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Acquiring certain crafting materials in NieR: Automata proves significantly more challenging than others. While not visually distinct, some resources, such as Pristine Screws, are exceptionally rare.
Although you can purchase Pristine Screws from Emil, his stock fluctuates, making direct acquisition from machines a potentially faster and cheaper alternative. Below are two farming strategies.
Where To Find Pristine Screws in NieR: Automata
Goliath-Bipeds, the largest non-boss machines, drop screws, with Pristine Screws being the rarest. Higher-level Goliath-Bipeds yield a higher drop rate; early-game acquisition is practically impossible.
Several locations reliably spawn Goliath-Bipeds. The pit where you first encounter Adam is one such spot, also ideal for farming Machine Arms. However, the Goliath-Bipeds here are around level 30, resulting in a low Pristine Screw drop rate. The advantage is their constant respawn, allowing for rapid farming despite the low drop rate.
Alternatively, during the third playthrough, fast travel to the Forest Castle: Front access point. Two level 49 Goliath-Bipeds guard the entrance, offering a better drop chance. However, they don't respawn; you'll need to fast travel to a distant location and return to repeat the process.
Both methods benefit from using a drop-rate increase plug-in chip.
Which Farming Method Is More Efficient?
The optimal method depends on two key factors:
- Game and system load times:
- Your patience level:
Farming Pristine Screws is inherently time-consuming. While the Forest method offers a higher drop rate, it involves frequent loading screens, minimizing actual gameplay. If this doesn't deter you, the Forest method is preferable. If you prefer continuous gameplay and want to farm other materials simultaneously, the pit offers consistent enemy spawns, material drops, and XP gains.