In Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, the Madness and Inner Demon system adds a dark twist to traditional Soulslike mechanics. As your Madness builds, so does your power—and the risks. This guide breaks down how Madness works, how to cleanse or control it, and how to face your Inner Demon when your sanity slips too far. Master it to survive Shu’s haunting world.
How Madness Builds Up & How You Reduce It
Madness in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers builds up naturally as you progress, mainly from killing uninfected human enemies or dying. To lower your Madness, you’ll need to defeat Feathered foes, those infected with the plague and marked by sickly red boils, feathers, and sluggish movements or take down bosses and key enemies. In essence, fighting the healthy pushes your Madness up, while fighting the infected helps bring it back down.
What Does Madness Actually Affect?
Madness in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers isn’t just cosmetic it actively affects your gameplay. The higher it gets, the more damage you deal and take, and it also determines how much Red Mercury you’ll lose when you die.
At low levels (under 50%), Wuchang’s eyes glow slightly red. Dying in this state only costs you a small amount of Red Mercury. Between 50% and 90%, both your damage output and the damage you receive increase, and you lose a much larger chunk of Red Mercury on death. Once your Madness crosses 90%, Wuchang’s arm and chest glow with red demonic markings. You’ll deal massive damage and earn more Red Mercury from kills but dying at this point means you lose it all, and your Inner Demon appears.
Inner Demons Explained
If you die with your Madness level above 90%, things get a lot more intense. A corrupted version of Wuchang, your Inner Demon, spawns at the spot where you fell. This twisted clone is fast, ruthless, and wields the same power as you, wrapped in ragged bandages and pure hostility.
Interestingly, the Inner Demon doesn’t just target you, it attacks anything nearby. So if there’s a powerful enemy in the area, you can use the chaos to your advantage and let the demon do some damage first. Just be careful, because once it’s done with them, you’re next.
Taking down your Inner Demon is absolutely worth it. You’ll get your lost Red Mercury back and also score valuable items like:
- Plumed Branches, which instantly boost your Skyborn Might
- Crimson Feather Pearls, which let you warp back to your last shrine without losing any Red Mercury.
Ways to Cleanse Madness & Use it As Weapon
To completely cleanse your Madness in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, you’ve got two main choices. The first is to defeat your Inner Demon, which instantly resets your Madness level. The second option is to pray at the golden Statues of Shu by offering Divine Gifts or their fragments. These statues are scattered across the map, with the first one typically found on the upper floor of Shu Sanctum.
You can collect Divine Gifts and shards by exploring thoroughly, opening chests, and defeating important enemies. Additionally, there are special items like Maddening Incense that let you manipulate Madness. This particular item raises your Madness and locks it in place, making it a useful tool for players using Madness-focused builds.
Madness isn’t just a penalty it can actually be turned into a powerful asset. The game’s skill tree, known as the Impetus Repository, includes abilities that only activate when your Madness level is high. One notable example is Health Siphon, which restores health at the end of your light attack combos but only if your Madness is above 90%.
So while managing Madness can be risky, it also opens up strong build options if you know how to control it wisely.
Final Thoughts
The Madness system in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers adds a unique layer to combat and progression. It’s not just about losing XP when you die it’s about balancing your sanity, unlocking power at the cost of safety, and occasionally fighting your own shadow.
Mastering this mechanic gives you an edge — and adds depth to the journey. Keep an eye on your Madness level, plan your fights, and don’t fear your inner demon. Learn to use her.
