The different weapon types in Where Winds Meet cover a lot of ground, and the martial arts layered on top give each style its own personality. You can eventually swing everything from classic swords to refined fans — even umbrellas — but first you’ll need to unlock the styles that make them sing.
At first blush, the system can look busy. There are weapon categories, then specific martial arts tied to each one, and a few different ways to learn them. After a few hours, though, it starts to click. To make the early going smoother, here’s a clean look at every weapon type and all the related martial arts in Where Winds Meet, plus where to find the masters you can “borrow” techniques from.
All weapon types in Where Winds Meet
Weapon types are broad categories that both physical weapons (the items you equip) and martial arts (the skill sets) sit under. You change weapon type by equipping something new in the Gear menu. Your character can wield any category from the jump, but you’ll still need the matching weapon and its martial art to actually get the full move set.
There are seven weapon types in total, and each one has at least one unique martial art tied to it.
- Dual Blades
- Fans
- Mo Blade
- Rope Dart
- Spear
- Sword
- Umbrella
All martial arts in Where Winds Meet
Think of martial arts here like schools or “styles” — each one plugs into a specific weapon type and swaps in a new slate of skills. If you’ve unlocked multiple arts for the same weapon, you can swap between them whenever you like. For example, the umbrella has two: Soulshade Umbrella leans into support, while Ninefold Umbrella is built for offense.
Owning a weapon doesn’t grant its martial art by default. You’ll either join the right sect or “steal” techniques from expert practitioners out in the world. Finding them is its own little adventure, so we’ve listed each skill and where to nab it below.
Early on, when you hand in your first oddity to Qi Sheng, you can pick one martial art from three options. Choose the one that fits how you plan to play; you can unlock the other two later, but it may take a while.
- Heavenquaker Spear
- Infernal Twinblades
- Inkwell Fan
- Mortal Rope Dart
- Nameless Spear
- Nameless Sword
- Ninefold Umbrella
- Panacea Fan
- Soulshade Umbrella
- Stormbreaker Spear
- Strategic Sword
- Thundercry Blade
To chase any of these down, open the Develop menu, then the Abilities tab. You’ll see the full list of martial arts there. Select one to track it and reveal its marker on the map. It’s worth doing this before you head out — the quest marker will guide you straight to the exact spot where the skill theft happens.
How “Skill Theft” works: once you’re at the location, look for a glowing blue circle on the ground. Stand inside it to trigger the minigame, then press the button prompts as the golden circles appear within the time limit. The Abilities menu also lists sects you can join to learn techniques the clean way, but we’re focusing on theft locations here.
Heavenquaker Spear location
Head into the Raging Tides Martial Sanctum, on the east side of Qinghe – Sundara Land. Travel to the Wildmane Ranche Boundary Stone, then continue southeast until you find a Dragon Pillar. You’ll need a Dragon Key to open the entrance.
Inside, expect heavy patrols. Either slip past guards or eliminate them if you’ve unlocked the Touch of Death passive. Follow the tracked marker to the vantage point where the Heavenquaker Spear master trains, then steal the technique.
Infernal Twinblades location
Unlock and invade the Midnight Blades Sanctum, hidden on the southeast side of Qinghe. From the Verdant Wilds Wayfarer (the first you meet), go southwest to a small lake and waterfall; the Dragon Pillar sits nearby. Bring a Dragon Key for the door.
There are plenty of soldiers inside. Take out patrollers with Touch of Death or sneak on by, then follow your marker to the exact stealing spot for Infernal Twinblades.
Inkwell Fan location
Look for a small dungeon on the north side of Qinghe – Sundara Land. The entrance sits on the right side of the main road heading north. As usual, it’s gated by a Dragon Key.
The rooms inside are fairly open, so it’s not too tough to slip through and reach the observation point for the Inkwell Fan master.
Mortal Rope Dart location
Travel to Kaifeng. On the left side of South Gate Avenue, you’ll find the Nine Mortal Ways Martial Hall. The doors appear open, but you can’t enter yet.
First, complete the exploration quest “The Art of Skill Theft.” Start it by speaking with the Mysterious Elder sitting outside the Nine Mortal Ways hall. He’ll ask you to sketch a portrait of Muddle (a Nine Mortal Ways member) and craft a disguise.
