Want to learn the best Wo Long spells? You may be thinking that a magic-user build is ideal for defeating foes quickly, much as it is in the Dark Souls games. However, there are a few more restrictions on how one casts spells in the latest game from the folks who brought you Nioh and its sequel.
Despite some rather hefty requirements, casting Wo Long spells isn’t as easy as learning them via their elemental phases from the Wizardry Spells menu. You must also consider your current morale and how much territory you’ve captured in each level. After all, some spells in the RPG game would just be overpowered if you could hurl, say, a massive fireball across the map to knock an enemy off the top of a tower, or obliterate one of the many Wo Long bosses in one go. It adds an extra bit of challenge, so we’ll go through which of the many spells you can learn in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.
Best Wo Long spells
Since you can only equip four spells at a time, we figure it’s best to give you the best Wo Long build that will see you through the bulk of the game.
Here are the best Wo Long spells:
- Absorb Vitality
- Amplify Damage
- Rock Toughness
- Repressing Crush
This Wo Long build needs a morale level of seven to come fully online, but its first spell, Absorb Vitality, is active from the get-go. It’s a Wood phase life-steal spell that provides a low-cost way to heal for a short time, while rewarding you for being hyper-aggressive. The more damage you inflict upon an enemy, the more health you’ll receive, so as long as you’re not about to die, you can simply cast this and go on the offensive. Better still, the amount it heals is proportionate to the damage dealt, so if you cast it just before striking a foe whose poise just broke, you’ll heal almost half your health when you land that damaging blow. It’s best to cast it next to your Wo Long companions, since they’ll receive the same benefits. This spell is great for a quick health top-up, but it’s no real substitute for your Dragon’s Cure Pot, so be sure to upgrade it by visiting every Wo Long Dragon Vein Crystal and Essence location in the action-adventure game.
Amplify Damage from the Fire spell list works in the same basic way as the Absorb Vitality spell, but it increases the damage you and any nearby allies deal to the enemy. For builds that need that extra oomph, this spell can mean the difference between life and death.
Rock Toughness from the Earth spell phase is fantastic for learning boss movesets and surviving. You can cast it to reduce any spirit-based damage you receive from opponents while also protecting your morale ranking from decreasing should they land a critical blow. It is costly to your spirit bar, however, so play on the defensive as soon as you cast it.
Finally, there is Repressing Crush from the Metal spells list. Since exploiting an enemy’s drained spirit gauge is the key to winning most fights, inflicting this spell’s ailment onto a particularly tough foe will make it easier for you to break their poise, granting you the ability to hit them for a huge chunk of their life total.
How to unlock high-level Wo Long spells
Not all of the Wo Long spells are open to you initially, as you need “Domination” over Wizardry Spells Mastery and one other mission. This essentially means you need to complete the Trial of Wizardry Spells Mastery and a second specifically named training level. You unlock Wizardry Spells Mastery after slaying the Aoye in part three and The Scarlet Crystal after defeating Liu Bei in part six.
To access the Trial of Wizardry Spells Mastery, go to the travel menu at any major flag stand and scroll to the Other tab. This mission has you fight waves of monsters, ranging from zombies and ogres to magic birds and alligator-like demons. Once you’ve slain them all, you’ll unlock the ability to learn any spell in all five phases that previously required the Dominance of Wizardy Spell Mastery unlock condition. The Scarlet Crystal only requires that you defeat Hong Jing in combat.
All Wo Long spell requirements
So that you have an easy-to-search way of finding out what the learning and casting requirements are for every spell in the game, here are all of the Wo Long spells for each of the five phases:
Wood
| Spell name | Learn requirements | Casting requirements |
| Unstoppable Force | Level 2 Wood | Level 7 morale |
| Lightning Bolt | Level 1 Wood | Level 3 morale |
| Absorb Vitality | Level 3 Wood and Lightning Bolt learned | Level 0 morale |
| Barbed Conductor | Level 8 Wood and Lightning Bolt learned | Level 0 morale |
| Spirit Fevour | Level 6 Wood and Unstoppable Force | Level 3 morale |
| Inner Breath | Level 4 Wood and Unstoppable Force | Level 0 morale |
| Lightning Weapon | Level 12 Wood and Absorb Vitality | Level 7 morale |
| Lightning Rush | Level 15 Wood and Absorb Vitality | Level 7 morale |
| Guard Formation | Level 10 Wood and Spirit Fervor | Level 3 morale |
| Focus Zone | Level 20 Wood, Inner Breath, and Domination of Wizardry Spell Mastery | Level 7 morale |
| Cleanse | Level 20 Wood and Inner Breath | Level 0 morale |
| Barbed Nightmare | Level 40 Wood, Barbed Conductor, Lighting Weapon, and Domination of Wizardry Spell Mastery | Level 12 morale |
| Heaven’s Rage | Level 25 Wood, Lightning Rush, Guard Formation, and Domination of The Scarlet Crystal | Level 7 morale |
