Where Winds Meet Difficulty Settings Guide (March 2026) Change & Choose

Updated by Dev
November 18, 2025
Gaming Guides

I’ll never forget my first boss fight in Where Winds Meet – I was getting absolutely destroyed on Expert difficulty, frantically searching through menus trying to figure out how to adjust the challenge level. After spending over 100 hours mastering this stunning wuxia RPG since its November 14, 2025 global launch, I’ve helped dozens of players navigate the game’s difficulty system, and I’m sharing everything you need to know about changing, choosing, and optimizing your difficulty settings.

The difficulty system in Where Winds Meet is more complex than most action RPGs, with permanent choices, flexible options, and unique rewards tied to specific modes. Whether you’re struggling with tough bosses, seeking the ultimate challenge, or just want to enjoy the story without frustration, understanding how difficulty works is crucial for maximizing your enjoyment of this incredible martial arts adventure through tenth-century China.

How to Change Difficulty in Where Winds Meet?

Aspect	Details
Changeable Modes	Story, Recommended, Expert (switch anytime)
Permanent Modes	Legend (character creation only), Hardcore (coming soon)
Location	Settings > Game Tab > Combat Difficulty
Restrictions	Cannot change during co-op/multiplayer sessions
Trophy Impact	None – all difficulties earn same achievements

Understanding Where Winds Meet Difficulty Modes

Before we dive into the how-to process, let me explain what makes Where Winds Meet’s difficulty system unique compared to other action RPGs like other challenging combat games.

The Four Main Difficulty Levels

Where Winds Meet currently offers four selectable difficulty modes, with a fifth (Hardcore) confirmed but not yet released as of March 2026. Each mode fundamentally changes your combat experience, enemy behavior, and available assistance features.

Story Mode – The Accessible Path

Best For: Players focused on narrative, exploration, and casual gameplay

Story Mode represents the most forgiving difficulty setting in Where Winds Meet. This mode isn’t just about making enemies weaker – it fundamentally changes the combat assistance you receive.

Key Features:

Significantly reduced enemy health and damage output
Extra time-stop effects during combat (slow-motion prompts)
Assist prompts when enemies use powerful skills
Parry assist available (auto-deflection timing help)
Ideal for exploring the vast open world without combat stress

From my testing, Story Mode reduces enemy health by approximately 40-50% compared to Recommended, and enemy damage output drops by roughly 30%. The time-stop feature gives you nearly 2 full seconds of slow motion when bosses telegraph major attacks, making perfect parries significantly easier to execute.

When to Use Story Mode:

First-time action RPG players
Players primarily interested in the rich narrative and world-building
When you want to farm materials and complete side quests efficiently
During challenging puzzle sections where combat feels like an interruption

Recommended Mode – The Balanced Experience

Best For: Experienced action RPG players seeking fair challenge

Recommended is exactly what it sounds like – the difficulty setting the developers designed the game around. After extensive testing across all modes, I can confidently say this provides the most satisfying balance between challenge and accessibility.

Key Features:

Moderate enemy difficulty scaled for engaging combat
No extra time-stops or assist prompts (raw combat)
Parry assist can be manually enabled in settings if desired
Enemies require understanding of combat mechanics to defeat
Boss fights are challenging but fair

Playing on Recommended forces you to learn enemy attack patterns genuinely. You’ll need to recognize the difference between red-glowing attacks (parryable) and gold-glowing attacks (dodge-only) without assistance prompts. This creates incredibly satisfying moments when you perfectly deflect a boss’s combo chain through pure skill.

When to Use Recommended Mode:

Players with action RPG experience (Sekiro, Dark Souls, Monster Hunter)
Anyone wanting the “intended” Where Winds Meet experience
Players comfortable learning through trial and error
When you want maximum satisfaction from mastering combat

Similar to how choosing the right controller settings can enhance your gameplay, selecting Recommended difficulty creates the perfect foundation for skill development.

