Getting a solid start in Where Winds Meet can completely change how you experience the game’s early hours. Because the game opens up quickly, it’s easy to miss powerful tools and abilities that dramatically improve both combat and exploration. After spending a good amount of time digging through the early-game content, I’ve put together a clean and practical breakdown of what you should unlock first, why each feature matters, and how these early investments pay off later in your playthrough.

This guide follows the natural progression shown in the video but expands on the “why,” so you can make smarter decisions instead of simply following instructions step-by-step.

Early Weapon Choices: Pick the Right Starting Tool

Early on, you’ll meet the Oddities Collector, an NPC who gives you your first meaningful choice: selecting one of four early weapons. While all four options sound appealing, two of them—the Panacea Fan and Infernal Twin Blades—can be found later with very little effort. That means your real decision should be between the Thunder Cry Blade and the Vernal Umbrella.

If you enjoy tanking hits and trading blows up close, Thunder Cry pairs nicely with early-game spear combinations and leads to a surprisingly solid defensive build. But if you prefer mobility and mid-range pressure, the Vernal Umbrella gives you more interesting combat options and is harder to obtain later, making it the smarter pick for most players.

Unlocking Heavenly Snatch: A Must-Have Utility Skill

Heavenly Snatch isn’t just a fun trick—it's one of the most important abilities in the entire early game. You’ll need it to access certain side quests, internal arts, and even weapon manuscripts. On top of that, it doubles as a powerful disarm move in combat, letting you steal an enemy’s weapon and throw it back at them for a quick stun.

Its location is easy to reach during early story progression, so make sure to grab it as soon as you enter Heaven’s Spear. Even if you’re not planning on pickpocket-heavy gameplay, the combat utility alone makes this ability an essential unlock.

This is also a good moment to mention that some players like to speed up their early progression with Where Winds Meet boosting, but personally I find that unlocking these skills naturally teaches you the flow of combat much better.

Meridian Touch: Solve Puzzles and Break Reinforced Posture

Just a little further west, you’ll encounter an NPC who teaches Meridian Touch after a short interaction. This ability might not look flashy at first glance, but it’s surprisingly important. Several puzzles require it, certain exploration paths remain locked without it, and some enemies use reinforced posture bars that can’t be broken by normal means.

Meridian Touch instantly removes that reinforcement, making tough fights dramatically easier. It’s also useful for interrupting heavy attacks, especially in early boss encounters where openings are limited.

Getting Your First Mount: Search for Better Horse Traits

While you can steal a horse early on, heading to Wild Mane Ranch lets you pick from a wider variety of mounts. Sneak up behind any horse, complete a simple button-matching sequence, and you’ll tame it. The difference between a basic mount and one with strong mobility perks is noticeable, especially when traveling long distances before unlocking flight abilities.

You can catch multiple horses, keep your favorite, and sell the rest to a merchant nearby for quick profit.

Meteor Flight: Your Real Movement Upgrade

The first major mobility ability is Meteor Flight, earned through the Afterglow side mission near a lakeside area. This unlock effectively gives you manual flight, allowing you to scale cliffs, reposition instantly, or skip long winding paths. It’s one of the most satisfying systems in Where Winds Meet, and it drastically reduces how often you’ll need fast travel.

Keep in mind that some regions restrict flight until you reach level four exploration progress. Look for keepsakes or permits earned through local activities—fast traveling to new areas, opening chests, completing side quests, and discovering hidden spots will push your progress forward quickly.

Touch of Death: High Burst Damage and Easy Assassinations

If you enjoy stealth or simply want a strong burst option, you should grab Touch of Death early. The skill is unlocked through a puzzle sequence inside Verdant Wilds Castle. After clearing the courtyard, solving a couple of simple symbol-matching puzzles, and exploring a hidden chamber, you’ll receive the assassination scroll.

It's extremely effective in early-game encounters, letting you take out tougher enemies or thin out crowds before a fight begins. Even in a game that doesn’t lean heavily on stealth, the extra damage alone makes it worthwhile.

Panacea Fan: Your Best Early Healing Tool

Among all early off-hand weapons, the Panacea Fan stands out. Its healing ability is fast, reliable, and sustainable, which makes a huge difference during boss fights or dungeon runs. You’ll unlock its martial arts through a skill theft encounter that requires a dragon key. Once inside, Touch of Death helps you sneak or clear guards quickly.

Don’t forget to grab the legendary internal art hidden in the back of the same area. Royal Remedy increases the healing effect of your water clone, improving your survivability without relying on consumables.

Here, some players start comparing efficiency and even look for cheap Where Winds Meet boosting services to speed up internal art farming. While it’s understandable for players who don’t enjoy stealth sections, taking the time to unlock the fan properly teaches you useful early-game mechanics.

Internal Arts: Building Your Character’s Passive Power

Internal arts are the game’s hidden powerhouse system, providing passive bonuses that amplify your weapon abilities. As you progress, you’ll find combinations that enhance healing, increase stance damage, improve flight control, or boost elemental attacks.

The key is to experiment with different arts early so you understand how they synergize. This also helps you identify which manuscripts are worth hunting down later, rather than wasting time on ones that don’t match your preferred weapon style.

A strong early-game setup in Where Winds Meet isn’t just about getting powerful quickly—it’s about unlocking tools that make the entire adventure smoother. From Heavenly Snatch to Meteor Flight, each ability adds new layers to exploration and combat. With the right mix of weapons, mobility skills, and internal arts, you’ll be fully prepared for everything the game throws at you.