NieR Automata: Gold enemies - how to kill? NieR Automata guide, tips
Last update: 16 August 2021
On this page of the guide to NieR Automata you will learn what the gold enemies are (encountered in the later phase of the campaign). We also suggest how to kill the gold machines which may seem indestructible.
Basic information about gold machines
The gold machines are one of the elite and at the same time unique categories of enemies. The first encounter with the gold enemies should happen during Chapter 7, and specifically during the exploration of the Flooded City.
Gold enemies appear more often in the later stages of the game, and in different varieties, too – for example, a small robot, goliath or tank. The size of the enemy in this case doesn't directly translate to how easily you can defeat them, because even small gold machines can cause you a lot of trouble.
Gold enemies have huge amounts of health points. Killing them with traditional techniques can be very difficult, even if you have access to powerful attacks (e.g. Pods) and if your character significantly exceeds the experience level that the gold enemy has. If you are going to use the usual combat methods, you have to account for the fact that fighting a gold machine can take even a few dozen minutes.
Killing gold enemies
Eliminating gold machines will become much easier once you start playing 9S, that is, after you advance to Route B. This is because gold machines are not immune to hacking, which is the 9S's unique ability.
Each hacking mini-game you win will lead to detonation and take away a chunk of the gold enemy's health bar. Naturally, a single action is not enough, but you can repeat the hacking attempt about 4-5 times, and if you're successful, you should win.
Rewards for destroying gold machines
Be sure to check the loot dropped by gold enemies, because it can contain valuable items, e.g. Machine Cores which can be sold to traders for lots of currency.
Eliminating gold machines may also allow you to accumulate new pieces of Unit Data, i.e. codex entries about different kinds of enemies, also those that are only slightly different.