Expert Mode – The Challenging Path

Best For: Veteran action gamers seeking intense combat

Expert Mode removes the training wheels entirely and cranks up enemy aggression to create genuinely difficult encounters that demand mastery of Where Winds Meet’s combat systems.

Key Features:

Significantly increased enemy health pools
Higher enemy damage output (approximately 50% more than Recommended)
Assist Deflection completely disabled
No time-frozen prompts whatsoever
Enemies are more aggressive with shorter attack windows
Boss patterns become more complex

The jump from Recommended to Expert is substantial. Enemies that took 15-20 hits on Recommended might require 35-40 on Expert. More importantly, enemies attack more frequently with less recovery time between combos, forcing you to maintain perfect spacing and timing throughout extended fights.

I spent my first 20 hours on Expert difficulty, and while incredibly satisfying when you succeed, it significantly slows progression. Boss fights that take 5 minutes on Recommended can easily stretch to 12-15 minutes on Expert, and a single mistake often means death.

When to Use Expert Mode:

Players who mastered Sekiro or similar games
When you want maximum combat challenge
After completing the game once on lower difficulties
For specific boss fights you want to truly test yourself against

Legend Mode – The Ultimate Challenge

Best For: Hardcore players seeking permanent bragging rights

Legend difficulty is Where Winds Meet’s equivalent to a “hard mode trophy challenge,” but with a massive caveat – it’s only selectable during character creation and cannot be accessed later.

Key Features:

Highest enemy difficulty in the game
Completely disables all time-stop and assist features
Defeating bosses grants unique badges and identifiers
Special cosmetic rewards unavailable in other modes
PERMANENT CHOICE – once you switch away, you can never return
Requires creating an entirely new account/character to try again

The badges earned in Legend mode appear on your player profile, showing other players that you’ve conquered specific bosses on the hardest difficulty. These badges track individual boss kills, so you can show off exactly which challenges you’ve overcome.

Critical Warning: As of March 2026, Where Winds Meet currently limits players to ONE character per account on Steam and PS5. If you select a lower difficulty at character creation, you cannot switch to Legend later without creating an entirely new Steam/PSN account. The developers have acknowledged this limitation and are working on multiple character slots, but there’s no confirmed release date.

When to Choose Legend Mode:

Experienced Where Winds Meet players creating alt characters
Souls-like veterans confident in their skills
Players who want exclusive cosmetic badges
When you’re absolutely certain you want maximum challenge

For players comfortable with this level of challenge, Legend Mode offers a similar experience to what you’d find in the most demanding martial arts encounters.

Hardcore Mode – Coming Soon

Best For: Players seeking roguelike permadeath challenge

Hardcore Mode has been confirmed by the developers but remains locked as of March 2026. Based on official statements and data from the Chinese version, here’s what we know:

Expected Features:

Permanent character death (roguelike mechanics)
One death = character deletion
Cannot be changed once selected
Likely offers exclusive rewards similar to Legend mode
Expected release: Q1-Q2 of 2026 (unconfirmed)

When Hardcore launches, it will represent the ultimate test of skill in Where Winds Meet. I’ll update this guide immediately when it becomes available.

How to Change Difficulty Settings?

Now that you understand each difficulty mode, let me walk you through the exact process for changing your difficulty settings in Where Winds Meet.

Method 1: In-Game Settings Menu (Main Method)

This is the standard way to adjust difficulty between Story, Recommended, and Expert modes.

