NN NN IIIIII EEEEEEEE RRRRRRR NNN NN IIIIII EEEEEEEE RRRRRRRR NNN NN II EE RR RR NNNN NN II EE RR RR NN NN NN II EEEEEEEE RRRRRRRR NN NN NN II EEEEEEEE RRRRRRR NN NNNN II EE RR RR NN NNN II EE RR RR NN NNN IIIIII EEEEEEEE RR RR NN NN IIIIII EEEEEEEE RR RR XX XX XXX XXXXXXX XX XXXXX XX XX XX XX X XXXX XX XX XX XX XXXX XX XXX XX XX X XX XX XX XX XX X XX XX XX XXX XX XXXXX XXXX XX XX XX XX XXXXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX X XXXXXX XX XX XXX XXX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XXXX XXXX XXXX X XXXX XX XX XXXXX XX by locked_lunatic ==================================== Table of Contents: <ver> Version History <int> Introduction <lis> List of all Words <mec> Drop Mechanics <sha> Shades <loc> Word Locations <faq> Frequently asked questions <thx> Special Thanks <leg> Legal Stuff <con> Contact ==================================== <ver> Version History: Version 1.00 (2011-02-15) original submission ==================================== <int> Introduction: This is my first guide. But since I wanted to collect all words I thought I might as well put my findings online. The only achievement you get for collecting words is the wordsmith achievement for collecting 50% of the words. Since that is pretty simple, people who only want that achievement won't be needing this FAQ. This guide has been written for people who want to collect ALL the words (like me). Let's start by explaining what words are, shall we? Words are modifiers you can equip to your weapons, magic and martial arts to make them stronger. You can get them after Grimoire Weiss joins you. Sometimes after you kill a shade you will see a white ball flying towards you, so you won't need to pick them up yourself. Those balls can be either a new word or a tutorial. I already mentioned you can equip words to your weapons, magic and martial arts. Every one of those can equip up to two words at a time. Words can be equipped to multiple things simultaneously. The only restriction they have is that words can only be equipped in either the first or the second slot of anything. ==================================== <lis> List of all words: There is a total of 120 words. The first 60 words can be equipped to the first slot, the last 60 to the second slot. The names and effects of the words are listed here: o-------------oo--------------------------------------------------------------o | || effect | | word oo--------------------o-------------------o---------------------o | || weapon | magic | martial arts | o=============oo====================o===================o=====================o | slot 1 | o- - - - -oo - - - - - - o- - - - - - -o - - - - - - - o | pah || Attack Power + 2% | - | - | | paha || Attack Power + 4% | - | - | | pahi || Attack Power + 6% | - | - | | paho || Attack Power + 8% | - | - | | pahu || Attack Power + 10% | - | - | | pahal || Attack Power + 12% | - | - | | pahil || Attack Power + 15% | - | - | | pahol || Attack Power + 20% | - | - | | pahul || Attack Power + 25% | - | - | | pahuloth || Attack Power + 30% | - | - | |- - - - -|| - - - - - - |- - - - - - -| - - - - - - - | | var || Guard Break + 2% | - | - | | vara || Guard Break + 4% | - | - | | vari || Guard Break + 6% | - | - | | varo || Guard Break + 8% | - | - | | varu || Guard Break + 10% | - | - | | varal || Guard Break + 12% | - | - | | varil || Guard Break + 15% | - | - | | varol || Guard Break + 20% | - | - | | varul || Guard Break + 25% | - | - | | varuloth || Guard Break + 30% | - | - | |- - - - -|| - - - - - - |- - - - - - -| - - - - - - - | | geb || - | Magic Power + 2% | - | | geba || - | Magic Power + 4% | - | | gebi || - | Magic Power + 6% | - | | gebo || - | Magic Power + 8% | - | | gebu || - | Magic Power + 10% | - | | gebal || - | Magic Power + 12% | - | | gebil || - | Magic Power + 15% | - | | gebol || - | Magic Power + 20% | - | | gebul || - | Magic Power + 25% | - | | gebuloth || - | Magic Power + 30% | - | |- - - - -|| - - - - - - |- - - - - - -| - - - - - - - | | ul || Armor Break + 2% | Armor Break + 2% | - | | ula || Armor Break + 4% | Armor Break + 4% | - | | uli || Armor Break + 6% | Armor Break + 6% | - | | ulo || Armor Break + 8% | Armor Break + 8% | - | | ulu || Armor Break + 10% | Armor Break + 10% | - | | ulal || Armor Break + 12% | Armor Break + 12% | - | | ulil || Armor Break + 15% | Armor Break + 15% | - | | ulol || Armor Break + 20% | Armor Break + 20% | - | | ulul || Armor Break + 25% | Armor Break + 25% | - | | ululoth || Armor Break + 30% | Armor Break + 30% | - | |- - - - -|| - - - - - - |- - - - - - -| - - - - - - - | | hod || - | - | Knockback Res + 2% | | hoda || - | - | Knockback Res + 4% | | hodi || Lv2 | Lv2 | Knockback Res + 6% | | hodo || Lv3 | Lv3 | Knockback Res + 8% | | hodu || Lv4 | Lv4 | Knockback Res + 10% | | hodal || Lv5 | Lv5 | Knockback Res + 12% | | hodil || Lv6 | Lv6 | Knockback Res + 15% | | hodol || Lv7 | Lv7 | Knockback Res + 20% | | hodul || Lv8 | Lv8 | Knockback Res + 25% | | hoduloth || Lv9 | Lv9 | Knockback Res + 30% | |- - - - -|| - - - - - - |- - - - - - -| - - - - - - - | | bes || - | - | Physical Str + 2% | | besa || - | - | Physical Str + 4% | | besi || Lv2 | Lv2 | Physical Str + 6% | | beso || Lv3 | Lv3 | Physical Str + 8% | | besu || Lv4 | Lv4 | Physical Str + 10% | | besal || Lv5 | Lv5 | Physical Str + 12% | | besil || Lv6 | Lv6 | Physical Str + 15% | | besol || Lv7 | Lv7 | Physical Str + 20% | | besul || Lv8 | Lv8 | Physical Str + 25% | | besuloth || Lv9 | Lv9 | Physical Str + 30% | o-------------oo--------------------o-------------------o---------------------o | slot 2 | o- - - - -oo - - - - - - o- - - - - - -o - - - - - - - o | lug || - | Magic Cost - 2% | - | | lugir || - | Magic Cost - 4% | - | | luges || - | Magic Cost - 6% | - | | lugka || - | Magic Cost - 8% | - | | lugza || - | Magic Cost - 10% | - | | lugira || - | Magic Cost - 12% | - | | lugesra || - | Magic Cost - 15% | - | | lugkarr || - | Magic Cost - 20% | - | | lugzarr || - | Magic Cost - 25% | - | | lugzarken || - | Magic Cost - 30% | - | |- - - - -|| - - - - - - |- - - - - - -| - - - - - - - | | ot || EXP + 2% | EXP + 2% | - | | otir || EXP + 4% | EXP + 4% | - | | otes || EXP + 6% | EXP + 6% | - | | otka || EXP + 8% | EXP + 8% | - | | otza || EXP + 10% | EXP + 10% | - | | otira || EXP + 12% | EXP + 12% | - | | otesra || EXP + 15% | EXP + 15% | - | | otkarr || EXP + 20% | EXP + 20% | - | | otzarr || EXP + 25% | EXP + 25% | - | | otzarken || EXP + 30% | EXP + 30% | - | |- - - - -|| - - - - - - |- - - - - - -| - - - - - - - | | mah || Item Drops + 2% | Item Drops + 2% | - | | mahir || Item Drops + 4% | Item Drops + 4% | - | | mahes || Item Drops + 6% | Item Drops + 6% | - | | mahka || Item Drops + 8% | Item Drops + 8% | - | | mahza || Item Drops + 10% | Item Drops + 10% | - | | mahira || Item Drops + 12% | Item Drops + 12% | - | | mahesra || Item Drops + 15% | Item Drops + 15% | - | | mahkarr || Item Drops + 20% | Item Drops + 20% | - | | mahzarr || Item Drops + 25% | Item Drops + 25% | - | | mahzarken || Item Drops + 30% | Item Drops + 30% | - | |- - - - -|| - - - - - - |- - - - - - -| - - - - - - - | | ashur || Paralyze | Paralyze | Physical Def + 2% | | ashurir || Confuse | Confuse | Physical Def + 4% | | ashures || Poison | Poison | Physical Def + 6% | | ashurka || Weaken | Weaken | Physical Def + 8% | | ashurza || MP Drain | MP Drain | Physical Def + 10% | | ashurira || HP Drain | HP Drain | Physical Def + 12% | | ashuresra || - | - | Physical Def + 15% | | ashurkarr || - | - | Physical Def + 20% | | ashurzarr || - | - | Physical Def + 25% | | ashurzarken || - | - | Physical Def + 30% | |- - - - -|| - - - - - - |- - - - - - -| - - - - - - - | | kon || Poison | Poison | Magic Def + 2% | | konir || Paralyze | Paralyze | Magic Def + 4% | | kones || Confuse | Confuse | Magic Def + 6% | | konka || Weaken | Weaken | Magic Def + 8% | | konza || MP Drain | MP Drain | Magic Def + 10% | | konira || HP Drain | HP Drain | Magic Def + 12% | | konesra || - | - | Magic Def + 15% | | konkarr || - | - | Magic Def + 20% | | konzarr || - | - | Magic Def + 25% | | konzarken || - | - | Magic Def + 30% | |- - - - -|| - - - - - - |- - - - - - -| - - - - - - - | | sol || Confuse | Confuse | MP Recovery + 2% | | solir || Poison | Poison | MP Recovery + 4% | | soles || Paralyze | Paralyze | MP Recovery + 6% | | solka || Weaken | Weaken | MP Recovery + 8% | | solza || MP Drain | MP Drain | MP Recovery + 10% | | solira || HP Drain | HP Drain | MP Recovery + 12% | | solesra || - | - | MP Recovery + 15% | | solkarr || - | - | MP Recovery + 20% | | solzarr || - | - | MP Recovery + 25% | | solzarken || - | - | MP Recovery + 30% | o-------------oo--------------------o-------------------o---------------------o Words equipped to martial arts are passive, so they will give their effect all the time as long as that martial art is equipped to at least one slot. Most of the effects are self-explanatory, but some I will explain a bit more: Physical Strength increases attack speed The status-effects induced by the words of the 'ashur', 'kon' and 'sol' families are: Poison target loses HP over time Paralyze immobilize target Confuse prevent target from casting