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.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sword | S | A first playthrough, and for players who want the path with the fewest gaps | Hits in a straight line with reliable reach and clean single-target pressure. |
| Saber | A | Grouped encounters and players willing to spend a turn on positioning first | Strikes a column of tiles, which outperforms sword whenever enemies stack up in front of you and underperforms it when they scatter. |
| Polearm | A | Ambushes and mob fights where you would otherwise be flanked | Hits every tile adjacent to the wielder, so it is the only type that improves when you are surrounded. |
| Fist | B | Boss duels, where the whole fight is one enemy and reach barely matters | Unarmed combat, single-target and short reach, built for one-on-one duels rather than crowd control. |
| Hidden Weapon | B | Fragile party members and any fight where the front line needs to hold a chokepoint | Ranged attacks thrown from a safe distance, the only way to deal damage without putting a character on the front line. |
S-Tier: Sword
Hits in a straight line with reliable reach and clean single-target pressure. It is also the type the early game supports best, with the most manuals, the most gear and the Wudang storyline built around it.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | A first playthrough, and for players who want the path with the fewest gaps |
| Key Mechanic | Meridian Map |
| Recommended Build | Wudang Sect |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Sword: Pairs naturally with Wudang Sect thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Saber
Strikes a column of tiles, which outperforms sword whenever enemies stack up in front of you and underperforms it when they scatter. Strongly associated with the Xuanhuo Cult, which the game frames as a demonic sect.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Grouped encounters and players willing to spend a turn on positioning first |
| Key Mechanic | Cultivation Methods and Martial Points |
| Recommended Build | Shaolin Monastery |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Saber: Pairs naturally with Shaolin Monastery thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Polearm
Hits every tile adjacent to the wielder, so it is the only type that improves when you are surrounded. Shaolin teaches polearm techniques alongside its hand-to-hand arts.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Ambushes and mob fights where you would otherwise be flanked |
| Key Mechanic | Tiled combat board |
| Recommended Build | Beggars' Sect |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Polearm: Pairs naturally with Beggars' Sect thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Fist
Unarmed combat, single-target and short reach, built for one-on-one duels rather than crowd control. Shaolin's hand-to-hand tradition is the main source of these arts.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Boss duels, where the whole fight is one enemy and reach barely matters |
| Key Mechanic | Turn-based and real-time switching |
| Recommended Build | Xuanhuo Cult |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Fist: Pairs naturally with Xuanhuo Cult thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Hidden Weapon
Ranged attacks thrown from a safe distance, the only way to deal damage without putting a character on the front line. It pairs naturally with a companion who cannot survive melee.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Fragile party members and any fight where the front line needs to hold a chokepoint |
| Key Mechanic | Wudang rank progression |
| Recommended Build | Mingjian Manor |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Hidden Weapon: Pairs naturally with Mingjian Manor thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Luo Village
- Saber → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Polearm → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Sword → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Put Martial Points into Cultivation Methods before individual moves. Cultivation levels are the only source of Meridian Points, and Meridian Points buy attribute gains and passive abilities across all six vessels, so they compound in a way a single upgraded move never does.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
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 Combat Guide
- Wandering Sword Boss Guide
- Wandering Sword Maps & Locations
- Wandering Sword Crafting Guide
- Wandering Sword Classes & Characters
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