In Where Winds Meet, players will come across various areas and puzzles that require their character to use a “bow.” These challenges are usually hinted at through contextual clues found in scrolls or hidden tomes. In general, the puzzles reward players with substantial loot, which is worth the time and effort.
In this How to Bow Where Winds Meet guide, we will present you with a complete walkthrough for taking a bow in the game which can be considered as one the the most important mechanics of Where Winds Meet.
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How to Bow Where Winds Meet
Players trying to bow to solve these puzzles may feel confused, since none of the emotes seem to include a clear bow or kowtow. Some might think bowing is an emote unlocked later in the story. In reality, bowing is very simple once you know how it works. Here is how to do it.
The Short Answer: Bowing is context-sensitive. You cannot bow anywhere; you must stand on a specific grass mat found near puzzles.
Bow or Kowtow
In Where Winds Meet, bowing can only be done on a grass mat. Any puzzle or interaction that asks the player to bow will always have one of these mats placed nearby. This mat is known as a Liangxi in China and looks similar to a Japanese tatami mat.
To bow, walk up to the grass mat until the “Bow” prompt appears. Press the interact key (F or R2) to begin. A progress bar will show how long the bow action takes to complete.
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Echoes in the Shrine Quest Where Winds Meet
In the Echoes in the Shrine exploration quest, the player must perform the Bow action three times on the grass mat in front of the large statue to make it move. After each bow finishes and the progress bar fills, you need to activate the prompt again. Once the bow is performed three times, the statue will automatically move aside.
Why Bow Is Not Working in Where Winds Meet
When bowing does not work, it is usually because of specific issues. These problems can stop the prompt from appearing even if you are standing on the right mat. Common reasons bowing will not trigger include:
- Standing slightly off-center
- Facing the wrong direction
- The puzzle step has not been activated yet
- A required clue or tablet has not been examined
- Approaching the mat while sprinting or during another animation
- Trying to bow on a decorative mat not linked to a puzzle
Most of the time, try to adjust your position or complete nearby interactions first.
Solving puzzles in Where Winds Meet requires as much observation as it does combat skill. By using the grass mats to perform a bow, you can bypass obstacles like the one found in the Echoes in the Shrine quest with ease.
If the prompt won’t appear, just reset your position and try again. For more tips on learning the world and mechanics of Where Winds Meet, be sure to check out our other exploration guides.
For deeper insights and step-by-step guides, visit the Where Winds Meet guide, your complete resource for everything related to the game.
