4 Combat Tips for NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...

The NieR series has always been more about the story and its delivery rather than hardcore gameplay with complex mechanics. And while NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... isn't a very difficult game, can still pose a challenge during the early runs through the game. Here are a few combat tips to help you on your journey.

Weapon of Choice

By far the best weapon you can get during the first half of the game where you control the younger form of the protagonist is the Beastbain one-handed sword. Sporting a high attack value of 172 at level -1 with a relatively easy upgrade route for levels- 2 and 3, this wide chunk of steel will be enough to carry you through most likely the entirety of the first act and then some. This can be purchased from the Village blacksmith for a hefty 16,800 gold. A steep asking price for sure, especially given that quests early on will only net around an average of 1000 to 2000 gold but believe me when I say that it's well worth the money.

Once you've hit the time skip, our protagonist has grown up to be quite the warrior and can now wield larger weapons such as two-handed greatswords and spears. The two-handed swords are great at mowing down multiple enemies with their large and wide swings. However the time it takes for each attack to hit is just too slow for most players. And given how most of the two-handed swords don't have a high enough attack power to justify the sluggish moveset, it's just not very efficient at eliminating shades.

Spears are a different story. While focused more on quick single strikes, the speed and moderately high attack power of this weapon type make the often go-to for most shade hunters. The Phoenix Spear was and still is one of the best weapons in the series. Rocking the highest base attack power at level -1 and one of the highest at level 4, this is a must have in your arsenal. The Phoenix Spear can be found with the blacksmith in Facade for 32,400.

Use Your Words

Unique to NieR Replicant is the Word system. Throughout the game, you collect certain Words that can be bound to either your weapons, magic, or martial art actions such as blocking and dodging. Giving them a boost in attack and defense or a subsequent effect that inflicts a status ailment on foes.

One of the best early combinations you can do is pairing a word with a paralyze effect to a spell that hits multiple times in quick succession.  Dark Blast would be the only fast hitting spell you'd have access to in the early parts of the game but this combo pairs great later on with Dark Whirlwind. Even at Paralyze level-1, it will almost always guarantee paralysis due to the fact that the spells hit so many times. Paralyze words can also be bound to weapons to help proc the effect.

The Best Offensive is a Good Defense

Blocking might not be the most exciting thing to do in an action RPG until you figure out that moves you can guard against will deal zero damage to your character. You are also still free to fire off spells while holding down the block button, making it so you don't have to sacrifice DPS to protect yourself. And for a quick tip, moving while holding down block forces your character into a walking  state which will be helpful in the desert dungeon.

Don't forget about the new parry mechanic added to this remaster. Pressing  block right before an enemy strikes you will trigger a parry animation, leaving the enemy open for attacks. The timing window for this is very generous and can be even made easier by charging a spell which will then slow down time for you.

Hopefully these tips will prove useful to you. NieR Replicant is a great game with an incredible story and the new revamped combat system is a welcome change that makes the experience even better. If you'd like to learn more about the game, as well as the differences between the remaster and the original plus an in-depth breakdown of the new mechanics, check out our full review of NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… here.

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