Although the notorious Monkey King from the ancient stories this Action RPG is based on is famously known for his seventy-two transformations, Game Science’sBlack Myth: Wukongallows you to shapeshift into ten forms when facing beasts and demons of all kinds.
Although that’s a hefty drop, the best transformations inBlack Myth: Wukongare still great to play around and experiment with. When combined withthe best skills, transformations are a core element of the game’s fast-paced combat formula.
Alongside Alteration, Mysticism, and Strand spells, transforming into a wide variety of Guai is essential in taking downthe hardest bossesinBlack Myth: Wukong. So to give you some much needed insight, here is how we rank the options available
It’s worth noting that the transformation spells are different from Spirits. The transformation spells allow you, The Destined One, to assume a new form for an extended period, while the Spirits often serve as a short shapeshifting trick to aid you in the battle.
10Ashen Slumber - The Rat Guai
Turn into a two-headed rat Machamp
How to Unlock?
Follow theAshen Slumber transformation guideandbeat Captain Lotus-Visionin the Pagoda Realm
Light Attack:Chop Wood
Swing the Iron Blade three times in the Rat Guai form and build up Focus at every hit.
Heavy Attack:Blow Fire
Unleash a stream of fire to burn several enemies, gaining solid crowd control during battle.
Spell:Fiery Burst
Explode right before de-transforming into the Destined One, dealing massive AoE damage.
Although it’s not an efficient transformation spell when it comes to taking down bosses,Ashen Slumberprovesuseful when facing several enemies.
It allows the Destined One to build up Scorch as well, allowing him to deal solid damage after consecutive hits with his Iron Blade.
Despite being considered the worst transformation spell on our list, Ashen Slumber stands out with its Heavy Attack, allowing you tounleash a stream of fire that inflicts Scorch.This ability is particularly useful when dealing with multiple enemies in narrow areas.
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Monkey see, Monkey do!
Another great aspect of the Rat Guai form isthe ability to explode and deal massive AoE damagebefore de-transforming. While blowing fire and turning into a kamikaze may sound impressive, getting the Ashen Slumber transformation inBlack Myth Wukongcan be challenging.
You need to brave hell and high water, lift the purple seals in the Pagoda Realm, and defeat a boss to obtain it.
9Azure Dust
Complete theMan-In-Stone quest.
Light Attack:Earth Shatter
Hit the enemy three consecutive times using your head, dealing more damage at each hit.
Heavy Attack:Mountain Splitter
With your head bowed, dash forward and ram all enemies in your path.
Unique Talent:Rockfall
Leap into the air and smash into the ground using your head and all your Focus.
TheAzure Dusttransformation spell turns the Destined One into the Rock Guai, granting him access to some of the slowest attack moves in the game.
Alongside the sluggish moveset, the Rock Guai form also renders the Destined One completelyimmune to the Four Banes, which are Scorch, Poison, Thunder, and Frost.
While it may sound appealing, immunity against these status ailments is not something you would often depend on during your journey to the West.
That being said, if you enjoy slow but devastating hits, Azure Dust might be your cup of tea when fighting against enemies that move slowly.
8Dark Thunder - The Horse Guai
Thunderbolt and light-neigh-ing
Interact with Horse Guai in every Chapter and defeat the Keeper of the Flaming Mountains.
Light Attack:Lightning Lashes
Lash the enemy in front of you and build up Focus at each hit.
Heavy Attack:Thunderbolt Sweep
Lash the surrounding enemies with swift lash attacks and build up Focus at each hit.
Spell:Lightning Infusion
Imbue yourself and your whip with a thunderous power to enter the Thrilled State, spending your full Focus in the process.
Light Attack:Thunder Flurry
In Thrilled State, lash the enemy with your whip to call bolts of lightning from the sky and deal more damage.
Heavy Attack:Thunder Dominion
In Thrilled State, raise your whip to the sky to conjure a Thunder Formation that strikes enemies with lightning.
Expanding your arsenal of transformations with theDark Thunderform is a must. Not because this transformation spell is the best, but because the process of acquiring it offers an incredible journey.
After interacting with the Horse Guai in each chapter, you will get to transform into the Horse Guai, which is a powerful horse warrior embracing thunder and lightning.
Dark Thunder also has Shock immunity and wields a lightning whip that can deal somewhat decent damage. His unique feature, though, is hisThrilled State, which enhances his default attack set and calls down lightning from the sky while fighting.
