New Arsenal System in Where Winds Meet — Complete Breakdown + Antique Gear Guide
The Arsenal system is one of the most transformative additions to Where Winds Meet. It changes how you think about gear progression, long-term power growth, and the value of older equipment. This guide explains the new Arsenal end-to-end: how it works, how to plan your mastery path, how to slot and tune equipment, the role of antique gear, and practical progression routes for solo and competitive players. Read this as a living playbook: use the recommendations to shape a personal upgrade plan that fits your playstyle and time investment.
Quick overview — what the Arsenal is and why it matters
The Arsenal converts select gear into permanent, incremental power growth through a progression system separate from conventional level gear.
It introduces mastery paths (e.g., Battle, Strike, Stone, Split, Silk, Binding) that let you tailor the long-term bonuses your character receives.
Antique gear becomes far more valuable: antiques either slot into the Arsenal directly, grant tuning materials, or offer unique, permanent effects.
Arsenal progression is persistent across seasons; investments compound and define late-game power ceilings.
If you currently treat old drops like vendor trash, rethink that habit. The Arsenal turns nostalgia into utility.
How Arsenal integrates with existing systems
Arsenal is accessed through the Armory interface (or the Arsenal tab inside your character screen).
Items eligible for Arsenal conversion are flagged as Arsenal-capable; these can be antiques, boss drops, or crafted legacy items.
Converting or slotting items often consumes Tuning Ashes, Sunder Shards, or Antique Cores (resource names vary by patch). These are obtainable from dungeon runs, salvage, or seasonal events.
Arsenal uses a combination of leveling (Arsenal Rank), slotting (attach antiques), and tuning (reroll/augment lines) to define its contributions.
Think of Arsenal as an outer layer of progression that sits above and beyond gear level numbers.
Core components explained
Arsenal Rank and XP
Arsenal Rank is a persistent account-level or character-level value that rises with Arsenal XP.
Arsenal XP is earned by converting eligible items, completing Arsenal-specific challenges, and by consuming synergy materials.
Higher Arsenal Rank unlocks more slot capacity, advanced tuning options, and access to rarer antique bonuses.
Arsenal Slots and Slot Types
Slots come in shapes and rarities — common, arcane, prime — and they accept matching antiques or fragments.
Each slot gives a base bonus (e.g., flat attack, defense, elemental potency) and bonus scaling based on Arsenal Rank.
Some slots are specialized for mastery paths; equipping a matching antique increases synergy XP for that path.
Mastery Paths
There are several mastery paths you can invest into. They are the long-term trait trees that define Arsenal growth. Common examples:
Battle: General combat potency and burst damage.
Strike: Single-target power and crit scaling.
Stone: Tankiness, mitigation, and barrier strengths.
Split: AoE and multi-hit scaling.
Silk: Mobility, cooldown reduction, and utility.
Binding: Crowd control power, status application, and sustain.
You can allocate mastery points into these paths via the Arsenal UI using mastery tokens or by slotting antiques that grant path-specific XP.
Tuning and Recycling
Tuning allows you to reroll or enhance specific affix lines on Arsenal slots.
Recycling breaks down antiques or unused artifacts into tuning materials or partial Arsenal XP.
The tuning system aims to reduce RNG burn: cheap rerolls exist early, premium rerolls require rare currency.
Antique Gear
Antiques are a new rarity class of equipment with specific Arsenal roles.
They can be slotted directly into Arsenal slots for persistent bonuses, consumed to grant path XP, or recycled to yield tuning resources.
Some antiques include unique, permanent-profile modifiers (e.g., “When in defensive stance, gain +7% pierce through”).
The system encourages deciding between immediate equip utility vs. long-term investment.
Getting started — early game plan (levels 1–40)
Prioritize identifying Arsenal-capable drops: read tooltips and mark them for salvage or transfer.
Focus on one or two mastery paths early — pick what complements your build (e.g., Strike for single-target DPS, Split for AoE farming).
Collect tuning materials by doing daily dungeons, salvage runs, and participating in events.
Convert two mid-tier antiques to unlock your initial Arsenal slots — this yields quick XP and early bonuses.
Practical progression:
Unlock Arsenal UI as soon as available.
Slot any common antiques that match your chosen path.
Use low-grade tuning to stabilize slot affixes (e.g., lock an essential damage stat).
Continue normal gear upgrades — don't delay conventional leveling for Arsenal progress.
