If you’re new to Where Winds Meet, the first few hours can feel overwhelming. Between the vast open world, multiple leveling systems, and a plethora of weapons and mystic skills, it’s easy to get lost. Having played the game extensively, I’ve put together a practical guide to help you start off strong, understand the mechanics, and make early progression smoother.
Optimizing Your Settings for a Better Experience
Before diving into combat and exploration, take a moment to tweak your settings. If you’re on PC, turning off VSync and motion blur can significantly improve the smoothness of gameplay. Combat feels sharper and movement becomes more responsive.
Difficulty can be adjusted freely—don’t hesitate to use the story mode if you’re new. While some might think it makes the game “too easy,” this approach allows you to explore without unnecessary frustration. Just keep in mind that disabling certain assists, like deflection hints, will give you a more authentic and skill-based experience, especially if you plan to engage in PvP later.
Early Weapon Choices: Picking Your First Martial Arts
At the start, your weapon choice matters more for playstyle than power. Personally, I recommend the Umbrella as your first weapon. Its versatility allows both ranged and close combat, which is especially handy for tackling early puzzles and enemies.
Your second weapon should ideally be the Penacea Fan. This healing weapon is invaluable, especially given the scarcity of potions early on. Once you unlock it using a dragon key, it offers a reliable way to restore health mid-battle, making tough encounters much more manageable.
Essential Mystic Skills to Grab Early
Mystic skills are central to survival and strategy. Two of the earliest and most effective are:

• Veil of Stillness: Makes your character nearly invisible, perfect for sneaking past enemies or setting up ambushes.
• Touch of Death: Allows instant takedowns from behind, ideal for clearing small groups or mini-bosses.

Combined, these skills enable stealthy exploration and efficient looting. Later on, skills like Cloud Step and Guardian Palm offer incredible mobility and area-of-effect damage, but the first two are game-changers for early players.
Understanding Breakthrough Levels
As you progress, you’ll encounter “breakthrough” points, such as level 15. These temporarily cap your experience gains but allow you to perform a special challenge that unlocks higher levels and stored XP. Think of this as the game’s way of ensuring your character is ready for tougher encounters. It’s simple, but crucial for smooth progression.
Managing Multiple Leveling Systems
Where Winds Meet has various leveling layers:

• Talent Points: Mini skill trees gained through main campaigns and side missions.
• Gear Enhancement: Your equipment determines many passive stats and combat attributes.
• Exploration Skills: Hidden stats tied to tasks like catching butterflies, completing oddities, or finishing mini-games.

These systems can seem overwhelming, but the game’s menus generally guide you on where to invest your resources. A tip: completing oddities not only rewards exploration stats but also contributes to passive upgrades—something many new players overlook.
In-Game Resources: Mental Energy and Jade Fish
Two key currencies early on are mental energy and jade fish.

• Mental Energy regenerates over time and should never be capped. Use it on challenges, outposts, or boss encounters to earn gear, enhancement materials, and XP. Efficient energy usage accelerates progression significantly.
• Jade Fish is a weekly-capped resource best spent on weekly refresh items, such as combat tips or profession development materials. Prioritize these over random gear chests early in the game.

For players seeking faster advancement, some even turn to external Where Winds Meet boosting services, like U4GM, which can help maximize resource usage and character progression safely without grinding excessively.
Final Tips for Early Success

• Focus on mastering stealth and early mystic skills before taking on tougher bosses.
• Prioritize acquiring versatile weapons like the Umbrella and healing tools like the Penacea Fan.
• Keep mental energy from capping and spend jade fish wisely to strengthen martial arts and professions.
• Explore side missions and oddities—they provide passive stats and early advantages that make the main campaign much smoother.

By following these strategies, your early gameplay will feel less daunting and more enjoyable. You’ll be able to explore the map confidently, tackle challenging enemies, and build a solid foundation for mid- and late-game content.
Starting strong in Where Winds Meet is all about understanding the early systems, choosing the right weapons, and wisely investing in mystic skills and resources. Focus on stealth, healing, and skill combinations, and make the most of oddities and breakthrough challenges. With these strategies, early progression will feel smooth, rewarding, and fun.