Just stepping into the world of Where Wind Meets, the array of martial arts and secret manuals can be overwhelming. This guide breaks down the six mainstream schools to help you find your path, whether you want to be a tank, a ranged master, or a stealthy assassin.

Core Mechanics Overview

• School Composition: Each school is clearly composed of two main martial arts.
• Damage Types: Damage isn't just about external attack; attribute attacks become super important later, but you need to break through martial arts level 50 first.
• Early Game Focus: Don't panic. In the early game, focus on mastering the basic combinations of your chosen school.

1. Newbie-Friendly: Bright Mirror Fierce Stone

• Core Martial Arts: Nameless Sword Technique + Nameless Spear Technique.
• Playstyle: A beginner-friendly, free starting school. The sword offers safe, long-range chip damage, while the spear provides mobility for chasing or retreating.
• PVE Strategy:
  • Stay at a distance and charge sword energy to clear groups of small monsters.
  • For bosses, use the spear technique to circle behind them for damage.
  • Create distance immediately if your health gets low.
• PVP Strategy: Initiate with sword energy to chip away at the opponent's health. Switch to the spear to chase down low-health targets.
• Early Game Build:
  • Gear: Follow the main quest to get the basic set.
  • Priority: Level the Nameless Sword Technique to 30 first to double its sword energy damage.
  • Inner Techniques: Nameless Inner Technique + Song of the Yishui River. For the Thousand Mountains method, choose Mighty Brother.

2. Burst Damage: Bright Mirror Hidden

• Core Martial Arts: Loom Nine Swords + Nine-Bend Golden Soul Spear.
• Playstyle: A high-skill-cap, pure melee damage machine. It deals sustained area damage and provides team burst buffs but is relatively squishy.
• PVE Strategy:
  • Use Loom Nine Swords to spin and clear groups of small monsters.
  • For bosses, first activate the damage buff from Nine-Bend Golden Soul Spear, then get in close to deal damage.
• PVP Strategy: Use Nine Swords followed by spear attacks as a combo. Land the full combo and retreat immediately—don't get greedy.
• Recommended Gear: Falcon weapon set + Yin-Yang armor set.

3. All-Rounder Tank: Fierce Stone Might

• Core Martial Arts: Street Fighter Blade Technique + Eight Directions Wind-Thunder Spear.
• Playstyle: A tank school suitable for beginners. Excellent survivability with shields, damage reduction, and taunts. Can also deal solid damage but has clunky animations.
• Team Dungeon Role: You are the core. Activate the blade shield, then use the spear to taunt the boss, allowing teammates to deal damage safely.
• PVE Farming: Charge the blade to three stacks and slash to clear small mobs simply and brutally.
• PVP Note: Not recommended for solo duels due to poor mobility. In group PVP, you can stealthily approach and unleash a fully charged three-stack attack.
• Acquisition: Both core techniques can be purchased from the faction store (essentially free).

4. Mobile Assassin: Wind Flow

• Core Martial Arts: Naraka Three Forms (Dual Blades) + Particle Wandering Dust (Divine Darts).
• Playstyle: Offers Assassin's Creed-style martial arts with maxed-out mobility and burst. Fast, fluid, and focused on hit-and-run tactics.
• PVE Strategy:
  • Use Divine Darts to pull a single enemy to you, then finish it with dual blades to avoid being surrounded.
  • During boss fights, circle behind and use dual blades for damage.
• PVP Strategy: Hook an enemy with Divine Darts, rush in, land a full dual-blade combo, and run. Focus on ambushes.
• Acquisition Note: Requires learning techniques from two different factions (Three Frights Heaven and Nine Currents). All martial arts can also be acquired by "stealing techniques."

5. Ranged Control: Thousand Threads Jade

• Core Martial Arts: Green Mountain Paper Brush (Fan) + Ninefold Spring Colors (Umbrella).
• Playstyle: For players who like controlling the battlefield from the backline. Offers sustained ranged damage, high mobility for repositioning, and crowd control. Tests your APM. 05:12
• Standard Combo (PVE & PVP):
  1. Use the fan to throw a Wind Wall to enhance projectile damage.
  2. Switch to the umbrella, use a light attack charge to ascend and unleash damage.
  3. Reposition immediately to escape after attacking. Kite and whittle enemies down.
• Beginner Tip: First practice the combo of throwing a Wind Wall with the fan and enhancing the umbrella's normal attacks.
• Gear Priority: Prioritize gear that boosts the "Thousand Threads" attribute to increase control duration and damage.

6. Team Support: Thousand Threads Spirit

• Core Martial Arts: Mingchuan Essential Technique (Healing) + Thousand Fragrances Hidden Soul Bone (Buffs).
• Playstyle: The dedicated support school. Excels at healing teammates and providing team-wide damage buffs, dramatically increasing the team's margin for error. Your personal damage is very low.
• Early Game Note: The Mingchuan Essential Technique (healing) is a versatile martial art. New players or those with "health anxiety" can use it with a sword to travel the world safely.
• Recommendation: This style is not recommended as a main focus due to poor solo play experience, but it is an absolute treasure in team play.

Final Tips & Mnemonic

There is no absolute strongest school. The key is to match your playstyle, habits, and preferences. Early on, master one school first. Later, you can "steal techniques" from other martial arts to modify your build and create your own exclusive strategy.

Choosing a School (Mnemonic):

• Beginners start with Ming Jin Hong, safe, worry-free, no flipping over.
• Like burst damage? Choose Ming Jin Ying, skilled enough to wipe the field.
• Team core? Lie Shan Wei, taking hits and holding aggro all on you.
• Ranged control? Thousand Threads Jade, kiting and dealing damage, both achieved.
• Assassin ambush? Choose Feng Liu, coming and going like the wind.
• Want to be a healer? Thousand Threads Spirit, teammates will treasure you.