Nier Replicant will have you farming for a lot of different items and raw materials, many of which will be used for quests, but many more are required for weapon upgrades. Upgrading your weapons naturally makes you pack more of a punch, but also has three different achievements/trophies tied to upgrading 5, 15, and all 33 weapons. We have a full list of where to get all of the weapons in the game right here.
Some of the upgrades require rather rare and elusive materials, meaning that you'll be spending a decent amount of time farming for all your upgrade essentials. Fortunately for you, we've got a full list here of every weapon upgrade material needed and where to find it.
Where can I upgrade weapons?
You can upgrade weapons at the Two Brothers Weaponry Store found in the Junk Heap. You'll encounter this as part of the storyline during Part One of the game.
Upgrading weapons cost a set fee of 1,000 gold each time, but the materials required differ depending on the weapon.
Note: There is a short period near the beginning of Part Two where you can't access the shop and Weiss will state that they appear to be out. Progress the storyline a little further (past the events at the Lost Shrine) in order to gain access again.
How can I increase weapon upgrade material drop rates when farming?
Farming materials can be particularly painful as a lot of items you need are super rare drops. However, you can increase the drop rate of items by equipping specific words in the Word Edit menu.
Any words beginning with "mah" increase the drop rate of items, so make sure you equip these as soon as you get them (including the more powerful versions) so that you are always getting the best possible drop rate.
When enemies drop items, they generally appear as green glowing orbs, though the rarer items appear as yellow golden orbs. These orbs will vanish eventually, so make sure you are collecting them as you go to ensure missing out on something you need.
Complete List of Weapon Upgrade Materials And Their Farming Locations
Amber
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x6
- Purchase Location: Sold from the Materials Shop in Facade for 6,000 gold.
- Farming Location: On the B2 floor of the Junk Heap, head to the northernmost area of the first map where there are lots of crates and holes in the floor — these crates have a chance of giving Amber.
Black Pearl
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x15
- Farming Location: Rare find from the gathering spots on the beaches in Seafront. We have a farming guide here.
Broken Antenna
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x37
- Farming Location: Common drop from regular robots in the Junk Heap.
Broken Arm
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x49
- Farming Location: Common drop from regular robots in the Junk Heap.
Broken Battery
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x5
- Farming Location: Common drop from flying robots on the B2 level of the Junk Heap.
Broken Earring
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x4
- Farming Location: Drops from the adult magic-casting shades that can be found in the Northern Plains (during cloudy weather) or at the top of the Lost Shrine (close to where you do the Magical Stone quest).
Broken Lens
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x5
- Purchase Location: Sold from the Two Brothers Weaponry Store for 1,100 gold.
- Farming Location: Common drop from regular robots in the Junk Heap.
Broken Motor
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x11
- Farming Location: Common drop from flying robots on the B2 level of the Junk Heap.
Broken Pottery
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x2
- Farming Location: Rare find from any gathering spot that can hold ore. The Aerie is a good place to farm as there are a couple of spots close to the save point. Additionally, it shares a spawn point with Eagle Eggs below the chief's house.
Broken Saw
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x4
- Farming Location: Rare drop from small shades. Northern and Southern Plains are a good farming spot, as is the Underground Laboratory below Emil's Mansion.
Broken Wristwatch
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x11
- Farming Location: Rare drop from armored adult shades that appear in the Northern and Southern Plains. We have a farming guide here.
Clay
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x18
- Purchase Location: Sold from the Materials Shop in Facade for 800 gold.
- Farming Location: Can be found from any gathering spot that can hold ore.
Complex Machine
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x8
- Farming Location: Dropped from the large mini-boss shades. The easiest place to farm these is the Northern or Southern Plains, but they can also be found in the Lost Shrine, the Barren Temple, and the Shadowlord's Castle. We have a farming guide right here.
Copper Ore
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x88
- Purchase Location: Sold from the Two Brothers Weaponry Store for 480 gold.
- Farming Location: Common find from any gathering spot that can hold ore.
Crystal
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x8
- Purchase Location: Sold from the Materials Shop in Facade for 2,400 gold.
- Farming Location: Rare find from gathering spots in the Desert and the Barren Temple. We have a farming guide right here.
Damascus Steel
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x9
- Farming Location: On the B2 floor of the Junk Heap, head to the northernmost area of the first map where there are lots of crates and holes in the floor — these crates have a chance of giving it. You can see our farming guide for Damascus Steel here.
Dented Metal Bat
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x21
- Farming Location: Rare drop from small shades. Northern and Southern Plains are a good farming spot, as is the Underground Laboratory below Emil's Mansion.
Eagle Egg
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x4
- Farming Location: Rare find from the gathering spot below the chief's house in the Aerie. We have a farming guide right here.