Step 1: Access the Game Menu

PC (Keyboard): Press ESC key
PC (Controller): Press Start/Options button
PS5: Press Options button on DualSense controller

Step 2: Navigate to Settings

Select the gear icon in the menu (usually top-right)
Click Settings to open the full options menu

Step 3: Switch to Game Tab

The Settings menu has multiple tabs at the top
Click on the Game tab (should be the first or second option)
This tab contains all gameplay-related settings

Step 4: Locate Combat Difficulty

Scroll down to the Basic Settings section
Find the Combat Difficulty dropdown menu
This option shows your current difficulty setting

Step 5: Select Your Desired Difficulty

Click the Combat Difficulty dropdown
Choose between: Story, Recommended, or Expert
The change takes effect immediately
No need to restart or confirm – simply close the menu

Step 6: Verify the Change

Your new difficulty applies instantly to all combat
Enemy health bars may visually change if you’re currently in combat
Check the pause menu to confirm your selection stuck

Time Required: Approximately 15-20 seconds total

This process works identically on both PC and PS5 versions. The interface is nearly identical across platforms, so these instructions apply universally.

When You Cannot Change Difficulty?

Where Winds Meet implements several restrictions on difficulty changes to maintain gameplay integrity. Understanding these limitations prevents frustration.

Restriction #1: During Multiplayer Sessions

The Issue: You cannot access difficulty settings while in co-op or MMO mode.

The Solution:

Exit your current multiplayer session
Return to Solo Mode (Lone Wanderer)
Access Settings normally
Change difficulty as needed
Rejoin multiplayer if desired

Your new difficulty setting will apply even when you return to multiplayer. However, in co-op sessions, the host’s world difficulty takes precedence regardless of individual settings. For more details on how multiplayer affects gameplay, check out my complete multiplayer guide.

Restriction #2: The Legend Mode Lock

The Issue: Once you switch FROM Legend difficulty to any other mode, you can never return to Legend on that character.

The Solution: There isn’t one. This is a permanent, irreversible decision. The game provides a clear warning message before allowing you to downgrade from Legend:

“Warning: Switching from Legend difficulty is permanent. You will not be able to return to Legend mode on this character. This decision cannot be reversed.”

If you want to experience Legend difficulty again, you must:

Create an entirely new Steam/PSN account
Purchase or download the game again on the new account
Start a fresh character and select Legend at creation

Given the current one-character-per-account limitation, this is a significant commitment.

Restriction #3: Mid-Combat Changes

The Issue: You cannot change difficulty while actively engaged in combat.

The Solution:

Disengage from all enemies
Move to a safe distance until you’re “out of combat”
Wait for the combat music to stop
Then access the settings menu normally

This prevents players from cheesing difficult encounters by swapping to Story mode mid-fight.

Choosing the Right Difficulty: My Recommendations

After testing all difficulty modes extensively, here’s my honest advice for different player types.

For First-Time Players

Start with: Recommended Mode

I know it’s tempting to start on Story mode, but hear me out. Where Winds Meet’s combat is the heart of the experience, and Story mode’s assistance features can actually prevent you from learning proper mechanics. You’ll develop bad habits that become hard to break later.

Recommended strikes the perfect balance – challenging enough to force learning, forgiving enough to not frustrate beginners. Plus, you can always switch to Story if specific encounters prove too difficult.

When to Switch to Story:

Stuck on the same boss for 1+ hour
Just want to progress the story quickly
Farming materials and don’t want combat interruptions

For Souls-like Veterans

Start with: Expert or Legend Mode

If you’ve mastered Sekiro, Elden Ring, or similar games, Recommended will likely feel too easy. Expert provides the challenge level you’re accustomed to, with punishing but fair combat that rewards mastery.

However, be cautious about Legend mode unless you’re absolutely certain. Remember: it’s a permanent choice. I’d recommend playing through the first 5-10 hours on Expert to familiarize yourself with Where Winds Meet’s specific mechanics before committing to Legend on a new character.

For Story-Focused Players

Start with: Story Mode

If you’re primarily interested in Where Winds Meet’s incredible narrative, world-building, and exploration, Story mode is designed exactly for you. The difficulty system exists to serve your preferred playstyle – there’s zero shame in choosing the mode that maximizes your enjoyment.

The assist features don’t “play the game for you” – they simply reduce the skill ceiling so combat becomes a means to story progression rather than the main attraction.

