Let me guess. You picked up a slick-looking weapon in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, fell in love with its moveset, and now you’re wondering: “How do I make this thing hit like a truck?” Well, you’re in the right place. Upgrading weapons in Wuchang isn’t your typical “take it to a blacksmith and pray” system. Instead, it’s all done through the Impetus Repository, a fancy name for the shrine skill tree. It’s deep, a little weird at first, but once you understand how Red Feathers work, you’ll be slicing through elites in style. This guide breaks down how upgrades work, the four Red Feather types, and where to find them.
How to Get Max Weapon Upgrade
In Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, weapon upgrades aren’t tied to individual swords, spears, or axes — they’re tied to weapon types. That means when you upgrade Dual Blades Mastery to +6, every dual blade you use gets the stat boost. Pretty sweet, right?
This system lives in the Impetus Repository, which you access at shrines (the same place you level up, rest, etc.). Here, you’ll find a sprawling skill tree with weapon-specific mastery nodes. To level them up, you’ll need two things:
- Red Mercury (regular currency for the tree)
- Red Feathers (rare upgrade items tied to weapon tiers)
Red Feather Upgrade Guide (Tier Breakdown)
Here’s the full list of Red Feather types and what weapon tiers they unlock:
| Feather Type | Max Weapon Tier |
|---|---|
| Faint Red Feather | +3 |
| Brilliant Red Feather | +6 |
| Radiant Red Feather | +9 |
| Lustrous Red Feather | +10 (Max) |
To max out a weapon type, you’ll need to climb all the way to +10 using these feathers in order.
Each tier has three pips (small notches) you’ll need to fill. So yes, even one node might need several feathers of the same type.
Tip: Focus on just one main weapon type early on. Feathers are limited at first, so don’t spread yourself too thin. Once you’ve maxed out your favorite, you can respec and explore others — without wasting feathers (they refund!).
Where to Get Red Feathers
Red Feathers follow the classic Soulslike logic: early game = basic feathers, late game = rare feathers. But there’s overlap. You can still find early feathers in late areas and vice versa.
Faint Red Feathers (+3)
- Found in early areas like around Shu Sanctum
- Drop from Blight Pots, vase monsters, and weak elites
- Buy from Wu Gang (before fighting Master Raider at Light Zen Temple)
- Can show up in basic loot pickups
Brilliant Red Feathers (+6)
- Mid-game feather — shows up around Mt. Zhenwu and Avian Marsh
- Drop from certain mini-bosses like the Tang Emperor Maid
- Winged enemies near the rebel outpost in Avian Marsh also drop them
- Occasionally hidden in obscure parts of ruined temples and rooftops
- Drop rate can be RNG-based — so farming elites helps
Radiant Red Feathers (+9)
- Mostly found in late-game sections like Worship’s Rise (ruined version), Bo Capital, and nearby underground zones
- Dropped by high-tier glowing elites and purple-aura enemies
- Often found in tight, hidden environmental paths
- You’ll likely get enough to max out one main and one side weapon by the end
Lustrous Red Feather (+10)
- Very rare — only needed once per weapon type
- Found in Bo Capital during final act
- Method #1: Buy it from the Panda merchant for 5 Bamboo Shoots
- Method #2: Loot it from the spire near the Solbird Shard fusion altar (story-related)
Tip: Grab that spire loot before you progress to the final boss. It’s easy to miss, and you don’t want to end up short one Lustrous Feather.
How to Use Red Feathers in the Skill Tree
Once you’ve got your feathers, it’s time to spend them.
- Rest at any Shrine and enter the Impetus Repository.
- Navigate to the weapon type you want to upgrade (swords, spears, dual blades, etc.).
- Look for eight-pointed nodes — these are mastery upgrade nodes.
- Unlock connected paths using Red Mercury to reach the node.
- Use your Red Feathers to upgrade the node.
Most nodes have multiple levels (you’ll see tiny pips). You can upgrade the same node multiple times before needing to progress to the next.
The good news? You can respec for free anytime. So if you want to experiment with a new weapon, you’ll get your feathers back.
Other Weapon Buff Systems (Tempering, Disciplines, Benedictions)
Red Feathers power your base weapon damage. But Wuchang lets you go deeper:
- Tempering – Elemental or passive effects on weapons
- Disciplines – Passive traits tied to your overall build
- Benedictions – Shrine-set blessings (like Elden Ring talismans)
The magic happens when you stack these systems — a +10 Dual Blade with lightning tempering and a critical discipline setup? Chef’s kiss.
Don’t Forget: You’ll Need Red Mercury (and a Lot of It)
Red Feathers unlock upgrade gates — but Red Mercury pays the toll.
Each mastery node costs more and more Mercury as you level up. It starts in the hundreds and ends in the tens of thousands. So if you’re wondering why your upgrades are stalled at +6? You probably need to farm more.
You can get Red Mercury from enemy kills and orbs — but farming smart makes all the difference.
I’ve got a full Red Mercury Farming Guide with shrine loops across Chapters 1 to 3 — including:
- The Light Zen Temple loop (20k/hour)
- The Shu Sanctum shortcut farm
- The Bandit Cave speed run (insane early-game payout)
- And the Zenmu Anti-Chamber Gazebo grind (280k/hour, seriously)
If your Mercury wallet’s looking thinner than your parry window, check it out.
Wrap-Up: Max Weapon Power, Min Confusion
Getting your weapon to +10 in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is absolutely worth the effort. It’s not about upgrading one item, it’s about upgrading your entire playstyle. With the right feather path and a bit of Red Mercury grinding, you’ll be cutting through blighted horrors like butter.
So pick your favorite weapon type, farm those feathers, and start leveling up the Impetus Repository. And if you’re ever stuck finding a feather? Head back to that glowing loot or poke around vendor inventories again — they might have what you need.
Up next, if you haven’t faced Commander Honglan yet, you’ll want to check out my boss guide. She’s the first real skill check in the game, and trust me, going in prepared makes a huge difference. Even if you’re not there yet, go ahead and save it. Future you will be very grateful.
