Wandering Sword is a pixel-art wuxia RPG from The Swordman Studio, published by Spiral Up Games and released on 14 September 2023. You play a young swordsman who nearly dies in a feud, then works his way through more than 75 locations across five regions of an ancient China setting. Combat runs on a tiled board that you can switch between turn-based and real-time, and character growth comes from Cultivation Methods feeding Meridian Points into a six-vessel Meridian Map.
Wandering Sword features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luo Village | Opening chapters | First weapon manuals, early companions, the basics of forging | Shaolin Monastery |
| 2 | Mount Wudang | Early to late, revisited across the whole campaign | Wudang cultivation methods and swordplay, sect rank privileges | Shaolin Monastery |
| 3 | Pingkang City | Early to mid game | Forging materials, merchants, several recruitable companions | Wudang Sect |
| 4 | Gusu City | Mid game | Sword Appreciation Assembly rewards, festival-only encounters | Wudang Sect |
| 5 | Mount Tianshan | Endgame | The closing duel, the highest tier martial arts in the game | Wudang Sect |
Luo Village: Starting Area
An early Central Plains settlement and the site of one of the first main story chapters, following the incident at the Valley of Dragons' Slumber. It is where the game teaches the tiled board before the difficulty arrives.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Opening chapters |
| Key Rewards | First weapon manuals, early companions, the basics of forging |
| Recommended Build | Shaolin Monastery |
| Key Equipment | Saber |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Meridian Map. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Mount Wudang.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Mount Wudang: Early Game
The Taoist sect in the south-western Central Plains and the only sect you actually join, as part of the main story. Members specialise in sword, fist and saber techniques, and the rank ladder here runs from Senior Disciple to Zhenwu Hall Chief Disciple.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Early to late, revisited across the whole campaign |
| Key Rewards | Wudang cultivation methods and swordplay, sect rank privileges |
| Recommended Build | Shaolin Monastery |
| Key Equipment | Saber |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Cultivation Methods and Martial Points. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Saber if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Pingkang City.
Pingkang City: Mid Game
One of the four major cities of the Central Plains and the setting for two separate main story chapters. City hubs like this are where forging, trading and the denser side quest content live.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Early to mid game |
| Key Rewards | Forging materials, merchants, several recruitable companions |
| Recommended Build | Wudang Sect |
| Key Equipment | Saber |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Sword becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Tiled combat board for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Gusu City: Late Game
The Jiangnan city that hosts the Sword Appreciation Assembly and the Gusu Lantern Festival chapters. Timed story events here are a common source of permanently missed content for players who rush the main quest.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Mid game |
| Key Rewards | Sword Appreciation Assembly rewards, festival-only encounters |
| Recommended Build | Wudang Sect |
| Key Equipment | Sword |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Sword should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Wudang rank progression mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Mount Tianshan.
Mount Tianshan: Endgame
The far western mountain that hosts the final duel chapter of the main story. By the time you reach it, the encounters assume a fully developed Meridian Map and forged endgame gear.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Endgame |
| Key Rewards | The closing duel, the highest tier martial arts in the game |
| Recommended Build | Wudang Sect |
| Key Equipment | Sword |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Mingjian Manor for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Luo Village → Mount Wudang → Pingkang City → Gusu City → Mount Tianshan. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Wandering Sword Guides
- Wandering Sword Wandering Sword Overview
- Wandering Sword Best Builds
- Wandering Sword Tier List
- Wandering Sword Walkthrough
- Wandering Sword Beginner's Guide
- Wandering Sword Tips & Tricks
- Wandering Sword Weapons Guide
- Wandering Sword Combat Guide
- Wandering Sword Boss Guide
- Wandering Sword Crafting Guide
- Wandering Sword Classes & Characters
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