Gaming

Genshin Impact Pioneers: Powering the generator room mechanisms in Nod-Krai

Where the "activate the energy mechanisms" step sits in the Pioneers world quest and how to clear it.

Where the “activate the energy mechanisms” step sits in the Pioneers world quest and how to clear it.

Pioneers is the opening world quest of the Moon Gazing: Act I storyline in Nod-Krai, and it runs you through the underground ruins beneath Misty Shoal alongside Columbina. Partway through, the objective changes to “Find a way to activate the energy mechanisms” once you reach the generator room, which is where a lot of players stall because the game does not spell out what to interact with.

Quick answer: Reach the generator room at the end of the underground ruins, power up the energy mechanisms inside it, then speak to Columbina to advance the quest. The objective only clears after the mechanisms are active and the follow-up “Talk to Columbina” step appears.

Image credit: miHoYo

How to reach the generator room in Pioneers

Start Pioneers by approaching the Statue of The Seven at Misty Shoal in Nod-Krai. Speaking to the statue area triggers the first objective, and Columbina appears.
Say hello to Columbina, then follow her and look for her traces as she leads you toward the ruins. Stay close so the tracking objective keeps updating.
Pass through the entrance and explore the underground ruins. Keep moving deeper until the objective updates to head to the generator room, which is the chamber that holds the energy mechanisms.
Inside the generator room, interact with the energy mechanisms to power them. Once they come online, the objective clears, and you are prompted to talk to Columbina.
Image credit: miHoYo / Ebros

Full Pioneers objective order

Use this to confirm exactly where the “activate the energy mechanisms” step falls and what comes right after it. If your quest tracker does not match this order, you are on a different step.

OrderObjective
1Say hello to Columbina
2Follow Columbina
3Look for traces of Columbina
4Pass through the entrance
5Explore the underground ruins
6Head to the generator room
7Find a way to activate the energy mechanisms
8Talk to Columbina
9Return to the hall
10Follow the black kuuhenki
11Enter the main control hall to search for the black kuuhenki
Image credit: miHoYo

How to confirm the mechanisms activated

You know the step is done when the tracked objective switches from “Find a way to activate the energy mechanisms” to “Talk to Columbina.” The energy mechanisms in the generator room should be lit and running at that point.

If the objective refuses to update, you have not finished powering everything in the room. Check the generator room for any mechanism you have not interacted with yet, since the step only clears once the full setup is active. After Columbina responds, continue on to return to the hall and follow the black kuuhenki into the main control hall to finish Pioneers.