If you’ve spent any time exploring Wuthering Waves’ sprawling open world, you’ve probably stared out at the glittering, unmarked ocean stretching past the shoreline wondering if you can reach those distant, fog-shrouded islands. I hit this exact wall 12 hours into my playthrough, when a side quest sent me to fetch a rare crafting material only found on a remote isle 3 kilometers off the mainland coast. I tried swimming first, almost drowned halfway, then wasted two days grinding the wrong resources trying to build a raft before I figured out the right process. This guide breaks down exactly how to cross the ocean in Wuthering Waves, no wasted time or frustrating failed attempts required.
Prerequisites You Need to Unlock Before You Attempt Ocean Crossings
You can’t just hop in a boat and sail off the first time you spawn into the game, even if you see islands you want to visit. The first and most important requirement is reaching Adventure Rank 22, which unlocks the “Voyage Prep” main quest line. This quest only takes about 45 minutes to complete, and it walks you through the basics of open water navigation, as well as granting you an official sailing license that removes the automatic storm barrier that blocks early-game attempts to leave the coast.
Completing the Voyage Prep quest also gives you your first Wavepiercer, the only durable, long-distance water vehicle in the game. Don’t waste time crafting makeshift rafts before you unlock this, as they only last 5 minutes in open water and can’t withstand even minor waves. I made this mistake early on, spending 2 hours collecting wood and rope for a raft that fell apart 30 seconds after I hit the open ocean.
You’ll also need to clear the first three coastal Resonance Point towers to unlock full map visibility of the surrounding ocean. Without these unlocked, you won’t be able to see storm zones or safe docking points on distant islands, making it almost impossible to plan a safe route.
How to Cross the Ocean in Wuthering Waves With the Wavepiercer (Step-by-Step)
The Wavepiercer is the only reliable way to make long ocean crossings, and once you get the hang of using it, you’ll be able to reach even the farthest islands in 10 minutes or less. First, make sure you stock up on enough energy cores before you leave. Each kilometer of travel uses one core, so count the straight-line distance to your destination first, then add 2 extra cores to account for detours or unexpected energy drain from bad weather.
Next, head to any dock marked with a blue anchor icon on your map. You can only summon the Wavepiercer at official docks, so don’t waste time trying to deploy it from random sandy beaches, the game won’t let you. Interact with the dock terminal to summon your vehicle, then open your map to plot your course before you set sail. Avoid any zones marked in red, as these are permanent storm zones that drain energy 3x faster and can permanently damage your Wavepiercer if you stay in them too long.
While sailing, keep an eye out for floating supply crates, which often hold free energy cores and rare crafting materials. Just don’t stray more than 500 meters off your planned course to chase them, unless you have extra cores to spare. I once chased a rare gold crate 1km off route, ended up running out of energy halfway back to shore, and had to abandon my Wavepiercer and fast travel home, losing all the loot I’d collected on the trip.
If you encounter sea monsters while sailing, don’t stop to fight them unless you have a level 40+ party with you. Most open-ocean enemies can sink your Wavepiercer in 2 hits, and you’ll lose all the items you’re carrying if you go down with the ship. It’s much easier to just steer around them, they won’t chase you for more than 30 seconds if you don’t attack first.
Alternative Ocean Crossing Methods For Players Who Haven’t Unlocked the Wavepiercer
If you’re not at Adventure Rank 22 yet but need to cross a short stretch of ocean to reach a nearby island, there are two workarounds you can use, though neither works for long trips over 2km. First, you can craft a makeshift raft at any coastal workbench, which requires 20 wood planks, 10 rope, and 5 pieces of cloth. Just remember makeshift rafts can only be used in calm coastal waters, they will break apart instantly if you sail into open ocean or any storm zone.
The second method uses resonant abilities to walk across water, and it works for slightly longer trips as long as you have the right party composition. The resonant Bailian has a passive ability that lets your entire party walk on water for 30 seconds at a time, with a 2 minute cooldown. If you pair her with another resonant that has a permanent movement speed buff, you can hop across short stretches of ocean by alternating her ability with gliding. This method takes a bit of practice to get right, but it’s a great workaround if you need to grab a nearby chest or complete a low-level side quest before you unlock the Wavepiercer.
To use the water-walking method successfully, you’ll need these four things:
- Bailian unlocked and ascended to at least level 20 to unlock her water-walking passive
- At least 2 full stamina bars, unlocked by collecting enough Luminants from open world chests
- A second resonant with a 10%+ movement speed buff active for the entire trip
- No storm activity in the area you plan to cross, check the in-game weather tab first
Don’t try this method for trips longer than 2km, even if you have extra stamina. If you mess up the cooldown timing for Bailian’s ability, you’ll drown instantly and lose all the items you collected on your trip, which is not worth the risk for most players.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Crossing the Ocean
Even if you follow all the steps we outlined, it’s easy to make small mistakes that can derail your entire trip. The first and most common mistake is not checking the weather forecast before you leave. Random storms pop up every 15 in-game minutes, and they can drain your Wavepiercer’s energy twice as fast as calm weather. Just open the weather tab on your map before you set sail, and if a storm is forecast for the next 10 minutes, wait it out at the dock instead of risking it.
Another common mistake is forgetting to bring repair kits for your Wavepiercer. Even if you avoid storms, floating debris and small sea creatures can scratch and damage your vehicle over time, and if its health bar drops to zero, it will sink instantly. Repair kits only cost 5 metal scraps each to craft at any workbench, so bring 3 or 4 per trip to be safe. I once skipped packing repair kits to save inventory space, and ended up stranded 2km from shore when a piece of driftwood destroyed my Wavepiercer’s engine.
You should also avoid trying to collect every floating crate you see, no matter how tempting it is. It’s easy to get distracted by rare loot and stray so far off your course that you run out of energy before you reach your destination. Stick to your planned route first, and only grab crates that are within 100 meters of your path.
The last mistake to avoid is forgetting to activate the teleport waypoint as soon as you reach a new island. The first thing you should do when you dock is run to the waypoint and activate it, so if you die while exploring the island or run out of cores to sail back, you can fast travel home instead of having to cross the ocean all over again.
Crossing the ocean opens up dozens of new quests, rare crafting materials, and hidden areas that most players never get to experience, so it’s well worth taking the time to unlock the Wavepiercer and learn the best routes. You don’t need to be a high-level player or spend hours grinding rare resources to pull it off, as long as you follow the steps we outlined and avoid the common pitfalls. Next time you stare out at that distant island on the horizon, you’ll know exactly how to cross the ocean in Wuthering Waves without the frustration I dealt with on my first attempt. Happy sailing!