Embark on a thrilling adventure in Black Myth: Wukong, an action-packed RPG developed by Game Science. As the Destined One, your weapon of choice is the staff, with a variety of combos at your disposal. Some combos excel in offense or defense, while others focus on agility. Our guide is here to help you master the best staff stances in Black Myth: Wukong.
The Top Staff Stances in Black Myth: Wukong
In Black Myth: Wukong, there are three main staff stances: Smash Stance, Pillar Stance, and Thrust Stance. These stances can be interchanged during combat as you level up, providing you with strategic flexibility against different foes. Each stance also has its own skill tree with unique perks and talents to enhance your combat prowess. You can reallocate talent points at any shrine using the Self Advance: Reignite the Sparks panel.
Our guide categorizes the best staff stances based on their unlock order, providing insights into their perks, ideal usage scenarios, and long-term effectiveness.
Smash Stance: Perfect for Early Game
The Smash Stance, available at the beginning, favors an aggressive playstyle, allowing you to chain consecutive hits seamlessly. Its Resolute Strike feature acts as a form of weapon parry, letting you counterattack after predicting an enemy move. The Smash Stance is recommended for the early stages of the game until you unlock the Thrust Stance.
Key perks/talents of the Smash Stance include:
- Force Unbound: Enables sprinting while charging.
- Ironbound Resolve: Boosts damage reduction for charged heavy attacks.
- Smashing Force: Increases damage from smash heavy attacks.
- Peace from Peril: Retains Focus during perfect dodges when charging.
- Resolution Counterflow: Executes Resolute Strike during light-heavy combos.
- Winding Wind: Initiates a light attack combo after seeing through an enemy.
- Skyfall Strike: Unleashes a powerful somersault attack after a successful hit with Resolute Strike.
- Invigoration: Grants significant Focus upon executing Resolute Strike.
- Vantage Point: Enhances Skyfall Strike damage based on Focus Points.
Pillar Stance: Not Recommended
Unlocked at level 3, the Pillar Stance features a unique charged heavy attack where your character propels upwards on the staff to strike down below. Despite its flashy appearance, the Pillar Stance struggles to shine in practical combat situations. The spinning animation leaves you vulnerable to enemy attacks, making it less efficient during intense battles.
The Pillar Stance perks/talents include:
- Pillar Stance (unlock): Avoids ground attacks by perching on the staff; consumes stamina for balance.
- Steel Pillar: Reduces stamina cost during perching.
- Skylarking: Enables item use while perched with +3 Focus Points.
- Towering Mountain: Prevents falling when stamina is depleted; triggers a heavy attack instead.
- Sweeping Gale: Executes an aerial spin combo with the staff.
- Gale’s Blessing: Provides damage reduction during Sweeping Gale.
- Churning Gale: Hits multiple foes with a ground-level whirl attack.
- Collapsing Gale: Increased damage based on consumed Focus Points.
Thrust Stance: The Ultimate Choice
Unlocked at level 20, the Thrust Stance reigns supreme as the best staff stance in Black Myth: Wukong. Offering a balance of offense and defense, it boasts extended range attacks and a backstep maneuver for evading damage without expending mana. Its charged heavy attack delivers formidable thrusting power with significant stagger potential, making it suitable for all playstyles.
Key perks/talents of the Thrust Stance include:
- Thrust Stance (unlock): Charge for a devastating distant thrust attack.
- Borrowed Strength: Enhances stamina recovery during hits in Thrust Stance.
- Offense in Defense: Combines a backstep move with forward strikes.
- Whirling Thrusts: Initiates a barrage of staff strikes after a backstep.
- Force Cascade: Increases critical hit chance with successful strikes.
- Relentless: Boosts damage against staggered enemies.
- Deadly Dance: Automatic heavy attack after dodge with +4 Focus Points.
- Adaptability: Follows up Whirling Thrusts with additional backstep attacks.
- Lucky Strike: Rewards heavy attack after Tactical Retreat with brief invincibility.
- Ebb and Flow: Eliminates stamina cost briefly after predicting enemy moves.
Explore the full potential of the Destined One by delving into our guides on the best weapons and armor sets in Black Myth: Wukong.