Best Mental Methods for Each Build - Where Winds Meet (2025)
Not sure which Mental Methods to level up? This guide cuts through the noise.
Below you'll find ready-to-copy loadouts for every major build in Where Winds Meet, plus the reasoning behind each pick. Stop wasting manuals on Mental Methods that don't fit your playstyle.
How Mental Methods Work (30-Second Version)
- You equip 4 Mental Methods at once
- Each has 6 tiers — higher tiers unlock stronger effects
- Some are universal (good for everyone), others are build-specific
- Upgrade priority matters: a Tier 6 core Mental Method beats four Tier 2 random ones
For locations and how to obtain each Mental Method, see our Complete Mental Methods Guide.
Universal Mental Methods (Every Build Wants These)
Before we get into build-specific picks, these work with any playstyle:
| Mental Method | Effect | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Melody of Yi River | Universal damage buff. Tier 6 = 15% team damage. | ★★★★★ |
| Shenglong Huohu | Max HP + damage resistance. Survival staple. | ★★★★☆ |
| Nameless Mental Method | Balanced early-game stats. Free from sign-in. | ★★★☆☆ (early game) |
Rule of thumb: If you don't know what to pick, Melody of Yi River is never wrong.
Build-Specific Loadouts
1. Nameless Sword (Starter DPS)
Playstyle: Ranged Qi projectiles + spear burst. Safe, consistent, scales well.
| Slot | Mental Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Nameless Mental Method | Tier 1 enables shieldless multi-projectile. Tier 3 stacks damage buff. |
| Stamina | Qianshanfa | Stamina recovery + max stamina. Sustains projectile spam. |
| Damage | Weimengge | Charged attack damage boost. Direct multiplier on main damage. |
| Flex | Melody of Yi River | Universal buff. Swap for Liaoyuan Xinghuo if stamina issues persist. |
Upgrade Priority: Nameless IA (Tier 1) → Nameless IA (Tier 3) → Qianshanfa → Weimengge
Full guide: Nameless Sword Build Guide
2. Umbrella + Rope Dart (T0 PvE DPS)
Playstyle: Perfect Catch mechanic, high skill ceiling, top-tier damage.
| Slot | Mental Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Wangchuan Juexiang | Build-defining. Light attacks ignore defense + Bamboo Cut resistance. |
| Penetration | Duanshi Zhigou | 15% external attack penetration at 3 stacks. Huge boss damage. |
| Damage | Melody of Yi River | Universal buff. Team damage at Tier 6. |
| Flex | Weimengge OR Suohen Niannian | Charged damage OR poison debuff. Both viable. |
Upgrade Priority: Wangchuan Juexiang (Tier 6) → Duanshi Zhigou (Tier 3) → Melody of Yi River
Critical Note: This build is T1 until Wangchuan Juexiang hits Tier 6. Don't switch to Umbrella early — use Nameless Sword until you have resources.
Full guide: Umbrella + Rope Dart Build Guide
3. Nine Swords / Strategic Sword (Precision Burst)
Playstyle: Bleed stacking, crit-focused, rewards precise timing.
| Slot | Mental Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Jianqi Zongheng | Sword Qi damage + pursuit damage. |
| Precision | Ningshenzang | Builds "Perception" stacks → crit damage + damage reduction. |
| Damage | Melody of Yi River | Universal buff. |
| Burst | Zhengren Gui | Tier 6 removes debuffs, massive burst window. |
Upgrade Priority: Jianqi Zongheng → Ningshenzang → Melody of Yi River → Zhengren Gui (only at Tier 6)
4. Heaven Quake Spear / Nine Curves Spear (Sustained DPS)
Playstyle: Combo chains, buff stacking, consistent pressure.
| Slot | Mental Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Zhulang Xinjing | Lowers combo buff trigger threshold. Faster ramp-up. |
| Stamina | Qianshanfa | Stamina sustain for long rotations. |
| Damage | Melody of Yi River | Universal buff. |
| Flex | Liaoyuan Xinghuo | Stamina refund on consumption. Pairs with Qianshanfa. |
Upgrade Priority: Zhulang Xinjing → Qianshanfa → Melody of Yi River
5. Mo Blade (Tank / Off-Tank)
Playstyle: High survivability, AoE damage, team protection.
| Slot | Mental Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Shanhe Jueyun | Mo Blade exclusive. Massive AoE damage boost. |
| Defense | Kangzao Dafa | External defense + Qi shield. |
| Survival | Tieshen Jue | Huge defense boost. True tank mode. |
| HP | Shenglong Huohu | Max HP + damage resistance. |
For DPS-focused Mo Blade: Swap Tieshen Jue for Weimengge + Yijing Yiwu.
