NieR: Automata offers a wide array of weapons, allowing players to experiment with different loadouts across multiple playthroughs. Each weapon boasts multiple upgrade levels, ensuring your favorites remain viable throughout the game. However, acquiring sufficient crafting materials, particularly Beast Hides, can be challenging. This guide outlines how to obtain and efficiently farm these essential resources.

Obtaining Beast Hides in NieR: Automata

Beast Hides are dropped by wildlife, such as moose and boar, found in specific game areas. These creatures are easily identified on the minimap by their white icons, distinct from the black icons of machines. Unlike machines, wildlife spawns are less predictable, requiring a strategic approach.

Moose and boar are exclusively found in the game's ruined city and forest environments. Their behavior depends on your character's level relative to theirs: lower-level animals may flee, while higher-level ones may attack or become aggressive if approached. Wildlife possesses significant health pools, making encounters with similarly leveled or higher-level animals challenging, especially early in the game.

Using Animal Bait can lure wildlife closer, facilitating easier kills. Since wildlife doesn't respawn continuously during the main storyline, you'll need to actively hunt them during exploration. Respawn mechanics for wildlife mirror those of machines:

• Fast traveling resets all enemy and wildlife spawns.
• Traveling a sufficient distance triggers respawns in previously visited areas.
• Key story events can also trigger respawns of nearby wildlife and enemies.

There's no guaranteed "farming" method for Beast Hides. The most efficient strategy is to eliminate all encountered wildlife while exploring the forest and city ruins. Beast Hides have a relatively high drop rate, meaning you'll likely acquire enough for your needs without excessive grinding, provided you don't simultaneously upgrade more weapons than you can equip.