In NieR: Automata, Plug-in Chips serve as essential tools for enhancing your combat effectiveness and overall performance during gameplay. Below is a comprehensive guide on how to acquire, equip, and optimize the use of these chips.

How to Acquire Plug-in Chips

1. Purchasing from Vendors:
– Certain Plug-in Chips are available for purchase at various vendors throughout the game. After completing specific quests or unlocking certain characters, such as the Canyon Machine, players can access a wider selection of chips. The Canyon Machine also specializes in chip fusion once her quest is completed.

2. Enemy Drops:
– Many enemies in NieR: Automata drop chips as loot upon defeat. Unique chips can be obtained from specific enemy types. For instance:
– Auto-Heal chips drop from Small Sphere and Linked-sphere enemies.
– Auto-Use Item chips can be found on Reverse-jointed Goliath enemies.

3. Quest Rewards:
– Completing certain side quests awards players with Plug-in Chips. An example includes receiving the Auto-Heal chip as a reward for completing the “Turf War” side quest.

How to Use Plug-in Chips

1. Equip in Chip Storage:
– Your android has a finite chip storage capacity based on the Cost associated with each chip. To equip chips, navigate to the inventory menu. Be mindful of the total Cost; you cannot exceed your chip storage limit.

2. Chip Levels and Effects:
– Plug-in Chips have levels ranging from 0 to 8, each level amplifying the chip’s effect. Generally, a higher level translates to a more potent effect but also increases the Cost of the chip.

3. Fuse Chips to Upgrade:
– Players can enhance their chips by fusing two chips of the same type and rank. This process increases the chip’s rank and may reduce its Cost. Fusions can be performed at specific terminals located at the Bunker, Resistance Camp, or via the Canyon Machine, which can fuse chips up to Rank 8.

Examples of Chips and Their Effects

| Chip Name | Type | Effect Description | How to Get |
|——————|————|—————————————————–|————————————-|
| Auto-Heal | Defense | Restores 0.6% to 18% HP after 4-6 seconds of no damage based on level | Drop from Small Sphere, Quest reward (Turf War) |
| Auto-Use Item| Support | Automatically utilizes healing items when HP falls below 30%, enhancing healing effectiveness | Drops from Reverse-jointed Goliath enemies |
| Auto-Collect | Support | Automatically gathers nearby dropped items | Various enemy drops, purchased |
| Damage Buff Chips| Attack | Increases the damage dealt by the player | Purchased or enemy drops |

Important Notes

– Losing Chips on Death:
– Upon your character’s death, all equipped chips drop at your death location. You must return to recover these chips, or they will be lost permanently.

– Chip Cost:
– Chips have a designated Cost; those with lower Cost allow for the equipping of more chips within your allocated storage space. A ♦ symbol denotes the lowest Cost for a chip of that rank, making it easier to optimize your setup.

– Chip Fusion:
– Fusing chips not only raises their rank but can also help in reducing their Cost, which is pivotal for creating an efficient and effective chip configuration.

Summary
To maximize your android’s potential in NieR: Automata, focus on acquiring chips through vendors, enemy drops, and quests. Equip chips thoughtfully within your available storage capacity, and take advantage of chip fusion to enhance effects and tailor your abilities to suit your playstyle, whether that may be through auto-healing, collecting items, or boosting damage output. By strategically managing your Plug-in Chips, you can significantly enhance your experience and effectiveness in combat scenarios.