| Perfect Restoral | Level 30 Wood, Focus Zone, Cleanse, and Domination of The Scarlet Crystal | Level 15 morale |
Fire
| Spell name | Learn requirements | Casting requirements |
| Blasting Flare | Level 1 Fire | Level 3 morale |
| Fire Bolt | Level 2 Fire | Level 0 morale |
| Fireblast | Level 4 Fire and Fire Bolt | Level 0 morale |
| Amplify Damage | Level 8 Fire and Blasting Flare | Level 3 morale |
| Burning Flamewave | Level 10 Fire and Amplify Damage | Level 3 morale |
| Flame Weapon | Level 12 Fire and Amplify Damage | Level 7 morale |
| Surging Blaze | Level 3 Fire, Blasting Fire, and Fire Bolt | Level 7 morale |
| Scorch Comet | Level 6 Fire and Fireblast | Level 7 morale |
| Bursting Fireball | Level 15 Fire and Scorch Comet | Level 12 morale |
| Scorch Stream | Level 20 Fire and Surging Blaze | Level 7 morale |
| Scorch Sweep | Level 20 Fire, Surging Blaze, and Domination of Wizardry Spell Mastery | Level 7 morale |
| Overpower Burst | Level 20 Fire, Flame Weapon, and Domination of The Scarlet Crystal | Level 0 morale |
| Engulfing Inferno | Level 25 Fire and Burning Flamewave, and Domination of Wizardry Spell Mastery | Level 7 morale |
| Scorch Spinner | Level 40 Fire, Scorch Sweep, Scorch Stream, and Domination of The Scarlet Crystal | Level 15 morale |
Earth
| Spell name | Learn requirements | Casting requirements |
| Rock Spike | Level 1 Earth | Level 0 morale |
| Enhanced Defence | Level 2 Earth | Level 3 morale |
| Mighty Shockwave | Level 3 Earth and Rock Spike | Level 7 morale |
| Quakebound | Level 4 Earth and Enhanced Defence | Level 0 morale |
| Stone Weapon | Level 12 Earth and Enhanced Defence | Level 7 morale |
| Rock Toughness | Level 6 Earth Enhanced Defence | Level 7 morale |
| Deathly Bog | Level 15 Earth and Mighty Shockwave | Level 7 morale |
| Sandsink | Level 15 Earth and Mighty Shockwave | Level 3 morale |
| Imposing Slab | Level 8 Earth and Rock Spike | Level 7 morale |
| Force Blow | Level 10 Earth and Quakebound | Level 0 morale |
| Lion’s Roar | Level 20 Earth, Force Blow, and Domination of Wizardry Spell Mastery | Level 7 morale |
| Illusionary Shell | Level 40 Earth, Stone Weapon, Rock Toughness, and Domination of Wizardry Spell Mastery | Level 15 morale |
| Boulder Knuckles | Level 25 Earth, Deathly Bog, Sandsink, and Domination of The Scarlet Crystal | Level 7 morale |
| Fiend Vanquisher | Level 30 Earth, Imposing Slab, Lion’s Roar, and Domination of The Scarlet Crystal | Level 12 morale |
Metal
| Spell name | Learn requirements | Casting requirements |
| Poison Bubbles | Level 1 Metal | Level 0 morale |
| Repressing Crush | Level 2 Metal | Level 3 morale |
| Poison Corrosion | Level 3 Earth and Poison Bubbles | Level 0 morale |
| Venomous Discharge | Level 5 Earth and Poison Bubbles | Level 3 morale |
| Calamity Bolts | Level 4 Metal and Repression Crush | Level 3 morale |
| Life Wither | Level 7 Metal and Repression Crush | Level 15 morale |
| Toxin Weapon | Level 12 Metal and Poison Corrosion | Level 7 morale |
| Thorny Ground | Level 20 Metal and Poison Corrosion | Level 12 morale |
| Elemental Plague | Level 9 Metal and Calamity Bolts | Level 3 morale |
| Toxin Bubbles | Level 13 Metal and Venomous Discharge | Level 7 morale |
| Devouring Sweep | Level 13 Metal, Toxin Weapon, and Domination of Wizardry Spell Mastery | Level 3 morale |
| Molten Calamity Thorn | Level 30 Metal, Calamity Bolts, Life Wither, and Domination of Wizardry Spell Mastery | Level 3 morale |
| Thorn Shot | Level 25 Metal, Thorny Ground, Elemental Plague, and Domination of The Scarlet Crystal | Level 0 morale |
| Venom Snare | Level 40 Metal, Toxin Bubbles, Devouring Sweep, and Domnation of The Scarlet Crystal | Level 12 morale |
Water
| Spell name | Learn requirements | Casting requirements |
| Frost Lance | Level 1 Water | Level 0 morale |
| Cloud Stance | Level 2 Water | Level 0 morale |
| Unseeable Form | Level 8 Water and Frost Lance | Level 12 morale |
| Frozen Spear Trap | Level 3 Water and Cloud Stance | Level 3 morale |
| Frozen Malice | Level 6 Water and Frost Lance | Level 3 morale |
| Alacrity Haste | Level 4 Water and Cloud Stance | Level 7 morale |
| Obscuring Frost | Level 20 Water and Unseeable Form | Level 7 morale |
| Ice Weapon | Level 12 Water and Unseeable Form | Level 7 morale |
| Unrelenting Frost | Level 15 Water and Frozen Spear Trap | Level 3 morale |
| Frozen Arrow | Level 10 and Frozen Spear Trap | Level 3 morale |
| Phantom Icicle | Level 30 Water, Frozen Malice, Obscuring Frost, and Domination of The Scarlet Crystal | Level 12 morale |
| Aqua Blink | Level 20 Water, Alacrity Haste, and Domination of Wizardry Spell Mastery | Level 7 morale |
| Omnimous Chill | Level 40 Water, Unrelenting Frost, and Domination of Wizardry Spell Mastery | Level 15 morale |
| Malignant Icefall | Level 25 Water, Frozen Arrow, Unrelenting Frost, and Domination of The Scarlet Crystal | Level 7 morale |
Those are all of the best Wo Long spells. How much they’ll help depends on your ability to deflect attacks and having your companions grab your enemy’s attention long enough for you to set up. As you play one of the best PC games of the year so far, just in case you are wondering, we have various guides for those who want to know just how long is Wo Long, how to feed the Wo Long Shitieshou pandas, or if there is a Wo Long new game plus mode after finishing the game.