Like many of the best Soulslike games, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty allows you to create dynamic and exciting character builds. Like many of the best Soulslike games, though, Wo Long doesn’t make the possibilities of its build process very obvious. Creating a truly powerful character in this game requires you to understand its many mechanics and utilize the various advantages they offer as often as possible.
Before we dive into that topic a little deeper, here are a few general points to consider:
– The level cap in Wo Long is massive (if a true level cap even exists). As such, it’s difficult to give exact Virtue point figures you should be shooting for. Instead, you’ll find primary, secondary, and tertiary Virtues for each build. For example, unless stated otherwise, you’ll want to have about 50 points in your primary Virtue, 5-10 points in your secondary Virtue, and the remaining points in your tertiary Virtue by the time you hit Level 60.
– The weapons, armor, Divine Beast, and spell recommendations are all based on ideal endgame options. Along the way, you’ll want to get as close as possible to these late-game builds via the gear you find and purchase. You’ll find more information on how to do that in the build descriptions below.
– Finally, be sure to take advantage of Wo Long‘s generous respec options in order to experiment with different build possibilities and whatever adjustments you may need to make to existing builds in order to overcome the unique demands of specific encounters.
With that out of the way, here are some powerful builds to shoot for in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty:
Flaming Spellsword Build (Fire Virtue)
Primary Spells: Amplify Damage, Fiend Vanquisher, Engulfing Inferno, Blasting Flare
Weapons: Tiger Fang Dual Halbreds, Sky Piercing Halbred
Divine Beast: Tengshe
Armor: Young Conqueror Set
Primary Stats: Fire, Earth (Secondary), Wood (Tertiary)
This incredible build from FightinCowboy (an always reliable source for Soulslike information) focuses on speed and Fire damage. It’s actually perhaps best thought of as a lightning-fast version of the basic “battlemage” concept.
Spell-wise, this build relies on some simple (yet powerful) Fire spells to deal massive damage to larger enemies. Blasting Flare is your quick cast “get back” spell that scales well with all of your damage amplification abilities/enhancements, while Engulfing Inferno is a brilliant AoE spell that can stun enemies and keep them engulfed in flames.
The next two spell slots are a little more versatile. Fiend Vanquisher is a powerful charge ability that works well against large targets, but it does demand a staggering 30 Earth Virtue points. That may put it out of reach for many during the early part of the game as you’ll want to hit about 40-50 Fire points as soon as possible. In that case, Flame Weapon could be an interesting early-game substitute. Similarly, Amplify Damage is a powerful buff ability that increases the damage you deal and receive. If that last attribute put a little too much heat in the kitchen for you, then you can swap it out for another buff spell from the Wood tree or something else you feel comfortable with.
Your primary weapon should definitely be on the faster side in order to take advantage of the Fire Virtue’s natural melee attack benefits. Eventually, you’ll want to look for the Tiger Fang Dual Halbreds. Your armor should also be on the lighter side since you won’t be investing in your Earth points until later, though you’re generally prioritizing anything that scales well with the Fire Virtue and offers the appropriate attack speed/elemental effect bonuses.
Regardless, the idea here is to use your lightning-quick melee attacks to cut through lesser enemies, your Fire spells to melt through larger foes, and a hefty amount of Burn damage to go around for everyone. Your Fire Virtue bonuses will grant you a ton of extra Spirit through your melee attacks (an attribute that can be further buffed via enhancements and gear), your attack speed will be somewhere around ludicrous, and you’ll be pumping out a surprising amount of spell damage all the while. It’s a very powerful build.
Stealth Assassin Build (Water Virtue)
Primary Spells: Alacrity Haste, Unseeable Form/Ice Weapon, Ominous Chill, Aqua Blink
Weapons: Feathered Calvralry Bow, Mounted Bandit Scimitars
Divine Beast: Baize
Armor: Stalwart Tiger Servant Set
Primary Stats: Water, Wood (Secondary), Metal (Tertiary)
Truth be told, there are more balanced versions of this basic concept out there. However, I’m leaning into the theme of this build a bit more by emphasizing some of its more unique attributes.
