Where Winds Meet Relaying Guide: Tier 91 and Modulating
Use Relaying to preserve an exceptional piece, not to avoid evaluating it. This desk separates the four gear systems, records exactly what survives conversion, and gives every material a purpose before you click.
Relaying keeps a strong set, Attuning, and existing attribute package, but future growth moves to Modulating at a slightly lower cap than standard Tier 91 gear. A weak old piece is usually a better fresh-drop project.
This is a decision rule.
The official notes define what each route preserves and caps. The Relay-versus-fresh verdict is our inference from those rules, not an official best-in-slot ranking.
Excellent Tier 86 piece
Consider Relaying
Preserve a proven set, useful Tuned lines, and valuable Attuning instead of rebuilding the whole piece.
Weak or unwanted lines
Farm fresh Tier 91
A fresh piece keeps the higher standard cap and leaves normal Tuning and Retuning available.
Do not convert an entire set before checking the cap, material cost, and real combat result.
Four systems
Tuning, Retuning, Relaying, and Modulating are not interchangeable.
name the system first
System
Applies to
Material
What it does
Boundary
Tuning
Eligible standard gear
Melodic Stones or eligible gear materials
Develops a Tuned attribute on the individual piece; Tier 91 has lower Coin cost and Quick Add support.
The result remains in the normal Tuning and Retuning system until the piece is Relaid.
Retuning / Correction
Tier 91 non-Relaid Gear
Retuning Stone: Vanguard for Correction
Rolls another attribute. Correction excludes the current result and has a seven-day cooldown.
Relaid Gear cannot use this route, so correct an unwanted line before Relaying.
Relaying
Eligible Tier 86 or Tier 91 gear
Relaying Stone: Vanguard
Creates Tier 91 Relaid Gear while preserving the documented set, Attuning, initial, and Tuned data.
The piece leaves standard Tuning and Retuning, and a Tier 86 piece can no longer enter the Tier 86 Arsenal.
Modulating
Relaid Gear only
One fully Tuned Legendary Tier 91 gear piece
Raises one selected attribute according to how well the material attributes match.
Every attribute stops at the fixed Modulating cap, which is slightly lower than standard Tier 91 gear.
The expensive mistake is not a low roll. It is entering Relaying while still expecting normal Retuning to remain available.
Relay or fresh
Let the piece earn its conversion.
8 common cases
Current situation
Route
Why
Old piece has the right set, strong lines, and valuable Attuning
Relay selectively
Relaying is designed to preserve this exact investment while raising the piece to Tier 91 and opening Modulating.
Old piece has one bad Tuned attribute you still want to replace
Retune first or farm fresh
Relaid Gear cannot use normal Retuning. Fix the unwanted result before the system changes.
Old piece is carried only for rarity, score, or an incomplete set
Farm fresh Tier 91
There is little worth preserving, while a fresh piece retains the higher standard cap and normal development routes.
You need the maximum available standard Tier 91 attribute cap
Keep a fresh piece standard
Official notes place the fixed Modulating cap slightly below the standard Tier 91 cap.
The old piece still has a useful Tier 86 Arsenal job
Do not Relay it yet
A Relayed Tier 86 piece can no longer be placed in the Tier 86 Arsenal. Compare the account bonus first.
You lack fully Tuned Legendary Tier 91 material
Hold the Relaying Stone
Conversion is only half the plan. Without eligible Modulating material, the inherited attributes may stay below their useful target.
A standard Tier 91 piece is already near its normal cap
Do not convert by default
Same-tier Relaying removes any Tuning value above the Modulating cap. Convert only for a specific preservation or Modulating reason.
Only one or two old slots are exceptional
Mix Relaid and fresh gear
Relaying is a piece-level tool, not an obligation to convert the whole set. Preserve only the slots that earn it.
Before you click
Run the pre-Relaying audit in this order.
8 checks
Check 01
1/8
Load and lock the active piece
Open the Battle Build you actually use, equip the candidate, lock or favorite it, and separate it from recycling and material selections.
The decision now applies to one named slot in one active build.
Check 02
2/8
Record every line that matters
Write down tier, rarity, slot, set, initial attributes, Tuned attributes, current Attuning, and Historical Attuning before opening Relaying.
You can compare the before and after values instead of relying on color alone.
Check 03
3/8
Confirm live eligibility
The official route starts with Tier 86 non-retroactive gear and also supports eligible Tier 91 gear. Current English guidance reports rarity and full-Tuning checks; the live Relaying panel is the final authority.
The interface accepts the piece and shows the exact required stone and result preview.
Check 04
4/8
Check the Arsenal cost
Open the relevant Tier 86 Arsenal and compare this piece with the next-best candidate before removing it from that pool permanently.
You know whether the conversion sacrifices an account-level Arsenal contribution.
Check 05
5/8
Finish normal Retuning first
If an unwanted Tuned line still needs Correction, resolve it while the piece is non-Relaid. Do not assume Modulating can replace the attribute type later.
Every preserved line is one you are willing to carry into the Relaid system.
