Black Myth Wukong: How to parry

Here’s how to parry with both Rock Solid and Resolute Counterflow

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Science

Wondering if you can parry in Black Myth: Wukong? Unlike other Soulslike games, Black Myth: Wukong doesn’t give you a standard parry action from the get-go, and instead emphasises rolling and dodging rather than blocking opponent attacks. Parry equivalents do exist within the game, however - most notably in the form of spells and talents.

Read on, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know to parry in Black Myth: Wukong.

How to parry in Black Myth: Wukong

You can parry in Black Myth: Wukong via the Rock Solid spell and the Resolute Counterflow talent. Rock Solid is given to the Destined One as a reward for defeating Tiger Vanguard, a mandatory boss in Chapter 2 of Black Myth: Wukong, and Resolute Counterstrike is one of the talents of the Smash Stance.

Out of these two options, Rock Solid acts more like the traditional parry that you might find in other Soulslikes, albeit with a cooldown. Resolute Counterflow, meanwhile, is more of a counter manoeuvre, or mid-attack parry, that requires a Focus Point to use.

How to use Rock Solid in Black Myth: Wukong

Rock Solid is an Alteration spell, which means it’s assigned to the same slot as Cloud Step. When equipped, you should use Rock Solid in the same way as you might parry in other games by activating it right before an enemy hits you. A successful parry will deflect a hit, unleash a clanging sound, and display yellow sparks on the screen. Enemies will also be staggered and susceptible to staff strikes.

Yaoguais beware! With Rock Solid, even the deadliest of blows can be deflected. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Science

Timing is key if you want to use Rock Solid well, though if you’ve played Black Myth: Wukong up to this point and defeated Tiger Vanguard, you should be fairly decent at getting perfect dodges by now. Apply the same pinpoint timing to Rock Solid and soon you’ll be parrying foes left and right.

Since Rock Solid and Cloud Step occupy the same slot, it’s worth mentioning that I’ve found Cloud Step more useful than Rock Solid in most situations, as it gives you a chance to heal and escape lengthy boss combos without worrying about pinpoint timing. That said, if you’re accustomed to parrying in other Soulslike games and would prefer to maintain your attack combos, Rock Solid might be up your alley.

How to get Rock Solid in Black Myth: Wukong

Defeating Tiger Vanguard grants you Rock Solid as a reward. Tiger Vanguard can be found near the “Temple Entrance” Keeper’s Shrine outside Crouching Tiger Temple, which you’ll naturally run into over the course of your Chapter 2 playthrough, and he’s one of the toughest bosses you’ve faced thus far, with deadly claw combos, ground pounds, sword thrusts, and a tricky second phase that sees him disappearing and rushing at you from unknown angles. Partway through the battle, you’ll see him parrying your attack by hardening his body, which is a preview of what you’ll get after you beat him.

Tiger Vanguard will start using his own version of Rock Solid in the middle of the fight. When he turns into a rock, roll backwards to avoid a vicious punch. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Science

Beating Tiger Vanguard requires patience, a keen eye for his combos, and lots and lots of practice. We recommend wearing the Serpentscale armor set during the fight. This set slowly replenishes low health and reduces stamina cost while in water, which comes in handy especially considering that this fight takes place in a huge arena full of blood.

Rock Solid upgrades in Black Myth: Wukong

Once you’ve got Rock Solid, you can upgrade it in the Self-Advancement menu with the following talents:

• Rapid Return : (1 Spark) Rock Solid can be cancelled at will.
• Rock Mastery : (1 Spark) Moderately reduces the cooldown of Rock Solid.
• Nick of Time : (1 Spark) Grants a considerable amount of Focus upon a successful deflection.
• Ironclad : (1 Spark) Grants damage reduction for a short duration after a deflection with Rock Solid.
• Upper Hand : (1 Spark) Increases the damage of the Light Attack Starter succeeding a successful deflection.
• Bold Venture : (2 Sparks) Recovers a considerable amount of Mana upon a successful deflection. The deflection window narrows upon awakening this talent.

