Heritage of the Past Nier Quest Guide Locations and Story Details

19 August 2026 | 27

Exploring the shifting sands of the Desert Zone in NieR Automata reveals many historical mysteries left behind by humanity. One of the most intriguing optional assignments players can acquire during their playthrough is the Heritage of the Past side quest. This narrative venture challenges your exploration skills and rewards you with deep historical lore regarding ancient human civilizations.

How to Initiate the Historical Relic Hunt

To begin this special assignment, players must progress to the point in the story where they control 9S or have access to chapter selection. Travel to the far western edges of the Desert Zone to find a dedicated Resistance Researcher standing near the ruins. Speaking with this character reveals a desire to gather lost human artifacts scattered beneath the shifting dunes.

Before venturing into the open sandstorms, ensuring your scanner pod program is fully equipped remains absolutely essential. The items requested by the researcher are completely invisible to the naked eye and cannot be uncovered without active scanning pulses. Developing a methodical sweeping strategy across the desert terrain ensures you do not waste time wandering aimlessly.

Precise Relic Locations Across the Desert

The first valuable item you need to uncover is the Aged Badge, which is located near the desert housing ruins area. Activating your scanner pulse near the crumbling structures reveals the hidden signal buried deep within the sand. Gathering this initial piece allows you to understand the specific radar distance required for the rest of the hunt.

Next, players must travel toward the northern boundary of the map to locate the Girl's Statue. This rare artifact rests safely between several large rocky formations that block the harsh desert winds. You can use your to easily cross reference the coordinates if the sandstorms reduce your screen visibility.

The third item, known as the Microchip, rests closer to the center of the open desert field near a collapsed pipeline. Be prepared to face a few aggressive machine patrols that frequently gather around these open structural landmarks. Disabling these mechanical threats beforehand allows you to scan the immediate area without constant interruptions.

Unlocking the Final Relic and Story Rewards

After successfully turning in the first three human artifacts, the Resistance Researcher updates your mission log with one final request. You must locate the legendary Commandment Slab to completely finish the assignment and claim your final payout. This ultimate relic rests deep in the sand near the original location where you first encountered the researcher.

Uncovering the Commandment Slab yields profound narrative context regarding the ancient civilization of Facade from the original game. The researcher shares fascinating theories about human culture, connecting the thematic dots between the past and present worlds. Completing this journey also grants players the powerful Phoenix Lance weapon alongside a substantial amount of experience points.