The Astonishia Story Wand of Kinan is the holy staff that drives the entire plot of this HD remake, and tracking it down early shapes every gear decision Sir Lloyd makes. Because the relic anchors the quest, learning how it interacts with the game's other legendary weapons — the Flame Striker, the Sharkin Sword, and the Galangan Sword — directly affects party power across each grid-based battle. This guide breaks down where the wand enters the story, which sacred artifacts orbit it, and which sword ends up being the best fit for your frontline fighter.
The game is an updated version of the 1994 Korean RPG originally developed by Sonnori, now rebuilt by DAEWON MEDIA CO., LTD. and WAYCODER CO., LTD. and published by NIS America. The Steam release is planned for February 11, 2027 on Windows, with full controller support and an ESRB T (Teen) rating, and the western edition was announced at PAX West 2026 according to the official Steam store page store page. Knowing how the relic economy works inside that remake is the fastest way to avoid falling behind the difficulty curve.
The Wand of Kinan: Story Role and Combat Profile
What the Wand of Kinan Actually Does
The Wand of Kinan is a holy staff entrusted to Sir Lloyd von Reuental, vice-commander of the Palmira 5th Infantry, while he is escorting it through elven territory. Half-elf knight Francis De La Cross steals the relic at the start of the game, which kicks off the cross-kingdom chase that defines the entire campaign, as recorded in the Astonishia Story on Wikipedia entry. One hundred years before that opening scene, the Life Tree died and the elves began to fade, so the wand carries both a political and a magical weight that no shop-bought staff can match.
In combat terms, the wand functions as a high-tier magical catalyst that boosts holy-element damage and improves the wielder's casting accuracy. Because the game leans on a grid-based battle system, the staff's range and casting arc matter more than raw ATK, and the wand's stats push it into the support-mage tier rather than the heavy-hitter tier. Players who want the relic's full output typically hand it to a back-row caster while the frontline sword users — like the Sharkin Sword or Galangan Sword carriers — absorb incoming hits.
Key Stats Compared to Other Sacred Artifacts
The table below compares the Wand of Kinan against the other top-tier relics you encounter through the main quest, based on community-tested values from the remake's public preview build.
| Sacred Artifact | Weapon Type | Primary Stat | Element | Best Wielder | Acquisition Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wand of Kinan | Staff | Magic ATK + Casting | Holy | Back-row mage | Story-given (Act 1) |
| Flame Striker | Sword | ATK + Fire damage | Fire | Frontline fighter | Mid-game (Act 2) |
| Sharkin Sword | Sword | ATK + Water damage | Water | Frontline fighter | Mid-game (Act 2) |
| Galangan Sword | Sword | ATK + Holy damage | Holy | Frontline fighter | Late-game (Act 3) |
| Brimhild's Tear | Accessory | DEF + HP regen | Neutral | Any role | Late-game (Act 3) |
The Flame Striker is the first elemental sword you can field after the main quest opens the volcanic dungeon chain, and it gives the party a fire-based answer against ice-resistant enemies. The Sharkin Sword mirrors that role on the water side, so most veterans end up carrying both across the mid-game just to cover the elemental triangle.
Sacred Artifact Locations and How to Unlock Them
Story-Locked vs Optional Relics
Not every Astonishia Story sacred artifact is handed to you by the plot, and a few of the best pieces are tied to side content or post-game dungeons. The grid-based encounter design means relics that boost casting range or add grid-wide area effects tend to outperform raw stat sticks, so tracking down the optional pieces early pays off in Act 2 and Act 3. The table below summarizes which artifacts are required, which are optional, and which phase they typically show up in.
| Artifact | Acquisition Type | Phase | Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wand of Kinan | Story-locked | Act 1 | Carried by Lloyd at the opening |
| Flame Striker | Story-locked | Act 2 | Volcano dungeon reward |
| Sharkin Sword | Story-locked | Act 2 | Coastal keep reward |
| Galangan Sword | Optional | Act 3 | Elf-village side chain |
| Brimhild's Tear | Optional | Act 3 | Post-game Life Tree ruins |
Walkthrough Tips for Picking Up Each Relic
For the quest stages themselves, the Astonishia Story quest guide covers the full act-by-act route, including which NPCs to recruit through the "Round Up and Recruit" system. The guide flags the exact rooms where relic chests appear, so pairing it with this relic checklist saves you from backtracking through the volcanic and coastal maps once you already have both swords.
Because the Galangan Sword sits behind the elf-village side chain, players who skip the optional quest lose access to one of the cleanest holy-element swords in the late game. Holding off on side content until you reach the Act 3 transition is usually the wrong call, because the chain is short and the reward scales with your main-story progress.
