Wo Long: Morale Rank, Spirit and Deflection

Build Fortitude before you force a boss

Morale Rank rises while you defeat enemies in a battlefield. Fortitude is the floor underneath it: Battle Flags and Marking Flags raise that floor, so after a defeat your Morale Rank returns to at least the Fortitude you have established for the current battlefield.

Plant every flag you can find before repeatedly challenging a boss. The extra Fortitude gives you a stronger restart, and Battle Flags also let you resupply. A low Morale Rank makes the same boss much less forgiving, so a missing flag can be more valuable than another impatient attempt.

Action	What it changes
Defeat enemies	Raises Morale Rank during the battlefield
Plant a Battle Flag	Raises Fortitude and creates a resupply point
Plant a Marking Flag	Raises Fortitude, often away from the main route
Die	Returns Morale toward Fortitude, never below the established floor

Spend Spirit, then earn it back

Spirit is the resource behind powerful actions. Offensive moves build it, while guarding consumes it; getting hit and using costly actions can also push it toward the dangerous side. If your Spirit breaks, you are left open. If the enemy’s Spirit breaks, take the Fatal Strike window.

Use guard while you learn a string, then deflect the hit you can time. A successful deflect restores your Spirit, damages the opponent’s Spirit, and can create an opening. Normal attacks also rebuild Spirit, which is why a short, controlled exchange is safer than repeatedly spending expensive actions from a deficit.

Keep these jobs distinct:

Action	Best use
Deflect	Neutralise a timed attack, regain Spirit, and pressure the enemy’s Spirit
Martial Arts	Spend Spirit for a weapon-specific attack that can deal heavy Spirit damage
Spirit Attack	Spend positive Spirit to damage the enemy’s Spirit gauge upper limit
Fatal Strike	Capitalise when the enemy is sufficiently vulnerable or unaware

Use Spirit Attacks to shorten the enemy Spirit gauge’s upper limit. Build positive Spirit first: the more you hold, the stronger the Spirit Attack. Deflections and Martial Arts also help create the Fatal Strike opening.

Treat red attacks and spell requirements as separate checks

Critical Blows glow red and cannot be blocked with ordinary guard. Hold guard through the surrounding sequence if it helps, then deflect the brief attack moment rather than reacting to the first red flash.

Wizardry Spells require both the relevant Virtue level and a minimum Morale Rank. If a learned spell is unavailable in a battlefield, check those two requirements before changing your build. Build positive Spirit with normal attacks and deflects before committing to a spell or Martial Art, so the Spirit cost does not leave you one hit from disruption.