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Phantom Blade Zero optional bosses

Short answer: We count 19 optional bosses confirmed so far, in story order below. Most need no quest: you just find their arena. The ones locked behind a chain are the Gold-Masked One (five Long Pillars), the Puppet Scavenger (Crimson Manor), the four Acolytes and Inanis' Discordance realm. 4 have something you can miss, marked below.

Updated ·By the Phantom Blade Atlas team·How we write guides

Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet

How to unlock
Activate The Lady's Rift Bell in Weeping Creek Valley, walk a few metres to the Sha-Chi Rift (seated stone monks under red cloth) and choose Enter. This starts the Triple Threat quest and the fight; you can leave and come back stronger.
Where
Weeping Creek Valley — The Lady's Rift Bell
Rewards
Three-Headed Doll (story item)
Watch out
Its later rematch is Yucong in Crimson Forest, after you upgrade to Blazing Edge.
Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet boss guide →

Hua, Deadly Betrothed

Missable
How to unlock
From the Valley Sha-Chi Tower 1st Floor Bell, go behind the tower on the right, slide down the hole onto a wooden bridge and follow the path left to the end. No quest needed.
Where
Weeping Creek Valley — Valley Sha-Chi Tower 1st Floor Bell
Rewards
Scarlet Wraithblade (two-handed weapon); Flesh Lily in her arena
Watch out
Pick up the Flesh Lily in her arena — it is needed for the tale The Healer's Legacy (one guide).
Hua, Deadly Betrothed boss guide →

The Gold-Masked One (5 optional fights)

How to unlock
Quest Bloodline Awakening: five Long Pillar arenas. (1) Weeping Creek Valley: Rusted Loong Key from the first Crane Bell. (2) Crimson Forest: past Iron Fever, right at the Memory Flower split, grapple with Hunter's Chain Sickle. (3) Meigu Lake: far east island, Midlake Long Pillar Dock. (4) Phantom Illusionist Ruins: needs all four Acolyte Masks and the Dread Axe. (5) Mirage Estate: Green Serpent House → Covered Corridor Bell, then grapple down. He only takes damage after a parry (blue) or perfect dodge (red).
Where
Five arenas: Weeping Creek Valley, Crimson Forest, Meigu Lake (×2), Mirage Estate
Rewards
Counterstrike Bracers; Quenched Flaming Grip (Meigu Lake pillar — Soul Temper part for Blazing Edge)
Watch out
Missing one Acolyte Mask blocks pillar 4. Guides disagree on whether the Bracers drop from the first fight or after all five.
The Gold-Masked One (5 optional fights) boss guide →

The Puppet Scavenger & Acolyte Hansui

How to unlock
Enter the hidden Crimson Manor under the Valley Sha-Chi Tower (finish Deep in the Valley, lure a Powderkeg into the rubble at the tower base, take the lift). Visit all three Herald's Illusion portals (Village of Lu after Yuzan; Mandate Encampment after Yubi; Mountain of Imprisonment after Huangxing), get the Puppet's Tongue from the Three-Eyed Puppet, and use it on the mute puppet door. Bring the Scavenger to 50% HP, beat Hansui when she arrives, then finish the Scavenger.
Where
Weeping Creek Valley — Crimson Manor beneath the Valley Sha-Chi Tower
Rewards
Alloyed Scythe Blade (Soul Temper for Hunter's Chain Sickle); Hansui's Frost Mask; Crystal Puppet Eye [Yang]
Watch out
Beating Hansui alone does not end the fight. Grab the 2nd-floor library items before going through the tunnel (one guide).
The Puppet Scavenger & Acolyte Hansui boss guide →

Yucong (Great Puppet)

How to unlock
Late-game return: start the Triple Threat tale in Weeping Creek Valley, beat the Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet, progress to Mirage Estate (Crimson Forest then freezes and opens a new route), upgrade Sanguine Reach to Blazing Edge, then go back to Crimson Forest.
Where
Crimson Forest — Crimson Forest, at the end of the frozen path toward the Threadbound Great Tree (Mirrorwood Depths) after Crimson Forest freezes over.
Rewards
Freezing Chaos (three-form main weapon) and Chaos Iron Fragment II (makes the Chaos Twin Daggers).
Yucong (Great Puppet) boss guide →

Dusk, The Puppeteer

How to unlock
Collect all six Firefly memory flowers in the Village of Lu, interact with the fog barrier behind the Temple of Blue Fireflies, follow the path to the Broken Puppet Pit bell and drop off the ledge to start the fight.
Where
Village of Lu — Village of Lu: the ravine past the Broken Puppet Pit Entrance bell, behind the fog barrier at the Temple of Blue Fireflies.
Rewards
Puppeteer's Bell (Phantom Edge that summons puppets) and Illusory Pipa Head.
Dusk, The Puppeteer boss guide →

Corpse-Eating Xue

How to unlock
Reach the cave via the Cliffside Walkway, pick up the Mandate Valley Gate Key next to the final archers, swing back, and open the gate; the graveyard boss is below the path.
Where
Mandate Encampment — Mandate Encampment, graveyard below the path beyond the Mandate Valley Gate.
Rewards
No weapon; starts the Xue, Admirer of Heroes tale, which unlocks the Sha-Chi Headscarf.
Corpse-Eating Xue boss guide →

Red, The Mysterious Swordswoman

MissableOne source
How to unlock
No quest. In Mandate Encampment past the Dovecote area, climb the ladder after the Sha-Chi Amber Fragment — she ambushes you at the top.
Where
Mandate Encampment — near the Dovecote Bell
Rewards
No confirmed drop
Watch out
One guide says sparing her lets her join the Chief Disciple fight in phase 2 — unverified.
Red, The Mysterious Swordswoman boss guide →