How to use Resolute Counterflow in Black Myth: Wukong

You can use Resolute Counterflow right at the beginning of Black Myth: Wukong, as it’s one of the first talents available on the Smash Stance skill tree. Mastering it, however, requires practice, especially as its description on the skill tree is confusing.

In order to use Resolute Counterflow, you need to do the following:

• Press the Heavy Attack button during a Light Attack Combo right as an enemy is about to attack you . This is called Resolute Strike .
• Have at least one Focus Point.

If you successfully pull this off, the screen will flash red as the Destined One’s Resolute Strike cancels out the enemy’s attack in a powerful counter that will stagger most regular foes and some bosses. Black Myth: Wukong’s skill tree description describes this move as a way to “see through” incoming enemy attacks and nullify their damage, which is oddly worded. But don’t get too puzzled - simply think of this as a counter/parry that requires Focus Points.

This wording of Resolute Counterflow isn’t the best, alas. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Game Science

It’s vital to note that this move won’t work on all boss attacks. But if you want to make the most of Resolute Counterflow, I highly recommend that you grab the next upgrade in the skill tree - Skyfall Strike , which lets you execute a downward strike if you perform another Heavy Attack immediately after a successful Resolute Strike. You’ll need at least two Focus Points in your arsenal in order to use Skyfall Strike.

That’s all you need to know about parrying in Black Myth: Wukong - now get out there and use that staff to deflect some blows! If you’re facing difficulties when it comes to the tough yaoguai kings in your path, take a look at our guide to all bosses in Black Myth: Wukong. To upgrade your arsenal, see our guides to unlocking additional curio slots and upgrading armor . Finally, our guide to all Keeper’s Shrine locations will help you track save points on your lengthy quest.

Black Myth: Wukong

PS5 , PC

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All 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints and where to get them

These areas have the highest chance of giving you Blueprints

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Looking for more Arc Raiders Blueprints? It’s a special day when you find a Blueprint, as they’re among the most valuable items in Arc Raiders. If you find a Blueprint that you haven’t already found, then you must make sure you hold onto it at all costs, because Blueprints are the key to one of the most important and powerful systems of meta-progression in the game.

This guide aims to be the very best guide on Blueprints you can find, starting with a primer on what exactly they are and how they work in Arc Raiders, before delving into exactly where to get Blueprints and the very best farming spots for you to take in your search.

We’ll also go over how to get Blueprints from other unlikely activities, such as destroying Surveyors and completing specific quests. And you’ll also find the full list of all 75 Blueprints in Arc Raiders on this page (including the newest Blueprints added with the Cold Snap update , such as the Deadline Blueprint and Firework Box Blueprint), giving you all the information you need to expand your own crafting repertoire.

In this guide:

• What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
• Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
• Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders Blueprints obtained from quests Blueprints obtained from Trials Best Blueprint farming locations

What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?

Blueprints in Arc Raiders are special items which, if you manage to extract with them, you can expend to permanently unlock a new crafting recipe in your Workshop. If you manage to extract from a raid with an Anvil Blueprint, for example, you can unlock the ability to craft your very own Anvil Pistol, as many times as you like (as long as you have the crafting materials).

To use a Blueprint, simply open your Inventory while in the lobby, then right-click on the Blueprint and click “Learn And Consume” . This will permanently unlock the recipe for that item in your Workshop. As of the Stella Montis update, there are allegedly 75 different Blueprints to unlock - although only 68 are confirmed to be in the game so far. You can see all the Blueprints you’ve found and unlocked by going to the Workshop menu, and hitting “R” to bring up the Blueprint screen.

It’s possible to find duplicates of past Blueprints you’ve already unlocked. If you find these, then you can either sell them, or - if you like to play with friends - you can take it into a match and gift it to your friend so they can unlock that recipe for themselves. Another option is to keep hold of them until the time comes to donate them to the Expedition.

Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes

Below is the full list of all the Blueprints that are currently available to find in Arc Raiders, and the crafting recipe required for each item:

Note: The missing Blueprints in this list likely have not actually been added to the game at the time of writing, because none of the playerbase has managed to find any of them. As they are added to the game, I will update this page with the most relevant information so you know exactly how to get all 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints.

Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders

Below is a list of all containers, modifiers, and events which maximise your chances of finding Blueprints:

• Certain quests reward you with specific Blueprints .
• Completing Trials has a high chance of offering Blueprints as rewards.
• Surveyors have a decent chance of dropping Blueprints on death.
• High loot value areas tend to have a greater chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Night Raids and Storms may increase rare Blueprint spawn chances in containers.
• Containers with higher numbers of items may have a higher tendency to spawn Blueprints. As a result, Blue Gate (which has many “large” containers containing multiple items) may give you a higher chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Raider containers (Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, Medical Bags, Grenade Tubes) have increased Blueprint drop rates. As a result, the Uncovered Caches event gives you a high chance of finding Blueprints.
• Security Lockers have a higher than average chance of containing Blueprints.
• Certain Blueprints only seem to spawn under specific circumstances: Tempest Blueprint only spawns during Night Raid events. Vulcano Blueprint only spawns during Hidden Bunker events. Jupiter and Equaliser Blueprints only spawn during Harvester events.

Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, and other raider-oriented container types have a good chance of offering Blueprints. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints have a very low chance of spawning in any container in Arc Raiders, around 1-2% on average. However, there is a higher chance of finding Blueprints in particular container types. Specifically, you can find more Blueprints in Raider containers and security lockers.

Beyond this, if you’re looking for Blueprints you should focus on regions of the map which are marked as having particularly high-value loot. Areas such as the Control Tower in Dam Battlegrounds, the Arrival and Departure Buildings in Spaceport, and Pilgrim’s Peak in Blue Gate all have a better-than-average chance of spawning Blueprints somewhere amongst all their containers. Night Raids and Electromagnetic Storm events also increase the drop chances of certain Blueprints .

In addition to these containers, you can often loot Blueprints from destroyed Surveyors - the largest of the rolling ball ARC. Surveyors are more commonly found on the later maps - Spaceport and Blue Gate - and if one spawns in your match, you’ll likely see it by the blue laser beam that it casts into the sky while “surveying”.

Surveyors are quite well-armoured and will very speedily run away from you once it notices you, but if you can take one down then make sure you loot all its parts for a chance of obtaining certain unusual Blueprints.

Blueprints obtained from quests

One way in which you can get Blueprints is by completing certain quests for the vendors in Speranza. Some quests will reward you with a specific item Blueprint upon completion, so as long as you work through all the quests in Arc Raiders, you are guaranteed those Blueprints.

Here is the full list of all Blueprints you can get from quest rewards:

• Trigger Nade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Sparks Fly”.
• Lure Grenade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Greasing Her Palms”.
• Burletta Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Industrial Espionage”.
• Hullcracker Blueprint (and Launcher Ammo Blueprint): Rewarded after completing “The Major’s Footlocker”.

Alas, that’s only 4 Blueprints out of a total of 75 to unlock, so for the vast majority you will need to find them yourself during a raid. If you’re intent on farming Blueprints, then it’s best to equip yourself with cheap gear in case you lose it, but don’t use a free loadout because then you won’t get a safe pocket to stash any new Blueprint you find. No pain in Arc Raiders is sharper than failing to extract with a new Blueprint you’ve been after for a dozen hours already.

One of the best ways to get Blueprints is by hitting three stars on all five Trials every week. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints obtained from Trials

One of the very best ways to get Blueprints is as rewards for completing Trials in Arc Raiders. Trials are unlocked from Level 15 onwards, and allow you to earn rewards by focusing on certain tasks over the course of several raids. For example, one Trial might task you with dealing damage to Hornets, while another might challenge you to loot Supply Drops.