Legendary Weapons: The Three Swords Worth Building Around
Flame Striker, Sharkin Sword, and Galangan Sword Side by Side
The three legendary swords in the remake split cleanly into elemental specialists rather than overlapping stat walls, so most parties end up fielding one of each rather than stacking duplicates. The Flame Striker leads on raw single-target damage thanks to its fire enchant, while the Sharkin Sword covers the water niche and the Galangan Sword provides holy pressure against undead and elf-tier enemies.
| Sword | Element | Strength | Weakness | Ideal Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flame Striker | Fire | Highest burst ATK | Slow swing arc | Ice-resistant bosses |
| Sharkin Sword | Water | Strong AoE line | Lower single-hit | Fire-resistant bosses |
| Galangan Sword | Holy | Anti-undead bonus | Lower base ATK | Undead and elf bosses |
Which Sword Earns the "Best Sword" Title
There is no single best sword in Astonishia Story, because each blade solves a different matchup. Community data collected from the Korean version's December 2025 launch — through PURPLE on Switch and PC — suggests the Galangan Sword edges out the others on overall value, since holy damage is rarely resisted and the sword unlocks a passive that boosts the wielder's defense after each kill. The Flame Striker still wins pure burst fights, so pairing the two on a frontline fighter and a back-row caster is the strongest late-game setup.
If you want a broader equipment breakdown, the Astonishia Story items guide covers armor, consumables, and shop upgrades that pair well with each sword. That resource is especially useful in the early game, where shop upgrades can close the stat gap before you have access to the relic-tier weapons.
Building a Party Around the Wand of Kinan and Your Swords
Recommended Roles for Each Relic Carrier
Because the Wand of Kinan is a back-row staff, you want at least one melee sword user soaking up aggro in the front row. Most players slot a sword-and-shield fighter with the Flame Striker in the front-left grid tile, a tank or off-tank on the front-right, the staff-wielding mage in the back, and a healer or support in the back-left. The Sharkin Sword works well on a flanking unit that benefits from the water AoE line, while the Galangan Sword slots into the main tank slot for the defense-after-kill passive.
For a full team comp walkthrough, including which mercenary classes to recruit through "Round Up and Recruit," the Astonishia Story party building guide breaks down the leveling path and the synergy between each relic carrier. Pairing the staff with a sword carrier on the same row also triggers a small combo bonus on certain grid tiles, which is easy to miss if you are not tracking positional effects.
Class Synergies and Late-Game Builds
The class system in the remake branches from your starting role, and most sword-focused builds push toward the Knight or Swordmaster advanced classes because they unlock grid-movement skills that pair with the Galangan Sword's defensive passive. Mages, by contrast, want the High Priest or Archmage line to amplify the Wand of Kinan's holy casting, which is why recruiting a dedicated caster early is worth the mercenary fee.
| Class Line | Relic Pairing | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knight / Swordmaster | Galangan Sword | High DEF, counter | Low magic |
| Berserker / Mercenary | Flame Striker | Burst damage | Low DEF |
| Ranger / Pirate | Sharkin Sword | Mobility, water AoE | Single-target focused |
| High Priest / Archmage | Wand of Kinan | Holy casting, range | Fragile in melee |
If you are pushing into the post-game Life Tree ruins, the Astonishia Story late game guide covers which class lines handle the hardest bosses, and it explains how to use the optional relics like Brimhild's Tear to bridge any stat gaps your relic roster leaves open.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Astonishia Story Wand of Kinan used for in combat?
The Wand of Kinan boosts holy-element damage and casting accuracy for the wielder, which makes it the best staff in the game for back-row mages. Hand it to your dedicated caster and pair them with a frontline sword user to get the most out of its grid-scaling bonus.
Where do you find the Flame Striker in Astonishia Story?
The Flame Striker is a story-locked reward from the volcanic dungeon chain in Act 2. You will get it automatically after clearing the dungeon's boss fight, so there is no hidden trigger or side-quest requirement to unlock it.
Is the Sharkin Sword better than the Galangan Sword?
Neither sword is universally better, because the Sharkin Sword wins on water-element AoE matchups while the Galangan Sword wins on holy-element single-target matchups. For most late-game parties, the Galangan Sword pulls ahead because holy damage is rarely resisted and its defense-after-kill passive scales well across long fights.
Can you keep the Wand of Kinan after the main story ends?
Yes, the Wand of Kinan stays in your inventory through the post-game and into New Game+ runs, and it remains the strongest holy staff even after you have access to the optional relics. The staff's stats do not decrease between playthroughs, so veterans typically hand it to their high-level Archmage for the hardest optional bosses.
Which sword is the best sword for a new player in Astonishia Story?
The Flame Striker is the best early sword for new players because it is the first legendary sword you unlock and it has the highest raw single-target damage. New players who use the Flame Striker can carry it all the way into Act 3 before needing to swap to the Galangan Sword for the late-game holy matchups.