Why this works: early investment yields compounding bonuses and helps clear harder content that drops better antiques.
Mid-game strategies (levels 40–80)
Now that you have multiple Arsenal slots and better antiques, start focusing on synergy.
Build around slot sets: certain combinations grant set bonuses that stack with mastery path investments.
Use recycling intentionally: break down antiques that don't fit your path to craft targeted tuning consumables.
Begin experimenting with hybrid pathways: dual investments in Strike + Silk for burst mobility builds, or Battle + Stone for durable DPS.
Key actions:
Prioritize slotting over tactical equip: a mid-grade antique slotted in Arsenal often outperforms equipping it directly on a character for a specific fight.
Use tuning to aim for deterministic affix profiles; spend premium rerolls only when the slot is nearly perfect.
If playing in groups, coordinate Arsenal bonuses: complementary Arsenal investments across a raid party significantly increase clear speed.
Endgame optimization (levels 80+)
Endgame is about perfecting slot affixes, completing mastery paths, and collecting rare antique uniques.
Aim for three specializations: primary mastery (main DPS or tank path), secondary support path, and a utility path for cooldowns or CC.
Focus on obtaining Prime antiques and Legendary tuning materials from the hardest content.
Reforge aggressively when you have a clear target build; stop rerolling when marginal gains become minimal.
Endgame checklist:
Max your primary mastery path and reach Rank thresholds that unlock the top-tier Arsenal perks.
Assemble a full set of Arsenal slot bonuses for your role (e.g., +crit, +crit damage, +attack speed for Strike DPS).
Keep one slot flexible for situational antiques (e.g., PvP encounters or specific boss mechanics).
Optimize resource flow: schedule salvage runs, event grinds, and trade with guildmates for antiques.
How to choose your first mastery path
Choosing your initial path should be driven by two things: current playstyle and long-term viability.
If you love single-target bossing: choose Strike.
If you prefer open-world AoE farming or hybrid clear: choose Split.
If you play tank/support: choose Stone or Binding.
If mobility and kiting are core: Silk is the natural pick.
If you want raw sustained damage across battles: Battle.
Tip: read your favorite character’s scaling and pick the path that naturally amplifies the abilities that already scale well.
Slotting guide — where to put what
Match antique flavor to slot type. Don’t force utility antiques into attack-focused slots unless you’re deliberately hybridizing.
Prioritize putting antiques that unlock mastery XP into the slot type associated with that path.
Keep one emergency slot open for situational encounters — artifacts that counter specific bosses are ideal here.
When comparing the benefit of slotted vs. equipped antiques, always calculate long-term average gains. A slotted antique gives consistent bonuses across all runs; equipped antiques may shine for one encounter but then lie dormant.
Example slot decisions:
Weapon antiques with crit/tuning benefits → Strike slot.
Armor antiques with mitigation and barrier bonuses → Stone slot.
Accessories that reduce cooldowns → Silk slot.
Tuning deep dive — how to roll smart
Tuning lets you target the line you care about rather than relying purely on RNG.
Establish target thresholds for each affix and stop rerolling once you hit them.
Use cheap rerolls to remove clearly inferior lines early; save expensive resources for final stat pushes.
Consider opportunity cost: the time and currency spent on chasing perfect rolls may be better used acquiring another antique that already aligns with your path.
Practical tuning ladder:
Use basic tuning to lock beneficial secondary affixes.
Use mid-grade rerolls to adjust sub-stats toward your desired ratio (e.g., crit/crit-damage).
Apply premium tuning only when the main affix also lines up.
Recycling strategy — when to dismantle antiques
Recycle antiques that:
Do not match your main or secondary mastery paths
Have irredeemable base affixes
Are duplicates beyond your trading needs
Keep antiques that:
Grant unique mechanics or permanent effects
Fit into your long-term set synergy
Provide mastery XP that’s scarce for your chosen path
Recycling yields:
Basic tuning materials (common)
Sunder Shards or Antique Cores (rare)
Partial Arsenal XP (useful when close to Rank breaks)
A balanced approach preserves long-term value while funding short-term improvements.
Antique Gear: identification, farming, and valuation
Antiques fall into several sub-categories that determine their value:
Type A — Unique Mechanic Antiques: rarest; add permanent, unique effects.
Type B — Path XP Antiques: grant heavy mastery XP for one path.
Type C — Tuning Material Antiques: best used as salvage sources for premium tuning.
Type D — Hybrid Antiques: moderate stats across multiple paths; flexible.
