NIER Part #51 - Episode XLVIII: Book Burner

Part 51: Episode XLVIII: Book Burner

Episode XLVIII: Book Burner

"My name is Grimoire Weiss, and it is NOT to be abbreviated!"

"Weiss!"

"Good to see you, Kainé. Although I don't think anyone has ever accused me of being a little bitch before."

"And you...we meet again!"

"Weiss... You okay?"

"I believe I could ask you the same question right now."

"Impossible... We must unite! We must become as one!"

"I don't like you... And I want nothing to do with you!"

"Besides, I have my companions. Of course, they're weak, and they whine when I leave. It's almost too much trouble... But they are my friends! I shall fight by their side. Now...and forever!"

Music: Song of the Ancients ~ Fate (Hey you! Yeah you! Go listen to this!)

Alright, you know what Albert Wesker Book...? I've had enough of your BULLSHIT!

So, despite Weiss breaking free from Noir's touchy-feely fusion crap, he still stole all our magic abilities. Oh well...we're just gonna have to make Noir a black and blue book to get 'em back.

"Our true memories are still there! How dare you ignore them!?"

"Perhaps you should have scribbled them in my margins, hmmm?"

Early on, Grimoire Noir will just send a swarm of lackey Shades to fight while it flees around the room. The lot of the cannon fodder needs to be routed before Noir gives us ~~seven minutes...it only has seven minutes to spare for us~~ fights for real.

"The fiend has stolen the Sealed Verses!"

"You sound a little jealous there, Weiss."

"Oh ho! It will take more than that to make us flinch!"

A whole lot of dead Shades later...

"N-Noir...? You impertinent fool!"

So Grimoire Noir is all about the bullet hell attacks. Its attack pattern the first half of the fight consists entire of summoning six magic pages. Which in turn will begin spamming increasingly absurd amounts of magic orbs at our heroes while Noir darts to different sides of the Library.

The black book is left vulnerable for a few seconds after the pages run out of ammo. That is the time to strike.

About everything fifth of the Grimoire's health meter, it will gain an Attack Gauge that needs to be shattered in order to recover one of the Sealed Verses. What, did you think we were going to let this smug prick hold onto 'em? You remember how much work it took to get all of these things?

If Noir wants neat powers beyond spamming glowing basketballs it can go climb a damn tower full of Shades to get some...

The pages Noir summons can be taken out rather easily by any hit from a magical (or if close enough physical) attack. Dark Blast is surprisingly great for nullifying just about all of Noir's first stage of combat.

Ah, Dark Lance. My old friend. Totally worth fighting those two dopey looking walking head armor thing to get this one.

And Dark Hand... Absolutely worth putting up with getting chased around by a crazed cursing chick and fighting a giant lizard with a hand for a tail.

And Dark Phantasm: bane of all peon mobs' existence... We only had to destroy half of The Aerie and steal the kill for Kainé's arch nemesis to get that one...

And Dark Whirlwind... I've not used you yet, but I'm sure you are kind of neat. Man, nobody is going to remember that loser book in the Haunted Manor library after this mess...

Dark Gluttony...okay...you really weren't worth the effort of dungeon crawling through the Junk Heap to confirm a couple of kids were orphans...

Dark Wall...not REMOTELY worth the bullshit of going through the Barren Temple trials...

Dark Execution...I'm not sure what you had to do with dream diving and text adventures, but it's good to have you back... even if you don't get much play.

Well, I do believe that is a complete set! Me thinks it time for a good ol' fashion book burning.

In its final stage, Grimoire Noir resorts to the same tactic of previously battled Grimoire in conjuring a spherical shield and charging around the room. The only difference is that Noir has a bit more....oomph to its ramming attacks than Rubrum possessed.

...To a degree that every time it slams into one of the walls, part of the Library roof will collapse. The actually ramming attack isn't too damaging. But, Nier definitely doesn't want a few tons of bricks falling on his dome. That's gonna leave a mark...

Alright, I know D.C. Douglas usually needs to be killed by dumping him in a volcano and firing rocket launchers at him. But, hopefully the old staple of stabbing and Finishers will hold up better than this old library...