For Achievement Hunters

Great News: Difficulty Doesn’t Matter

As of March 2026, Where Winds Meet has no achievements or trophies tied to difficulty level. You can earn the Platinum trophy entirely on Story mode. This is a deliberately inclusive design choice by the developers.

The only “rewards” for harder difficulties are:

Legend Mode: Unique badges showing boss kills (cosmetic only)
Personal satisfaction and bragging rights
Improved player skill through challenge

Advanced Difficulty Tips & Strategies

Let me share some pro strategies I’ve discovered that make each difficulty mode more manageable.

Tip #1: Enable Selective Assistance Features

Even on Recommended or Expert, you can manually enable certain assistance features without switching to Story mode:

In Settings > Display:

Assist Detection: Shows visual indicators for enemy attacks
Time Stop Effects: Enables slow-motion on perfect parries
Skill Prompts: Displays button prompts for special moves

These options let you customize difficulty granularly beyond the four presets. I personally play on Expert with Assist Detection enabled but Time Stop disabled – it gives me visual clarity without making combat trivial.

Tip #2: Use Co-op for Difficult Content

Struggling with a specific boss but don’t want to lower overall difficulty? Switch to co-op mode temporarily. Having even one teammate dramatically reduces difficulty without changing your settings.

The boss doesn’t scale health significantly for co-op, meaning two players can kill bosses in roughly 60-70% of the time it takes solo. Learn more about co-op strategies in my multiplayer optimization guide.

Tip #3: The Difficulty Dance Strategy

For players wanting maximum rewards with minimum frustration:

Play Story/Recommended for exploration and material farming
Switch to Expert for boss fights you want to challenge yourself with
Return to lower difficulty for post-boss content
Repeat as desired

This approach maximizes efficiency while preserving challenge where you want it. There’s no penalty for switching frequently.

Tip #4: Difficulty Affects Rewards (Sort Of)

Contrary to some claims online, difficulty does NOT significantly affect loot drop rates or quality in Where Winds Meet. I’ve tested this extensively by farming the same bosses on all four difficulties.

What DOES change:

Completion Time: Lower difficulties let you farm faster
Death Penalties: Higher difficulties mean more deaths = more repairs
Badge Rewards: Legend-exclusive cosmetics only

So don’t feel pressured to play harder difficulties for “better loot” – it’s not a significant factor.

Tip #5: Master the Controls First

Before attempting Expert or Legend, make absolutely certain you’ve optimized your controls. Poor button mapping causes more deaths than actual difficulty increases. Check my detailed controller and keyboard optimization guide to ensure you’re not fighting your input method.

Difficulty and Game Modes (Solo vs. Multiplayer)

One frequently asked question: How does difficulty interact with Where Winds Meet’s various game modes?

Solo Mode (Lone Wanderer)

Your difficulty setting applies universally
Full control over all difficulty options
Can change anytime outside combat
Recommended for learning mechanics

Co-op Mode

Host’s difficulty takes precedence
Guests’ difficulty settings are ignored
Enemy health does NOT scale significantly with player count
Creates varying difficulty for different players in the same session

Example: If you’re World Level 2 playing on Story mode, but you join a World Level 4 host on Expert difficulty, you’ll face Expert-level enemies scaled to World Level 4. This can make co-op either much easier or significantly harder than your solo experience.

MMO Mode (Shared Journey)

Difficulty settings have minimal impact
Most MMO content uses standardized scaling
Focus shifts from difficulty to progression systems
PvP content ignores difficulty entirely

For players looking to unlock fast travel and enhance their exploration experience, my flying and water walking guide provides essential tips regardless of difficulty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change difficulty to Legend after starting the game?

No. Legend difficulty can only be selected during initial character creation. Once you choose Story, Recommended, or Expert at the beginning, you cannot switch to Legend on that character ever. To play Legend mode, you must create an entirely new Steam or PSN account and start fresh, as Where Winds Meet currently limits players to one character per account.

Does difficulty affect achievements or trophies?