That triggers “Disguise: Veil of Love” to unlock the disguise shop. Finish a couple of commissions to hit Rank 2, then create the Muddle disguise.
Disguised as Muddle, return to Nine Mortal Ways. The first guard will chat with you, then let you pass. Enter the building on your right and use Wind Sense on Tiancai (he’s seated on the floor). Request his Token before moving deeper inside.
Speak to Elder Tian in the main hall. Position yourself at the glowing circle to begin the theft sequence and unlock Mortal Rope Dart.
Nameless Spear location
This one is granted at the start of the game — no theft required.
Nameless Sword location
Also awarded automatically early on.
Panacea Fan location
Panacea Fan is the support-slanted fan style. To learn it, invade a cave on the east side of Qinghe. From the first Verdant Wilds Wayfarer, travel southeast to the Dragon Pillar at the cave entrance. Use Wind Sense to track patrol routes inside, then reach the observation point and steal the moves.
Soulshade Umbrella location
The support-focused umbrella art is tucked away beneath Kaifeng. Go to the northeast side of the region and find Mistveil Forest. Just past a small southern bridge, look for the Soulshade Umbrella – Post Station.
Climb the main building and slip into the top room through the large window. Inside, there’s an open stone coffin with a ladder down into the caves. Guards patrol the area above, so stay light on your feet. The underground route is straightforward — follow your marker, observe, then steal the Soulshade Umbrella technique.
Stormbreaker Spear location
This spear style arrives via the in-game mail system as you progress through the opening questline.
Ninefold Umbrella location
This one’s a longer chain, so set aside some time. Start in Kaifeng City (Kaifeng). On the east side, look for the Velvet Shade Boundary Stone by a bridge. Cross it and you’ll spot The Temporal Pavilion on your right. Climb to the top floor and enter to kick things off.
After you’re booted from the room, you’ll land at the pavilion entrance. Step outside, turn left, and head to the long building by the edge on your right. Go in and talk to Wang Ping’an to complete the “Vernal Umbrella” exploration quest. Now re-enter the Temporal Pavilion from the main door and take the stairs on your right to the second floor.
At the top, speak with Jian Ting’er to get your next task: collect six clues.
- The first two clues are handed to you during the conversation and as you descend the stairs to leave.
- For the next clue, use the covered corridor southwest of the pavilion and listen in on a conversation.
- The fourth clue is overheard on the pavilion’s top level — use the roof to reach the balcony.
- The fifth clue comes from the Tabby Cat outside, at the southwest corner. Interact with it.
- For the final clue, re-enter the pavilion and find a left-side room where two people are talking. Listen to them.
Open the Deducing menu (press L on keyboard, or View/Select on controllers) to combine clues and identify the answer. That points you to the Warehouse Key; pull it with Celestial Seize and open the nearby warehouse (close to where you first met Jian Ting’er). Grab the Keepsake inside and return it to Jian Ting’er.
After a short cutscene, you’ll be placed right in front of the person you need. Start the theft minigame to learn the Ninefold Umbrella martial art.
Strategic Sword location
Make for the dungeon south of Qinghe – Moonveil Mountain. After crossing Twinbeast Ridge, go southeast to the Back Mountain Boundary Stone and follow the path south to the entrance. Bring a Dragon Key, sneak or assassinate your way past patrols, then begin the theft when you reach the training spot for Strategic Sword.
Thundercry Blade location
The Mo Blade style Thundercry Blade is taught at the Well of Heaven Martial Camp on the south side of Kaifeng. Head directly south from Plainfield, pass the Granary of Plenty, and at the North Gracetown Boundary Stone, turn southeast. The camp sits at the top of the hill. There are multiple infiltration routes; whichever you pick, follow your marker to the practitioner, then steal the technique.
That’s every weapon type and martial art in Where Winds Meet, plus where to find each technique if you’d rather “learn” them the lively way. Set your target art in the Abilities tab so the marker stays on screen, bring a Dragon Key for dungeons, and keep Wind Sense handy for patrol routes. The rest is all timing.