World of Kung Fu, or WoKF, is a free-to-play MMORPG built on the stories and mythology of ancient China. It was developed in China by Tengren and published in the West by VestGame Entertainment, which ran an open beta in early 2008 and launched the game officially on August 1, 2008. Its ambition set it apart from other martial arts MMOs of the time: rather than a fantasy world with Chinese decoration, it tried to recreate a traditional kung fu Wulin society, with schools, rivalries and countries ruled by players.

Players who remember the English release, or who want its school and country wars on their own terms, now look to fan-run private servers, where rates, translation and the item mall are up to each server's team. That makes choosing a server more important than usual, because two WoKF servers can feel like very different games.

Nine Weapons and a Wulin Society

Classes are defined by the weapon you master: spear, broadsword, fan, staff, hook, sword, bow, hammer and axe, or fists. The fan is the healer's weapon, which makes fan users the players every group wants. As your skills grow you develop your own style of kung fu, and players can found their own schools and pass that knowledge on to others.

Allegiance is fluid. Factions are tied to schools and countries, and you can change sides when you choose. A player can rise to become a country's King, controlling it and deciding whether it goes to war, so the PvP game runs through school battles and country battles rather than a fixed two-faction split.

Progress comes from quests and monsters, but also from reputation in different fields, and grouping and relationships with other players add bonuses. Crafting covers food, medicine, weapons, armor and fashion clothing; your reputation decides the quality you can make, forging adds bonuses, and refining produces special items.

What to Look For in a World of Kung Fu Private Server

Living School and Country Wars

The Wulin idea only works with enough players to fill schools and countries. Ask whether school battles and country battles actually happen, whether the King system is in use, and whether more than one group is competing for power. A server where one school owns everything has lost what makes WoKF interesting.

Crafting and Reputation

Since reputation decides what you can craft, a good server keeps that path worth taking. Check that crafting, forging and refining work, and that crafted gear still has a market. If the mall or drop tables make crafted items pointless, a whole side of the game goes quiet.

The Item Mall

The official game was funded by an item mall that sold items that helped gameplay. Find out what a private server sells, and whether its currency can also be earned in game. In a game built on school and country PvP, power for money spreads quickly.

Translation and Client

WoKF is a Chinese game, and the English localization always ran behind the Chinese version. Check which client the server uses, how much of the quest and skill text is translated, and which language the community speaks.

Healers and Class Balance

With the fan as the only healing weapon, the balance between fan users and everyone else shapes group play. Ask the community whether healers are scarce, and whether any weapon dominates the school battles.

Choosing Your Weapon

Pick the weapon whose style you like - and consider the fan if you want to be welcome in every group. Join a school early, learn the reputation paths for your crafting, and keep an eye on who rules your country. Vote for the server you play on; rankings here start again every month, so the list below follows where players are now.