He is also effective at attacking minor enemies from a distance, as his whip can cover a wide range. That said, there are better transformation spells when facing bosses.
7Hoarfrost - The Monk from the Sea
Dealing Frost damage with quick attacks
Defeat the Monk from the Sea in Chapter Three.
Light Attack:Tentacle Flick
Attack the enemy using your tentacles, building up Focus at each hit.
Light Attack:Snowball Fight
Hurl snowballs at the enemy when you are on the ice sheet, dealing Frost damage.
Heavy Attack:Tentacle Sweep
Swing your tentacles back and forth to deal solid damage and gain Focus.
Heavy Attack:Avalanche
Throw a huge snowball at the enemy when you are on the ice sheet to terminate their Chilled state and deal solid damage.
Spell:Ice Sheet
Smash your tentacles into the ground, spending a Focus point to create an ice sheet that inflicts Frost bane on the enemies. Spending all the Focus points results in a broader Ice Sheet that lasts longer.
TheHoarfrostspell transforms the Destined One into the Monk from the Sea, a strange creature with tentacles.
This freakish humanoid creature is highly effective against bosses due to its wide-reaching Heavy Attack, which covers a significant area. Additionally, the Monk from the Sea transformation allows the Destined One to inflict Frost damage.
The peculiar monk also possesses a varied set of attacks that allow it to coat the ground with ice and launch snowballs in quick succession. Its Avalanche attack is one of his best moves though, as it lets youhurl a massive snowball at the enemy, draining a hefty chunk of their health bar.
6Umbral Abyss - Macaque Chief
Great at building up Focus fast
Face and defeat the Macaque Chief multiple times throughout Chapter Three.
Light Attack:Sprouting Spring
Deal consecutive attacks using the long blade of Macaque Chief and build up Focus.
Heavy Attack:Withering Winter
Deal slower but heavier attacks to deal more damage and build up Focus faster.
Spell:Cold Heart
Enter the Cold Heart state at Full Focus to enhance your attack and transform into a mist when dodging.
Spell:Cold Resolution
Lunge toward the enemy in the blink of an eye to land a massive hit to deal solid damage.
Macaque Chief is a recurring boss you will encounter multiple times during Chapter Three of your journey. He is fast, wields a long sword, and has unpredictable moves. Despite being a macaque, he can also grow wings to close the distance between you and himself.
Once you defeat the Macaque Chief and acquire the transformation spell in Chapter Three, almost all of his moves become second nature to the Destined One. CalledUmbral Abyss, the spell is one of the best inBlack Myth Wukong,and it features relentless Light Attacks alongside outstanding Focus buildup.
5Violet Hail - The Worm Guai
Explosive larvae at your command
Defeat Daoist Mi in the secret area located on Purple Cloud Mountain in Chapter 4.
Light Attack:Slash
Slash using your sharp blade.
Heavy Attack:Self-Torment
Stab the blade into your body to imbue it with larvae. (Stacks up to four times.)
Spell:Hive Mind
Command the larvae, swarming the enemy’s body to explode to deal severe damage. Absorb the remaining larvae to recover a great amount of health.
Spell:Self-Detonation
Detonate right before transforming into The Destined One to inflict AoE damage. This spell also activates the Hive Mind.
TheViolet Hail (Spell)transformation spell turns the Destined One into the self-wounding Worm Guai, allowing him to unleash swift attacks with a long blade and swarm the enemies with exploding larvae.
The Worm Guai is one of the most versatile transformation spells inBlack Myth Wukongas well. It allows you to inflict Poison Bane while boosting your immunity and infecting your enemies with larvae that you’re able to explode later on.
Imbuing your blade with larvae does require a chunk of your health, though. That’s where the Hive Mind spell comes in handy, as it lets you detonate the larvae inside the enemy’s body while recovering a good chunk of your health.
4Red Tides - The Wolf Guai
The underdog
Defeat Guangzhi in the Forest of Wolves in Chapter 1.
Light Attack:Moon Dance
Enter a flurry of fiery slashes and build up Focus with each hit.
Heavy Attack:Moon Chase
Initiate a series of dash attacks and lunge toward the enemy dealing solid damage.
Red Tidesis the first transformation spell you will acquire during your journey. Despite being unlocked quite early in the game, theRed Tidestransformation spell is incredibly helpful against bosses and other powerful enemies.
Red Tides spell transforms the Destined One into the Wolf Guai, when he can unleash a flurry of slashes inflicting Scorch damage and building up Focus.
