Phantom Blade Zero: 20 Combat, Exploration and Progression Tips

Blackstone, Sha-Chi Amber and Memory Flowers raise attack power, stamina or HP. You can find them while exploring and after clearing enemy encounters, so take time to check each area.

Investigations can yield Remnant Dust, the game’s soul-like currency, and may expose sidequests that are otherwise easy to miss.

These collectibles add HP and story fragments. Finding every flower before a regional boss can also unlock an extra phase or a special reward, sometimes including a weapon. The Crimson Forest is where the game first introduces them.

Your standard attack, mapped to X on a controller, doesn’t use stamina. Keep landing hits to deal damage and wear down a boss’s Sha-Chi.

A red attack calls for the right bumper; blue means the left bumper. If the cue catches you off guard, pressing both is a practical fallback.

Peng Meng introduces attacks wrapped in a smoky black aura. Dodge these instead of blocking: a block drains Sha-Chi.

Sha-Chi combos, mapped to Y on a controller, cost stamina but hit harder. Use them after parrying a red or blue attack, or when you’ve broken an opponent’s Sha-Chi and they can’t block for a short time.

You can reclaim all materials and Remnant Dust invested in an upgraded weapon or Phantom Edge. Refunds are free through Level 10; after that, they require a reforge talisman, which is easy to find.

Every five upgrade levels, weapons and Phantom Edges gain an active or passive ability. Read each new skill description so you know how it can change your approach in combat.

Phantom Edges have a set number of sparks that refresh when you rest. Some skills and accessories can restore uses, so there’s little reason to hoard every charge as though it were a limited talisman resource in Sekiro.

Bells restore medicine and Phantom Edge sparks. Resting doesn’t bring defeated enemies back, making a bell a useful checkpoint before you press deeper into an area.

An RT prompt on an enemy signals that your equipped Phantom Edge can be used without spending a spark. Take the counter when it appears.

A one-handed weapon and a two-handed option give you more ways to handle different opponents. Each weapon type uses its own upgrade material, and some weapons inflict status effects that only work well against certain enemies. Jagged Steel is one example.

Accessories can contribute substantially to a build. Their impact grows as you unlock more slots and gain the ability to strengthen their effects in the Village of Lu.

Death doesn’t cost you Remnant Echoes. If a boss defeats you during its second phase, your next attempt starts at that phase, so you won’t need to replay the opening.

Stealth remains available after its early introduction. Assassinations can remove an enemy quietly, and nearby foes are sometimes positioned for a second takedown right afterward.

Medicine upgrades become available later in the Pangzheng region. They can increase healing, stamina restoration or damage negation, and add extra uses. See how to upgrade your medicine.

Some abilities need the Banyan’s Heart for upgrades. Combat trials at the game’s five Banyan Trees award these items, and a few hearts are also available to buy. Find the Banyan's Heart.

Some quests can fail when you move on. If a tracked objective is in your current region and you can reach it, completing it before you leave is the safer choice. Other quests expect you to return later.

If an optional fight is stalling your progress, return after improving your equipment and skills. You can revisit bosses such as the Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet and the Gold-Masked One. There are few points of no return, so you have room to grow before trying again.