Where Winds Meet makes your character’s gender feel like a big, story-defining choice at creation. But it’s not completely permanent. You can change gender later — you just can’t treat it like another slider in the appearance editor.
How gender works at character creation
When you first start a new character, the flow is simple:
| Step | What you choose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gender (Male or Female) | Base body type, voice presets, and many cosmetics hang off this. |
| 2 | Base preset (Elegant or Realistic) | Starting face style for your chosen gender. |
| 3 | Detailed customization | Face, hair, makeup, body shape, accessories. |
| 4 | Outfit, background, pose | Profile presentation, can be changed later. |
| 5 | Name and starting talent | Talent affects early bonuses; name can later need a paid rename item. |
Gender sits at the top of this stack. The game treats it as a core identity flag for that save: it drives which body model you use, which versions of outfits you see, and the starting pool of presets the editor serves you.
That’s why you don’t see a big “Male/Female” toggle tucked away in the later appearance menus. The regular customization systems are designed to edit within a gender, not swap it.
Can you change gender in Where Winds Meet?
Yes, you can change gender after creation — but not through the normal appearance editor.
Gender swaps are handled through special items, commonly described by players as gender change potions or tickets. A few key points are consistent across current builds:
| Aspect | How it works |
|---|---|
| Availability | Gender change is tied to consumable items, not a free menu toggle. |
| Cost | These items are monetized: they can be purchased with real money, and in some cases with in-game currency through specific shops or passes. |
| First-time swap | Players on earlier regions report receiving one free gender change item on their account. |
| Reusability | Once you use the free one, later swaps consume additional items. |
So the game sits between two extremes. Gender isn’t hard-locked forever, but it’s also not something you flip on a whim every few minutes. It’s a premium change, with one safety net to correct early regret.
Where to get gender change items
There are two consistent paths:
| Path | How you get it | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Main in-game shop | Buy a gender change potion/item directly with premium currency loaded from real money. | Most straightforward option; you pay, you get the item. |
| Monthly or battle pass–style offerings | Subscribing to a monthly package or similar track can unlock a potion in its dedicated store or reward ladder. | Often cheaper per item if you are already engaging with the pass. |
You apply the item to your existing character; it doesn’t force you to reroll or restart story progress.
How gender change interacts with appearance editing
Where Winds Meet separates “who your character is” from “how your character looks.” Gender lives in the first bucket; facial structure, makeup, and small tweaks live in the second.
Standard appearance changes (not gender)
After a short early-story quest involving the Faceless Ones and the character Cheng Xin, you unlock full appearance editing as a diegetic “disguise” system. Interacting with Cheng Xin or using the Appearance option in the menu sends you back into the creation interface.
| Category | Examples | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Makeup | Facial hair, eye color, some cosmetics | Free to adjust. |
| Customization | Facial feature size/shape, detailed sculpting | Requires a Water Lady Script from in-game shops. |
| Global resculpt | One full “do-over” of appearance | Current builds give you one free full re-customization. |
This system lets you completely rethink your face, body sliders, hair, makeup, and more — but it keeps your gender fixed. Pressing through this editor, you never see a gender toggle.
Gender change potions sit on top of this. You use them first to switch the underlying gender, then rely on the regular appearance editor (and your free or paid re-customizations) to tidy up details on the new body type.
What happens to your outfits and cosmetics when you change gender?
This is the part everyone worries about, especially in a game that leans so hard on fashion.
The short version: outfits follow you across a gender swap. They don’t get deleted or locked out; they convert to the equivalent version for the new gender.
| Item type | Before gender change | After gender change |
|---|---|---|
| Gendered outfits (legendary/rare etc.) | Use the male or female model and rig linked to your current gender. | Remain in your inventory, but now render using the opposite-gender model. |
| Hairstyles | Draw from the pool tied to your current gender. | Stay unlocked; you now see and use the hairstyle list appropriate for the new gender. |
| Makeup and minor cosmetics | Applied on your previous face model. | Remain available; you may need to re-apply or re-tune them on the new facial structure. |
That means your investment into a “male legendary outfit” doesn’t evaporate if you later decide you prefer playing female, or vice versa. The game simply displays the outfit’s other version.
One-time free gender swap, and regional quirks
On earlier servers, players have reported a single free gender change opportunity being delivered to accounts. That sits alongside the separate “one free full appearance re-customization” that lets you resculpt your face and body without changing gender.
| Freebie | What it covers | What it doesn’t cover |
|---|---|---|
| Free appearance re-customization | Full visual makeover within the same gender. | Does not flip gender; you stay male or female as originally chosen. |
| Free gender change (where offered) | One switch from male to female or vice versa. | Future swaps, and any extra visual reworks, still use paid items. |
Because distribution policies can shift between regions and over time, don’t base your entire plan on a specific free potion showing up. It’s better to treat gender as a long-term identity choice and see any free swap as a safety valve rather than a promised feature you can bank on.
How gender affects gameplay (and how it doesn’t)
Gender in Where Winds Meet is about presentation, not power.
- Combat stats, martial arts, weapons, internal arts, and mystic arts are not gated by gender.
- Story progression follows the same arc regardless of whether you play male or female.
- Online modes, co-op, and MMO-style content treat your gender purely as a visual and social detail.
Community discussion often circles around two practical concerns instead:
- Outfit design: Some players feel one gender gets slightly better fashion in certain sets. Because cosmetics port over between genders, you’re free to chase looks on one and later flip if you change your mind.
- Social perception: There’s a marriage system and guilds, so some players wonder if playing a different gender than their real-life one will feel odd. In practice, most people care far more about how you play and behave than what your avatar looks like.
If you like character-as-projection, start with your own gender and use the detailed creator (or even the photo import features) to build an in-game version of yourself. If you prefer to treat your character as a fashion model or entirely separate persona, pick whichever body type fits the outfits you want to chase and keep the gender change potion in mind as a later escape hatch.
The net result is a system that gives gender real weight without trapping you forever. You choose male or female up front, you get generous tools to reshape everything else, and if you eventually decide you picked the wrong side of the wardrobe, a potion can carry your cosmetics across the line with you.