The good news is that this build excels during non-boss fights. You can use a combination of Alacrity Haste and Unseeable Form to sneak around most battlefields, raise a few flags, and buff yourself up. Many enemies can then be easily picked apart by your devastating ranged attacks. Alternatively, you can always sneak around them for critical strikes or just ignore them entirely. It’s a ton of fun.
Battles against larger targets in the world are where things get a little tricky. For the most part, you’re still going to use Unseeable Form and your natural stealth skills to sneak in a critical blow on those larger targets at the start of the fight. If that doesn’t kill, them…well, that’s where things get tricky. Generally speaking, you want to use Alacrity Haste and Aqua Blink to create some extra distance during those fights and give yourself room for ranged/spell attacks.
Against bosses (and some larger single targets out in the world), you’ll want to swap out some of your stealth/movement spells for anything that can help you build Chill damage. Ice Weapon is an obvious choice so far as that goes, and Ominous Chill is one of the most powerful high-end Wizardry Spells in the game. Aqua Blink is still useful during boss fights, though your mileage with that ability may vary based on your preference.
Anything you can find that will enhance your Chill or Water damage along the way will be an invaluable asset. I’m opting for the Dual Sabres due to the eventual Stalwart Tiger Servant Set bonus that targets that weapon class, but you may be swapping out weapons as needed in the meantime. The good news is that Water-focused players naturally excel at deflecting attacks without consuming much Spirit, so players who excel at their deflection timing should have an advantage during boss fights and other tough battles.
Overall, this build really excels in the world thanks to its powerful ranged attacks, devastating critical strikes, and stealth skills. With enough practice and a few spells swaps, you can certainly make it through boss fights as well.
The Immovable Object Build (Earth Virtue)
Primary Spells: Illusionary Shell, Fiend Vanquisher, Quakebound, Stone Weapon/Absorb Vitality/Focus Zone
Weapons: Heavy Cavalry Spear
Divine Beast: Yinglong
Armor: Unflinching Bravery Set
Primary Stats: Earth, Wood (Secondary Stat), Water (Tertiary)
One of the most interesting things about this “Tank” build is its stat distribution. Yes, you’re going to want to put a lot of points in Earth Virtue for the talents alone, but this build doesn’t go quite as hard into its primary Virtue as others do. You’ll actually want quite a few Wood points as well for the HP buffs and other Wood benefits.
So, at level 60, you’ll want about 40 Wood points for Illusionary Shell (and the equipment weight cap you hit at 35 Earth points) and 15-20 points in Wood. The third stat is kind of up to you. I like Water for how it synergizes with our weapon and deflects, but Fire and Metal offer benefits to melee and spell-focused players, respectively.
In any case, the strategy with this build is as simple as it gets. You use your heavy armor and defensive abilities to withstand mighty blows and your buffed deflect skills to open up windows for devastating melee attacks. Much of your damage will come from those powerful melee strikes, though you’ll want to rely on the Stone ailment to wear down larger foes over time.
Quakebound and Stone Weapon are your best early sources for Stone damage, though you can eventually enhance your gear with Stone-friendly attributes. You can also use that final spell slot for an attack spell that generates additional Stone damage (preferably Stone Weapon), though Illusionary Shell and Fiend Vanquisher are irreplaceable. You also want to consider using some of those incredible buff abilities from the Wood tree, though which ones you use and when will depend on your preferences and the situation.
Your choice of secondary weapon is up to you, but the Heavy Cavalry Spear is a must. It scales exceptionally well with the Earth and Wood Virtues and is a great little weapon on its own. Similarly, the Unflinching Bravery Set is the ultimate ate prize for tank players, but you’re just looking for good heavy armor with the appropriate attributes/stat bonuses until you’re able to acquire that set.
While not the most exciting way to play the game, this style of tank build is incredibly powerful and perfect for those looking to play things a bit safer.