His Moon Chase attack, on the other hand, is extremely useful when used repetitively, asit can eat up a good chunk of the enemy’s health.
When the Light Attack and Heavy Attack are combined in full Focus, the Wolf Guai jumps and clashes into ground with his fiery glaive, dealing massive damage.
3Ebon Flow - The Yin Tiger
Speed unified with devastating strength
Complete Chen Loong’s questline in Chapter Three and beatthe Yin Tiger.
Light Attack:Onslaught Blade
Raise the Great Iron Blade to build up Focus and land a massive hit.
Light Attack:Stormsurge
After entering the Windwalker state, transform into a gust of wind and close in on your target, dealing a huge blow and massive damage.
Heavy Attack:Rift Cleaver
Deal solid damage with a cleaving motion, spending Focus to deal a more devastating damage.
Spell:Windwalker
Convert all the Focus in the transformed state to turn into a gust of wind to dodge and pass through enemies and their attacks.
Completing Chen Loong’s quests will grant you theEbon Flowtransformation spell, which turns into the Yin Tiger, brandishing a colossal blade and landing massive hits.
Yin Tiger is one of the best transformation spells inBlack Myth Wukongfor several reasons. Alongside its great Focus buildup performance, the Yin Tiger form renders the Destined One more agile and practically invulnerable when the Windwalker state is active.
Even the Light Attack of this form deals devastating damage, making it a highly suitable option to take down some of the game’s most powerful bosses. When combined with the Rift Cleaver attack, Ebon Flow is an essential form that you need.
2Golden Lining - Yellow Loong
See through your enemy’s attacks
Beat Red Loong, Black Loong, Cyang Loong, andfinally Yellow Loongin Chapter 4
Light Attack:Lightning Dance
Wielding a lightning glaive, Yellow Loong unleashes a flurry of swift attacks.
Heavy Attack:Fatal Shadow,
Yellow Loong quietly charges from the shadows to execute a fatal attack upon release.
Heavy Attack:Death Trilogy
Yellow Loong leaps into the air, summoning thunder to his blade point, and slams onto the enemy’s forehead, dealing massive damage. If followed by another Heavy Attack upon landing, another leap and slam can be performed. (Stacks 5 times)
Varied Combo:Unscathed
When The Destined One initiates a heavy attack during a light attack combo in Yellow Loong form, he sees enemy’s next move and counterattacks on the spot, earning a Focus point.
For those not gunning for the secret ending, and the Stone Monkey form,Golden Liningis arguably the best transformation spell inBlack Myth Wukong.
That’s why getting your hands on it is no easy task, as you have to beat four Loongs before turning yourself into this extremely powerful Yaoguai King.
Yellow Loong’s broad skillset renders it an incredibly effective transformation spell. Its best feature, though, is its ability to see through the enemy’s attacks andcounterattack right before the enemies make their move.
The transformation is also different from all other forms as it offers layered gameplay, where you can switch between Yellow Loong’s spells when you have one Focus Point at the ready.
This sophisticated design of Golden Lining makes it an essential transformation spell for the Destined One in his journey to gather all the relics.
1Azure Dome - The Stone Monkey
The ultimate form
Finish the Man-In-Stone quest and complete the secret ending.
Light Attack:Primal Punch
Burst into an explosive flurry of punches and build up Focus at every hit.
Heavy Attack:Earthshatter Slam
Leap into the air and crash into the ground with both fists to deal massive damage, inflicting various Bane effects.
Spell:Monkey Mind
Build up Focus and cast Spells of The Destined One.
Azure Domeis the finest form the Destined One can ever take, as it allows you toretain access to the skills and spells of the Destined Onein a Stone Monkey form.
In a sense, it’s the ultimate form for the Destined One as it unifies his combat expertise with devastating power and might.
While the Stone Monkey form is a must-have spell, you may only acquire it by completing the secret ending ofBlack Myth Wukong. Once you brave that endeavor, Azure Dome will render youimmune to Poison and Shock, while allowing you toabsorb Scorch and Frostto further enhance your moves.
While the bosses ofBlack Myth Wukongare no match for thehardest bosses in the Shadow of the ErdtreeDLC, they do require you to hone your craft and invest in more suitable skills and transformations.
That’s why it’s a good idea to go with a decent transformation spell that performs well both against minor enemies and boss fights.
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An action-RPG set against the backdrop of Chinese mythology, Black Myth: Wukong is a Soulslike adventure game retelling the story of Journey to the West.
