Farming Pristine Screws in Nier: Automata — The Ultimate 2026 Guide

Nier: Automata Pristine Screw farming remains challenging in 2026; master efficient strategies to upgrade weapons and achieve 100% completion.

As a veteran player who has sunk more hours than I care to admit into the hauntingly beautiful world of Nier: Automata, I can tell you firsthand that some crafting materials remain just as elusive in 2026 as they were at launch. One such component that has frustrated players for years is the Pristine Screw — a deceptively simple item that is absolutely critical for upgrading your weapons to their full potential. Whether you are chasing 100% completion, gearing up for the colosseum DLCs, or simply want to see that weapon story to its poignant end, knowing how to efficiently farm Pristine Screws will save you hours of aimless grinding.

In this guide, I am going to break down exactly what makes the Pristine Screw so rare, where you can reliably find it, and how to tailor your farming strategy to your playstyle. I will also share some advanced efficiency tips that the community has refined over the past nine years. By the time you finish reading, you will be ready to pin down those towering machines and grab the screws you need.

🛠️ What Are Pristine Screws and Why Are They So Painful to Get?

Pristine Screws are a specific type of upgrade material dropped exclusively by Goliath-Bipeds — those hulking, humanoid machine lifeforms you encounter throughout your journey. These enemies are not bosses, but they are the largest standard combat units you will face, and they hit just as hard as they look. The screw drop pool from a Goliath-Biped includes several variants: standard Screws, Sturdy Screws, and the coveted Pristine Screws. Among these, the Pristine version has by far the lowest drop rate, and your chances of seeing one are directly tied to the enemy's level. In the early game, you can effectively forget about ever looting a Pristine Screw; the drop rate is practically nonexistent until you start facing level 30 and above Goliath-Bipeds.

You can purchase Pristine Screws from everyone's favorite eccentric merchant, Emil, but that approach is more gamble than strategy. Emil’s inventory rotates constantly and his prices are exorbitant — a single screw can set you back tens of thousands of G. Besides, there is something deeply satisfying about ripping a rare component straight from a fallen machine rather than lining Emil's pockets. For those who value both money and time, targeted farming is the way to go.

📍 The Two Best Farming Locations

Over the years, the community has narrowed down the optimal Goliath-Biped farming spots to two standout locations. Each has distinct advantages, and which one you choose will depend heavily on your tolerance for loading screens and your desire for secondary rewards.

1. The Pit — Constant Action, Constant Resources

The first reliable area is the underground pit where you initially battle Adam during the main story. If you have already cleared that section, you can return anytime by fast-traveling to the City Ruins: Cave access point. This pit functions as an endless arena: Goliath-Bipeds will keep spawning as long as you keep fighting. The machines here hover around level 30, which means their individual Pristine Screw drop rate is lower than we would like — but the sheer volume of kills you can rack up per minute helps offset that disadvantage. The pit never gives you a break, so there is no need to reset the area manually; just keep your combos going and the enemies will keep coming.

This spot is a personal favorite of mine when I am multitasking. Because combat is continuous, you will benefit from a steady stream of experience points, other crafting materials (Machine Arms, anyone?), and that almost meditative flow of perfect dodges and counter-attacks. If you equip a Drop Rate Up chip — which I consider mandatory for any serious farming session — you can significantly tilt the odds in your favor. The pit's non-stop nature also makes it ideal for leveling up Pod programs or testing new weapon sets without ever feeling like you are wasting time.

2. Forest Castle Entrance — Higher Level, Higher Stakes

For those who prioritize drop quality over kill quantity, the second prime location is during your third playthrough (Route C). Fast-travel to the Forest Castle: Front access point, and right at the entrance you will find two Goliath-Bipeds guarding the area. These two are level 49, considerably tougher than their pit counterparts, but they carry a meaningfully higher chance of dropping a Pristine Screw. The trade-off, however, is that they do not respawn on their own. Once you kill them, you must fast-travel to a distant location — say, the Resistance Camp — and then return to make them reappear. This method turns farming into a loop of combat, loading screen, fast travel, repeat.

If you are playing on a modern console or a PC with an NVMe SSD in 2026, those loading screens might be short enough that this method edges out the pit in pure Pristine Screws per hour. During my most recent testing on PS5, the Forest Castle run was simply more efficient for the specific material I needed. However, on older hardware or if you are the type of player who gets bored watching loading bars, the constant downtime might feel like an eternity.

🔍 Comparing the Methods — Which One Is Right for You?

To make the decision easier, here is a quick side-by-side breakdown:

Factor	The Pit (City Ruins: Cave)	Forest Castle Entrance
Enemy Level	~30	49
Drop Rate per Kill	Low	Moderate
Respawn Mechanism	Continuous, no manual reset needed	Requires fast-travel reset
Loading Screen Impact	Minimal	Frequent, depends on hardware
Secondary Rewards	XP, multiple materials, constant combat	Limited to two kills per trip
Overall Feel	Action-packed and immersive	Efficient but choppy

Your choice boils down to two personal factors: loading time tolerance and patience. If the idea of staring at loading screens makes your eye twitch, embrace the pit. If you have a high-speed system and want the fastest possible route to those screws — even if it means repetitive travel loops — go guard the Forest Castle. I have used both methods extensively, and honestly, I recommend the pit for most players simply because it respects your time in the moment, keeping you engaged and actually playing the game.

💡 Advanced Tips to Maximize Your Yield

A few extra tricks I have learned over countless farming hours:

• Equip a Drop Rate Up chip — This is non-negotiable. Stack as high a percentage as you can comfortably fit into your chipset. Even a small boost can make a noticeable difference over hundreds of kills.

• Use a Pod with A170: Scanner or a similar program — While not directly affecting drops, a scanner can help you identify when enemies are low on health so you can finish them with a heavy attack for a potentially improved drop (some players swear by this, though the mechanics are never fully confirmed).

• Don’t forget about the auto-collect chip — Speeds up the process immensely in the pit, where body parts and items clutter the arena.

• Set difficulty to Easy — If you are purely farming and not seeking a challenge, dropping the difficulty lets you mow through enemies faster and with less risk. Your drop rates remain unchanged.

• Combine your goals — While farming screws in the pit, you can simultaneously work on beastiary entries, level up weapons, and finish side quests that require machine kills. It transforms tedious grinding into productive progression.

✅ Final Thoughts from a Seasoned Android

Farming Pristine Screws in Nier: Automata is a rite of passage that every dedicated player must endure. In 2026, the game still feels as fresh and emotionally resonant as ever, and having a fully upgraded arsenal only deepens that experience. Whether you choose the endless adrenaline of the pit or the precise, calculated loops of the Forest Castle entrance, you will eventually accumulate the screws you need. My advice? Put on your favorite Shade-bound soundtrack, slot in that drop rate chip, and make the farming part of your own story. After all, every machine you dismantle brings you one step closer to the true ending we all hold dear.

Go ahead — make those Goliath-Bipeds regret ever being assembled.