NieR: Automata Death Penalty: What You Need to Know
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NieR: Automata might seem forgiving at first glance, but it incorporates strict roguelike mechanics that can significantly impact your progress if you die at the wrong time. Losing items you've spent hours collecting and upgrading can seriously set back your late-game playthroughs. However, all hope isn't lost immediately upon death; you have a chance to recover what you've lost before it's gone forever. Let's dive into what happens when you die and how to reclaim your body to minimize permanent losses.
Death Penalty In NieR: Automata Explained
Dying in NieR: Automata results in losing any XP earned since your last save, as well as all your currently equipped Plug-In Chips. While you can always find more Plug-In Chips and rebuild your loadout, some chips are rarer and can be costly to replace. Upon respawning, your equipped Plug-In set will be empty, requiring you to either equip a new loadout or select from your other presets.
The good news is that the Plug-In Chips you lose upon death aren't permanently gone. You have one life to return to your death spot and recover those chips, and potentially the XP as well. If you die again before reaching your body, all chips from the original preset will be lost for good.
Recovering Your Body In NieR: Automata
After respawning, your primary objective should be to recover your body. A small blue body icon will appear on your map, marking the location where you died. Selecting this icon will set your tracker to guide you there. When you reach your body, simply interact with it to reclaim your Plug-In Chips. At this point, you'll have two options for what to do with your body:
Repair: You won't regain your lost XP, but your old body will transform into an AI companion that will follow you until it's destroyed.
Retrieve: This option allows you to recover the XP you lost since your last save.
Regardless of which option you choose, you'll have the opportunity to re-equip your old Plug-In Chips exactly as they were, overriding your current setup. Alternatively, you can choose not to re-equip them, and the recovered chips will be added back to your inventory.






