Efficiently Acquiring Machine Arms in NieR: Automata
NieR: Automata presents players with a substantial crafting system, requiring numerous materials to upgrade weapons and pods. While many materials become readily available later, acquiring them early can significantly boost your character's strength. Machine Arms are a particularly rare crafting component. This guide outlines the best strategies for obtaining them.
Farming Machine Arms: Early Game Strategy
Machine Arms have a random drop chance from defeated small machines. However, the drop rate increases with enemy level, making them scarce early on. To maximize your chances early in the game, focus on quickly eliminating large numbers of machines.
After completing Chapter 4, and your first encounter with Adam, a highly effective farming location becomes available. The arena where you fought Adam will continuously respawn enemies, including numerous small machines. Access this area via the Desert: Housing Complex fast travel point and proceed deeper into the ruins.
While the machines here aren't high-level, resulting in a low Machine Arm drop rate, the rapid respawn makes this the most efficient early-game farming method. This location is also beneficial for farming Titanium Alloy. Consider equipping a Drop Rate Plug-in Chip for a slight increase in drop rate.
Minor Spoilers for the Final Playthrough Follow
Purchasing Machine Arms: Late Game Option
During the final playthrough, while playing as A2, you have the option to erase Pascal's memories after the village robots are eliminated. This action will cause Pascal to return to the village as a merchant, offering various items for purchase until the game's end. Machine Arms are among his inventory. Pascal's full inventory includes: