Upgrading armor in Black Myth: Wukong isn’t available from the start but it’s very important for tackling enemies in the more advanced levels. This guide details the process of unlocking armor upgrades by tracking down the blacksmith called Yin Tiger based in the Painted Realm. The complete upgrade system gets unlocked at the end of Chapter 3, after you undergo a series of side adventures starting in Chapter 2 involving Xu Dog, Chen Loong, and some boss fights.
How to Unlock Armor Upgrades
Changes in armor in Black Myth: Wukong are not available from the beginning. You will, however, see this feature come to life as soon as you have met the blacksmith Yin Tiger in a special hub area that is introduced in Chapter 3. Getting there will require you to go through a side quest involving specific characters and an important boss fight. Until then, you will have to alternatively switch between armors to keep pace with the difficulty level of the enemies.
Meeting Xu Dog in Chapter 2
Your journey toward unlocking armor upgrades begins in Chapter 2. After reaching the Village Entrance checkpoint in Sandgate Village, look to your left and drop into a ravine. At the end of the path, you’ll find a cave where you meet Xu Dog, a quirky medicine expert. He mentions that one of his special formulas was swallowed by a frog. If you dive into the nearby pond, you’ll trigger an optional boss fight against Lang-Li-Guhh-Baw, a huge yellow frog that uses lightning attacks. Once you defeat the boss, talk to Xu Dog again to receive a reward. He’ll then leave the area.
Later, you’ll reach the Cellar checkpoint in the Crouching Tiger Temple. Inside the building, you’ll run into Xu Dog again. This time, he stays as a permanent vendor who sells medicines and basic upgrades. Continue with the main story until Chapter 3, where you’ll face Kang-Jin Star, a boss located on Turtle Island. After the fight, your character will leap off the turtle’s head and land on a beach. There, you’ll meet Chen Loong, an elderly dragon who turns hostile if you approach. After defeating him, he’ll apologize and request a specific pill.
Unlocking the Painted Realm and Finding Yin Tiger
To help Chen Loong, return to Xu Dog at the Cellar checkpoint and talk to him. He’ll give you the pill needed. Go back to Chen Loong on the beach and hand over the medicine. He’ll open a portal that takes you to the Painted Realm, which becomes your new hub area. It includes various important NPCs you’ve met during the game. From the starting point in the Painted Realm, follow the left path to find Yin Tiger, the blacksmith.
Yin Tiger can now upgrade any armor sets you’ve collected, improving their defensive stats. This lets you keep using older armor sets that you liked, instead of constantly replacing them with new ones. To upgrade gear, you’ll need a resource called Will along with certain materials found throughout the game world. Unlocking this feature gives you more freedom to play your way without being limited by weaker gear.
