Magic plays a key role in Nier Replicant’s gameplay loop, functioning as the other half of your combat tool kit. Through the power of Grimoire Weiss, the protagonist Nier can tap into ancient spells called Sealed Verses. In the original Nier, Sealed Verses were mainly an accent to the swordplay. In Replicant, Sealed Verses can be seamlessly weaved in and out of most combos.
There are a total of eight Sealed Verses in Nier Replicant, all distinctly unique and unlocked before the halfway point. Smart Sealed Verse use is downright necessary for Hard Mode and the last stretch of The World of Recycled Vessel, but not every spell is high tier.
8 Dark Wall
In theory, Dark Wall should be one of the better Sealed Verses in Nier Replicant. When activated, Dark Wall generates a shield that blocks any magic attacks. A fully charged Dark Wall generates a movable shield that circles Nier’s body. While Dark Wall doesn’t block physical attacks, the added defense against magic is very useful – if impactful to pull off.
Fully charging Dark Wall in the heat of combat is an exercise in futility since time just won’t be on your side. The fact you need to be so disconnected from the gameplay to make full use of Dark Wall does the Sealed Verse next to no favors.
7 Dark Gluttony
Dark Gluttony is the Sealed Verse Dark Wall wants to be, but it isn’t that much better in the grand scheme of things. When triggered, Dark Gluttony repels any incoming magic attacks instead of blocking them. By charging up Dark Gluttony, you can actually absorb magic and then repel everything you’ve taken in as one attack.
While Dark Gluttony is useful against waves of magic, these instances tend to be fairly situational and the slowdown from charging up the Sealed Verse is bound to leave you vulnerable more often than not. There’s also the fact that Dark Gluttony just isn’t that useful for most boss fights.
6 Dark Whirlwind
Dark Whirlwind has its uses, but it’s not anywhere near as noteworthy as it should be. The Sealed Verse summons a rotating set of blades around Nier that attack nearby enemies. Unfortunately, Dark Whirlwind neither does a considerable amount of damage or lasts long enough to have any tangible effect without Words equipped.
The big problem with Dark Whirlwind is just how impractical it is half the time. Most enemies don’t need the added touch damage since smart combos can cut through just about anything. Dark Whirlwind is more of a novelty with few situational uses than it is a must-use Sealed Verse.
5 Dark Phantasm
Dark Phantasm is a deceptively useful Sealed Versus. At first glance, all the spell does is trigger a doppelganger Nier who does damage to any nearby enemies. When charged up and triggered intelligently, Dark Phantasm is one of the best ways of keeping combos active while ripping through Shade armor during Part 2.
Charging up Dark Phantasm will summon several doppelgangers who’ll get in multiple strikes on nearby Shades, indicated by a glowing radius around Nier. Dark Phantasm is incredibly useful for cutting through waves of enemies, regaining your bearings, or just making flashy combos.
4 Dark Execution
Dark Execution is one of the last Sealed Verses learned during Part 1, but it’s also one of the absolute best spells in the game. By using Dark Execution, the player will summon several spears from the ground up that’ll impale any nearby enemies. Not only does the Sealed Verse deal a reasonable amount of damage, it keeps Shades locked for combos.
Dark Execution is equal parts a damage dealer and a combo buffer, creating opportunities for you to chain attacks from enemy to enemy. Charging up Dark Execution allows you to impale multiple enemies at once, as well, which is especially useful during the harder set pieces.
3 Dark Hand
Dark Hand is one of the best Sealed Verses in the game if only for how versatile it is. Not only is Dark Hand unlocked early, it’s the highest damage dealing spell in Nier Replicant and only gets stronger the more it’s charged up. Dark Hand can be charged for a total of five fists, all of which deal considerable damage, break through armor, and stagger enemies.
Dark Hand loses some of its usability during one on one fights since enemies will go flying whenever they’re struck, but this is easily mitigated by just keeping on top of any Shades you’re fighting. At the end of the day, Dark Hand is strong enough to get you through the entire story with little to no experimentation.
2 Dark Blast
Dark Blast is the first Sealed Verse you’ll unlock in the game, but it’s so reliable that it’s not uncommon for players to keep it equipped for their entire playthrough. Dark Blast lets you fire a flurry of bullets from far away, even allowing you to aim like in a third person shooter.
While Dark Blast consumes MP, it does so at such a slow pace that it’s possible to keep Dark Blast active indefinitely. Dark Blast is especially useful for most boss fights, since quite a few have weak points that can’t be accessed with physical attacks.
1 Dark Lance
Dark Lance takes the best aspects from both Dark Blast and Dark Hand, merging them together into one supremely powerful magic lance. When charged up, players can summon up to eight Dark Lances around them – pelting each out at targeted enemies in rapid succession. Dark Lance can also be tapped at a rapid pace for quick strikes that tear through armor. Most importantly, Dark Lance can be manually aimed from afar, which makes it even better than Dark Blast during boss battles.