Farming tips:
Target content that historically drops the antique class you need (e.g., boss X for Type A, dungeon Y for Type B).
Study seasonal events: they usually offer increased drop rates for antique cores.
Participate in trade networks and guild farming to diversify antique acquisition.
Valuation:
Type A antiques command the highest market price and should rarely be recycled.
Type B antiques may be more valuable to players with matching mastery goals than to general buyers.
When trading, always quote the anticipated Arsenal Rank and path synergy to get fair deals.
Solo vs. Group Arsenal progression
Solo players:
Rely on self-sufficiency. Prioritize artifacts and paths that increase clear speed and sustain.
Farming loops should be optimized to maximize antique drop probability per hour.
Use recycling to fund targeted tuning.
Group players:
Coordinate Arsenal investments across roles. For instance:
Tanks push Stone for party mitigation perks.
Healers invest in Binding for improved sustain.
DPS split between Strike and Split to maximize layered damage.
Group synergy can drastically reduce the time needed to obtain top-tier antiques by sharing farming lanes.
PvP considerations
Arsenal bonuses change the meta. Certain mastery paths may become dominant in PvP (e.g., Binding for heavy CC).
Build flexibly: keep at least one Arsenal slot tuned for anti-player mechanics such as anti-heal, resist penetration, or status duration control.
In ranked play, opponents may intentionally target known Arsenal weaknesses, so variety and adaptability matter.
PvP tips:
Rotate your situational slot between duels.
Keep one antique that grants a win-condition mechanic versus high-stability builds.
Use quick-tuning materials between ranked seasons to adjust to meta shifts.
Economy and resource management
Tuning materials are your rarest currency. Budget them across slots in order of marginal benefit.
Antique markets fluctuate: buy low during post-patch dips and sell when demand spikes.
Track event calendars: seasonal shop rotations often offer good values for early Arsenal investments.
Resource priority:
Secure reliable antique acquisition routes (dungeon / event).
Invest in basic tuning to smooth early slot variability.
Save premium resources for the final push on a fully synergetic set.
Sample build templates
Below are three example templates illustrating Arsenal choices and investment focus. Treat them as starting frameworks.
Strike DPS (single-target boss)
Primary Mastery: Strike
Secondary Mastery: Battle
Slots: Weapon (Prime Strike), Accessory (Crit), Armor (Penetration)
Tuning goals: maximize crit chance and crit damage ratio
Antiques to keep: Weapon Type A with single-target proc; Accessory Type B giving Strike XP
Split Farmer (AoE clear)
Primary Mastery: Split
Secondary Mastery: Silk
Slots: Weapon (AoE), Accessory (AoE scaling), Boots (movement)
Tuning goals: area damage scaling and attack speed
Antiques to keep: Type B AoE antiques and mobility antiques for rotation efficiency
Stone Tank (raid support)
Primary Mastery: Stone
Secondary Mastery: Binding
Slots: Chest (Barrier), Helm (Mitigation), Accessory (HP)
Tuning goals: flat damage reduction, barrier uptime
Antiques to keep: Type A mitigation antiques and Type B mastery XP antiques for Stone
Roadmap for reaching an optimized Arsenal in 30 days
Week 1:
Unlock Arsenal UI, choose primary path, and start slotted antiques.
Complete daily dungeons for basic tuning materials.
Week 2:
Focus on farming the antique types your path needs. Recycle non-essentials for mid-tier tuning materials.
Week 3:
Begin mid-grade tuning of primary slots and collect at least one Prime antique.
Week 4:
Finalize affix targets with premium tuning resources, swap situational slot artifacts, and test in challenging content.
This schedule assumes consistent daily play and moderate market activity.
Common mistakes to avoid
Focusing on too many mastery paths at once — dilutes returns.
Recycling Type A antiques for quick resources — you may regret losing unique mechanics.
Chasing perfect rolls without a goal — set thresholds and stop-loss conditions.
Ignoring slot synergy across your full set — piecemeal upgrades often underperform coordinated sets.
Useful checklist before a major grind
Confirm which antiques are worth salvaging vs. slotting.
Stockpile low/mid-grade tuning before farming intensively.
Mark top-tier bosses/dungeons for antique type drops.
Coordinate with guildmates for trading and farming efficiency.
Troubleshooting common Arsenal problems
Problem: My Arsenal Rank is stuck slow.
Solution: Convert more antiques for XP and complete Arsenal-specific challenges that grant bulk XP.