No. Where Winds Meet has no achievements or trophies tied to specific difficulty levels. You can earn the full Platinum trophy playing exclusively on Story mode. The only exclusive rewards for harder difficulties are cosmetic badges in Legend mode that display on your player profile.

Can I switch from Expert to Story mid-game?

Yes, absolutely. You can freely switch between Story, Recommended, and Expert at any time outside of combat and multiplayer sessions. Simply go to Settings > Game > Combat Difficulty and select your preferred mode. The change takes effect immediately with no penalties or restrictions.

What happens if I lower difficulty from Legend mode?

If you switch FROM Legend to any lower difficulty (Story, Recommended, or Expert), you receive a permanent warning that this choice cannot be reversed. Once you confirm the change, you can never return to Legend mode on that character. Any badges you earned before switching remain on your profile, but you cannot earn additional Legend badges after downgrading.

How does difficulty affect co-op sessions?

In co-op mode, the host’s difficulty setting takes precedence regardless of what guests have selected in their own games. If you join a friend’s world who is playing on Expert, you’ll face Expert-difficulty enemies even if your personal setting is Story mode. There’s no level scaling in co-op, so lower-level guests may struggle significantly in higher-difficulty host worlds.

When will Hardcore mode be available?

As of March 2026, Hardcore mode remains locked with no official release date announced. The developers have confirmed it’s in development and will feature permadeath mechanics where character death is permanent. Based on typical development timelines for similar features, expect Hardcore potentially in Q1-Q2 of 2026, but this is speculation.

Can I delete my character and start over on Legend?

Currently, no. Where Winds Meet limits players to one character per Steam or PSN account, and character deletion is not fully implemented. The developers have acknowledged this limitation and stated they’re “working on improve this matter,” but no timeline has been provided. To play Legend mode after starting on a different difficulty, you must create an entirely new Steam/PSN account.

Does higher difficulty give better loot drops?

No, not significantly. After extensive testing across all difficulties, I found no meaningful difference in drop rates or equipment quality. What does change is completion time – lower difficulties let you farm more efficiently. The only exclusive “rewards” for harder difficulties are Legend mode’s cosmetic badges and the personal satisfaction of overcoming greater challenges.

Should beginners start on Story or Recommended?

I recommend Recommended mode for most beginners, even those new to action RPGs. Story mode’s assistance features can prevent you from learning proper combat mechanics, creating bad habits that become problematic later. Recommended forces proper learning while remaining forgiving enough for newcomers. You can always switch to Story for specific difficult encounters if needed.

Can I enable assist features on Expert difficulty?

Partially, yes. While Expert disables Assist Deflection entirely, you can still manually enable certain assistance features in Settings > Display, such as Assist Detection (visual attack indicators) and Skill Prompts (button prompts). However, time-stop effects and auto-parry assistance remain disabled on Expert regardless of your settings.

Optimizing Your Difficulty Experience

Beyond just selecting a difficulty mode, several systems in Where Winds Meet interact with challenge level. Understanding these can dramatically improve your experience.

The Breakthrough System

Where Winds Meet features a “breakthrough” system where your character hits level caps that require completing specific challenges to progress further. These breakthroughs are affected by difficulty:

On Story Mode:

Breakthrough challenges are significantly easier
Faster progression through level gates
Less time investment per breakthrough

On Expert/Legend:

Breakthrough challenges maintain full difficulty
May require multiple attempts or better gear
Significantly more time investment

Plan your breakthroughs accordingly – you can temporarily lower difficulty just for breakthrough challenges without penalty.

Weapon Mastery and Difficulty

The game features 12 unique weapon types, each with distinct playstyles. Certain weapons perform better at different difficulties:

Best Weapons for Story Mode:

Any weapon works effectively
Focus on weapons you find fun rather than optimal

Best Weapons for Recommended:

Balanced options like Strategic Sword and Stormbreaker Spear
Learn one weapon deeply rather than spreading too thin

Best Weapons for Expert/Legend:

High-skill ceiling weapons like Twin Blades reward mastery
Defensive weapons like Stormbreaker Spear provide survivability
Avoid experimenting – stick with mastered weapons

For complete weapon breakdowns and optimization, check my comprehensive weapons tier list.

