The salty breeze of Rinascita filled my lungs as I stood before the weapon banner in Wuthering Waves, clutching a handful of Radiant Tides. It was March 2026, and phase two of version 2.1 had just dropped. Brant’s signature sword, Unflickering Valor, gleamed in the banner art like a shard of the evening sky. I’d saved for weeks. I knew this 5‑star sword held secrets that would transform my team—if I could pull it, and if I could master its strange dual nature.
When the golden glow finally burst across my screen, I felt that familiar rush of triumph. The blade rested in my inventory, its stats still a mystery to most players at launch. I hurried to the refining menu and saw its level 90 peak: a mere 412 Base ATK, but a staggering 77% Energy Regen secondary stat. My heart sank for a split second. Most DPS swords thrive on high base damage. Yet Unflickering Valor whispered a different melody—one of non‑stop ultimate rotations and Basic Attack showers. Its passive effect at Syntonization Rank 1 granted an extra 8% Crit Rate, and casting Resonance Liberation would boost Basic Attack DMG by 24% for 10 seconds. Striking with a Basic Attack also triggered a second 24% Basic Attack DMG buff for 4 seconds. At max Syntonization Rank 5, those numbers swelled to 16% Crit Rate and twin 48% Basic Attack DMG bonuses.
I knew immediately that this wasn’t a blade for my Camellya or any conventional carry. It was Brant’s heart made steel. The high Energy Regen let him fire off his Liberation almost on cooldown, activating those damage windows perfectly. But could I use it on someone else? A sub‑DPS maybe? I tested it on Sanhua, hoping the smooth combos would justify the low base ATK. The damage output felt paper‑thin compared to a dedicated ATK% sword. Then I tried to hand it to Verina. She adored the Energy Regen, but that Crit Rate and those DMG perks were completely wasted on her heals. Unflickering Valor is picky—it demands a wielder who craves Energy Regen yet also lives in the fray, swinging their blade between supporting or skirmishing. Brant himself, or a future hybrid fighter, would be its true home.
With the weapon in hand, I faced the grinding quest. The upgrade materials list was daunting: LF Howler Core x6, MF Howler Core x6, HF Howler Core x10, FF Howler Core x12. Those iconic cores drop from the howling predators of Solaris — Lightcrusher, Glacio Dreadmane, Havoc Dreadmane, Spearback, and Viridblaze Saurian. I spent days chasing their echoes across the whispering woods, my team’s blades biting into their crystalline hides. The metallic drips proved far trickier. Inert Metallic Drip x6, Reactive Metallic Drip x8, Polarized Metallic Drip x6, and a heavy Heterized Metallic Drip x20. I had to farm two separate Forgery Challenges: the Garden of Salvation in Rinascita’s floral labyrinth and the Flaming Remnants in Huanglong’s scorched peaks. Each run felt like peeling back layers of ancient machinery. The clock ticked, my waveplates dwindled, and still those Heterized Drips refused to drop in bulk.
Above me, the upgrade interface displayed the final cost: Shell Credits x330,000. By 2026, Simulation Training had become my daily ritual — waves of simulated foes that rained credits like monsoon droplets. I could almost recite the pattern blindfolded. Still, the grind blended into a meditative rhythm. Each core, each metallic drip, each credit brought me closer to unlocking the sword’s full voice.
Let me break down the material checklist that became my second screen wallpaper:
- 🐺 Howler Cores:
LF x6 | MF x6 | HF x10 | FF x12
Best farm routes: Norfall Barrens for Spearbacks, Whining Aix’s Mire for Dreadmanes.
- ⚙️ Metallic Drips:
Inert x6 | Reactive x8 | Polarized x6 | Heterized x20
Forgery rotation: Monday/Thursday for Garden of Salvation, Tuesday/Friday for Flaming Remnants.
- 💰 Shell Credits: 330,000
Pro tip: Stack food buffs before Simulation Training to maximize per‑clear yield.
When the final upgrade confirmation flashed, Unflickering Valor’s aura shifted. The blade seemed to hum with restrained light. I equipped it on Brant and dove into the Tower of Adversity. The difference was night and day. His Energy Regen now overflowed; Liberation came back so fast I could almost weave it between Basic Attack strings. The two damage buffs layered like petals, and the boosted Crit Rate made his numbers pop with satisfying consistency. Even though the base attack remained low, the sheer frequency of enhanced attacks more than compensated. I felt like a true tide‑caller, each slash a wave.
In the 2026 meta, many players still sleep on this weapon, dismissing the low base ATK as a flaw. But those who understand hybrid scaling recognize Unflickering Valor’s brilliance. It’s not just a Brant stick—it’s an invitation to rethink how Energy Regen and Basic Attack DMG interact in dual‑carry or quick‑swap teams. I’ve even started experimenting with an unconventional Rover build that uses the constant Liberation spam to trigger the sword’s buffs while weaving in support skills. The community calls it “Water Dance Rover.”
If you ever pull this sword, embrace its puzzle. Don’t force it onto a pure ATK stat stick. Instead, follow the tide, gather howler cores under the crimson moon, brave the Forgeries, and let Unflickering Valor sing its flicker‑free anthem. The grind may be long, but the reward is a blade that turns every battle into a flowing, unstoppable current.