Note: Credit for this guide goes to /u/GurlGod from the Nier Automata Reddit
Contents
What is a Plug-in Chip?[edit]
Plug-in chips are used to enhance functionality of your given YoRHa android in NieR: Automata.
These "Skills" can be customized to your given playstyle be it offensive, defensive, a balance of the two, or something situational.
By equipping chips into a chipset you use storage in exchange for the ability granted from the chip varying on the cost. The cheapest of which being Diamond ◆ chips.
What is a Diamond ◆ Plug-in Chip?[edit]
Diamond, or Black Box, plug-in chips, are the cheapest variety of plug-in chips available for their respective level denoted by a black diamond on the side of the chips name. (Ex. Drop Rate Up +1◆)
Diamond ◆ chips are a random drop from enemies who drop the respective basic storage equivalents, and can be used to lower your overall storage cost for further customization of your YoRHa android. Thus making them the most valuable plug-in chip available.
Intro to farming Diamond ◆ Chips[edit]
Diamond ◆ Chips drop randomly, for most efficient farming follow these steps
- Step 1. Buy Drop Rate Up from Tool Shop Machine - Machine Village/Pascal's Village
- Step 2. Farm Amusement Park Rollercoaster until you're comfortable with the level/cost of your Drop Rate chip
- Step 3. Farm whatever chip you're trying to get Diamond ◆ of with increased drop chance
Maximizing Diamond◆ Chip Fusing Efficiency[edit]
Diamond◆ chips retain the cheapest cost across all upgrade levels to a chip and therefore are worth farming. However farming for repeat same upgrade levels of the same diamond ◆ can be a lengthy journey. The secret to upgrading diamond ◆ chips is fusing with the minimum cost basic chip during initial level and odd upgrade rank (Ex. 0, +1, +3, +5, and +7) to retain your diamond ◆ rating without farming as many of the rare diamond ◆ chips, greatly expediting the process.
To explain further, an initial level diamond ◆ chip, or level 0, will have a cost of 4 and the basic equivalent will have a cost of 5-10, however the 5 cost can be fused with the diamond chip to get a diamond ◆ chip +1. The basic chip to retain diamond ◆ rating will always cost 1 more then the diamond ◆ version.
The same however is not true for even upgrade ranks (Ex. +2, +4, +6,) as the formula for fusing chips will cause an extra increase and instead of gaining a diamond ◆ of the next rank will give a minimum basic. (Possibly useful if you have the chips you'd need for higher ranks but not enough of lower ranks.)
The chip requirement costs for fusing at odd ranks are as follows, if you are fusing a chip of the same rank with a basic chip the cost in the right column is what you want to follow to retain a diamond ◆ ranking.
| Upgrade Rank | Diamond ◆ Cost | Minimum Basic Cost |
| 0 | 4 | 5 |
| 1 | 5 | 6 |
| 3 | 7 | 8 |
| 5 | 11 | 12 |
| 7 | 17 | 18 |
Note: In order to reach +7 and +8 the Canyon Machine shop is required
Attack Plug-in Chips[edit]
| Name | Description | Locations |
| Charge Attack | Increase power of charge attacks (Hold △) to x% | Goliath Biped: Desert- Adam's Boss Pit |
| Counter | Move toward an enemy attack with perfect timing to counter it. | Medium Biped: Sword-equipped - Desert: Housing Complex/Adam's Boss Pit |
| Critical Up | Increase critical hit rate by x%. | Small Biped -City Ruins, Small/Medium Biped - Amusement Park Rollercoaster (1 of each per ride) |
| Down-Attack Up | Increase the power of down-attacks by x% | Goliath Biped - City Ruins |
| Last Stand | Increase attack power if HP is 25% or less. | BECOME AS GODSSmall Biped's Factory: Hangar (Farming status unknown, needs testing to see if available outside related story mission.) |
| Ranged Attack Up | Increase the power of ranged attack by x% | Small Flyer - City Ruins, Small Flyer - Flooded City |
| Shockwave | Add a shockwave to weapon attacks | Small Bipeds - Desert: Housing Complex/Adam's Boss Pit |
| Weapon Attack Up | Increase power of weapon-based attacks by x% | Medium Biped - Flooded City, Situational: Chapter 17-01 Medium Biped - City Ruins: Tower during 9S Hacking Mission,Jackass's Research - Always fail by leting the time pass by( let 1 or 2 robots survive). |
Defense Plug-in Chips[edit]
| Name | Description | Locations |
| Anti Chain Damage | Turn invincible for x seconds after taking damage. | Small Biped- Forest Zone: Central |
| Auto-Heal | After 6 seconds of not taking damage, restore x% HP/sec. | Small Sphere - City Ruins: Cave, Linked Sphere - City Ruins |
| Damage Absorb | x% chance to restore y% of damage taken. | Medium Biped: Gun-equipped - Amusement Park Entrance |
| Deadly Heal | Recover x% HP for every enemy defeated. | Small Biped:Spear-equipped/Medium Quadraped - Forest Zone: Central |
| Max HP Up | Increase maximum HP by x%. | Small Biped:Spear-equipped/Medium Quadraped - Forest Zone: Central |
| Melee Defense Up | Reduce melee damage taken. | Genral Biped -Medium Quadraped - Forest Zone: Central |
| Offensive Heal | Recover x% of damage dealt as HP. | Medium Biped -Medium Quadraped - Forest Zone: Central |
| Ranged Defense | Reduce projectile damage by x% | Parade Escort(quest)-(let the clowns be destroyed then kill all robot)-can be repeated many time |
| Reset | x% chance of reviving with y% HP upon death. | ???? |
| Resilience | Avoid stagger after hits if HP is x% or more. | ???? |
Support Plug-in Chips[edit]
| Name | Description | Locations |
| Auto-Use Item | Auto-use healing item if HP drops below x%. Heals y% more. | Multi-tier Type - Desert |
| Drop Rate Up | Increase enemy item drop rate by x%. | Small Flyer - Amusement Park: Rollercoaster (Enemies reset every ride around. No need to leave area),(-_- just buy 4(10,000 each) lvl 6 from emil shop, fuse it to lvl 8. you only going to use if for farming anyways) |
| EXP Gain Up | Gain x% more EXP from defeated enemies. | Short Stubby - Amusement Park |
| Evade Range Up | Increase evade distance by x%. | Small or Medium Biped - Desert, Adam's Boss Pit |
| Fast Cooldown | Reduce Pod program cooldown time by x% | ???? |
| Moving Speed Up | Increase movement speed by x% | Small or Medium Biped - Desert, Adam's Boss Pit |
| Overclock | Slow time for x seconds after a Perfect Evade. | ???? |
| Taunt Up | Taunts raise player and enemy attack power to x% | ???? |
| Vengeance | x% chance that y% of damage taken is dealt back to the enemy. | Small Biped - Amusement Park |
Hacking Plug-in Chips[edit]
| ' | ||
| Name | Description | Locations |
| Combust | Short-circuit a foe, causing a fire for x seconds. | Small or Medium Biped - Desert, Adam's Boss Pit |
| Heal Drops UP | x% chance foes drop healing items if defeated by hacking. | ???? |
| Hijack Boost | Strengthen remotely controlled enemies. Enemy Level +x. | Small Bipeds - City Ruins:B-route,Parade Escort(quest)-(let the clowns be destroyed then kill all robot)-can be repeated many time |
| Stun | Zap a hacked foe to emit a (x)m blast & stun them for y seconds. | ???? |
