime facility.
• The outfit may have also been standard issue among Mechanized Response Brigades towards the end of Operation: Enduring Victory, as many dead soldiers in the Grave-Hoard wear it.^[3]
• The present day Shield-Weaver outfit uses the same base as the Nora Brave and Outcast outfits.
• The visual makeoverof Aloy wearing this armor is available in Capcom's 2019 game expansionMonster Hunter World: Iceborneas part of its collaboration withHorizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds. The makeover is presented as a special full-set armor with a unique trait of having an automatically rechargingbarrier that will absorb a set amount of damage, reflecting its native qualities.
• In Horizon Forbidden West, the Nora Anointed outfit is also the Shield-Weaver outfit, with the difference being that its power source has been lost, rendering it incapable to generate force fields. However, the Overshield valor surge functions identical to the shield-weaver’s passive.

Gallery[]

References[]