The different weapon types in Where Winds Meet offer a variety of playstyles, and the martial arts add a unique flavor to each one. From traditional swords to delicate fans, your character can master every fighting style, but, to do so, you must first unlock them.
At first glance, Where Winds Meet weapon system feels a bit daunting because of its multiple layers. However, as you play more, it becomes second nature to differentiate weapon types and weapon martial arts. To guide you through this thorny path of blades and umbrellas, we prepared this guide explaining all weapon types and martial arts in Where Winds Meet.
All weapon types in Where Winds Meet
In Where Winds Meet, weapon types are categories that both weapons (items) and martial arts belong to. You can change weapon types by equipping a weapon in the “Gear” menu. Your character can utilize all weapon types from the beginning of the game, but you will still need to find an actual weapon to equip along with an associated martial art to effectively use it.
There are a total of seven weapon types in the game and each of them has at least one martial art.
Here are all the weapon types in Where Winds Meet:
- Dual Blades
- Fans
- Mo Blade
- Rope Dart
- Spear
- Sword
- Umbrella
All martial arts in Where Winds Meet
Martial arts in Where Winds Meet work similarly to classes in other RPGs. Considering this is a wuxia game, you can think of them as different fighting schools.
Martial arts give you access to a specific set of skills when using a certain weapon type, and you can change from one art to another (if you have more than one) whenever you want. For example, there are two martial arts for the umbrella weapon type, the Soulshade Umbrella and the Ninefold Umbrella. Although both use the same weapon type, the former has a support-focused skill set and the latter is more offensive-oriented.
Having a weapon of any type in the game does not automatically give you access to its martial arts — you must unlock them by either entering into specific sects or “stealing” them from expert practitioners. Finding them is, uh, another story. That’s why we prepared the following list showing where you can find each of the NPCs from whom you can steal the weapon martial arts.
Note, you can pick one martial art among three options right at the beginning of the game, when you submit your first oddity to Qi Sheng. Choose the one that interests you the most, but keep in mind that although you can unlock the other two, it might take some time until you can do so.
Here are all the martial arts available in Where Winds Meet:
- Heavenquaker Spear
- Infernal Twinblades
- Inkwell Fan
- Mortal Rope Dart
- Nameless Spear
- Nameless Sword
- Ninefold Umbrella
- Panacea Fan
- Soulshader Umbrella
- Stormbreaker Spear
- Strategic Sword
- Thundercry Blade
If you want to pursue any of these, you can select them in the “Abilities” tab inside the “Develop” menu. There, you’ll find a list of all the martial arts, and then you can select the one you’d like to unlock to reveal it on the map. You should always select the martial art in this menu before heading to the locations listed below so that the quest marker is on the screen, guiding you to the exact location where you can perform the skill theft.
To steal a technique, you must find a glowing blue circle on the ground at each location. Standing on it will prompt the “Skill Theft” command. Then, a minigame will start in which you must press a button when golden circles appear on the screen within the time limit.
The “Abilities” menu also lists the sects you can join, which is another method to obtain these arts. In this guide, however, we will only cover the locations where you can steal each skill.
Heavenquaker Spear location
To obtain the Heavenquaker Spear martial art, you must make your way through the Raging Tides Martial Sanctum. This location is on the east side of Qinghe – Sundara Land. Travel to the Wildmane Ranche Boundary Stone, then continue heading southeast until you find a Dragon Pillar. Be sure to have a Dragon Key to open the entrance.
Like many other dungeons with martial arts, the Raging Tides Martial Sanctum is protected by many soldiers. The patrolling guards are the ones you should avoid — or kill, if you have the Touch of Death passive skill. Follow the quest marker to the location where you can observe the Heavenquaker Spear master and steal their technique.
Infernal Twinblades location
If you plan on adding the Infernal Twinblades to your arsenal of martial arts, you’ll need to unlock and invade the Midnight Blades Sanctum. The entrance is hidden on the southeast side of Qinghe. Travel southwest from the Verdant Wilds Wayfarer (the first one you meet in the game) to find a small lake with a waterfall. You will find the Dragon Pillar close to it. Remember that you need a Dragon Key to use the pillar and open the entrance.
This location is guarded by several soldiers. Look for the patrolling ones and, if you have the Touch of Death passive skill, eliminate them to make your life easier. Follow the quest marker to find the exact point the exact point from where you can steal the Infernal Twinblades skills.
Inkwell Fan location
The Inkwell Fan martial art is found inside a small dungeon on the north side of Qinghe – Sundara Land. You will find its entrance on the right side of the main road heading north. Like other dungeons where martial arts are hidden, you must have a Dragon Key to unlock the entrance.
Although there are many soldiers inside, most rooms are quite large, giving you enough space to pass unnoticed and reach the location where you can observe the Inkwell Fan master.
Mortal Rope Dart location
If you plan on getting the Mortal Rope Dart martial art, you must go to Kaifeng. On the left side of South Gate Avenue, you will find the Nine Mortal Ways Martial Hall. Although the doors are open, you can’t enter the facility yet.
You must first complete “The Art of Skill Theft” exploration quest, which you start by talking to the Mysterious Elder sitting on the ground in front of the Nine Mortal Ways building. He will ask you to draw a portrait of Muddle, a member of the Nine Mortal Ways and create a disguise of him.
