Longsword Parry Build

Master the Longsword Parry (Deflect) build in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. Learn essential Impetus Repository skills, weapon choices, Jade Pendants, Benedictions, and Tempering for ultimate defense and offense.

As mentioned at the top, WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers has many playstyles available, and one of the more interesting ones is the Parry (or Deflect, using Sword Counter) build for the Longsword. By default, you’ll have to rely on dodging your foes to accrue Skyborn Might for the most part (there are a few exceptions, like Clash or Block), but once you find and unlock the Sword Counter Discipline on the Longsword tree, you’ll gain the ability to Deflect your enemy’s attacks.

You’ll need the two variant nodes related to Sword Counter to get the most out of the build, but when used effectively, you can parry any weapon attack and counter with your own follow-up, this is incredibly useful against enemies that use only weapons to attack, such as the boss at the end of Chapter 1.

There is, however, a small caveat to this build and what you can Deflect. As you may expect, magic is out of the question, so you’ll need to focus on avoiding that. More importantly, however, are martial attacks, such as kicks and punches, these cannot be deflected and can catch you off-guard if you’re not careful. Fortunately, even without focusing on Deflecting, this build will get the most out of the Longsword, so you can still deal heavy damage in those situations where parrying isn’t an option.

Impetus Repository Skills

As with all builds, the first, and most important part of the process is how and where to spend your Red Mercury. The Impetus Repository is a large skill tree that has many routes you can take, but fortunately, it’s rather simple on what key skills we recommend you learn, as shown in the tables below:

Longsword Tree

As the main goal for this build is the Sword Counter (Deflect/Parry) Discipline, you can, then, for the most part, ignore the other Disciplines, as you’ll never make use of them. With that in mind, your early-game goal is to get to Sword Counter as soon as possible, at which point you’ll pass through both Sword Saint and Windforce along the way.

Sword Saint will see you accrue a Skyborn Might for the second hit of your Light Attack combo, this is an incredibly easy way to generate it. Windforce will extend the skill tree so you can unlock more nodes, but it’s effect is also very strong. At the cost of one Skyborn Might, you can instantly use the Charged strong attack, this is a very powerful attack and, when used on the back of most enemies (including bosses), can often break them and allow you to use Obliterate, this is not to be underestimated!

The Strong Blade nodes are where you spend your Feathers to upgrade the strength of all Longswords, just bear in mind that all nodes outside of the final one has three levels for you to upgrade on (handy, as you’ll need to reach the bottom of the tree for the final node). Once you reach Sword Counter, be sure to unlock both Variants as well, this is extremely important for this build, and using Deflect in general. Variant I will cause an enemy to knock back after you deflect them, opening them up for Variant II, which is a counterattack, don’t use Sword Counter without both of these.

Sword Savant allows the third hit of your light attack combo to gain the Clash property, this will allow you to deflect most of an enemy’s attack if you hit them at the same time as you do. While there are better weapons for Clash (the Axe and Duals are focused around this), this is an added bow to both the Longsword and this build. Sword Master is an even better version of Sword Saint, seeing your fifth hit of your light attack combo generate a further two Skyborn Might, meaning a full combo will generate three Skyborn Might.

Beyond this, you’ll want to unlock all of the Strength+ and Agility+ nodes here, especially the ones that give you +5 for a single Red Mercury. On top of this, you can dip into the Spear tree and grab the +5 Strength and Agility nodes early in the trees there for little investment.

Illusive Tree

The Illusive Tree is found on the left side of the Impetus Repository and features all of the general nodes that apply to all weapons and builds. As such, we shouldn’t need to tell you to make sure you get all of the nodes that increase the efficacy of your Manna Vase, add charges to your Tempering, and increases your total max Skyborn Might allocation.

The first skill in this tree that is of interest of this build is the Steel Resolve skill, this requires you to grab Conversion on the way (which improves your Swift Draw attack), but once learned, will accrue one Skyborn Might when Deflecting when you are above 50% Madness, a very useful tool. The next skill, Health Siphon, is a useful skill for any melee weapon, as it will allow the last hit of your light attack combo to restore some health, provided you’re above 90% Madness.