Check 06
6/8
Compare a fresh Tier 91 replacement
Check base attributes, set, useful lines, Attuning, standard cap, and the remaining cost on the best fresh piece you already own.
Relaying wins on preserved value, not merely because the old piece has more history.
Check 07
7/8
Reserve Modulating material
Confirm that a fully Tuned Legendary Tier 91 material piece exists and that consuming it will not break another build, set, or Development Plan.
The Relaid piece has a funded next step instead of becoming an unfinished conversion.
Check 08
8/8
Screenshot and test one slot
Capture the confirmation panel, convert one piece, Modulate only the measured bottleneck, then repeat the same Path Tutorial or familiar encounter.
The decision is verified by retained values, material cost, and real performance before any second conversion.
Inheritance ledger
What survives, what changes, and what closes.
official conversion rules
Gear field
After Relaying
Read carefully
Tier and base attributes
Tier 86 becomes Tier 91; eligible Tier 91 remains Tier 91. Base attributes are raised for the lower-tier conversion.
Use the result preview for the exact live numbers.
Two-piece effect
Raised with the Tier 86 to Tier 91 conversion.
Do not infer a four-piece set redesign from this wording.
Set type
Preserved.
Preservation is valuable only when the set supports the active Path and role.
Attuning
Attribute type and value are preserved, including Historical Attuning; switching and Re-attuning become available.
Normal and Arena Attunement counters remain separate systems.
Initial and Tuned attributes
Types and numeric values are preserved while gaining the new potential caps.
A current UI grade color can look lower because the comparison scale changed; compare the number, not the color alone.
Same-tier excess value
Any Tier 91 Tuning value above the Modulating cap is removed during same-tier Relaying.
Inspect high-value standard Tier 91 pieces carefully before converting them.
Tier 86 Arsenal use
No longer available after the piece becomes Tier 91 Relaid Gear.
Record the Arsenal replacement before conversion.
Future attribute growth
Moves to Modulating only; normal Tuning and Retuning are unavailable.
The fixed cap is slightly lower than standard Tier 91 gear.
Preservation means the documented type and numeric value survive. It does not promise that the UI grade color or cap percentage will look identical on the new Tier 91 scale.
For same-tier Relaying, any Tuning value above the Modulating cap is removed. A high standard Tier 91 roll deserves a screenshot and exact preview check.
Modulating workflow
Fund the inherited attribute, not the history of the item.
one selected stat
01
Choose the Relaid piece
Open Modulating from the converted item and confirm the same set, slot, and preserved values you recorded before Relaying.
02
Select one attribute
Modulating is targeted. Pick the stat that solves the build's measured damage, healing, penetration, or survival gap.
03
Add eligible material
Consume one Legendary Tier 91 gear piece with completed Tuning. A piece that is not fully Tuned will not satisfy the documented material rule.
04
Check the match
The increase depends on how well the attributes match. Official notes say quality does not control the increase; attribute compatibility does.
05
Read the cap and return preview
Confirm progress against the fixed Modulating cap. Budget only the Gear Echo and Tuning Stone return shown by the live interface.
06
Retest the same loop
Repeat one familiar encounter before feeding another fully Tuned Legendary piece into the same attribute.
The official note names Gear Echo: Vanguard and Tuning Stone: Vanguard equivalent to the recycled price of Legendary gear as the Relaying return. Budget no broader refund than the live preview shows.
Fresh Tier 91 route
Normal Tier 91 gear has a stronger toolbox than one reroll button.
8 tools
Tool
Useful action
Boundary
Melodic Stone Craft
Combine three Epic Melodic Stones of the same tier into one Legendary Melodic Stone.
This improves material access; it does not choose the right attribute for the build.
Energy Challenge bonus
Every 60 Energy spent in any Energy Challenge grants one additional random-quality Melodic Stone.
Route Energy through content you already need instead of farming a stone in isolation.
Tier 91 Tuning
Uses fewer Coins than before and includes Quick Add for suitable material combinations.
Quick Add sorts materials; it is not a universal best-stat or best-spend command.
Retuning Correction
For Tier 91 non-Relaid Gear, excludes the current result and can be used again after a seven-day cooldown.
There is no total-use limit in the official note, but the cooldown and material cost still matter.
Result Preview
Shows the full Retuning or Re-attuning library and dims unavailable attributes.
Open it before spending; a desired line may not belong to the selected library.
Formless Penetration
Replaces Path-specific penetration on Tier 91 offensive Attuning and adapts to the current Martial Art.
It improves swap compatibility, not every build's total damage automatically.
Re-attuning guarantee
After the displayed number of Tier 91 attempts, Custom Re-attuning lets you choose the attribute type; the value remains random.
Normal and Arena Attunement have separate counters. Read the live count instead of copying an old number.
Attuning Swap
Exchanges one chosen Attunement type between Attuned pieces of the exact same tier and gear slot, including history and guarantee counters.
A different slot or tier is not eligible, even when both pieces are Tier 91-quality upgrades.
