Wuthering Waves is an upcoming free-to-play action role-playing game by Kuro Games, the company behind Punishing Gray Raven. The game is set to release on May 22, 2024, and will be available on PC, Android & iOS on release. Kuro Games has confirmed that the game will also be released on consoles, just not right at launch.
If you haven’t downloaded the game already, from their Official Website, the Epic Games Store, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store!
Wuthering Waves offers a large seamlessly accessible open world with a rich and diverse narrative, arguably the best action combat in the genre (rivaled only by PGR by the same company), and numerous amazing characters. Players take on the role of Rovers, who awaken from a long slumber and embark on adventures across a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world called Solaris-3.
In this beginner’s guide, you will find everything you need to know about Wuthering Waves! From exploration, combat, gacha system, echoes, and characters, to what to do & what not to do & some important tips!
System Requirements
Before we begin with the guide here are the PC system requirements for the game as per their Epic Games store page:
PC – Minimum System Requirements
- OS version: Windows 10 64bit or Windows 11 64bit
- CPU: intel i5 (9th Gen) / Ryzen 2700
- Memory: 16GB
- GPU: GTX 1060 / RX 570
- Storage: 30GB
PC – Recommended System Requirements
- OS version: Windows 10 64bit or Windows 11 64bit
- CPU: intel i7 (9th Gen) / Ryzen 3700
- Memory: 16GB and Above
- GPU: GTX 2060 / RX 5700XT and Above
- Storage: 30GB
Supported Languages
- Audio: Chinese (Simplified), Japanese, Korean, English.
- Text: English, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Japanese, Korean, French, German, Spanish (Spain).
Exploration
Solaris-3, also known as Sol-III is the third planet from the Sun. A world of chaos and change, in which old conventions are abandoned and disasters abound. Human civilization struggles to survive in this new era of destruction and rebirth, confronting unknown challenges with unwavering determination.
Players can freely roam the diverse areas of Solaris 3 to discover treasure chests, enemies, puzzles, and more. Thorough exploration is essential for faster progression, as opening chests, completing side quests, and defeating bosses for the first time rewards you with Union level experience, Astrite, and other valuable items.
Exploring the open world has never been more fun and effortless, you can grapple large distances both vertically and horizontally, run up walls, do backflips, and much more.
Combat
Combat in Wuthering Waves is extremely dynamic. While you can create teams with three Resonators (characters), only one will be available on the field, but you can switch between them anytime. The switch mechanic is built into the character kits, as each has an Intro and Outro skill that activates when they appear or leave the field.
Every character has their own weapon and combat style. What makes Wuthering Waves different from other games in the genre is that along with the usual combat mechanics in these games like normal attacks, heavy/charge attacks, skills, and ultimates, players can also perfect-dodge & parry the enemy’s attacks so be sure to practice your parrying and dodging skills.
If you dodge at the right moment during an attack, you will activate Extreme Evasion. This slows time for a brief moment, allowing you to skip to the final step of your normal attack combo. Your i-frames (frames of invincibility) will last as long as you do not attack and continue to dodge. You can only dash to dodge twice before it goes on internal cooldown. Swapping characters can reset the internal cooldown.
Each character also has their own Intro and Outro skill as mentioned earlier. To activate these skills when switching between characters, you must have a full Resonance Energy gauge. Before sending your characters into battle, learn the effects of their Intro and Outro skills, and plan your rotation.
As for attributes (elements) of the characters, they are:
- Spectro (Light)
- Havoc (Dark)
- Fusion (Fire)
- Aero (Wind)
- Glacio (Ice)
- Electro
Weapons
There are five types of weapons: sword, broadsword, gun, rectifier, and gauntlets. Each has a unique playstyle, animation, attack pattern, and the number of Normal Attacks.
Note that all weapons can mine any ore or break any stone. Certain weapon types, such as guns and rectifiers, have different parry methods or are incapable of parrying altogether. Some are achieved through a plunging attack, while others require skill.
Gacha System
In Wuthering Waves, the primary method for obtaining new Resonators and Weapons is through a gacha system. It is typically the only way to obtain the most rare Resonators and Weapons.
Wuthering Waves’ gacha banners are called Convene. To roll on the gacha or convening, you must use either Astrites, the gacha currency, or Tides, the gacha tickets. Astrites and Tides can be obtained from various in-game sources, including missions, events, and specific shops. 160 Astrite can be exchanged for one of the three types of tides: lustrous, radiant, or forging.
- Lustrous Tides are applied to the Novice Convene, the Character Permanent Convene, and the Weapon Permanent Convene.
- Radiant Tides are used during the Character Event Convene.
- Forging Tides are used during the Weapon Event Convene.
Guarantee/Pity: 10 Convenes is the guarantee for a 4★ Resonator or Weapon whereas 80 Convenes is the guarantee for a 5★ Resonator or Weapon (this will be a 50/50 between the event character and standard banner character but will be a 100% guarantee to the event weapon on the weapon banner). This counter resets every time the player obtains a 4★ or 5★ Resonator or Weapon respectively.
