A Complete Guide to Using Mind Cores for Stat Boosts in Black Myth: Wukong

In the vast and perilous world of Black Myth: Wukong, players must constantly seek ways to strengthen the Destined One to face ever-increasing challenges. While mastering combat skills and unlocking new abilities are crucial, a strong foundation is built upon the character's core attributes. For those seeking a more permanent and flexible power boost beyond the skill trees, the game offers a sophisticated system centered on rare and powerful items known as Mind Cores. These precious resources allow players to directly enhance their base stats, providing a significant edge in battle. The best part? Experimentation is encouraged, as investments in these stats can be completely reset at any time, offering unparalleled freedom to tailor your build to any playstyle or upcoming boss encounter.

Mind Cores are not your everyday loot. They are elusive treasures that grant substantial, lasting benefits, making them a highly sought-after commodity. Acquiring them requires a mix of exploration, combat prowess, and resource management. Primarily, there are two reliable methods for obtaining these valuable items:

• Vanquishing Formidable Bosses: While not every foe will yield such a prize, the major, story-critical bosses at the end of each chapter are almost guaranteed to drop a Mind Core upon their defeat. Consider these your hard-earned rewards for overcoming the game's most significant challenges. 🏆

• Shopping at Shrine Stores: Scattered throughout the chapters are Shrines that offer more than just a place to rest. Their associated stores sometimes stock a limited supply of Mind Cores for purchase. It's important to note that each chapter's store has a different inventory, so it pays to check every Shrine you discover. 💰

As you progress into the later chapters of the journey, a third method becomes more prominent: thorough exploration. Mind Cores can be discovered hidden within various chests scattered across the landscape. While this is a less reliable source in the early game, dedicated explorers will find that these chests become a more common source of Mind Cores as the adventure unfolds.

Once you have accumulated a few Mind Cores, the next step is to find the right person to put them to use. Your destination is the enigmatic Xu Dog, the game's master medicine crafter. He doesn't have a fixed location but instead appears near a specific Shrine in each chapter. For instance, in Chapter 2, players can find him at the Cellar Shrine. His unique icon will be marked on the map next to his current Shrine, making him relatively easy to locate.

Upon speaking with Xu Dog, select the "Make Medicines" option. This will open a special menu for Celestial Medicines. This is where the magic happens. Each Celestial Medicine listed corresponds to a permanent boost in one of your core attributes. By spending your hard-earned Mind Cores here, you can purchase these stat-boosting elixirs. The specific stat increase and its magnitude are clearly displayed on the right side of the screen before you confirm the purchase, allowing for informed decision-making.

One of the most player-friendly features of this system is the ability to completely respec your stat investments without any penalty. Perhaps you poured all your cores into Strength but now find yourself needing more Focus for a spell-heavy build against a particular enemy. No problem! Simply return to Xu Dog and select the "Remake Celestial Medicines" option.

This function works identically to respeccing your skill points (Sparks). Xu Dog will refund every single Mind Core you have ever spent on stats, returning them to your inventory. You are then free to reallocate them into any of the nine available attributes as you see fit. This encourages constant experimentation and allows players to adapt their build for specific challenges, be it a boss weak to heavy attacks or an area filled with agile, hard-to-hit foes.

So, what exactly can you upgrade? The system offers granular control over nine fundamental attributes, each with a finite number of upgrade levels. Investing in these stats can dramatically alter your effectiveness in combat. Here is a breakdown of the stat categories available for enhancement through Celestial Medicines:

Stat Category	Likely Primary Effect	Strategic Purpose
Vitality	Increases Maximum Health 🩸	Essential for surviving powerful boss attacks and increasing margin for error.
Spirit	Increases Focus/Mana Pool 🔵	Crucial for players who rely heavily on Spells, Transformations, and Focus abilities.
Strength	Increases Physical Attack Power 💪	The go-to stat for builds focusing on standard staff combos and heavy attacks.
Toughness	Increases Defense & Poise 🛡️	Reduces damage taken and makes it harder for enemies to interrupt your attacks.
Agility	Increases Movement & Attack Speed ⚡	Improves dodging, evasiveness, and allows for faster combo execution.
Perception	Increases Critical Hit Chance & Item Discovery 🎯	For high-risk, high-reward builds and players who want to find more loot.
Wisdom	Increases Spell Potency & Buff Duration 📖	Amplifies the damage and effects of your magical abilities.
Resolve	Increases Stagger Damage & Focus Regeneration 🌀	Helps break enemy posture faster and fuels ability usage more quickly.
Fortune	Increases Luck & Defensive Buffs 🍀	A versatile stat that can improve loot quality and provide subtle defensive bonuses.

Strategically investing in these stats is key to mastering Black Myth: Wukong's demanding combat. A balanced approach might involve boosting Vitality for survivability and Strength for damage. A spellcaster might prioritize Spirit and Wisdom, while a relentless attacker may value Agility and Resolve. The limited number of upgrades per stat means choices are meaningful, but the free respec system ensures no choice is ever permanent. By wisely using Mind Cores, players can forge the Destined One into a true legend, perfectly equipped to unveil the deepest secrets and conquer the mightiest foes the journey has to offer. Remember, true power lies not just in the skills you learn, but in the foundation you build.