This will prompt another exploration quest, “Disguise: Veil of Love,” which unlocks the disguise shop. You will have to complete a couple of disguise commissions to get rank 2 before you can create the Muddle disguise.
After you have reached the required rank, take the form of Muddle and head to the Nine Mortal Ways building. The first guard will speak to you but will let you in. Next, enter the building to your right, and use Wind Sense on Tiancai, who is sitting on the ground. Request his Token and only then can you proceed to the next area inside the building.
Speak to Elder Tian in the main room, then position yourself for the skill theft sequence to finally unlock the Mortal Rope Dart.
Nameless Spear location
This is one of the Martial Arts you receive at the beginning of the game, so you don’t need to steal it from other characters.
Nameless Sword location
Like the Nameless Spear, you automatically receive this Weapon Martial Art at the beginning of the game.
Panacea Fan location
Just like the umbrella, the fan has two martial arts and the Panacea Fan is the more support-oriented technique. To learn this martial art, you must first invade a cave on the east side of Qinghe. From the Verdant Wilds Wayfarer, which is the first you unlock, travel southeast to find the Dragon Pillar in front of the entrance to the cave.
Inside the cave, you will find patrolling units and, by using Wind Sense, you can keep track of their location. Traverse the area to find the location from which you can observe the Panacea Fan master and steal their moves.
Soulshade Umbrella location
Soulshade Umbrella is the support-focused umbrella technique available in Where Winds Meet. To unlock it, you’ll need to steal it from a master hidden inside an underground cave in Kaifeng. To find its entrance, you must head to the northeast side of the region and find the Mistveil Forest. A bit ahead of the small bridge you use coming from the south, you will reach the Soulshade Umbrella – Post Station.
Climb the main building then enter the room at the top using the large window. Be careful, because there are many patrolling soldiers in the area. Once inside, you’ll find an open stone coffin. Use the ladder inside it to descend into the cave. Navigating the cave is fairly straightforward, so you can quickly find the spot from which you can observe the master and steal the Soulshade Umbrella martial art.
Stormbreaker Spear location
You receive this Weapon Martial Art through the mail system as you progress in the initial quests.
Ninefold Umbrella location
The process to steal the Ninefold Umbrella is the longest among the martial arts, so prepare to spend some time on this one. First, you must head to Kaifeng City in Kaifeng, a region that becomes available as you progress in the campaign.
Go to the east side of it and look for the Velvet Shade Boundary Stone beside a bridge. Cross it to find a large building, The Temporal Pavilion, on your right. Climb to the highest level and enter to start the quest that unlocks the Ninefold Umbrella.
After being expelled from the room, you will find yourself at the building’s entrance. Leave and turn left to find a long building near the edge to your right. Enter and talk to Wang Ping’an to complete the “Vernal Umbrella” exploration quest. Now, return to the Temporal Pavilion using its main entrance, and access the second floor by taking the stairs to your right.
At the top, you’ll find Jian Ting’er, who will give you the next step of the quest. You’ll need to find six clues to proceed. You obtain the first two clues as you talk to her and descend from the stairs to leave the building.
For the next clue, enter the covered corridor southwest of the Temporal Pavilion and, from inside of it, listen to the conversation between two characters.
The fourth clue is obtained by listening to another pair of characters on the top level of the Temporal Pavilion. Use the roof to reach the balcony.
The fifth clue is given to you by the Tabby Cat located outside the Temporal Pavilion, on the southwest corner. Interact with it to receive the clue.
For the last clue, enter the Temporal Pavilion, and find a room on the left side where there are two characters talking. Listen to their conversation to obtain the final clue.
The next step involves analyzing the clues by using the “Deducing” menu, which you access by pressing L on the keyboard or the View/Select button on controllers. Your goal is to combine the clues to determine the answer, which will lead you to the Warehouse Key. Grab it using the Celestial Seize skill and open the warehouse located near where you met Jian Ting’er. Inside, you will find the Keepsake, which you’ll need to deliver to Jian Ting’er.
After delivering the item, a short cutscene will play. Once it ends, you will be in front of the character from whom you can steal the martial art. You just need to start the skill theft minigame to obtain the Ninefold Umbrella martial art.
Strategic Sword location
To unlock the Strategic Sword martial art, you’ll need to head to a dungeon south of Qinghe – Moonveil Mountain. After passing the Twinbeast Ridge area, head southeast to find the Back Mountain Boundary stone. Follow the path heading south to reach the entrance.
You will need a Dragon Key to open the dungeon. Once inside, avoid the guards or assassinate them, and reach the point where you can observe the character practicing the Strategic Sword technique. Beat the minigame to steal the martial art.
Thundercry Blade location
The Mo Blade martial art, Thundercry Blade, is obtained by exploring the Well of Heaven Martial Camp on the south side of Kaifeng. To find it, head straight south from Plainfield, pass the Granary of Plenty area, and when you find the North Gracetown Boundary Stone, go southeast.
The martial camp is at the top of the hill. There are many paths you can use to infiltrate it, but all will lead you to the character training the Thundercry Blade martial art.