Echoes
Echoes function as armor and accessories in this game, providing Resonators with various stat boosts, including HP, ATK, and Energy Regeneration. Equipping Echoes is essential for increasing your Resonator’s stats significantly. Each Echo comes with an active ability, but only the Echo in the first slot has its ability available for use. There are five Echo slots, and the arrangement of the remaining four slots doesn’t affect gameplay.
Each Echo has a COST requirement ranging from 1 to 4 based on its Class, and each Resonator has a starting COST limit of 10, which can be upgraded to 12 via Data Dock upgrades. Resonators can only equip Echoes within their COST limit.
There are four Echo Classes:
- Common (1-COST)
- Elite (3-COST)
- Overlord (4-COST)
- Calamity (4-COST)
Echoes have two main stats and up to five sub-stats. The primary main stats vary by class, while the secondary main stat is fixed:
- Common (HP%, ATK%, DEF%)
- Elite (HP%, ATK%, DEF%, Energy Regen%, Elemental Damage Boost*)
- Overlord (HP%, ATK%, DEF% Crit Rate%, Crit DMG%, Healing Bonus%)
- Calamity (HP%, ATK%, DEF% Crit Rate%, Crit DMG%, Healing Bonus%)
Note that Elite Class Echoes offer Elemental Damage Boost specific to one of the six elements, not an all-encompassing boost.
Depending on the Echo Class, the set secondary main stats are:
- Common (Flat HP)
- Elite (Flat ATK)
- Overlord (Flat ATK)
- Calamity (Flat ATK)
Collecting Echoes
When you defeat a Tacet Discord (monster enemy), it may leave you with an Echo to absorb. The drop rate and rarity of the Echo absorbed is determined by your Data Dock level.
Enemies around the world will reset every day. This timer is unique to each world, so you can join another player’s world to farm more Echoes (keep in mind that co-op unlocks at Union Level 30). In co-op, loot is personal, so every player in the instance has a chance to obtain an Echo after a kill. This means that you can farm Echoes indefinitely and more effectively by collaborating with other players and rotating worlds.
Terminal
The Terminal is a device that lets you catch echoes when you defeat enemies, with a 6% drop rate. The Terminal has 20 levels and higher levels increase echo drop rate and rarity.
To level up the Terminal, collect one echo from each enemy. And every few levels increase the drop rate and max rarity, up to 20% drop rate by level 10. If max rarity echo isn’t obtained, the next highest rarity is given instead. Your Union Level must be high enough to level up the Terminal.
Echoes have five rarity ranks (1★ to 5★); rarer echoes give more EXP. The highest rarity echoes that grant EXP are 4★.
Leveling the Terminal provides rewards such as gacha currency, increased max stamina, and Wavematter refreshes.
Union Level
Union Level is your overall account level, increased by acquiring Union EXP through completing in-game missions, events, and spending Waveplate (the game’s stamina system). As your Union Level rises, you unlock additional game features such as Daily Activities and can ascend your Resonators and Weapons more times, raising their level cap. The maximum Union Level is sixty, and higher levels make overworld enemies more difficult.
As your Union Level increases, the SOL3 Phase also rises, making enemies more challenging but also increasing rewards. The SOL3 Phase increases every 10 Union Levels, and you can switch between unlocked phases every 24 hours.
Every 20 Union Levels, you must complete the Phase Ascension Challenge at the Training Area by fighting bosses to rank up your Phase. As your Phase Rank increases, so do the drop rates and rarities of enemies’ drops, although Echo drop rates and rarities are determined by your Terminal level, not Phase Rank.
You can earn 150 Union EXP for every 20 Wavematter spent. Additionally, Union EXP can be gained from Main Story, Side Quests, Chests, and Puzzles, with the amount depending on the chest’s rarity.
Waveplates
The stamina system in Wuthering Waves is called Waveplate. It is used to obtain and upgrade materials from resource and boss dungeons. Their regeneration rate is 1 every 6 minutes, with a maximum storage of 240. Up to 240 Waveplates can be generated daily.
Waveplates can be replenished using Crystal Solvent, an in-game consumable rewarded from missions, which grants 60 Waveplates instantly, or by using Astrites.
Here’s a list of content where you spend Wavematter:
- Training Zone: 40.
- Weapon | Forte materials: 40.
- Tacet Field: 40
- World Bosses: 60.
- Weekly Bosses: 60.
Tower of Adversity
Tower of Adversity is a special end-game content available in Wuthering Waves after players have completed the main story quest and reached a certain Union Level via Challenges and Boss battles. Once unlocked, players can challenge the Tower of Adversity as many times as they want to earn special rewards from it.
The tower challenges are divided into Zones, each of which contains a unique set of challenges with varying amounts and types of enemies that must be defeated in order to clear the tower.
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