Corey Anderson underlined his value to New Zealand with a double breakthrough to leave the West Indies teetering after two days of the second Test in Wellington.
The tourists battled dim light and a rejuvenated home seam attack, scrambling to 4-158 at stumps on a weather-hit day in response to New Zealand's 441.
Just 62.1 overs were possible due to two long rain breaks but it was enough time for the Black Caps to take firm command.
They rattled up 134 off 25.1 overs in a bright morning session which started 75 minutes late because of drizzle.
Rain returned to wipe out the second session but allrounder Anderson, playing his fourth Test, provided the highlights leading up to stumps with two wickets and a diving catch to remove dangerman Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
His exacting seam deliveries removed opener Kirk Edwards for 55 off a leading edge and first-Test double centurion Darren Bravo caught behind for four.
Anderson was pleased to contribute figures of 2-20 to follow a promising 38 with the bat, but says New Zealand are irked they gifted the tourists too many gentle runs late in the day through over-pitching.
"If you hang it in the right spots, then you're going to get rewarded but I think we gave away too many four balls," he said.
"Getting four wickets is nice, a few less runs would have been nicer. If we pick a couple up early tomorrow then we're right on top."
New ball bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult removed struggling opener Kieran Powell and Chanderpaul respectively, leaving the West Indies relying on Marlon Samuels and Narsingh Deonarine to eat into a 283-run deficit on day three.
Samuels recovered from two failures in the drawn first Test at Dunedin last week, racing to 50 off 57 balls.
Resuming earlier at 6-307, New Zealand's most colourful batting came in a 58-run 10th-wicket stand between wicketkeeper BJ Watling (65) and No.11 Boult (38 not out).
They surpassed New Zealand's previous record for the final-wicket partnership against the West Indies, lifting the home side to a total which leaves them unlikely to lose the Test.
Watling's composed knock was in contrast to the free-hitting Boult, who followed the lead of Southee (21 off 14 balls) and Ish Sodhi (27 off 35) in frustrating the tourists.
The erratic Tino Best finished with the best figures of 4-110 but was guilty of two simple dropped catches in the outfield - including a botched effort when Boult was on three which ultimately cost his side 55 runs.
"The difference between this game and last was at least we created more chances," West Indies assistant coach Stuart Williams said.
"Our fielding wasn't up to international standard but it's a work in progress and you'll have these days sometimes.
"And we didn't bowl well at all, we weren't consistent enough especially with the new ball and that cost us."
