NieR: Automata Guide | Everything about Chip Fusion
Upgrade Plug-in Chips the smart way, keep storage cost low, and unlock Black Diamond chip setups.
Game Guide by Faviyan Mustafiz on Dec 31, 2025
NieR: Automata chip fusion can feel confusing at first, especially when storage space runs out fast. This guide explains what chips do, why storage cost matters, how Black Diamond chips work, and how to fuse chips efficiently without wasting money or inventory space. It also covers the key unlock that lets you fuse chips beyond +6.
What A Plug-in Chip Is In NieR: Automata
A Plug-in Chip gives a specific effect, and the chip level increases that effect by a percentage. The cost of storing each chip also affects how many chips can fit in the available chip area. Even though you can unlock all of the storage upgrades in the Android Database, there is still limited storage space, thus every slot counts.
Chip effects also have caps. HP Up cannot exceed 100% extra HP, and the game warns when a chip is equipped past the effect limit. The same logic applies to other chips as well. Hence, a lesser chip is occasionally the preferable choice when the limit is almost reached.
Understanding Chip Level, Effect Limits, And Storage Cost
Chip level is important since it makes the effect stronger, but storage cost is what makes the chip usable in the long run. A chip that takes up 16 spaces is usually too expensive for what it offers, and it often makes more sense to sell it. Storage costs become the real "numbers game" in chip manufacturing because chip space runs out long before chip inventory does.
When storage cost climbs too high, the chip becomes inefficient. A chip like Moving Speed Up is a good example because the effect cap is lower than expected. Moving Speed Up can only go up to 20%, and the game makes it clear when that limit is reached; stacking beyond it is a waste of space.
Selling Extra Chips For Money And Inventory Space
Extra chips add up quickly when you play normally or on farming routes, and your chip inventory can reach its limit. When that happens, the game stops getting new chips, but selling often keeps the rewards coming. High-storage chips that are not optimal versions are prime sell targets, and this also becomes a strong source of funding for future fusion costs.
A simple rule works well for cleanup. If a chip's storage cost is far above what it should be, and it is not a special low-cost variant, it is usually better to sell it. This keeps chipsets flexible and prevents inefficient chips from locking up storage space.
What Black Diamond Chips Mean
Black Diamond chips are the greatest because they have the lowest storage cost for that chip at that level. A typical +3 chip might show up at eight storage, whereas a Black Diamond +3 can show up at seven storage. This distinction remains useful as levels increase.
A Black Diamond chip keeps its status when it is fused with another Black Diamond chip of the same type. When Black Diamond chips are fused, the result stays Black Diamond, and storage stays at the lowest possible value for that chip level. This is why Black Diamond chips are the best long-term fusion investment.
Chip Fusion Basics In NieR: Automata
Fusion combines two chips of the same type to create a better chip. It is best to fuse chips with similar storage costs whenever you can. This is because similar storage values help minimize the total storage cost from rising too quickly. When the values stored in the chips are farther apart, the fused product usually costs more. That cost increases faster at higher levels.
A strong example is fusing Shock Wave chips. When two Shock Wave +1 Black Diamond chips are fused, the result becomes Shock Wave +2 Black Diamond, and the chain can continue upward. This is one of the clearest ways to see how Black Diamond fusion stays efficient.
The Odd-Number Black Diamond Trick
A useful trick exists for mixing a Black Diamond chip with a non-Black Diamond chip. The Black Diamond status can carry over only on odd-numbered fusion steps, and the storage difference must be exactly 1 point. This means a Counter +1 Black Diamond at five storage can fuse with a Counter +1 at six storage, and the new result can keep Black Diamond status if the fusion step lands on an odd count.
This does not work the same way on even-number steps. On even-number fusion steps, the Black Diamond status disappears, and the result becomes a regular chip. This is why the odd-number rule matters so much when trying to "rescue" a non-diamond chip into a diamond chain.
Where To Fuse Chips Up To +6
The main chip-fusing service is available at the Resistance Camp, and this vendor can fuse chips only up to +6. Once a chip reaches +6, it stops appearing in that vendor's fusion menu, which can make it appear as if the chip is missing. This is normal behavior, and it simply means +6 is the vendor's visible cap.
This is also why many builds stop at +4 or +5. After a certain point, the cost of storage becomes too high, and it may be better to keep chip levels a little lower while adding more functional chips to the same structure.
Unlocking +7 And +8 Chip Fusion With Lord Of The Valley
To fuse chips beyond +6, Lord Of The Valley must be completed. This quest is tied to the Canyon Machine in the canyon area beneath the bridge that leads toward the Shopping Mall District region. After the quest is cleared, the Canyon Machine becomes the only option that can fuse chips up to +8, which is the maximum chip level.
The fight in Lord Of The Valley features a high-level enemy around level 50. It has a large health pool and does not attack constantly, but hits hard when it connects. Strong weapons and solid levels help a lot here, because the battle can take time if damage output is low.
Practical Tips For Building Better Chip Sets
When storage costs remain low, chip manufacturing works well. Sometimes, two lesser chips can approach a cap more quickly than one high chip with a lot of storage costs. This is especially clear with capped effects like Moving Speed Up, when the maximum is reached rapidly, and extra storage is wasted.
It also helps to keep more than one chip set. You can modify one setup for mining, another for damage, and a third for hacking using 9S. Changing sets makes the game more fun and keeps you from having to make the same chip grid over and over.
As a bonus, there are two chests toward the end of the canyon. One is a regular chest, and the other is a hacking chest that needs 9S to open.
Also, check our NieR: Automata Review and other guides below:
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