Embarking on your journey in Where Winds Meet can be daunting. This vast Wuxia-inspired world is filled with complex systems and choices that can overwhelm new players. This beginner guide cuts through the complexity to provide you with the essential tips, explain difficulty modes, and set you on the right path for a successful early game progression.
Understanding Character Slots and Progression
A fundamental concept to grasp early on is that Where Winds Meet features six fully standalone character slots. This means:
No Shared Progression: There is no shared inventory, loot, or currency between your characters.
Individual Purchases: Any Battle Pass progress or outfit purchases are locked to the specific character that bought them. Choose wisely when spending premium resources.
Choosing Your Difficulty Mode
The game offers four distinct difficulty modes, each catering to a different playstyle:
Story: Easier combat with auto-counter features enabled. Ideal for players focused on the narrative.
Recommended: The standard balanced experience. A good starting point for most players.
Desperate: A challenging mode where enemies are tougher and hit harder.
Hardcore (Coming Later): A roguelike permadeath mode. A single death will permanently delete your character.
Key Difficulty Facts:
Loot is the Same: Regardless of the difficulty you choose, the quality and quantity of rewards are identical. You don’t get better loot for playing on a harder setting.
Enemy Stats Vary: Difficulty only affects enemy health and damage output.
Auto-Counter is Limited: The helpful auto-counter feature is only available in Story and Recommended modes.
Early Game Progression: Story First
It is highly recommended that you focus on the single-player story first before diving into multiplayer activities. Here’s why:
The main story offers over 30 hours of content that naturally tutorials core mechanics.
Completing quests and exploring the world during the story is the most efficient way to gather essential gear and resources.
Once you are properly equipped and have a firm understanding of the combat, you can confidently jump into guild wars, raids, world bosses, and PvP arenas.
Martial Arts System and Best Starting Weapons
Instead of a rigid class system, your combat style in Where Winds Meet is defined by the Martial Arts associated with your equipped weapon. Your choice of weapon is your choice of “class.”
For beginners, two weapons stand out as excellent starting choices due to their versatility and unique utility:
Fan: This is a top-tier recommendation. The Fan provides access to healing abilities, which are rare and incredibly valuable for survival. It can be obtained relatively early in the Qinghe region.
Umbrella: Another strong starting option that also offers healing capabilities, giving you more sustain in both exploration and combat.
Starting with a weapon that can heal will significantly smooth out your early game experience.
How to Use Jade Wisely
Jade is a crucial in-game resource. Using it correctly is vital for your character’s power progression.
What to Spend Jade On: Use Jade to unlock new skills from vendors and to acquire Internal Skills. Internal Skills are particularly important as they can often be used across different weapons, providing long-term value.
What to Avoid Spending Jade On: It is strongly advised against spending Jade on cosmetic items early on. Doing so will directly hinder your ability to unlock powerful skills and slow down your character’s development.
The Importance of Exploration
Exploration is not just a side activity; it’s a core progression system. The Exploration Experience (EE) system rewards you for interacting with the world.
You earn valuable rewards for discovering new areas, completing world puzzles, engaging in mini-games, and finishing side quests.
The more you explore, the faster your character will progress and acquire the resources needed for end-game activities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I play Where Winds Meet offline?
A: No. The game is always-online and requires a constant internet connection.
Q: Is there a respec option to reset my skill points?
A: No, the game does not currently offer a respec feature. If you want to change your build drastically, you will need to create a new character.
Q: What is the best difficulty for a complete beginner?
A: If you are new to action RPGs, start with Story mode. If you have some experience, Recommended is a great balanced challenge. Remember, loot is the same across all difficulties.
Q: What is there to do in the end-game?
A: The end-game features a variety of multiplayer activities, including world bosses, guild wars, PvP arenas, large-scale dungeons, and PvE raids.
Q: Why should I focus on the story first?
A: The story seamlessly integrates tutorials, provides essential gear, and prepares you for the game’s mechanics, making it the most efficient way to build a strong foundation for your character.
Conclusion
Where Winds Meet is a deep and rewarding experience for those who take the time to learn its systems. Start by choosing the right difficulty, prioritize the engaging main story, and select a versatile starting weapon like the Fan or Umbrella. Be smart with your Jade, focusing on skills over cosmetics, and embrace exploration as a key part of your progression. By following these beginner tips, you’ll be well-equipped to master the martial arts and carve your legend in this beautiful and treacherous world.