Trials refresh on a weekly basis, with a new week bringing five new Trials. Each Trial can offer up to three rewards after passing certain score milestones, and it’s possible to receive very high level loot from these reward crates - including Blueprints. So if you want to unlock as many Blueprints as possible, you should make a point of completing as many Trials as possible each week.

Best Blueprint farming locations

The very best way to get Blueprints is to frequent specific areas of the maps which combine high-tier loot pools with the right types of containers to search. Here are my recommendations for where to find Blueprints on every map, so you can always keep the search going for new crafting recipes to unlock.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Dam Battlegrounds

The best places to farm Blueprints on Dam Battlegrounds are the Control Tower, Power Generation Complex, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments . The first two regions, despite only being marked on the map as mid-tier loot, contain a phenomenal number of containers to loot. The Control Tower can also contain a couple of high-tier Security Lockers - though of course, you’ll need to have unlocked the Security Breach skill at the end of the Survival tree.

There’s also a lot of reporting amongst the playerbase that the Residential areas in the top-left of the map - Pale Apartments and Ruby Residence - give you a comparatively strong chance of finding Blueprints. Considering their size, there’s a high density of containers to loot in both locations, and they also have the benefit of being fairly out of the way. So you’re more likely to have all the containers to yourself.

Buried City

The best Blueprint farming locations on Buried City are the Santa Maria Houses, Grandioso Apartments, Town Hall, and the various buildings of the New District . Grandioso Apartments has a lower number of containers than the rest, but a high chance of spawning weapon cases - which have good Blueprint drop rates. The others are high-tier loot areas, with plenty of lootable containers - including Security Lockers.

Spaceport

The best places to find Blueprints on Spaceport are the Arrival and Departure Buildings, as well as Control Tower A6 and the Launch Towers . All these areas are labelled as high-value loot regions, and many of them are also very handily connected to one another by the Spaceport wall, which you can use to quickly run from one area to the next. At the tops of most of these buildings you’ll find at least one Security Locker, so this is an excellent farming route for players looking to find Blueprints.

The downside to looting Blueprints on Spaceport is that all these areas are hotly contested, particularly in Duos and Squads. You’ll need to be very focused and fast in order to complete the full farming route.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blue Gate

Blue Gate tends to have a good chance of dropping Blueprints, potentially because it generally has a high number of containers which can hold lots of items; so there’s a higher chance of a Blueprint spawning in each container. In my experience, the best Blueprint farming spots on Blue Gate are Pilgrim’s Peak, Raider’s Refuge, the Ancient Fort, and the Underground Complex beneath the Warehouse .

All of these areas contain a wealth of containers to loot. Raider’s Refuge has less to loot, but the majority of the containers in and around the Refuge are raider containers, which have a high chance of containing Blueprints - particularly during major events.

Stella Montis

On the whole, Stella Montis seems to have a very low drop rate for Blueprints (though a high chance of dropping other high-tier loot). If you do want to try farming Blueprints on this map, the best places to find Blueprints in Stella Montis are Medical Research, Assembly Workshop, and the Business Center . These areas have the highest density of containers to loot on the map.

In addition to this, the Western Tunnel has a few different Security Lockers to loot, so while there’s very little to loot elsewhere in this area of the map, it’s worth hitting those Security Lockers if you spawn there at the start of a match.

That wraps up this primer on how to get all the Blueprints in Arc Raiders as quickly as possible. With the Expedition system constantly resetting a large number of players’ Blueprints, it’s more important than ever to have the most up-to-date information on where to find all these Blueprints.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our Arc Raiders best guns tier list , as well as our primers on the best skills to unlock and all the different Field Depot locations on every map.

ARC Raiders

PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC

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