magic; doesn't work on all enemies Weaken target's physical attacks are weaker MP Drain restores your MP in proportion to damage done (but it's not much) HP Drain restores your HP in proportion to damage done (but it's not much) Words with a Lv effect can be equipped together with a status-inducing word to increase the success rate, duration or effect of these effects. Words generally don't stack. The only exception (to a limited degree) are the words equipped to martial arts. This is best illustrated with an example: Let's say you equip both your defend and your evade martial arts with the konzarken word. This word has the effect to reduce damage done by magic by 30%. You then equip defend to your L1 shoulder button and evade to your R1 shoulder button. This way damage from magic will be reduced by a staggering 60%. If you equip defend or evade to multiple shoulder buttons the effect will NOT be increased even further. Words equipped to martial arts count as long as you have that martial art equipped to at least one shoulder button. There are only these two martial arts in the entire game. ==================================== <mec> Drop Mechanics: - Words can only be dropped by shades upon death (even if killed by sunlight; but not if thrown off a platform into nothingness or into the water without actually killing them) - Every Word can only be dropped in its specific area - In the area that a Word can be dropped, it can only be dropped by one type of enemy (e.g. mini shades, mini shade mages, etc.) - The Word can be dropped by ANY enemy of that type in that area ==================================== <sha> Shades: For a lack of a better method I will distinguish between the different shades in the game by referring to their various sizes. There are essentially four different sizes of shades in the game (not counting Boss-enemies): mini they are swarming pretty much every area of the game; first appear in the tutorial medium they have a long, thin body and like to jump up and down before attacking; first appear in the Barren Temple big the first type of shade you encounter in the tutorial; they sometimes use shields and are about your size giant the shades that have a health bar at the bottom of the screen; the first one is the boss of the tutorial Shades attack either by using magic or by using physical attacks. Shades who attack with magic will be referred to as mages, shades that attack physically will have no such reference. They can be recognized in this FAQ by their lack of the word 'mage'. Additionally shades may have a full-body-armor. This will be referred to as armored. Shades can also equip weapons, which will not be mentioned in this FAQ since in any area there will be either only armed shades or shades fighting bare-handedly. There's a type of flying shade, too, and they will be referred to as flying shades, obviously. ==================================== <loc> Word Locations: Here are the locations of all the words, sorted by when in the story they become available. I try to keep it as spoiler-free as possible. PART 1 Every single word from part 1 can be obtained later on and is unmissable. That's why I suggest you simply play through part 1 yourself and just get whatever you get and come back when you come to part 2. You will know when part 2 begins. But just to be sure, it's when you read '5 years later'. Words are available after Grimoire Weiss joins your party - Northern Plains (cloudy): lug mini shade - Southern Plains (cloudy): This shade will be here through the entire first half of the game, so no rush. besi giant shade soles giant shade - Aerie: After you visit the elder and leave the Aerie the shades will disappear. pah mini shade bes big shade var big shade mah mini shade mage geb mini shade mage When you leave the village you are presented with a choice: Go to Popola or Yonah. This will determine what part of the story you will have to do first. The other one comes afterwards. What you say at first doesn't matter, but where you go does. I will write the Yonah path first. - Southern Plains (any weather): When you are going to get the shaman fish for Yonah pah (if not already acquired) paha mini shade lugir mini shade sol big shade hod big shade That concludes the Yonah path. - Northern Plains (cloudy): There are two new giant mobs of mini shades. One is by the bridge to the west and the other one is on the way to the junk heap down the depression. Only those mobs can drop these two new words. hoda mini shade ashur mini shade that concludes the Popola path. - Aerie: That's right: