What are Spirits in Black Myth Wukong?

Spirits in Black Myth Wukong are among the most intriguing aspects of the game. Unlike Transformations, Spirits allow the Destined One to transform into a different creature for a short moment and deal massive amounts of damage, granted you can land the hit. Essentially, they work like a "burst ability" that gives you an advantage in combat.

Apart from their burst ability, Spirits also come with passive perks that you can work into your builds. Unfortunately, the game doesn't do a good job of explaining the importance of Spirits and how they play a major role in shaping your builds.

Here's a comprehensive guide on Spirits in Black Myth Wukong, how to use them, and more.

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How to unlock Spirits in Black Myth Wukong

Spirits, just like the Transformations and Spells, are unlocked by progressing the main story in Black Myth Wukong, completing side quests, and defeating bosses. However, the most common source of Spirits are the empowered enemies that you will find in certain sections of each chapter.

Upon defeating these elite enemies, you can use your Healing Gourd to collect their soul, which can later be used as a temporary Transformation.

The Spirits in Black Myth Wukong (Image via GameScience)

These special enemies can be identified by the blue aura emanating from their bodies, which sets them apart from the normal variants of the same enemy type. If you miss out on picking the souls of these enemies, you can always just go back to the Keeper's Shrine and collect them from the Retrieve Spirits tab.

Additionally, some Spirits can also be obtained by defeating named bosses in optional areas of the game, which itself requires completing rather elaborate NPC questlines.

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How to use Spirits in Black Myth Wukong

Spirits, once obtained, can be slotted into the dedicated Spirits tab in the Equipment menu at any time during gameplay. However, note that if you switch between different Spirits during gameplay, you will need to wait for them to cool down before you can use them. Cooldown can be accelerated a bit by killing fodder enemies and performing perfect dodges or blocks using Spells.

Spirits work different from the Transformation Spells (Image via GameScience)

To use a Spirit when the gauge is fully charged, press L2+R2 or LT+RT. Make sure to not spam the Spirit ability since it has a rather lengthy cooldown. Instead only use it after an enemy is staggered, or better yet, pair it with the Immobilize Spell, to make sure you make the most out of the Spirit's ability.

As for the best early to mid-game choice for Spirits, it has to be the Wandering Wight, which can be obtained in the first chapter of Black Myth Wukong. Not only does the Wandering Wight do a ton of damage with its attacks, but it also boosts your defenses, adding to your survivability.