Upgrade Priority (Tank): Shanhe Jueyun → Kangzao Dafa → Shenglong Huohu
6. Healer Fan / Support
Playstyle: Team healing, buff uptime, CC resistance.
| Slot | Mental Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Junchen Yao | Healer exclusive. "Watching Clouds Rise" restores extra Dew (healing resource). |
| Healing | Xinghua Bujian | Healing effectiveness + HP recovery. Unlocks "Nurturing" effect. |
| Team Buff | Melody of Yi River | 15% team damage at Tier 6. Yes, even healers want this. |
| Self-Protect | Zhixuan Pianzhu | Skill accuracy + CC resistance. Don't get interrupted mid-heal. |
Upgrade Priority: Junchen Yao → Xinghua Bujian → Melody of Yi River
Warning: Don't equip DPS Mental Methods on healer builds. Your job is keeping teammates alive, not topping damage charts.
7. Dual Blades (Burst Assassin)
Playstyle: High-risk, high-reward. Burst windows, low sustain.
| Slot | Mental Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Duanshi Zhigou | Penetration stacks on staggered targets. |
| Mobility | Chunlei Pian | Damage buff after long-distance movement. Hit-and-run style. |
| Damage | Melody of Yi River | Universal buff. |
| Burst | Zongdi Zhaixing | Extra damage to airborne/staggered targets. |
Upgrade Priority: Duanshi Zhigou → Melody of Yi River → Chunlei Pian
Quick Reference Table
| Build | Core IA | Slot 2 | Slot 3 | Slot 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nameless Sword | Nameless IA | Qianshanfa | Weimengge | Melody of Yi River |
| Umbrella + Rope Dart | Wangchuan Juexiang | Duanshi Zhigou | Melody of Yi River | Weimengge |
| Nine Swords | Jianqi Zongheng | Ningshenzang | Melody of Yi River | Zhengren Gui |
| Heaven Quake Spear | Zhulang Xinjing | Qianshanfa | Melody of Yi River | Liaoyuan Xinghuo |
| Mo Blade (Tank) | Shanhe Jueyun | Kangzao Dafa | Tieshen Jue | Shenglong Huohu |
| Mo Blade (DPS) | Shanhe Jueyun | Weimengge | Yijing Yiwu | Melody of Yi River |
| Healer Fan | Junchen Yao | Xinghua Bujian | Melody of Yi River | Zhixuan Pianzhu |
| Dual Blades | Duanshi Zhigou | Chunlei Pian | Melody of Yi River | Zongdi Zhaixing |
Common Mistakes
-
❌ Using build-exclusive Mental Methods on wrong builds — Wangchuan Juexiang only works for Umbrella. Junchen Yao only works for Healer. Don't waste slots.
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❌ Spreading upgrades across 8+ Mental Methods — Focus on 4-5 first. A Tier 6 core beats six Tier 2 randoms.
-
❌ Ignoring Melody of Yi River — It's universal. Even tanks and healers benefit from team damage buff.
-
❌ Rushing Zhengren Gui — It's only useful at Tier 6. Don't invest early; use those manuals elsewhere.
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❌ Healer builds stacking DPS Mental Methods — Your healing output matters more than personal damage. Stick to healing-focused picks.
Situational Swaps
| Situation | Swap In | Swap Out |
|---|---|---|
| High-difficulty boss | Shenglong Huohu | Lowest-priority flex slot |
| Group content (need team buff) | Melody of Yi River (Tier 6) | Personal damage IA |
| Stamina issues | Liaoyuan Xinghuo | Burst damage IA |
| CC-heavy boss | Zhixuan Pianzhu | Flex slot |
| Speedrun / DPS check | Zhengren Gui (Tier 6) | Survival IA |
Related Guides
- Mental Methods Complete Guide — All locations and how to obtain
- Nameless Sword Build Guide — Starter DPS build
- Umbrella + Rope Dart Build Guide — T0 PvE DPS
- Combat System Guide — Core mechanics explained
Final Thoughts
Mental Methods aren't about collecting everything — they're about building a coherent engine that supports your playstyle. Pick 4-5 that synergize, invest deeply, and ignore the rest until you're ready to branch out.
Every build listed here is viable for all PvE content. The "best" loadout is the one you actually upgrade and use consistently.
When in doubt: Melody of Yi River + your build's core Mental Method. That's 80% of your power right there.
Now stop reading and go farm some manuals.