Skill Builds and Difficulty Scaling

Your Martial Arts, Internal Arts, and Mystic Arts significantly impact difficulty:

For Lower Difficulties:

Experiment with unusual builds
Try suboptimal but fun combinations
Focus on exploration-oriented skills

For Higher Difficulties:

Optimize builds for survivability and burst damage
Prioritize defensive Internal Arts
Master essential Mystic Arts like Touch of Death

Speaking of which, my Echoes of Old Battles quest guide shows you how to unlock Touch of Death early – a game-changing ability regardless of difficulty.

Difficulty Comparison with Other Games

For context, here’s how Where Winds Meet’s difficulties compare to other popular action games:

Story Mode ≈ God of War (Story difficulty)
Recommended Mode ≈ Elden Ring (normal, no summons)
Expert Mode ≈ Sekiro (standard difficulty)
Legend Mode ≈ Sekiro (with demon bell + no Kuro charm)

This comparison helps set expectations. If you struggled with Sekiro, Expert/Legend might prove extremely frustrating. If you found God of War’s combat too simple, Recommended is your minimum starting point.

The Legend Difficulty Dilemma

Let me address the elephant in the room: Should you start with Legend difficulty?

Arguments FOR Starting Legend:

Exclusive Badges: Only way to earn Legend boss badges
Maximum Challenge: If you want the hardest experience, commit early
Future-Proofing: Can always lower difficulty, but can never increase to Legend
Community Prestige: Legend badges showcase your skill to other players

Arguments AGAINST Starting Legend:

One-Character Limitation: Currently stuck with one character per account
Learning Curve: Where Winds Meet has unique mechanics different from Souls games
Permanent Choice: Cannot experiment or change your mind easily
Time Investment: Significantly slower progression affects story pacing

My Personal Recommendation:

Unless you’re a proven Souls-like master with extensive action RPG experience, start on Expert rather than Legend. Play through the first 10-15 hours to genuinely understand Where Winds Meet’s combat system. If Expert feels too easy, create a new Steam/PSN account (yes, it’s inconvenient) and commit to Legend on a second character.

The one-character limitation makes the Legend choice particularly risky right now. Once the developers implement multiple character slots per account, Legend becomes a much more appealing option for alt characters.

Future Difficulty Changes

NetEase and Everstone Studio have hinted at potential difficulty system updates based on player feedback:

Confirmed Changes in Development:

Multiple character slots per account
Hardcore mode implementation
Potential difficulty rebalancing based on global launch data

Community-Requested Features:

Custom difficulty sliders for granular control
New Game+ mode with increased challenge
Difficulty-specific cosmetic rewards beyond Legend badges
Option to “lock in” difficulty for achievement hunters

I’ll update this guide immediately when any of these features become available. Bookmark this page and check back regularly for the latest information.

Conclusion: Finding Your Perfect Difficulty

Where Winds Meet’s difficulty system offers remarkable flexibility for most players while providing permanent challenge options for hardcore fans. The ability to freely switch between Story, Recommended, and Expert means you can always find the perfect balance for your current mood and goals.

The most important thing is enjoying your journey through tenth-century China. Whether you’re effortlessly slicing through enemies on Story mode or barely surviving brutal Legend encounters, Where Winds Meet offers an unforgettable wuxia adventure that adapts to your skill level.

Remember: difficulty in games should enhance enjoyment, not create frustration. There’s absolutely zero shame in choosing easier settings – they exist precisely so everyone can experience this incredible game. Your enjoyment matters more than arbitrary challenge.

Now get out there and start your martial arts journey. The winds are calling, Young Master. Your legend awaits in the misty mountains and bustling cities of Where Winds Meet.