Gathering Skills
🌾 Farming
Cultivate over 60 varieties of ancient Chinese crops. Farming requires land, seeds, tools, and patience. Different plants have different soil, water, and temperature needs. Master farming to feed yourself, brew alcohol, produce crafting materials, and generate steady income.
Key crops: Rice, wheat, barley, soybeans, cabbage, radish, ginseng, tea leaves, mulberry (for silk), cotton, medicinal herbs
Required tools: Hoe, watering can, scythe (for harvest)
Skill progression: Start with a small plot (10x10). At higher levels, you can manage larger farms and grow rarer crops.
🎣 Fishing
Catch fish and aquatic creatures from rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Fishing is relaxing, profitable, and provides essential ingredients for cooking.
Key catches: Carp, catfish, salmon, eel, crab, shrimp, turtle, legendary fish (region-specific)
Required tools: Fishing rod (upgradeable), bait
Skill progression: Low skill = common fish. High skill unlocks rare and legendary fish. Each region has unique fish species.
⛏ Mining
Extract ores, gems, and minerals from the earth. Mining is the backbone of the weapon/armor crafting economy.
Key resources: Iron ore, copper ore, silver ore, gold ore, mithril, orichalcum, coal, saltpeter, gemstones (jade, ruby, sapphire, diamond)
Required tools: Pickaxe (stone → iron → steel → mithril)
Skill progression: Higher skill = better ore yields, rarer finds, access to dangerous mines. The Western Mountains have the richest deposits.
🪵 Logging
Harvest wood from trees. Essential for construction, crafting handles, furniture, and ships.
Key resources: Pine, oak, teak, ironwood, phoenix wood, bamboo
Required tools: Axe (stone → iron → steel → mithril)
Skill progression: Higher skill = larger logs, rarer wood types, faster chopping. The Southwest Bamboo Forest has the fastest-growing renewable wood.
Artisan Skills
🔨 Blacksmithing
Create and repair weapons and armor. Also produce tools (axes, pickaxes, hoes), hardware (nails, hinges), and metal goods. One of the most profitable skills at high levels.
Sub-specialties: Weaponsmithing, Armorsmithing, Toolcrafting
Required: Forge, anvil, hammer, tongs, quenching barrel
For detailed recipes, see the Crafting Guide.
🧵 Tailoring
Create clothing, robes, bags, and cloth armor. Also produce sails, tents, and decorative items. Tailoring is essential for light-armor builds and fashion.
Key materials: Silk, cotton, leather, fur, exotic fibers, dyes
Required: Loom, sewing station, needles, scissors
Notable products: Traveler's Robe, Scholar's Gown, Assassin's Shroud, Ceremonial Armor
🍳 Cooking
Prepare meals, snacks, banquets, and preserves. Cooked food provides healing, buffs, and "fullness" (a hunger mechanic). High-level cooking can produce dishes that grant permanent stat bonuses.
Key categories: Grains, soups, meats, vegetable dishes, desserts, teas, alcoholic beverages
Required: Kitchen stove, pots, pans, knives, cutting board
💊 Medicine
Create healing salves, pills, powders, and antidotes. Medicine is critical for survival: especially in hardcore mode where natural healing is slow.
Key categories: Healing, Qi restoration, antidotes, buffs, permanent stat boosts
Required: Medicine cabinet, mortar and pestle, distillation equipment
Cultural Skills
🖌 Calligraphy
The art of beautiful writing. Calligraphy is used for creating talismans, writs, skill scrolls, and valuable artworks. High-level calligraphers can create items that sell for thousands of copper.
Required: Writing brush, ink stone, ink stick, fine paper
Products: Decorative scrolls (sell value), talismans (combat utility), skill books (teach techniques), official documents (quest items)
🍵 Tea Ceremony
The traditional art of preparing and serving tea. Tea ceremony is a social skillerforming it well improves NPC relationships significantly. Different teas have different effects when consumed.
Required: Tea set (cup, pot, tray, whisk), high-quality tea leaves, spring water
Effects by tea type:
| Tea | Effect | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Green Tea | +5% Qi regen for 1 hour | Meditation sessions |
| Oolong Tea | +5% Focus (crit chance) 1 hour | Crafting sessions |
| Pu'er Tea | +10% digestion (faster hunger refill) | Travel/exploration |
| Jasmine Tea | +10 reputation with tea partner | Social/NPC relationships |
Music
Play musical instruments (guqin, pipa, dizi flute, drums) to entertain, earn money, buff allies, and even debuff enemies. Skilled musicians can earn a comfortable living performing in taverns and noble courts.
Required: Musical instrument (varies by type)
Effects: Performance generates tips (copper), improves reputation, provides buffs to listeners (allies in your vicinity)
Notable instruments: Guqin (zither): most prestigious, best for court performances. Pipa (lute): versatile, good for taverns. Dizi (flute)ortable, good for travel. Drum: best for battle music (combat buffs).
Skill Progression & Tips
Each skill has 100 levels, divided into rough tiers:
| Level Range | Tier | Unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| 1-10 | Novice | Basic recipes/materials |
| 11-25 | Apprentice | Refined materials, better tools |
| 26-50 | Journeyman | Rare recipes, Fine quality possible |
| 51-75 | Expert | Masterwork quality, rare materials |
| 76-100 | Master | Legendary recipes, unique abilities |