Wandering Sword is a pixel art tactical RPG that draws inspiration from martial arts themes. You’ll step into the shoes of Yuwen Yi, a young swordsman who becomes afflicted with a lethal poison. After recovering, he must embark on a journey to enhance his abilities and grow stronger.
This game is packed with activities, but the variety of choices can feel a bit overwhelming. Combat can also be intricate, as both you and your foes possess a wide range of skills. To help you navigate the game’s mechanics more efficiently, here are some beginner tips.
Make the Most of Your Inheritance
When you start a new game, you’ll receive Inheritance Points to enhance your stats and abilities. However, different bonuses require varying amounts of these points, which makes it tricky to use them effectively.
To gain more Inheritance Points at the beginning, try completing in-game achievements. That said, during your very first playthrough, you’ll only have 200 Inheritance Points to work with.
The bonuses from Inheritance Points are relatively minor, so you’ll be able to earn most of them early in the game. To make optimal use of your initial points, consider investing in each option under the Life Skill Mastery tab, which includes:
- Forging
- Tailoring
- Alchemy
- Cooking
Leveling up each of these skills one time will cost you a total of 200 Inheritance Points, helping you make the most of your resources right from the start.
Gather Everything You Can
Throughout your travels, be sure to forage for every item you encounter. Not only can these items prove useful later, but they also grant experience points. Foraging is particularly valuable as some items can be gifted to other characters to improve their affinity towards you.
Items collected through foraging can also later be used for cooking and alchemy, allowing you to create various useful items as you progress.
Always Attack from Behind
Combat in Wandering Sword is turn-based and tactical, with emphasis on positioning. Attacking from the side gives a small damage bonus, while attacking from behind results in a significant 50% damage boost, along with a higher hit chance.
Make it a priority to attack your foes from behind whenever possible; this strategy can help you secure quick victories and will be especially helpful against tougher enemies as the game progresses. Also, position yourself defensively to minimize the risk of being attacked from behind.
Not Every NPC Can Join You
In the game, you have the opportunity to invite some NPCs to join your party. However, you’ll need to meet specific conditions for each character to make this happen. Having a diverse team of companions can considerably ease tough battles.
You’re free to recruit as many NPCs as you’d like, but only a limited number can participate in battles at one time. The rest can easily be rotated out when not in combat.
Initially, it might seem as though you can invite any NPC with high enough affinity, but not all characters are eligible to become companions.
Remember Your Hotkeys
During battles, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the hotkeys to execute actions quickly and efficiently. The game features a wide array of actions and strategies, and mastering these shortcuts can significantly streamline your gameplay.
Getting used to hotkeys may take some time, but they are vital for performing well in real-time situations, allowing you to respond swiftly without sifting through numerous options.
Learn from Your Companions
You can gain new skills from your party members by selecting the Consult option in their inventory menu. This allows you to spend some of your resources to learn from them, subsequently deploying those skills in combat.
You can also pick up Life Mastery Skills, such as cooking, fishing, and alchemy, from your companions through consulting. This process emphasizes the importance of gathering new allies throughout your journey. Once invited to your party, you will have access to their skills, regardless of whether they’re currently deployed.
Simple Way to Boost Affinity
A straightforward method to increase your affinity with many NPCs is by offering them random materials you find while exploring. However, once you surpass a certain affinity threshold, the rarity of acceptable items increases, and their preferences become more narrow, making gift-giving trickier.
Once you reach at least 20 Affinity with an NPC, you’ll gain the chance to spar with them. Winning these one-on-one battles usually earns you rewards matching the NPC’s preferences, enabling you to give the same gift back to them and further boost affinity.
Repeatedly doing this allows for infinite increases in affinity; however, be aware that NPCs won’t always reward you with items they’ll accept back as gifts.
Search Every Nook for Chests
Treasure chests are scattered throughout the game, many of which can be cleverly hidden. Be sure to explore every corner of towns and dungeons to uncover these valuable items.
Keep in mind that some chests might be camouflaged among background objects, so approach anything resembling a chest to check if you can open it.
Infinite Inventory and Its Benefits
The game offers you an infinite inventory, meaning you won’t need to frequently sell items at trading posts. This design encourages foraging and engaging in friendly sparring without the hassle of managing limited storage space.
Although having an extensive collection can make finding specific items challenging, there are multiple categorization and sorting options available to help you quickly locate what you need.