If you’ve just started Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, one of the first things you’ll run into is a mysterious red resource called Red Mercury. Don’t let the cryptic name fool you—this stuff is essentially your XP, currency, and power source all rolled into one. Here’s a simple breakdown of how it works and how you can make the most of it.
What is Red Mercury?
Red Mercury acts as your primary progression currency. It’s what you’ll use to grow stronger, unlock skills, and purchase useful items. Anytime you defeat enemies or bosses, you’ll automatically earn some. On top of that, it also exists as collectible loot, like Buds, Shoots, and Growing Red Mercury, each offering a set amount when consumed (100, 400, and 800 respectively).
Tips to Farm Red Mercury Fast
Looking to power up quickly? Try these methods:
- Battle Frequently: Taking down regular enemies gives small amounts, but elite foes and bosses drop much more.
- Play the Madness Mechanic: When your Madness level nears 90%, enemies will drop a lot more Red Mercury, but the penalty for dying also increases. It’s a high-risk, high-reward system.
- Explore Thoroughly: You’ll often find Red Mercury in item form while exploring. Stockpile them and use the Batch Use option at Shrines to instantly add large amounts to your total.
- Visit Merchants: Vendors like Tao Qing and Wu Gang accept Red Mercury for useful gear and items, in case you want to trade instead of level up.
How to Use Red Mercury to Level Up
Once you’ve collected a sufficient amount of Red Mercury, head over to a Shrine—these act as important checkpoints where you can level up your character, unlock new skill nodes in the Impetus Repository, and use Red Mercury to purchase items. However, there’s an extra step involved when it comes to unlocking skills: simply having Red Mercury isn’t enough. You’ll first need to convert it into a special form called Red Mercury Essence, which is specifically used for activating nodes within the skill tree.
The Impetus Repository
The Impetus Repository is Wuchang’s skill tree, but unlocking nodes isn’t as straightforward as it seems. To activate a node, you first need to select it and choose the “Gain Red Mercury Essence” option, which uses up your collected Red Mercury to increase your level. After leveling up, you’ll need to select the same node again to actually unlock it. Keep in mind that Red Mercury Essence is only used within the skill tree and can’t be spent on items or anything else.
