In WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers, upgrading your weapons isn’t a matter of visiting the nearest blacksmith. Instead, it’s all done via the Shrines you visit, where you can level up, rest, and access various systems that allow you to transform your build and gear.
These systems include the skill-tree, otherwise known as the Impetus Repository, as well as Tempering, Disciplines, and Benedictions. It’s a lot to wrap your head around really, but if you’re hoping to make the most of your weapons and make light work of upcoming bosses, here’s everything you need to know about how to upgrade your weapons in WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers.
How to upgrade weapons in WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers
When it comes to upgrading your weapons in WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers, the primary way of doing so is in the Impetus Repository. That said, you can enhance your gear even further than this by using Benedictions, the Tempering system, and by unlocking Disciplines that work with your playstyle.
Below, we explain all four of these methods for making your weapons more powerful in WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers.
Impetus Repository
In the Impetus Repository, there are weapon specific Nodes that allow you to spend Red Mercury Essence and Red Feathers (items found around the map and dropped by specific enemies) on upgrading your weapon by a level. Weapons max out at +10, and this is the primary way in which you will upgrade your weapons.
With enough levels, you can easily begin to upgrade more than one weapon, and don’t forget that it doesn’t cost a thing to respec. This means you can respec as often as you please, whenever you please, and try out the capabilities of different weapon types to your hearts content.
You’ll also be able to spend Red Mercury Essence on stat increases relevant to the weapons you are using, such as Strength for Axe weapons or Agility for Dual Blade weapons.
Benedictions
To unlock Benedictions, you must first defeat the Tang Palace Maid boss found in Buddha Cliffs’ Cave of Knowledge at the beginning of the game.
Benedictions essentially act as weapon charms. You can equip three at a time to a weapon, but each one must belong to a respective category: Oath, Wisdom, and Memory.
As you unlock more Benedictions – from merchants, side quests, or by exploring – you’ll have a wider range of options for what to equip to each of your two weapons. Certain Benedictions also belong to sets, and equipping a matching set provides you with additional effects.
Try equipping Benedictions that compliment your playstyle with the specific weapon you’re equipping them to, as these passive effects only apply when you are using the weapon they’re attached to.
Tempering
Tempering is unlocked following WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers’ first key boss, Man-eater Dhutanga, and allows you to equip both Bone Needles and Stone Needles into slots called Acupoints.
These Needles provide certain buffs to your weapon, but most notably, can alter the damage type that it deals; there are Needles for inflicting Lightning Damage, Poise Break Damage, and even status ailments such as Corruption.
Only one Bone Needle can be equipped at a time, while Stone Needles can be equipped into the remaining Acupoints and are used for enhancing whichever Temperance effect you have chosen. Make sure to choose your Bone Needles based on the weakness of the enemies you’re coming against, and switch it out often; you can change it as much as you’d like, so don’t hesitate doing so.
For more on the Temper system, here’s our WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers Tempering guide.
Disciplines
While all weapons innately have a Weapon Skill as it is, Disciplines act as a second Weapon Skill of sorts, comparable to an Ash of War from Elden Ring. The Discipline you have equipped to your weapon ultimately determines what your L2 attack will do.
More Disciplines are unlocked in the Impetus Repository, with each weapon type having three to four Disciplines you can spend your Red Mercury Essence on.
For more on WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers, take a look at our guide to the Madness mechanic and how it works, as well as our tips and tricks for your journey across the land of Shu.