these words are only available DURING the boss fight. Chase the boss through the Aerie and kill the shades. Make sure not to throw them off the bridge but actually kill them yourself. solir mini shade mage ashurir mini shade mage - Northern Plains (cloudy): After the Aerie boss there are some new shades here. And new shades mean new words. The mages are at the entrance to the forest of Myth. luges mini shade vara mini shade kon mini shade mage geba mini shade mage - Barren Temple: Only the last room has shades in it and evading is prohibited here. There are six medium shades and then one giant shade. You can still kill him multiple times and thus get both words he drops with a little trick. Harm him until the next dark hand kills him. Then cast that dark hand and immediately do an evasive roll. Since evasive rolls are prohibited in this room, the room restarts with all its enemies but not before the dark hand kills the giant shade. mahir medium shade besa medium shade konir giant shade ot giant shade - Barren Temple: After you have beaten the boss you can get the royal compass and go here again, but there are no new words. hoda (if not already acquired) ashur (if not already acquired) Next is the forest of Myth, but there are no words there. After that Yonah sends you off to that manor in the Southern Plains and there are new shades (if the weather is cloudy). The giant shade from before is still there, so you can still get its words. - Southern Plains (cloudy): gebi mini shade pahi mini shade hodi big shade vari big shade - Manor: Keep in mind that words only drop if you kill the enemies yourself. mahes big shade otir big shade - Your Village: There is only one medium shade mage but he can drop two words. This means that you will have to get the other word later if you want every word. solka medium shade mage otes medium shade mage ashures big shade gebo medium shade varo big shade lugka medium shade - Village Library: kones big shade beso big shade PART 2 From here on out some words are missable (as far as I know). - Your Village: These two are missable. hodo armored medium shade gebu armored medium shade - Northern Plains (cloudy): lugza mini shade mahka medium shade mage otka medium shade mage - Northern Plains (sunny): pahal armored mini shade konka armored mini shade ashurira armored mini shade mage varal armored mini shade mage - Southern Plains (cloudy): The shades here will be replaced after the next level and the words are missable. pahu mini shade hodal mini shade lugira big shade - Southern Plains (sunny): The armored giant shade isn't always there. But the shades here will never be replaced, so you have all the time in the world. varul armored big shade lugkarr armored big shade solesra armored giant shade mahesra armored giant shade - Desert: hodul mini shade mage otkarr mini shade mage - Barren Temple: The shades are only in the challenges and the challenges are never reset (not even in new game+). That is why the words here are missable. If you break a rule while in a challenge all the enemies are revived. This little trick should help you in getting the words. gebal medium shade besu medium shade ul giant shade solza giant shade - Research Facility: The words from the giant shades are missable. pahil mini shade ula mini shade gebil big shade mahira mag res mini shade hodil mag res mini shade besal mag res mini shade mage You can only miss this word if you ignore the first giant shade and just go straight down the stairs. varu 1st giant shade If you want both words the 2nd giant shade drops you have to kill him first. Then DON'T take the keycard but go back and up the stairs to the previous level. Go back down again and you can kill him again. Repeat until you have both his words. lugesra 2nd giant shade konira 2nd giant shade After the boss here you can save your file. This is where new game+ will begin. So from here on the only missable word will be the word you can get from the 'A Tale of the Study' sidequest. - Southern Plains (cloudy): otira armored mini shade uli armored mini shade ashuresra armored big shade gebol armored big shade - Lost Shrine: ulo armored medium shade konesra armored medium shade konza giant shade mage hodu giant shade mage - Lost Shrine Roof: The enemies are right in front of the save point. They don't respawn if you leave the area and return, but all the words here are available later again. pahol armored mini shade besil armored mini shade otesra armored mini shade hodol armored mini shade These next two have new shades after you have done the first half of the