Acquiring certain crafting materials in NieR: Automata proves significantly more challenging than others. While not visually indicated, some resources, like the Pristine Screw, are exceptionally rare.
Although purchasable from Emil, his stock fluctuates, making direct acquisition from machines a potentially faster and cheaper alternative. Here are two farming strategies:
Goliath-Bipeds, the largest non-boss machines, drop screws, with Pristine Screws being the rarest. Higher-level Goliath-Bipeds yield a better chance of dropping them, making early-game acquisition nearly 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 higher Pristine Screw drop chance. However, these do not respawn; you must fast travel to a distant location and return to repeat the process.
Both methods benefit from using a drop-rate increasing plug-in chip.
The optimal method depends on two key factors:
Farming Pristine Screws is inherently time-consuming. While the Forest method offers a higher drop rate, it involves frequent loading screens, minimizing actual gameplay. Choose this if loading times are negligible. The pit method provides continuous gameplay, additional materials, and XP, making it preferable if you prioritize consistent action and diverse rewards.