Where Winds Meet Beginner's Guide: Master the Basics

Feeling lost in the vast world of Where Winds Meet? You're not alone. With its many systems and activities, it can be overwhelming at first. But once you get the hang of it, you'll find endless ways to play. This beginner's guide will smooth out that learning curve, so you can focus on what you enjoy most.

First up: character customization. The character creator is incredibly detailed, but some options, like hair color, can't be changed later without special items. Since this is a gacha game, cosmetics are a big deal, and you'll unlock more as you play. You can alter your appearance, body type, and even name using items like the Transformation Pill. For more details, check out our dedicated Character Customization Guide.

At the start, you'll choose between Online and Solo mode, but you can switch freely later. Each mode offers different activities and rewards, so you'll want to try both. Online Mode puts you in a shared world with other players, where you can join multiplayer activities from the Wandering Paths menu (unlocked at level 3). Solo Mode gives you your own world, where you can invite up to four friends, and everyone close to the host shares progress. You can also request or accept assistance from others. For more, see our How Co-op Works guide.

As you complete quests and level up, you'll trigger 'Breakthroughs' – short combat encounters that raise your level cap and rewards. Make sure to do these to keep progressing.

Once the opening scenes are done, you're free to explore two huge regions: Qinghe and Keifeng. It'll take hours of campaign quests to travel between them, but along the way, you'll find plenty to do. NPCs will call out, landmarks will tempt you, and you might even run into World Bosses. New quests and encounters are added to your quest log, so check it often, especially the Explore tab. For early priorities, see our Things to Do First guide.

To reveal more of the map, find Wayfarers at their campfires. They'll share their maps for free, and you can fast travel to their campsites. Also, unlock Boundary Stones for fast travel points – grab them whenever you see them.

Want a horse? You can steal one by pulling a rider off, and it's yours. Keep capturing until you find one you like. More tips in our How to Get a Mount guide.

Character progression is complex, with many ways to boost stats and abilities. Here's the basics: You have Martial Arts, which are weapon-specific, activated by holding LT/L2 and pressing face buttons (or Q, ~, Tab on KBM). Learn new ones via Skill Theft from NPCs. Mystic Skills are weapon-agnostic, activated with RT/R2 and face buttons (or number keys). You can equip up to eight, and they help in and out of combat.

Completing quests and opening chests gives Enlightenment Points, which contribute to Talent Points. Spend them in the Develop menu under Talents to unlock new skills and stat boosts.

Early on, you'll collect mysterious items like Enchanting Lotus, Redmist Beetles, and Whisper Hives. Hold onto them! Meet Qi Sheng after the prologue, and he'll trade them for powerful enhancements.

Did this guide help you get started? Let us know in the comments!