Elaborate Machine
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x5
- Farming Location: Rare drop from the large mini-boss shades. The easiest place to farm these is the Northern or Southern Plains, but they can also be found in the Lost Shrine, the Barren Temple, and the Shadowlord's Castle.
Fluorite
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x8
- Farming Location: Rare find from gathering spots in the Barren Temple which is covered in this quest guide, although completing the "Disturbing the Sleep of Kings" quest will open up more of the temple for you, and more gathering spots as a result. Additionally, some can be found on the B2 floor of the Junk Heap. In the northernmost area where there are lots of crates and holes in the floor, the crates can give Fluorite.
Forlorn Necklace
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x4
- Farming Location: Drops from the adult magic-casting shades that can be found in the Northern Plains (during cloudy weather) or at the top of the Lost Shrine (close to where you do the Magical Stone quest).
Giant Egg
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x6
- Farming Location: Rare find from the gathering spots in Nier's village. We have a farming guide right here.
Gold Ore
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x22
- Farming Location: Rare find from any gathering spot that can hold ore. The best place to farm for this in the Desert.
Iron Ore
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x199
- Purchase Location: Sold from the Two Brothers Weaponry Store for 1,000 gold.
- Farming Location: Common find from any gathering spot that can hold ore. We have a farming guide here.
Large Gear
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x6
- Farming Location: Rare drop from any of the robots in the Junk Heap. More commonly found from the P-32 robots on the B2 level that also drop Titanium and Memory Alloy.
Machine Oil
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x5
- Farming Location: Rare drop from flying robots on the B2 level of the Junk Heap. We have a farming guide for it right here.
Memory Alloy
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x8
- Farming Location: Rare drop from the P-32 robots on the B2 level of the Junk Heap. We have a farming guide right here.
Metal Piercing
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x4
- Farming Location: Rare drop from flying robots in the desert, which appear after you have defeated the wolf shade in Part Two.
Meteorite
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x5
- Farming Location: Rare find from gathering spots in the Aerie, the Desert, and the Barren Temple.
Moldavite
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x8
- Purchase Location: Sold from the Materials Store in Seafront for 5,000 gold.
- Farming Location: Rare find from gathering spots in the Aerie, the Desert, and the Barren Temple.
Mysterious Switch
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x9
- Farming Location: Common drop from flying robots on the B2 level of the Junk Heap.
Natural Rubber
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x1
- Purchase Location: Sold from the Materials Store in Seafront for 700 gold.
- Farming Location: Can be found in gathering spots in the Northern and Southern Plains. We have a farming guide right here.
Pearl
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x1
- Purchase Location: Sold from the Materials Store in Seafront for 3,000 gold.
- Farming Location: Rare find from the gathering spots on the beaches in Seafront.
Pyrite
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x14
- Farming Location: Rare find from gathering spots in the Barren Temple which is covered in this farming guide, although completing the "Disturbing the Sleep of Kings" quest will open up more of the temple for you, and more gathering spots as a result. Additionally, some can be found from crates within the Junk Heap.
Rusted Clump
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x9
- Farming Location: Rare catch from fishing anywhere with any bait. We've found it in the Northern Plains or the Desert using sardines as bait, but others suggest using a lure instead in any of the fishing spots.
Rusty Bucket
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x10
- Farming Location: Common catch from fishing anywhere with any bait. We've found plenty by using earthworms in Seafront.
Rusty Kitchen Knife
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x9
- Farming Location: Rare drop from small armored shades. Northern and Southern Plains are a good farming spot.
Scorpion Claw
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x10
- Farming Location: Can be harvested from scorpion corpses in the Desert. They appear as grey enemy icons and when you walk towards them, they will spring up and attack.
Silver Ore
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x121
- Purchase Location: Sold from the Two Brothers Weaponry Store for 1,500 gold.
- Farming Location: Can be found from any gathering spot that can hold ore.
Simple Machine
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x6
- Farming Location: Rare drop from the large mini-boss shades. The easiest place to farm these is the Northern or Southern Plains, but they can also be found in the Lost Shrine, the Barren Temple, and the Shadowlord's Castle.
Stopped Clock
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x3
- Farming Location: Rare drop from the adult-sized shades that have swords. The best place to farm these is the Underground Laboratory below Emil's Mansion.
Stripped Bolt
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x10
- Purchase Location: Sold from the Two Brothers Weaponry Store for 900 gold.
- Farming Location: Common drop from regular robots in the Junk Heap.
Subdued Bracelet
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x3
- Farming Location: Rare drop from flying robots in the desert, which appear after you have defeated the wolf shade in Part Two.
Titanium Alloy
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x24
- Farming Location: Very rare drop from normal robots in the Junk Heap. Common drop from the P-32 robots on the B2 level of the Junk Heap. We have a farming guide right here.
Twisted Ring
- Total Number Required for Upgrades: x5
- Farming Location: Rare drop from the adult-sized armored shades in the Aerie and the Lost Shrine.