Junk Heap quest (meaning having given Iron Will to Gideon for upgrading) - Northern Plains (cloudy): besol armored mini shade gebul armored mini shade pahol (if not already aquired) besil (if not already aquired) - Northern Plains (sunny): ulu armored mini shade mage konzarr armored mini shade mage - Aerie: These five words are only available before the actual boss battle starts. Try to get as many as you can get during your first run and get the rest in new game+. mahzarr medium shade (armored or not) besul medium shade (armored or not) gebuloth medium shade (armored or not) otzarr medium shade (armored or not) solkarr medium shade (armored or not) These next two are only available during the boss. ulol medium shade solzarr medium shade From here on you have to have collected all the keys. - Northern Plains (cloudy): There are two new medium shade mages. They are the ones who buff the other shades. One is up in the north between the Forest of Myth and what is left of the Aerie, the other one is down the depression by the ladder to the Junk Heap. varol medium shade mage lugzarr medium shade mage konzarken medium shade mage - Northern Plains (sunny): I hope you remember which shades are new because only they can drop these words. If you don't remember just kill them all or kill the ones by the bridge in the middle; those are new. pahul armored mini shade otesra (if not already acquired) hodol (if not already acquired) - Desert: mahkarr armored flying shade mage After talking to Popola and you make your way to the final showdown. - Lost Shrine Exterior: lugzarken armored medium shade varuloth armored medium shade mage ulul armored flying shade mage - Lost Shrine: ashurzarr armored medium shade ulil medium shade mage ashurzarken medium shade mage ashurza giant shade mage mahza giant shade mage - Lost Shrine Roof: mahzarken armored medium shade solzarken armored medium shade mage - Shadowlord's Castle 2: In the ballroom otzarken any shade (except the round balls) ululoth any shade (except the round balls) hoduloth any shade (except the round balls) - Shadowlord's Castle 4: After D&P pahuloth armored mini shade besuloth armored big shade SIDEQUESTS Sidequests cannot be redone in a new game+ - Nightmares and Dust pahal (if not already acquired) - A Bridge in Peril ashurka giant shade - A Tale of the Study This one is tricky. The quest is to kill one shade who won't fight back. But he is the single most durable shade in the game. You can harm him easily by throwing him against a wall with dark hand. But if you want the word you have to do the killing blow yourself without this trick. If you can't do it yet, do the quest later or in new game+. varil medium shade mage - Master of the Southern Plains solira giant shade - The Great Tree ulal giant shade - A Shade Entombed paho giant shade - Disturbing the Sleep of Kings otza giant shade konkarr giant shade - The Magical Stone After doing the quest talk to the person you got the quest from again. She will transport you to an area, where you will fight lots of shades. The shade can drop every word from part 1 and only those words. In new game+ the quest can't be redone but the person you got the quest from will still be there and transport you to this new area as long as you have advanced enough in the story. ==================================== <faq> Frequently asked questions: How do I equip words? Go to Grimoire Weiss' 'equip words' page and select the magic, weapon or martial art you want to equip the word to and equip it. Keep in mind that some words can only be equipped to the first slot and some only to the second slot. Which words are missable? hodo, gebu, pahu, hodal, lugira, gebal, besu, ul, solza, varu, lugesra, konira and varil 13 words in all (all in part 2) Do words stack? Read the last paragraph of the 'list of all words' part of this FAQ. How many words are there? 120 ==================================== <thx> Special Thanks: Alltra for helping with various things JinKanzaki for pointing out that 'varil' doesn't always drop simmias for finding the 'konzarken' word penguin_knight for finding the masterwiki word list everyone at masterwiki.net who made the aforementioned list. You can view it, but it's Japanese http://masterwiki.net/nier_replicant/?%A5%EF%A1%BC%A5%C9 everyone else who kept me going ==================================== <leg> Legal Stuff: This work is copyrighted and meant for personal use only. If you wish to host it on another site please contact me. ==================================== <con> Contact: You can contact me at [email protected]