Looking to unleash devastating combos with the Strategic Sword? Sword Horizon is a legendary Inner Way technique that works best when combined with the Strategic Sword, enhancing follow-ups and inflicting powerful Bleed bonuses on enemies. This guide walks you through everything you need to dominate with this powerful ability.
Table of Contents
What Makes Sword Horizon Special?
Sword Horizon pairs with the Strategic Sword to create powerful follow-up attacks and enhance bleed status against foes. Think of it as your secret weapon for turning good combos into devastating ones. The technique revolves around perfect timing—land your Strategic Sword moves correctly, and you’ll trigger Crisscrossing Swords for explosive damage.
Where Winds Meet: Stats Table
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Inner Way (Internal Art) |
| Rarity | Legendary |
| Best Weapon Pairing | Strategic Sword |
| Key Mechanic | Bleed stacking & follow-up attacks |
| Unlock Location | Ghostlight Market |
| Vendor | Ni Laoshan |
| RNG Factor | Yes (Random pages from books) |
Step-by-Step Unlock Guide
Finding the Merchant
Head to the Ghostlight Market and walk straight ahead, passing two sets of stairs until you cross the second one, then look to your left to spot the merchant’s store. You can’t miss Ni Laoshan—he literally hangs upside down from the ceiling!
Collecting the Pages
Purchase several Unknown Old Books from Ni Laoshan, as the pages of Sword Horizon are hidden inside them. Here’s the catch: it’s completely random which pages you’ll get. Some books might not contain any pages at all, so buy multiple books to beat the RNG system.
Once you’ve collected all the pages from your inventory, the Sword Horizon technique unlocks automatically. Check out the official Where Winds Meet guide for more weapon unlocking tips.
Mastering the Combat Technique
After performing any Strategic Sword technique, press the skill button again at the perfect timing during the ending animation to unleash Crisscrossing Swords, a fast and explosive follow-up attack. The timing window is tight—hit it during the final frames, not earlier or later.
Pro Tip: When your target has 5 Bleed stacks, you can remove all Bleed stacks and deal high Bleed damage once, making this perfect for boss fights.
Want to explore more combat strategies? Check out our beginner’s guide to Where Winds Meet for essential tips on mastering the game’s mechanics.\
Why Sword Horizon Matters
This isn’t just another skill—it transforms how the Strategic Sword plays. When mastered, this gives the Strategic Sword weapon a much faster tempo than its usual methodical pacing. You’ll go from calculated strikes to relentless pressure, keeping enemies off-balance.
For players running bleed-focused builds, Sword Horizon is non-negotiable. It synergizes perfectly with the Bellstrike-Umbra martial arts path, making it essential for anyone serious about maximizing damage output.
Discover more weapon builds and strategies in our Where Winds Meet weapons tier list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does it take to unlock Sword Horizon?
It depends on RNG luck with the Unknown Old Books. Some players unlock it after purchasing 5-10 books, while others may need 15-20. Budget some extra currency and buy in bulk to speed up the process.
Q: Can I use Sword Horizon with other weapons besides Strategic Sword?
While technically you can equip it, Sword Horizon is specifically designed for Strategic Sword synergy. The follow-up attacks and bleed mechanics only trigger with Strategic Sword techniques, so using it with other weapons wastes a valuable Inner Way slot. Pair it with Strategic Sword for maximum effectiveness.
