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Like most Soulslikes,Wuchang: Fallen Feathershasdecent build diversity.With a good understanding of the game’s mechanics,you can create a build that best suits your playstyle and can make life so much easier.
One of the most important mechanics of the game is Skyborn Might, a rechargeable resource that you must manage and use if you’re to make the most out of your attacks.
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Git a little gud.
As a starting weapon,the longsword has a respectable range, attack rate, and base damage,along with a play style that might just carry you through the rest of the game.
Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to create one of the most broken (in a good way) builds inWuchang: Fallen Feathers.
Longsword Build Overview
Let’s start with an overview.The point of this build is to be constantly attacking while being on the move.Long combos don’t matter, as long as you’re landing at least two hits and getting out of harm’s way.
This build isn’t reliant on fancy moves.It is as basic and simple as builds come, but it is unbelievably strong at its base,and you may even add whatever you want to supplement it.
This build is also versatile,allowing you to take out not only mobs but also take down bosses of all types.Human enemies? Easy backstab. Monster enemies? Hack them into tiny pieces.
A large portion of this build is reliant ongeneratingSkyborn Mightas frequently as possiblethrough one main factor: the second attack of your basic combo. There are other avenues of Skyborn Might generation, butyour second attack is one of the key factors of this build.
Best Upgrade Nodes
First, let’s take a look at yourupgrade nodes and skills in the Impetus Repository. Thankfully, the perks needed don’t require a lot of Red Mercury Essence to achieve.
Sword Saint
In fact, the most important perk of this build,“Sword Saint,” is the first perk that you unlock in the longsword skill tree.
“Sword Saint” allows you to gain one stack of Skyborn Might when landing a hit on the second attack of your light combo, and is an invaluable perk for any longsword build.
Next,spend three Red Mercury Essences to get “Windforce,“which allows you to consume one stack of Skyborn Might to quickly execute a fully charged heavy attack.
When used with the right timing and positioning,a fully charged heavy attack can instantly stagger a humanoid enemy,making them vulnerable to Obliterate attacks.
Sword Counter
From that node,make a beeline to the “Sword Counter” upgrade nodeand its two Variants, which only cost six Red Mercury Essences. You should now be able toreplace the Blink Kick skill with “Sword Counter.”
“Sword Counter” lets you “deflect” weapon attacks, and isWuchang: Fallen Feather’sanswer to parrying, though you can still hold the button to block at a lower damage reduction than with an axe.
The wording of “weapon attacks” is a little vague, but I found it to be any attack made by a solid object, including throwing knives, arrows, bullets, and melee weapons.
The parry windows inWuchang: Fallen Feathersare surprisingly lenient,so much so that, as someone who has always struggled with parry timings in games likeDevil May Cry 5orElden Ring, I had no issues consistently landing parries in this game.
Parrying most weapon attacks will briefly throw your opponent off-balance, giving you a split second to dodge or counter. Variant I and Variant II of this perk also allow you to execute a counter that will stun humanoid enemies, if not outright knock them down.
As long as your enemy is attacking you with a physical weapon, you can parry just about all of their attacks.
Other Upgrades
The above three nodes make up the bread and butter of this build, and can be easily achieved with a total of onlynine Red Mercury Essences.
If you have Red Mercury Essences to spare, spend them on the general skill tree to reach “Steel Resolve,“which gives you Skyborn Might upon a successful parry.
you’re able to spend the rest of your points min-maxing your build, dumping them into attribute increases for the following stats in this order:Strength, Endurance, Agility, and Vitality.
Best Longsword
Cloudfrost’s Edge is a decent starting weapon for this build.The only issue is that it prioritizes blunt damage, which will be very quickly replaced by the next weapon.
Instead, we’ll be using Lashing Whip, which scales with your Agility stat first, and Strength stat second.
Lashing Whip is an excellent weapon that can be acquired at the Mercury Workshop, which is underneath the Shu Sanctum and is accessible after you defeat theFeathered Priest.
To get Lashing Whip, all you need to do is follow along the main path of Mercury Workshop, and you’ll encounter two goblin-looking enemies with guns.Lashing Whip is lying in a cloud of Corruption near some gross-looking flesh pile.
Best Spells
Because this is primarily a build focused on physical attack,we’ll be using support spellsthat supplement this simplistic playstyle.
First,the most crucial defensive spell you’ll want to have in your arsenal is Ethereal Form.While it doesn’t deal damage, it is without a doubt the best spell in the game. Costing only one stack of Skyborn Might, casting this spell gives you a three-second buff that automatically dodges any attack within that time frame, all the while refunding a stack for each attack dodged.
