Where Winds Meet: Best Strategic Sword Melee DPS Build

Starting out in this game can be a bit much to take in at first. With so many locations, tasks, and weapons, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. I definitely had a hard time getting the hang of things when I first started playing.

It can be tough getting started, but once you learn the ropes, the game becomes much more enjoyable. A big part of that initial challenge is figuring out the combat system and choosing the right fighting style. I’m here to help simplify that choice for you.

I’ve experimented with a lot of different fighting styles in the game, and I’ve really landed on the Strategic Sword as a top pick. It does amazing damage, and honestly, the way it plays is just really fun! Is it the absolute highest damage dealer? Maybe not, but it’s right up there, and for me, enjoying my weapon is way more important than forcing myself to use something complicated just to squeeze out a little extra damage. I’d rather have fun and be effective!

Let’s get into this build guide and see everything that makes our Young Wanderer tick.

Martial Arts

Where to Obtain the Arts

Let’s start by choosing two Martial Arts for your character build. As the name suggests, Strategic Sword is a fantastic choice, and with the right upgrades, it can be incredibly effective throughout the entire game.

Another martial art worth exploring is the Heavenquaker Spear, which is part of the Bellstrike – Umbra set. The Umbra Arts excel at inflicting significant bleed damage with fast attacks and excellent movement. Plus, they’re relatively simple to master, as much of the damage comes from bleed and poison effects.

You can find these items in Dungeons scattered throughout the map. You’ll need a Dragon Key to unlock the rocks that block the entrances.

Strategic Sword can be found in Qinghe, southeast of the Back Mountain Boundary Stone.
Heavenquaker Sear can also be found in Qinghe, located just east of Wildmane Ranch in the northeast region.

Explore these dungeons, defeat the Disciples you encounter, and play the Gold-Ring minigame to unlock the Art for yourself.

Art Moveset – Sword

You’ll mostly be fighting with Strategic Sword. Start by using your Martial Art Skill (LT+X) – it’s a spinning slash that quickly causes Bleed damage.

You can also use your Special Skill (LT+Y) to quickly jump back and leave a pattern in front of you. If the enemy already has 5 stacks of bleed – which they should if you’ve been attacking them – this will remove the bleed and deal a lot of damage.

While your abilities are recharging, you can still fight using regular attacks or quickly move through groups of enemies with your charged attack. Getting more damage, though, requires a bit more strategy.

Art Moveset – Spear

Switch to your spear using your Dual-Weapon Skill (press LT and A). The spear’s special attack builds up power with each hit. It’s a wide-reaching sweep, making it great for hitting several enemies at once. Landing over 10 hits will activate the River Flow buff, which increases your damage to enemies’ health by 20%.

You now have a choice: you can use your enhanced special skill, which gets stronger with your current buff, or switch back to your Strategic Sword and use its abilities, taking advantage of the buff’s benefits. It might seem tricky to understand at first, but it becomes much simpler once you get the hang of it.

Of course, if you’re feeling lazy, feel free just to use the sword. The damage is still great.

Upgrades and Levels

If you haven’t improved your Martial Arts skills, you won’t be able to do much damage, so upgrading them is essential.

Initially, improving your skills just costs the standard in-game currency. However, you’ll eventually need specific items, like Bluestone Locks, to continue upgrading your Martial Arts Skills. When a new item is required, simply hover your mouse over it and click the More button to see exactly where to find it in the game.

You can usually buy upgrade items from shops throughout the game world. Sometimes, you can also find them in the Seasonal Shop, which uses Jade Fish to purchase items. Plus, defeating bosses and clearing outposts—and then claiming the rewards with energy—is a fantastic way to earn more materials and weapons.

Finding Your Gear

Weapons

Let’s talk about weapons – this is important. You’ll be using Longswords and Spears that work with your Martial Art Skill. The question is, which ones should you choose?

Okay, so figuring out the best weapon really depends on how far you are in Solo Mode. Right now, I’m level 60, and for me, the Tier 56 Rhapsody Long Sword is the way to go – it’s part of the Hawkwing Set. You definitely want to grab a Rhapsody Spear too, since that’s also from the Hawkwing Set. It’s a solid combo!

If you wear both a Rhapsody Ring and a Rhapsody Pendant, you’ll have a total of four items from the Hawkwing set. Wearing four matching pieces of the set grants you a bonus: in this case, triggering an effect like bleed activates the Hawkwing buff, increasing your Physical Attack by 10%.

Okay, so once I finally get those awesome Epic gear pieces, the first thing I do is Tune them – that gives a nice boost to my attack power. Then, to really max them out, I Attune them. It’s all about getting them perfect, you know?

