NieR: Automata offers a diverse arsenal of weapons, upgradeable multiple times to extend their usefulness throughout the game. Weapon upgrades require various resources, including Beast Hides, a crafting material not readily available. This guide explains how to obtain and efficiently farm them.
How to Acquire and Farm Beast Hides in NieR: Automata
Beast Hides are obtained by defeating wildlife such as moose and boar. These creatures randomly appear in specific map areas, generally avoiding players and robots. Their white icons on the mini-map distinguish them from the black icons of machines. Unlike machines, wildlife respawns are less predictable, requiring strategic searching.
Moose and boar are found exclusively in the game's ruined city and forest zones. An animal's level relative to the player determines its behavior; lower-level animals flee, while higher-level ones may attack or become aggressive upon approach. Wildlife possesses significant health, making early-game encounters challenging, especially against similarly leveled or higher-level creatures.
Using Animal Bait can lure wildlife closer, simplifying the hunt. Wildlife, unlike consistently spawning enemies, requires active searching during exploration. Respawn mechanics mirror those of machines:
- Fast traveling resets all enemies and wildlife.
- Traveling a sufficient distance triggers respawns in previously visited areas.
- Key story events can also trigger nearby respawns.
There's no dedicated farming method for Beast Hides. Consistently eliminating encountered wildlife in forest and city ruin areas generally provides sufficient hides. The drop rate is relatively high, meaning stockpiling excessive hides is unnecessary unless upgrading multiple weapons simultaneously.