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In NieR: Automata, certain crafting materials are much harder to obtain than others. While not marked by color or special effects, some items like the Pristine Screw are notably rare and challenging to find. Although you can purchase Pristine Screws from Emil, his stock rotates frequently, making it often more cost-effective and efficient to hunt down machines for these essential components. Below are some effective strategies for farming Pristine Screws.
Where To Get Pristine Screws In NieR: Automata
Pristine Screws are primarily dropped by Goliath-Bipeds, the towering machines that you encounter throughout the game, excluding bosses. These machines can drop various types of screws, but the Pristine Screw is the rarest among them. The likelihood of obtaining a Pristine Screw increases with the level of the Goliath-Biped, making it nearly impossible to acquire in the early stages of the game.
One reliable location to find Goliath-Bipeds is the pit where you first battle Adam. This area is also excellent for farming Machine Arms. However, the Goliath-Bipeds here are just above level 30, which means they have a lower chance of dropping Pristine Screws. The advantage of this spot is the constant enemy respawn, allowing for quicker farming despite the reduced drop rate.
Alternatively, during the third playthrough, you can fast-travel to the Forest Castle: Front access point to encounter two level 49 Goliath-Bipeds guarding the entrance. These higher-level machines offer a better chance of dropping Pristine Screws, although they do not respawn immediately. To continue farming, you'll need to fast-travel away and then return to reset the spawns.
Both farming methods can be enhanced by using a drop-rate up plug-in chip, which can slightly increase the efficiency of your efforts.
Which Method Is Better?
Choosing the best method to farm Pristine Screws depends on two key factors:
- The loading times of your game and system.
- Your level of patience.
Farming Pristine Screws is a time-consuming process. While the Forest Castle method offers a higher drop rate, it involves more loading screens and less actual gameplay. If this doesn't bother you, the Forest method might be your best bet. However, if you prefer continuous gameplay and want to farm other materials simultaneously, the pit provides ongoing action, materials, and experience points.