Okay, so I’ve figured out the best way to get Hawkwing gear! The HeartSeeker boss in the Wandering Paths Menu is amazing – you get two pieces every time you beat it, or even six if you use Triple Claim! Another really good option is the Season Shop. Just scroll down to the Gear Chests and look for the Hawking Chest – it’s guaranteed to give you some awesome loot based on your level.

Need a quick energy boost? Try Pillow Powder to feel refreshed and revitalized.

Armour

The armor you receive from defeating Hawkwing enemies is excellent. This is the Eaglerise set, and you can obtain the full set just by collecting the Hawkwing Weapons.

Okay, so I’m super excited about getting the full Eaglerise armor set! Apparently, if you collect all four pieces, it gives you a huge boost to your defense and this awesome ability that significantly cuts down the damage you take from pretty much everything – both regular enemies and bosses. Don’t forget, just like with your weapons, you absolutely need to Tune the armor pieces too to unlock even more cool effects and bonuses!

Extra Upgrades

If you want to increase your damage output, check the Enhance section on the Gear page. There, you can use materials you collect to improve your gear’s attack power and defenses. Keep in mind that fully upgrading these will require a significant amount of resources like Raw Ore and Oscillating Jade.

As a player, I’ve learned it’s super important to spend those Talent Points! They let you really boost your character, unlock more Mystic Skills, and make your attacks even stronger. Don’t waste them!

I’m using the Poison Divinecraft because it works well with our damage-over-time and bleed effects. To improve it, you’ll need Toxic Essence, which you can get by gathering Mushrooms, Lethal Crystals, and Vicious Flowers throughout the game world. Then, apply Toxic Powder to your weapon to add poison damage to every attack.

Inner Way

Morale Chant

Okay, I know I just threw a lot at you, but hang in there with me! The two things that really make this build amazing are Morale Chant and Sword Horizon. Seriously, these two skills are key!

Morale Chant has an 80% chance to grant you a Yi River stack whenever you damage an enemy. Each stack increases your Physical Penetration by 2, and you can stack it up to 5 times. Because we attack quickly, it’s easy to maintain the maximum 5 stacks, giving you a constant 10 Physical Penetration bonus.

To get a special bonus, you can purchase 10 Notes from Tian Bao, who is located near the Blessful Retreat Boundary Stone. Each note costs 5000 Echo Jade. Once you have all the notes, visit Tang Lun at the Harborlink crossing Boundary Stone to further improve your Morale Chant.

Sword Horizon

This new technique will build on what we’ve already learned, significantly improving our fighting ability.

Pressing the button at the right moment – or even just repeatedly tapping it – will add one more attack to the end of your combo, thanks to your Martial Art and Special Skills.

This upgrade adds an extra attack to your Martial Skill and lets you quickly dash forward after dodging backwards with your Special Skill. Plus, your Charged Attacks will gain a special visual effect. Basically, you’ll be faster and deal more damage – what’s not to like?

You can buy this item at the Ghost Market, which you can reach by finishing the Bounty Trouble Quest or by visiting the Coffin Shop southeast of Kaifeng City. Nearby, just west of the Meow Meow puzzle, is a bookshop that sells Unknown Old Books. Buying all of these books will give you enough experience to understand the Inner Way.

Extra Inner Way Slots

For the remaining options, feel free to pick whatever you prefer. I chose Adaptive Steel and Envigorated Warrior because they’re straightforward and easy to understand.

Adaptive Steel makes enemies bleed more, increasing your chances of triggering the powerful blood explosion from your sword’s special ability. Invigorated Warrior, on the other hand, provides a simple 5% boost to both your damage and healing. With so many different Inner Ways available, the best choice depends on how you like to play.

Mystic Skills

Lastly, let’s talk about Mystic Skills. These are fully customizable, letting you tailor them to your playstyle. While you might not use them constantly during fights, they’re really useful for dealing damage while your primary abilities are cooling down.

I find this really useful for defeating enemies with shields, and, naturally, for throwing bears. It’s also great for temporarily stopping a bothersome opponent in their tracks.

This skill really shines when you’re facing multiple enemies spread out in a wide area in front of you. Leaping Toad, on the other hand, is best used against single opponents and can help you deal poison damage for a longer period using your Divinecraft.

Just like Inner Ways, there are tons of Mystic Skills, and you can actually use most of them effectively. Plus, you can make each skill stronger by upgrading it, so feel free to try them all out and find the ones you like best!

2025-12-04 18:42