Windblown: All Vortex Upgrades Explained

November 3, 2024

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All Vortex Upgrades in Windblown

Which Vortex Upgrade Should You Unlock First in Windblown?

Windblown is a fast-paced action roguelike that lets you go on a co-op adventure against robotic monsters and enemies in the Vortex known as Sentinels. And like all roguelikes, upgrading your character to make you stronger each run is a core gameplay loop in the game. In Windblown there are a lot of upgrades that players can acquire as they explore the different biomes.

Some expand your arsenal of weapons, some give you a new Trinket to mess around with, and then there are Vortex upgrades that affect the biomes themselves, adding new rooms or secrets for you to uncover. Wondering how to unlock these upgrades or what each of them does? Below, you will find a chart of all Vortex upgrades available in Windblown so that you can decide which one to unlock first.

Windblown: All Upgrades and How to Unlock Them

Struggling to progress in Windblown? Consider unlocking upgrades! These upgrades are the key to a successful run.

All Vortex Upgrades in Windblown

Currently, there are seven Vortex upgrades that players can unlock in Windblown. To unlock these upgrades, players will have to talk to Eperin in the main hub of the game. Most of these upgrades have prerequisites attached to them and only become available once you meet them. Here’s a complete list of the upgrades, along with what they do and what you’ll have to do to unlock them:

Upgrade Name	Prerequisites	Unlock Cost	Effects
Wind Map	Find the Wind Map item by defeating an elite in the Rat Village biome.	None	This upgrade lets players access an alternate starting biome called Fungal Swamp from the Vortex Cannon.
Abundant Jars	Unlock 6 total upgrades	140 Cogs	During expeditions, breakable jars and containers can sometimes contain food that restores the Leaper’s health.
Variant Bait	Unlock 6 total upgrades	140 Cogs	You can sometimes find Variants during Expeditions that provide extra loot or boosts for killing them.
Updrafts	Unlock 6 total upgrades	180 Cogs	It allows you to use wind updrafts that show up during expeditions. With this upgrade, players can sometimes access hidden areas with additional loot and elites.
Challenges	Unlock 11 total upgrades	300 Cogs	Each biome will now have an optional challenge room that gives additional rewards for defeating the enemies under certain conditions. Some rooms may require you to kill enemies without getting hit. Others may require you to defeat all enemies within a specific time.
Lifeline	Unlock 14 total upgrades	300 Cogs	Allows players to access a secret location in the main hub. To get to the secret, go left from FREND-43V3R’s location and dash through the waterfall. You’ll eventually reach a well that you can now use to climb down and get your hands on an Encrypted Memory. Additionally, you can run into a secret puzzle room during your Expeditions involving the Telepike weapon if you have Lifeline unlocked.
Cog Gates	Unlock 19 Upgrades	1000	During expeditions, you’ll occasionally discover gates that can be unlocked using Cogs. Inside them, you’ll find better loot and new items.

Which Vortex Upgrade Should You Unlock First in Windblown?

It’s best to unlock Vortex upgrades as soon as they become available, since they directly affect your overall game experience. However, since the amount of Cogs you can earn is limited, at least for the early couple of runs, you’ll have to be smart about unlocking each Vortex Upgrade.

Since the Wind Map doesn’t require any Cogs, you can unlock it as soon as you get your hands on the necessary item from Rat Village after
defeating the Headbanger boss
.

If you’re not having a major issue with staying alive during the Expedition, It is recommended that you go with the Variant Bait and Updrafts upgrade first, since they affect the quality of loot you get during each Expedition. You should unlock the rest as soon as you meet the prerequisites in Windblown.