The only downside to this spell is that Ethereal Form’s dodge is hard to control, and can veer off into directions you did not intend.
Ethereal Form can be found on Mt. Zhenwu, at Zhenwu Temple.From Zhenwu Antechamber, head down the stairs and climb up the ladder of the building on your right, which will take you through the walls of Zhenwu Temple and to the left side of the fortress.
A Ming soldier and flag-bearing wizards will be gathering near a bonfire.Beware of the servants manning the cannons to your right.Around that area is a dead body containing the Ethereal Form spell.
Next, you’ll wantDivine Might, which increases the damage of your next attack,giving you a slight boost in damage. This spell can be acquired near the glowing red tree in Doomwillow Beach, near the Red-Clad Lady. You can also later grab thehealing spell Divine Blessing,which you can get from the same character after she’s moved to Avian Dwelling.
Divine Ward is also helpful, as it gives you damage reduction.This spell can be purchased from the panda for five bamboo shoots.
The last spell slot can be flexible for any spell you want,but Vorpal Blade never hurts to have,since it’ll give you a ranged option for birds or distant enemies.
Best Jade Pendants
While they don’t make or break builds,Jade Pendantsare helpful additions to a build, like a tasty sauce to an already delicious meal.
The following are the most commonly used pendants I will have for most situations:
For large bosses, I use the following:
Best Benedictions
As forBenedictions, we’ll be focusing onanything that gives you extra survivability in the heat of battle.Luckily for you, there are plenty of options.
The first is a full set named Skyborn Plume, which increases the damage of your next attack after gaining Skyborn Might. This set is composed of the following Benedictions:
If you don’t have all of these Benedictions, don’t worry, as you can still have a decent build if you have any of the following Benedictions:
Bu - Skyborn Ward: Skyborn Might reduces damage taken for a time
Wei - Blood Force: Increases damage dealt while below a certain HP threshold.
Bu - Combo Ward: Consecutive attacks reduce damage taken for a short time.
Shi - Blood Ward: Taking damage reduces the damage you take for a time.
Sheng - Obliterate Rejuvenation: Obliterate attacks recover a small amount of health
Sheng - Obliteration Might - Obliterate attacks increase your damage for a time and grant Skyborn Might
Ren - Combo Vigor: Consecutive attacks increase your Stamina recovery speed
Wei - Combo Force: Consecutive attacks increase your damage
Wei - Skyborn Force: Increases your damage during Skyborn Might
It’s important to note that the exact numbers of each increase are never explicitly stated in-game, but needless to say, Benedictions aren’t exactly the most game-changing aspect of the build, so you have plenty of wiggle room here.
Skyborn Plume will help maximize your damage output per strike, as each time you gain Skyborn Might gives you not only a chance to use your heavy attack, but also gives you lifesteal and a free Divine Might activation.
How To Use This Build
This build is simplistic because there are only a couple of things to remember. You don’t have to finish your combo to maximize damage;you just need to land the second attack to gain one Skyborn Might.
In most engagements, be it against a mob enemy or a boss, I often initiate with a quick one-two combo. Now, I have a stack of Skyborn Might.
Now, I can either cast Ethereal Form if I see the enemy winding up an attack, or dash behind them to execute a Windforce heavy attack to instantly stun them (provided they’re a humanoid enemy). Regardless of what happens,I get refunded at least a stack of Skyborn Might.
Even if your Ethereal Form automatically procs and cancels your second hit, you still get a stack of Skyborn Might refunded to you.
In some cases, when the enemy doesn’t stop attacking,you can rack up max Skyborn Might stacks,which gives you plenty of opportunity to cast some powerful spells or use your heavy attacks more liberally.
Most human enemies, especially bosses, are particularly vulnerable to charged heavy attacks, which leave them open to consistent Obliterate attacks that can take them down faster than you’d expect, which was the main strategy I used todefeat the Bo Sorcerer.
Parries are extremely useful in practicing timing and landing devastating attacks on humanoid enemies.The resulting counterattack can significantly increase the stagger meter of an enemy or simply knock them down.
Other than that, there isn’t much else to say about this build.Simply remember the following basic combo: one-two, Ethereal Form, one-two, Ethereal Form.Use your heavy attack if your enemy’s back is turned, and parry and then counter if your enemy is charging at you with a weapon.
With Sword Counter, Sword Saint, and Ethereal Form, you’ll breeze throughWuchang: Fallen Feathersin no time. This longsword build is the most reliable build I have ever had in any Soulslike.
