New Player Help for NieR Replicant covers various information that will help a player understand the basics of the game's mechanics as well as recommended things to do before starting the game. The purpose of this page is to help both new and veteran players of the NieR franchise to further understand the game and to know what it has to offer.
Helpful Links:
- Walkthrough: A detailed guide of the game's main story.
- Controls: Covers the details of the basic layout of the controller for all platforms.
- Sealed Verses: Learn about the various magical abilities conjured by Grimoire Weiss.
- Equipment & Weapons: Lists all available gear players can find throughout the world.
- Combat: Provides information on the basic and advanced combat system of NieR Replicant.
- Fishing: Provides information on how to fish and specific fish locations and bait.
- Cultivating: Provides information on how to cultivate and crossbreed different flowers and crops.
Nier Replicant New Player Help
Basic Mechanics
NieR has basic maneuvering abilities that they call martial arts in the game - Evasive Roll, Jump, Block, Melee Attacks and eventually Magic Sealed Verses. These come with their own specific bindings but can be changed in settings. The game is preset to only give you two key bindings for two magic attacks, but actually, more than one magic Sealed Verse magic can be equipped if you are willing to forgo a martial art binding.
DLC
Playing the DLC before finishing the game is up to the player because it does not contain any spoilers or have any real connection with the storyline. The DLC is a fighting sequence playthrough that will unlock minimal extra dialogue, gold, and in-game cosmetics. The DLC is also a great opportunity to farm for rare materials that are difficult to come across in the regular game. This would also help with completing all of the achievements
Endings
There are four playable Endings in the game and one extra story sequel available in their exclusive book, Grimoire NieR. People refer to that extra excerpt as Ending E, but it is not included in NieR Replicant the game.
Words
Words are buffs to stats and status effects that do not need to be collected. Some words appear in specific areas and are collected from specific Shades, but they will come to NieR automatically upon downing a Shade. These words are bound to either a Weapon, Sealed Verse Magic, or Martial Art. Benefits of the words are only prevalent when the item that it is bound to is being used, though they are not too noticeable during combat. They are only stacked when equipped to a martial art as martial art abilities are passive and always present. Up to two can be bound per item at a time, and the same Word can be reused on multiple items at a time.
It is recommended to equip words that will increase Item Drop Rate percentage and one other word used for combat such as the Physical Strength or Armour Break Stats. If using words with an additional Status Effect, the word Hudoloth can be applied in addition to the first word in order to bring that Status Effect to a level 9 effectiveness.
For more information:
Mounting a Wild Boar
Mounting a Wild Boar is a feature that becomes available upon obtaining a Boar Tusk, which tames surrounding boars. They help NieR travel quick around the plains. This is discovered after doing the Quest, Boar Hunt. In order to obtain a Boar Tusk, you must kill a Wild Boar from one of the surrounding plains of the Village and harvest it from its body. The chance of the drop is not 100% and sometimes you will receive Boar Hide instead.
Facing a Wild Boar is recommended at a slightly higher level as they can defeat a low-level NieR with just 1-2 strikes.
- Note: Only sleeping Wild Boars can be mounted. There are resting boars specifically found at the entrances and exits of the plains for travel use.
Fast-travel
Fast-travel cannot be accessed until Act II of the game and is unlocked with the story. After returning from Emil's Manor for the first time in Act II, Popola will send NieR to another location and inform him of a new available route by boat. A guard will be waiting by the Village docks behind the Shopping District of the Village near the waterwheels, and there are a set of locations you can fast-travel by boat.
Weapon Upgrades
Weapon forging will become available when NieR makes his first visit to the Two Brothers Weaponry for the first time. They will be available at any time to upgrade your weapon for a fee if you provide the necessary materials.
Two Brothers Weaponry only becomes unavailable for a brief time at the beginning of Act II, up till the story naturally progresses to that location again.
Quests
Quests are good for gaining gold, specific weapons, a higher fishing skill, a field for cultivation, and sometimes a discount from a merchant.
- Important note: All Act I Quests are locked in after the time skip in Act II. You will not be able to return to them even in subsequent playthroughs when initiating a NG+. You will have to start a completely fresh new game if you want to return to Act I after the time skip.
Act I Quest Progress: 51%
Some Side Quests are worth doing for their own interesting storylines and characters, but it is completely up to the player. A few Quests are sequels of other quests.
For Endings C & D, all weapons must be collected so the following quests must be completed for their weapon reward in order to unlock those endings.
Act II Side Quests:
Gaining Gold
Gold can be attained by selling unneeded materials and completing quests. The most efficient ways to farm items for selling are to farm the robots in Junk Heap or to catch rare fish and sell them. The Act II Side Quests also have very high gold rewards. For a list of the Side Quest rewards, please check the Side Quest page.
Don't sell everything
Basic things like books and dictionaries will have no use, but some other seemingly useless items could be used as materials for Weapon forging (weapon upgrades)
Items and materials for all weapon upgrades can be found below
| Metals | Raw Material | Personal Belongings |
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