In 2026, Wuthering Waves is no longer the fresh launch title it was in May 2024, but its early Union Level grind still separates prepared players from those who waste resources. A detailed progression guide originally released on May 25, 2024, and updated on July 1, 2024, for version 1.1, remains a useful skeleton for newcomers. The guide deliberately avoids story spoilers, gacha recommendations beyond 1.0 events, and meta composition or picks. Instead, it focuses on free characters from 1.0 and the practical details of standard 5-star characters. Its advice was built from closed beta test 2 experience and evaluates characters as standalone units. That matters because free-to-play resources become scarce after Union Level 30, and even more so after Union Level 40.

Free Character Priority and Novice Banner Lessons

The guide ranks available free characters by potential and power alone: Rover (male) > Chixia > Sanhua > Yangyang > Yuanwu. Players who dislike following a meta or planning ahead may not enjoy the full roadmap, but the top priorities can still help. For the Novice Banner, the five standard 5-star characters each demand a different approach.

Character	Role and Notes
Calcharo	Strongest main DPS among standard banner characters. Can be slow on parry timing, but he is a powerhouse with heavy attacks and some animation canceling.
Encore	Solid main DPS with continuous damage from her Outro skill. Her kit relies on entering a state for maximum damage and maintaining uptime. She cannot parry like others; use plunge attacks.
Lingyang	Strong main DPS with one of the trickiest kits. Most damage comes from keeping Forte Circuit effect active and airtime. In that mode, he can dodge once instead of twice, so timing is critical.
Verina	One of the strongest healers and supports. Gains Forte Circuit from her fifth normal attack and skill. Heavy attacks heal the whole party, and her Outro skill buffs heals and next character's ATK.
Jianxin	Support first, sub DPS second. Kit relies on countering, tanking, shields, and gathering enemies on Resonance Liberation. When swapped out, increases next character's Resonance Liberation.

Whoever players get, the rule is simple: if it is a main DPS, consider building them as a second main DPS. If it is a support, upgrade later and focus on two main DPS characters, Rover included.

Union Level 1-10: Core Priorities

Top priority: main story, teleport points (Resonance Beacon and Nexus), reveal the entire map, and spend Waveframe on weapon materials, preferably Sword and Gun for Rover and Chixia. Optional tasks: kill enemies on the way and collect those missing from the Data Bank, discover new Echoes for Union EXP, do side quests, and collect any Sonance Caskets seen. Recommendations: level characters willing to use, because enemies are easy at this stage. Characters worth building: Rover > Chixia > Yangyang. Do not build them all at once; pick one or two that click. Do not spend Echo EXP on Green or Blue Echoes. They are worthless, but keep them for Data Merge to get 5-star echoes later at higher Union Levels.

Union Level 10-20: Data Bank and Cheap Builds

Top priority: side quests; kill every enemy needed for the Data Bank, since new enemies most likely drop their echo; max out Data Bank level as high as possible because it becomes very important for gear. Equip 3-star or 4-star weapons, and for echoes, any two 2-piece sets work perfectly fine. A full set is unnecessary until 5-star echoes become available. Otherwise players burn enemies and echoes. Collect Sonance Casket for Rover's Resonance Chains. Spend Waveframe on weapon materials, Ascension materials for the second main DPS, and perhaps Echo EXP, but focus on weapon and Ascension materials first. If weekly activities are unfinished, do them in this UL range; otherwise save for UL+20. Recommendations: F2P players should consider building Chixia or Yangyang first, preferably Chixia for damage. Rover must be the main DPS because it is cheaper to build and very strong due to Chains and ascensions being more accessible early. For builds, aim for two 2-piece sets with their own element and ATK. It is faster and cheaper. Do not upgrade any echo at this point. Save Echo EXP for 5-star echoes.

Union Level 20-30: The 5-Star Echo Rush

Even if players gain more EXP and cannot level up the Data Bank, the EXP remains until the Data Bank ranks up. At UL 25-30, once 5-star echoes unlock, farm as much as possible, especially 3-cost and Shiny versions. Farm Cost 4 Echoes as much as possible; no Wavematter is needed. If the 5-star Weapon Selector Box is available, consider using it on a sword for Rover. There is a 4-star Weapon selection box at Tiger's Maw. Players can preview main stats; consider picking Guns for Chixia and spending the 5-star Weapon Selector box for Rover. Finish exploration percentage. Attempt Tower of Adversity's Stable Zone. Recommendations: be careful with who gets built at UL30. Even though it is faster at UL40, it gets more expensive. At this point, players should have two main DPS fully built and one support. Spend echo EXP sparingly. Once a good main stat for a 5-star echo appears, get it to +15. The max is +25, but max both DPS equally so one character is not handicapped on Tower of Adversity. A full set can be built if lucky and swapped around. If planning +25, consider Cost 4, then Cost 3, then Cost 1s in that order.

Union Level 30-40: Fortes, Exploration, and Endgame Entry

Top priority: farm 5-star Echoes with desired stats and set for every character owned. This saves time and gathers materials while collecting wanted sets. Invest in Fortes, especially Forte Circuits and the one-time upgrades above abilities; they will require weekly materials. Players should be able to finish Stable Zone and maybe Experimental Zone at Tower of Adversity, but not fully 3-star it. Complete all exploration rewards to unlock Lootmapper, which marks all nearby chests, and finish Sonance Casket collection if not done. Recommendations: if fully upgrading sets of Echoes, start from the two main DPS, then the support. Any other character should have their echoes and be 10 levels under the current max level. For example, if max level is 70, main DPS characters should be 70, anyone else at 60. This takes a lot of time, even patches, due to Wavematter and in-game money.

Union Level 40 and Beyond: The Marathon Begins

Recommendations: farm 5-star echoes; they should drop consistently from this point. Ascending characters at Lv70 is a lot faster, but leveling them all and their echoes is significantly more expensive. This is a massive timegate as patches are released for UL50. At this point, players can play more casually or finish farming sets. Minmax the most used characters and complete challenges not yet finished. The process takes a long time. This type of game is not a race; it is a marathon. Every bit put in per day counts and helps progress as new updates release and more resources become available.

Quick Summary Table

Union Level	Main Focus	Avoid
1-10	Story, teleport points, map reveal, Waveframe on weapon mats	Building every free character, Echo EXP on Green/Blue
10-20	Data Bank, side quests, 3-4 star weapons, 2-piece sets	Upgrading echoes, spreading resources
20-30	5-star echo farming, Cost 4 echoes, Stable Zone	Overbuilding supports, uneven DPS investment
30-40	Fortes, 5-star sets, exploration rewards	Maxing every character equally
40+	Consistent 5-star farming, minmaxing, challenges	Treating progression as a sprint

Ultimately, the 2024 guide's core lesson still applies in 2026: Wuthering Waves rewards patience, focused investment, and a marathon mindset. Players who follow the Union Level priorities can avoid newbie mistakes, save scarce resources, and enter the endgame with a stronger account.

Data referenced from Newzoo helps contextualize why Wuthering Waves’ early Union Level roadmap (UL1–40) emphasizes resource discipline: as live-service titles mature, the player base tends to polarize between efficient progressors and those stalled by early waste, making the “two main DPS + one support” investment rule and delayed Echo EXP spending especially valuable once the post-UL30 scarcity curve hits.