Problem: My slot affixes are bad and tuning is expensive.
Solution: Recycle low-value antiques to finance tuning; switch to farming content with better antique drop quality.
Problem: I can’t decide between slotted and equipped for a mid-rare artifact.
Solution: Calculate average DPS/mitigation gains across a typical play session — if slotted improves every run, slot it.
FAQ
What exactly makes an item eligible for Arsenal?
Items labeled Arsenal-capable in their tooltip can be slotted, consumed for XP, or recycled into tuning resources. Typically antiques and certain boss drops are eligible.
Can I transfer Arsenal progress between characters on the same account?
Some Arsenal progress is account-bound (Arsenal Rank), while some slot and mastery allocations remain character-specific. Check your Armory UI for precise transfer rules.
Are antiques account-tradable?
Most antiques are tradable, but uniques or event-bound antiques may be soulbound. Market policies can change between seasons.
Is it ever better to equip an antique than to slot it in Arsenal?
Yes — for some niche builds and short-term challenges a directly equipped antique can outperform a slotted one. For long-term progression, slots are usually superior.
How should I prioritize tuning vs. acquiring new antiques?
Early and mid-game: prioritize acquiring antiques that match your path. Late-game: tuning becomes critical to finalize your build. Balance spending according to diminishing returns.
What happens to my Arsenal if the devs rebalance mastery paths?
Developers may rebalance; generally they provide conversion compensation or legacy rewards for affected investments. Keep an eye on patch notes.
Are there seasonal events that accelerate Arsenal progression?
Yes — seasonal events often grant Antique Cores, tuning vouchers, or XP boosts. Time your major investments to coincide with these events when possible.
Closing notes and practical next steps
Start small: unlock Arsenal, pick a primary path, and slot a couple of antiques. Your first two weeks should prioritize learning what antiques your content loop drops most often. Treat Arsenal progression as both strategic and economic: efficient planning and disciplined resource allocation yield better long-term results than chasing a single perfect roll.
Strike Mastery Cheat Sheet — One Page Printable
Role: Single-target burst DPS; bossing and high-value single-target encounters Primary goals: Maximize crit chance, crit damage, and penetration for consistent high spikes
Quick stats priority (order matters)
Critical Chance
Critical Damage
Armor Penetration / Defense Pierce
Flat Attack / Weapon Attack
Attack Speed
Skill Amplify / Ability Power (if weapon scales with skill)
Life Steal / On-Hit Sustain
Secondary: Elemental Bonus matching weapon
Slot recommendations
Weapon slot: Prime Strike antique (high crit/crit-damage main stat)
Accessory slot: Crit chance with crit-damage secondary
Armor / Chest slot: Penetration or flat attack (for consistent scaling)
Boots / Movement slot: Attack speed or cooldown reduction (for faster rotation)
Situational slot: Boss-specific anti-heal or burst amplifier
Exact affix targets (tuning thresholds)
Crit Chance: aim for 35–45% total from Arsenal (higher if base class low)
Crit Damage: aim for 150–220% (crit multiplier view)
Penetration: 12–18% effective penetration from Arsenal slots
Flat Attack: +150–300 (balance with weapon level)
Attack Speed: +10–18% (more for rapid-attack builds)
Skill Amplify: +8–14% on primary skill if available
Tuning ladder (cheap → premium)
Basic reroll: lock crit chance line once >20%
Mid-grade reroll: push crit damage toward target range
Premium tuning: finalize penetration roll and secure exact crit/crit-damage ratio
Antiques to keep / farm
Type A Weapon antiques with single-target proc (do not recycle)
Type B Crit accessories that grant Strike XP
Boss dungeons that historically drop weapon antiques for Strike
Economy & resource budget (recommended)
Reserve 60% premium tuning for weapon and accessory slot finalization
Use 40% of salvage yield for mid-grade rerolls across chest and boots
Quick rotation & play notes
Open with high-damage charge or buff → burst with crit-priority skill → maintain uptime with speed procs
Keep situational slot for mechanics where penetration or anti-heal is decisive
One-line checklist before a boss run
Weapon slot crit/crit-damage locked; accessory crit locked; penetration >=12%; situational slot filled.
