Should you do Cloudspire or Mt. Zhenwu first?

Deciding between Cloudspire and Mt. Zhenwu in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers? Learn which path offers more story content and NPC rewards, and when speedrunning Chapter 3 makes sense.

Alright, so you've hit a bit of a fork in the road in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers and you're wondering whether to tackle Cloudspire or Mt. Zhenwu first. It's a common question, especially after you've explored a bit and aren't sure which optional area to prioritize. Don't sweat it, I've got you covered.

In pretty much every situation, you're going to want to head to Cloudspire first. The main reason for this is how some of the NPCs behave. A lot of the characters you meet in Chapter 1 are supposed to carry over into Chapter 2. If you jump ahead to Chapter 3, you can actually break their questlines.

This includes important characters like:

• Huang Jian’e
• Nian Suichang
• And potentially Qiao Ying, depending on a choice you make in Chapter 1.

Beyond those specific NPCs, you'll also miss out on some pretty significant subplots if you skip Chapter 2. These include:

• Fang Yao — he's a pretty big deal for one of the alternative endings.
• The Gang's storyline, which is a nice little subplot in Chapter 2.

Going straight to Chapter 3 in these scenarios can totally mess up these other NPCs and storylines, meaning you'll miss out on a good chunk of content and the rewards that come with it. So, sticking to Cloudspire first really lets you experience more of the game's narrative and character interactions.

However, it's not all one-sided. There are a few reasons why you might consider doing Chapter 3 first:

• You'll generally get more Red Mercury from Chapter 3, and it's not a huge difficulty spike.
• Chapter 3 also gives you more Brilliant Red Feathers, which can make your build much stronger with fewer levels.
• After that, you can always go back to Chapter 2 and just speedrun it because you'll be so over-leveled for the area.

So yeah, there are definitely trade-offs to consider.

Ultimately, if you're not too fussed about the storyline and potential alternate endings, and you just want to power up quickly, then speedrunning Chapter 3 might be the way to go for a playthrough. But if you want the full experience, to see all the content, get the best out of the game's storytelling, and snag those sweet NPC rewards without breaking the main narrative, then Chapter 2 (Cloudspire) is highly recommended.