Wuthering Waves Combat System Guide - How to Master Combat

Update: 5.27.2024

As Wuthering Waves have experienced a decently successful launch, many players have been able to enjoy the full extent of the game’s combat system, including the different combat styles, elemental reactions and the very intriguing Echoes system.

In order for players to have a better understanding and a better experience with the Wuthering Wave’s combat system, this game aims to provide players with detail about the overall combat system of Wuthering Waves, including its on field mechanics, the elemental abilities and reactions that can be done by the characters and finally, the impact of special echoes have on the Resonators when they are equipped:

• On Field Combat
• Elements, Concerto Skills & Concerto Effects
• Echoes

On Field Combat 

Wuthering Waves’ combat system takes heavy inspiration from the previous title made by Kuro Games - Punishing Gray Raven and implementing it seamlessly into the world of Wuthering Waves by changing the mechanics slightly and offering players a more smooth and dynamic combat system in an open space overall.

On Field Resonator Abilities

When on the field, players will be able to take control of 1 out of 3 different characters in your party to challenge the enemies on the field, with the ability to switch to other characters in your party with a push of a keyboard button. 

When on field, players will be able to do normal attacks by clicking the attack button. Players can also do combos by constantly using the normal attack button, with the number of attacks being determined by the Resonator’s combo count. 

By holding the attack button, the on field Resonator will initiate a Heavy attack, consuming the player’s stamina to unleash a devastating blow to the enemy, knocking them up into the air.

By using the dodge button, players can also consume a set amount of stamina to dodge the enemy’s attack while also dealing damage to them.

Finally, each resonator will have access to their Resonator Skill by using the Resonator Skill button, allowing them to deal damage to the enemy using their unique skill and applying their element to the enemy's hit. 

Perfect Dodge & Parrying

While attacking and dodging enemies’ attacks, players might notice certain times where there will be a glowing light during enemies’ attacks. Once this glow appears, if players were to time it perfectly, they can parry the enemy’s attack with either a Heavy Attack or a Resonator Skill. Once this happens, the enemy will not be able to deal damage to the on field Resonator and will be staggered for a short amount of time, allowing players to deal more damage to them.

Alternatively, players can also use dodge during these glowing moments to initiate a perfect dodge, completely ignoring the enemy’s attack and allowing them to become wide open for attacks from Resonators.

These perfectly timed parries and perfect dodge will also allow the players to deplete the bosses’ parry meter gradually. Once the parry meter has dropped to 0, the boss will enter an extremely vulnerable state where they will stop moving or attacking and all attacks from Resonators will become effective, allowing players to deal massive amounts of damage to them in this time window before they recover from this state.

Resonator Circuits & Resonator Liberator

For certain Liberators, a special effect bar will appear on top of their normal HP bar, with the color indicating their elements and can be filled up gradually depending on the actions taken by the Resonators. This special effect bar is called the Resonator Circuits and are uniquely available to certain Resonators who use this bar in their abilities. Resonator can fill up this bar by doing combat and once the bar is filled, these special Resonators will be able to gain beneficial effects or be able to unleash their more devastating attacks.

Unlike Resonator Circuits which are only available for certain Resonators based on their abilities, all Resonators have access to their own unique ultimate move known as Resonator Liberation. Players will have to obtain Resonating Energy while on field and fill the Resonator’s Liberation bar in order for them to unleash this unique devastating ability, serving as the Resonator’s ultimate move and is unique to individual Resonator in terms of damage output and effects.

Elements, Concerto Skills & Concerto Effects

Each Resonator has their own elements that are assigned to them and by utilizing these elements, players will be able to initiate special on field effects using Concerto Skills and Concerto Effects between different Resonators in the party.

Concerto Skills

While attacking enemies with the on field Resonator for a period of time, players will be able to see the portrait of other members in the party fluctuate with a White wavelength symbol. This is a sign that players can activate special skills known as Concerto Skills. When this happens, players can click on the other Resonator portrait to initiate the Concerto Skill, switching into that Resonator and unleash a powerful attack upon their entrance.

When this attack occurs, players will be able to take advantage of another special factor in combat - the Concerto Effects. These effects trigger based on the Elements of the initial on field Resonator and the switched in Resonator’s element, allowing players to gain benefits or debuffs the enemy based on the elements that were used in the combo.

Concerto Effects

The Concerto effects are divided into different groups, with each providing different effects to the battlefield:

Echoes

Echoes are special farmable abilities that players can obtain from defeating enemies on the overworld and by defeating certain special bosses with a chance to drop their Echoes. These Echoes provides the players with special stats boosts, special Echoes synergy buffs and most important of all - a special Echoes skill

Echoes Skills

Every Resonator can equip up to 5 Echoes in order to boost their ability, however, the first Echo is the most important one as it determines the special Echo skill players can use on the Resonator on the battlefield.

Once equipped, each individual Echoes will provide a unique skill to the Resonator equipped with it, allowing that Resonator to either transform into the Echo in order to do the attack or summon the Echoes on the field for extra damage or healing. These Echo skills have their own unique countdown time and are dependent on which Echo are equipped to which resonator, meaning in a team, players can equip up to 3 different Echo Skills to all 3 Resonators in the party to use the Echo’s abilities and skills in combat.