Like many Soulslike titles, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty offers a variety of viable weapons. You can beat the game with any weapon in the game if you’re dedicated to mastering and upgrading it properly. While Wo Long is designed to support a variety of weapons, those looking for the best weapons for the early part of the game will find that some are simply better than others.
Here are some of the best early-game weapons in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and where you are most likely to find them.
White Wooden Cudgel
At the moment, the White Wooden Cudgel is generally considered to be the best early-game weapon in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. This simple wooden stick may not look like much, but it packs an incredible punch.
The Cudgel’s main draw is its innate ability that restores additional Spirit whenever you land a melee attack. It’s a ridiculously powerful skill that makes the Wooden Cudgel useful for the entire game. Furthermore, the Cudgel offers surprisingly powerful per-strike damage for its speed, and its range is wide enough to allow you to keep most enemies at a relatively comfortable distance. It also scales well with the Wood Virtue: the most valuable Virtue in the early game.
You may be able to find the White Wooden Cudgel as a random drop in the game’s first two levels, but you can definitely buy it from the first blacksmith you meet (it’ll set you back 10,000 coins). You hit the jackpot if you found an upgraded version of this weapon, but even the base version is still worth picking up.
Feathered Cavalry Bow
Generally speaking, you want to use a Bow over a Crossbow for your Wo Long ranged weapon. Crossbows are a little too clunky and slow for all but the tankiest of characters. While the basic Bamboo Bow will serve you well, the Feathered Cavalry Bow is the real prize of the early game.
This incredible bow is slightly quicker than its early-game competition, which really helps make up for its slightly lower base attack power. Being able to fire off more shots more accurately is generally more useful than raw per-shot power. It’s especially useful in the hands of Water Virtue players going for a stealth/ranger build.
I’m sadly not sure of a guaranteed way to find the Feathered Calvarly Bow. I (and others) acquired it as a random drop in the first few missions, but I’ll let you know if someone finds a guaranteed way to secure this ranged weapon.
Chivalrous Swordsman Dual Swords
Dual Swords can be devastating in the hands of the right Wo Long player, and the Chivalrous Swordsman Dual Swords may just be the best Dual Swords you’ll have access to in the early part of the game.
The Chivalrous Swordsman Dual Swords attack speed honestly feels a bit broken at the moment. No, they don’t do a lot of damage per strike, but that tends not to matter when you can unleash a flurry of blows that are augmented by your other abilities. Pair these swords with a leveled-up Fire Virtue character, and you’ll become a flaming hurricane of death that is constantly generating Spirit and unleashing specials.
The easiest way to acquire this weapon is to complete “The Demon Fort of the Yellow Heaven” mission. While that’s a little later into the game than some of the other weapons on this list, these swords are worth your patience.
Podao (Curved Sabre)
There are a few weapons in Wo Long that carry the Podao name, but be sure to accept no substitutes. The one you’re looking for is the Podao Curved Sword.
This sword offers a nice array of general combat benefits. Its above-average attack speed and respectable range allow you to take the fight to most enemies while keeping them staggered. This sword’s deflect ability is also pretty generous for an early weapon. The Podao also scales well with the Metal Virtue, which makes it especially valuable for “battle mage” character builds. Even the basic version of this sword also offers an HP increase, which is obviously valuable regardless of your build.
The easiest place to find the Padao is during the “Two Chivalrous Heroes” mission. You will almost certainly find one as an enemy drop or in a chest, but you may have to farm the enemies in this area a bit before you finally get one. Don’t leave that area without it, though.
Ring Pommel Sabre
Yes, the Ring Pommel Sabre is one of the earliest weapons you’ll acquire in Wo Long. However, it’s one of those Soulslike weapons that you’ll actually be able to use for the rest of the game if you choose to do so.
The Ring Pommel Sabre is an incredibly fast sword that also happens to feature an impressive “Deflect Difficulty” rating. That means that this sword gives you a slightly more generous deflect window than some other early-game weapons. That ability allows you to figure out the game’s deflect system a bit quicker, and it pairs very well with this sword’s impressive attack speed. Deflect, follow up with a few quick attacks, and repeat. You get the idea.
You start the game with a version of this weapon, so you don’t really have to do anything to acquire it. However, you may be able to find an upgraded version of this sword as early as the first level. Definitely invest in the upgraded version of this weapon if you’re lucky enough to snag one.
Bronze Poleaxe
I generally prefer quicker weapons in Wo Long, but a slower, more powerful weapon can cause havoc in the right hands. If that’s the kind of weapon you’re looking for, give the Bronze Poleaxe a shot.
The Bronze Poleaxe offers some impressive Spirit Attack damage that some tankier builds will most certainly want to utilize. While certainly slow, this weapon doesn’t completely sabotage your mobility as many other heavier weapons tend to do. It’s also a complete powerhouse at close ranges that still offers enough range to allow you to keep lesser enemies at a comfortable distance. It just offers a nice blend of power, range, and reliability.
You should be able to find a Bronze Poleaxe during the “Valley of the Crying Wraiths” mission. That early main mission is filled with enemies that can potentially drop this weapon, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding one with a little patience and farming.
Cavalry Javelin
Speed and range are two of the most important weapon attributes in Wo Long, and the Calvarly Javelin happens to excel in both those areas.
Like many spears in other Soulslike games, the Cavalry Javelin is designed to allow you to poke at enemies from a comfortable distance. What makes this spear special, though, is its surprisingly generous attack speed. While not as fast as Dual Swords, the Cavalry Javelin’s attack speed is much quicker than its base attack power suggests it would be. It also scales very well with the Wood Virtue, which is something that you’re almost always looking for in starting weapons.
You can definitely find this in the “Flying Swallow of Heishan” sub-mission area (a Level 20 submission), though I’ve heard reports of players finding one even earlier than that as a random drop. Even if you acquire this weapon slightly later, though, it’s more than worth the trouble.