Split Mastery Cheat Sheet — One Page Printable
Role: AoE clear and multi-target scaling; farming, dungeon clears, threat spread Primary goals: Maximize area damage scaling, multi-hit amplification, and attack speed / cast speed
Quick stats priority (order matters)
AoE / Area Damage Multiplier
Multi-hit / Chain Damage
Attack Speed / Cast Speed
Flat Attack (for baseline scaling)
Critical Chance (lower priority than Strike)
Cooldown Reduction
Mobility / Range (secondary for rotation)
Slot recommendations
Weapon slot: AoE-focused antique (increased explosion radius or hit count)
Accessory slot: Multi-hit amplifier or AoE %
Armor slot: Attack speed or cast speed to improve clear time
Boots slot: Movement or hitbox expansion mechanics (if present)
Situational slot: Crowd-control or sustain for prolonged clears
Exact affix targets (tuning thresholds)
AoE Multiplier: +20–40% area damage from Arsenal combined
Multi-hit/Chain: +2–4 extra hits or +15–30% chain damage scaling
Attack Speed: +14–24% to reach efficient clear loops
Flat Attack: +120–220 balanced with attack speed
Cooldown Reduction: +8–14% for key AoE skills
Tuning ladder (cheap → premium)
Basic reroll: secure multi-hit or AoE line early on
Mid-grade reroll: increase attack speed or chain scaling
Premium tuning: perfect main AoE multiplier on weapon slot
Antiques to keep / farm
Type B AoE antiques with path XP for Split
Type D Hybrid antiques that add mobility + AoE for rotation efficiency
Farm mass-clear content and repeatable dungeons for high drop volume
Economy & resource budget (recommended)
Spend 50% of mid-grade materials on attack speed and multi-hit tuning
Keep 40% of premium resources for final AoE multiplier lock on weapon
Quick rotation & play notes
Start clears by maximizing hit count → maintain speed through attack-speed stacking → use cooldowns when density peaks
Favor consistency over single big spikes; aim to shorten clear cycles
One-line checklist before a farming run
AoE multiplier locked on weapon; chain hits secured on accessory; attack speed >=14%; situational mobility slot ready.
Stone Mastery Cheat Sheet — One Page Printable
Role: Tanking and durability; raid mitigation and sustained frontline presence Primary goals: Maximize damage reduction, barrier/absorption uptime, and effective HP
Quick stats priority (order matters)
Damage Reduction / Flat Mitigation
Barrier Strength / Absorption
Effective HP (Max HP + Defense scaling)
Cooldown Reduction for defensive skills
Threat/Threat Generation (if needed for agro)
Passive Resistances (elemental or status)
Sustain: Life Steal / Regeneration
Slot recommendations
Chest/Armor slot: Barrier strength or flat mitigation (primary)
Helm slot: Cooldown reduction for defensive cooldowns
Accessory slot: Effective HP or resistances (secondary)
Boots slot: Mobility to position or resist duration reduction
Situational slot: Anti-burst stat (e.g., burst-mitigation on spike mechanics)
Exact affix targets (tuning thresholds)
Damage Reduction: +8–15% flat mitigation from Arsenal (stack to desired cap)
Barrier Strength: +20–40% increase on barrier potency or duration
Max HP / Effective HP: +8–15% HP from combined slots
Cooldown Reduction: +10–20% on defensive toolkit
Resistances: +6–12% elemental resist where boss mechanics demand
Tuning ladder (cheap → premium)
Basic reroll: lock barrier uptime or mitigation line once present
Mid-grade reroll: push HP and cooldown reduction to target range
Premium tuning: achieve optimal mitigation-to-hp ratio to survive burst windows
Antiques to keep / farm
Type A mitigation antiques with permanent defensive mechanics (do not recycle)
Type B Stone XP antiques for fast mastery progress
Farm raid content and defensive challenge modes for high-value stones
Economy & resource budget (recommended)
Hold 70% premium tuning for barrier and chest finalization (mitigation is priority)
Use 30% salvage for mid-grade rerolls on helm and boots
Quick rotation & play notes
Maintain barrier baseline before engagements; time big cooldowns for known boss burst windows
Use threat generation only when party rotation requires; otherwise focus on sustain and prevention
One-line checklist before raid pull
Chest barrier locked; helm cooldown reduction secured; effective HP meets threshold for phase; situational anti-burst in slot.
Printable formatting tips
Print each section on its own page in landscape for readability.
Use the header line (title + role) as the top-of-page banner.
Keep tuning thresholds and affix targets visible as a quick reference in the top-right corner.
Use a small icon or colored strip to mark Primary, Secondary, and Situational lines for quick scanning during runs.
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