Poison Swamp Build (Metal Virtue)
Primary Spells: Venom Snare, Thorn Shot, Life Wither, Molten Calamity Thorn
Weapons: Sword of Yu the Great
Divine Beast: Tengshe
Armor: Evil Taoist
Primary Stats: Metal, Wood (Secondary), Fire or Water (Tertiary)
It’s tempting (and possible) to create a kind of pure sorcerer build in Wo Long via the magic-focused Metal Virtue. However, it’s difficult to rely on magic alone in this game. That’s why I’m focusing on one of the other core elements of the Metal Virtue: Poison and Toxins.
Your primary spells are the core of this build. As you level and gain Morale points, you’re looking to equip any spells and items that will inflict Poison and other ailments on your enemies. Thorn Shot is one of the most valuable spells in this build regardless of your rank, though you’ll eventually want to try to acquire all of the spells listed above.
Once you have your ideal set of spells, the strategy is simple. Use Thorn Shot, Life Wither, and (if necessary), Venom Snare on your enemies. Those spells will deal sufficient damage over time to lesser foes, though you may need to finish them off with melee attacks in the early part of the game. Ideally, those melee attacks will be enhanced by the Toxin Weapon spell (or whatever Poison enhancements you happen to acquire).
Against single targets (and bosses), you’re still looking to curse them as much as possible before engaging. This time, though, you’ll be using Molten Calamity Thorn to convert all of those ailments you inflicted upon the enemy into massive burst damage. One Calamity Thorn attack will be enough to take down many enemies, but you will need to rinse and repeat that process on bosses.
Sword of Yu the Great is here to complete the powerful Evil Taoist set, but that is a late-game option. Before you acquire your absolute best weapons and gear, you’re looking for anything that synergizes with your stats, keeps your equipment weight low, and preferably offers either Poison/Toxin damage or enhances your overall Wizardry Spell damage. Get enough of that kind of gear early on, and you’ll be laughing.
This is just a fantastic build that has the added benefit of scaling well throughout all phases of the game. You can activate the core components early on and they just grow more powerful as you level up.
Spear of Lightning Build (Wood Virtue)
Primary Spells: Lighting Weapon, Inner Breath, Absorb Vitality, Amplify Damage
Weapons: Unparalleled Spear
Divine Beast: Qinglong
Armor: Dauntless Tiger Servant Set
Primary Stats: Wood, Earth (Secondary), Fire (Tertiary)
Making a Wood build in Wo Long is surprisingly tricky. While Wood is the most valuable overall Virtue in the game, it’s a little tricky to build around it. Many Wood spells and skills are there to enhance other elements of the game rather than offer a wholly unique playstyle.
That’s why I love this build from the good folks at FextraLife. It’s a little “tanky” like many Wood builds are, but it focuses on some of the more aggressive elements of the Wood Virtue. Namely, it uses Lightning Weapon and the Unparalleled Spear’s “Whistling Vortex” Martial Art to generate the extra damage that a pure Wood build typically lacks. While you can replace some of this build’s offensive and defensive buff abilities with additional Lightning attacks if you choose to do so, you’re missing out by not taking advantage of those incredible Wood buffs. Basically, consider this a more aggressive version of a tank build.
Whatever you do, don’t replace Inner Breath. It’s an incredibly powerful spell that allows you to fill your Divine Beat gauge more quickly. Given that Qinglong offers incredible defensive and offensive buff abilities that scale well with everything that this build is trying to do, you’ll want to summon it as often as possible.
While you’re waiting on Unparalled Spear and your best armor, you can use any heavy armor that fits your weight limit and any weapon that scales well with your stats. Your spells and Divine Beast are the core elements of this build, and you can rely on them relatively early on. Eventually, you’ll also want to support your Lightning damage and Divine Beast gauge via weapon and gear enhancements.
This is just a solid overall build that is perfect for beginners looking for extra survivability and can easily last you through the entire game.