Material order
Spend in lanes: do now, do next, hold.
one-piece discipline
Do now
Lock exceptional Tier 86 and Tier 91 candidates.
Record set, Tuned lines, Attuning, history, and Arsenal use.
Correct an unwanted line while the piece is still non-Relaid.
Keep one same-target combat result as the baseline.
Do next
Relay one proven slot, not the whole wardrobe.
Modulate the attribute tied to the measured bottleneck.
Use Attuning Swap only after checking exact tier and slot.
Compare the converted result with the best fresh Tier 91 piece.
Hold
Whole-set Relaying without eligible Modulating material.
Same-tier conversion of a value above the Modulating cap.
Consuming the last fully Tuned Legendary piece from another build.
Chasing an Attuning guarantee without reading the live counter.
Failure desk
Match the exact symptom before spending another stone.
8 fixes
Failure 01
The Relaying button is missing or the piece is rejected
Check tier, retroactive status, rarity, Tuning completion, and the exact Relaying panel message. The official rule names Tier 86 non-retroactive gear and eligible Tier 91 gear; the current client controls the remaining eligibility checks.
Failure 02
The piece is Relaid, but Tuning and Retuning disappeared
That is the intended system boundary. Relaid Gear can only grow through Modulating, so normal Tuning, Retuning, and Retuning Correction no longer apply.
Failure 03
A gear piece does not appear as Modulating material
Verify that it is Legendary, Tier 91, and fully Tuned. Also remove any lock, active-build, Development Plan, or protection state that prevents consumption, then read the live warning before changing it.
Failure 04
A retained attribute now looks purple instead of gold
Current English guidance reports that the numeric value can remain unchanged while the grade color is recalculated against the new cap. Compare the before screenshot and actual number before declaring a loss.
Failure 05
The cap is lower than a standard Tier 91 piece
That is documented. All Relaid attributes have a fixed Modulating cap slightly below standard Tier 91 gear, and same-tier values above that cap are removed on conversion.
Failure 06
The converted piece no longer enters the Tier 86 Arsenal
Relaying raised it to Tier 91, so the official notes explicitly remove Tier 86 Arsenal eligibility. Replace its Arsenal job with another piece rather than trying to force the old slot.
Failure 07
Attuning Swap is unavailable
Both pieces must be Attuned and match the exact tier and gear slot. Normal Attunement and Arena Attunement are chosen separately, and each carries its own history and guarantee counter.
Failure 08
The gear is correct, but damage is still low
Stop feeding gear. Compare both Martial Art levels with Character Level, confirm the active Battle Build, and test Inner Way triggers, Mystic Skills, resources, and the real combat loop.
The Tier 91 gear questions to answer before conversion.
10 answers
Should I Relay Tier 86 gear or farm fresh Tier 91 gear?
Relay only a Tier 86 piece whose set, Tuned attributes, and Attuning are genuinely worth preserving. Farm fresh Tier 91 when the old lines are weak, the higher standard cap matters, or you do not have eligible Modulating material.
What does Relaying preserve?
Official notes preserve the set type, Attuning type and value including Historical Attuning, plus the types and values of initial and Tuned attributes. Tier 86 conversion also raises the piece to Tier 91 with higher base attributes and two-piece effects.
Can Relaid Gear be Tuned or Retuned?
No. Relaid Gear uses Modulating instead of Tuning or Retuning. Finish any desired normal Retuning Correction before conversion.
What gear can be used for Modulating?
The official material rule is one Legendary Tier 91 gear piece with completed Tuning. Select the target attribute first; the increase depends on how well the material attributes match.
Is the Modulating cap the same as normal Tier 91 gear?
No. The official overview says the fixed Modulating cap is slightly lower than standard Tier 91 gear. It does not publish one universal percentage for every attribute, so use the live cap marker.
Can a Tier 91 piece be Relaid?
Eligible Tier 91 gear can be converted to Tier 91 Relaid Gear to unlock Modulating, but any Tuning value above the Modulating cap is removed. Do not convert a strong standard piece without a specific reason.
Where does Relaying Stone: Vanguard come from?
The official April overview lists Solo Mode level breakthroughs, the Season Shop, and Engagement Realm rewards. Open the live item source panel because seasonal availability can change.
Can Relaying be undone?
Treat the conversion as irreversible. Current English guidance reports no undo route, and the piece changes Arsenal and development systems immediately. Read the final client confirmation before spending the stone.
Should I Retune before Relaying?
Yes when the current Tuned attribute is not one you want to preserve. Relaid Gear cannot use normal Retuning, so the cleanest correction window is before conversion.
Does attribute matching matter in Modulating?
Yes. Official notes say the increase depends on how well the attributes match, regardless of quality. Compare the material preview instead of feeding the first eligible Legendary piece.
Sources and next routes
Official mechanics first; current UI behavior and author context labeled.
Tier, cap, shop, and material availability are season-sensitive. This page dates the current system and sends exact numbers back to the live Relaying, Modulating, Tuning, and Attuning panels.