Chief Disciple of the Seven-Stars Formation

Missable
How to unlock
No trigger needed: the arena is between the Three Towers Bell and the Tower Rear Exit Bell in Mandate Encampment.
Where
Mandate Encampment — Three Towers Bell → Tower Rear Exit Bell
Rewards
Swordsman's Summon (Phantom Edge)
Watch out
Memory Flowers and the Twin Fish Pendant in the arena are marked missable (one guide).
Chief Disciple of the Seven-Stars Formation boss guide →

Yubi, No. 21 Swordfighter Puppet

Missable
How to unlock
Mandate Encampment: take the left door after the Road to the Training Grounds Bell to the Training Grounds (you need a key from Pangzhen). Fought during the Illusory Pipa quest; the Pipa Backplate is in the building after the arena.
Where
Mandate Encampment — Training Grounds Bell
Rewards
Baishan Stormswords (dual-wield); Broken Vessel (accessory); opens the 2nd Herald's Illusion portal
Watch out
Finish the Secrets of the Baishan Sect objective before you defeat her, or that tale fails (one guide).
Yubi, No. 21 Swordfighter Puppet boss guide →

Wu Lengshuang, The Soft Sword

How to unlock
Optional boss. Follow the Road to the Training Grounds past the large house, climb the stairs behind it, clear the enemies and keep following the path. If you accepted the Baishan Sect secrets quest, inspect her body before killing Yubi.
Where
Mandate Encampment — Mandate Encampment, along the Road to the Training Grounds past the large house, up the stairs behind it, through the enemies ahead and onward along the path (near The Confinement Bell area).
Rewards
Soft Snake Sword (main weapon), Blackstone Fragment, and Guardian Idol Fragment: Leg near the tree.
Wu Lengshuang, The Soft Sword boss guide →

Zhu Yuan, The Searing Blade

How to unlock
Found at the bottom of the Sha-Chi Tower furnace area. Needed (with Bi Feng) for The Two Blade Masters trophy.
Where
Pangzhen — Sha-Chi Tower Furnace Bell (some guides list Meigu Lake)
Rewards
Scorching Flames (one half of the Soul Temper that turns Sanguine Reach into Blazing Edge)
Watch out
Guides disagree on the region: most say the Pangzhen furnace, two say Meigu Lake.
Zhu Yuan, The Searing Blade boss guide →

One-Eyed Archer

How to unlock
No quest: sail to the eastern island of Meigu Lake and fight him at One-Eyed Isle Dock.
Where
Meigu Lake — One-Eyed Isle Dock
Rewards
One-Eyed Bow (Phantom Edge)
Watch out
Needed for the trophy Master of the Misty Waters.
One-Eyed Archer boss guide →

You-Loong, The Frenzied Blackwater Crewleader

How to unlock
Optional. Take the boat from Meigu Village East Dock straight across to the last island, Blackwater Crew Dock; the island is easy to miss.
Where
Meigu Lake — Blackwater Crew Dock, the last island in Meigu Lake.
Rewards
Loong Trident (ranged Phantom Edge) and High-Power Pump (soul tempering for You Loong's Deluge).
You-Loong, The Frenzied Blackwater Crewleader boss guide →

Yan Qiansui, The Zither Maiden

How to unlock
Optional. Collect all six of Yan'er's memory flowers around the lake, then dock the boat at Meigu Songhouse (Allure of Vanity quest).
Where
Meigu Lake — Meigu Songhouse Dock, on an island in Meigu Lake.
Rewards
Fanatic's Fragment: Attachment (soul tempering for the Fanatic's Broken Blade) and Illusory Pipa Strings (story item).
Yan Qiansui, The Zither Maiden boss guide →

Blizzard Blademaster

How to unlock
Optional. Defeat the four Acolytes to gather the four Acolyte Masks, activate the Four Guardians' Mirror Bell at the frozen fishing village, use the masks to open the path, then cross the floating structures to the boss.
Where
Meigu Lake — Whiteshadow's Fall at the end of the Phantom Illusionist Ruins in Meigu Lake, on the ice-covered shoal to the north-west.
Rewards
Whiteshadow (main weapon that builds Chill/Frozen).
Blizzard Blademaster boss guide →

Bi Feng, Giant Saber Commander

How to unlock
Midway through Mountain of Imprisonment; no trigger needed. Afterwards report to the Wulin Fighter in the cavern (first Ritual Cauldron step). Needed with Zhu Yuan for The Two Blade Masters trophy.
Where
Mountain of Imprisonment — midway (nearest Bell not confirmed)
Rewards
Juggernaut (weapon)
Bi Feng, Giant Saber Commander boss guide →

Huangxing, The Kunlun Renegade

How to unlock
End of Mountain of Imprisonment at The Lady's Shrine; no quest needed. Beating him opens the 3rd Herald's Illusion portal.
Where
Mountain of Imprisonment — The Lady's Shrine Bell
Rewards
Flying Guillotine (Phantom Edge — opens dials and hidden walls); continue into the shrine and talk to Inanis for Inanis' Radiant Fans
Watch out
Use the Flying Guillotine on the shrine's dial before you leave (one guide).
Huangxing, The Kunlun Renegade boss guide →

Four Acolytes (3 + Hansui)

How to unlock
Three Acolytes are fought by interacting with scarecrows: Yanru (Village of Lu rice field near the Terraces Bell), Leiting (Pangzhen, lightning-ringed scarecrow near Old Man Gen's home — clear the brambles with Flaming Mane), Guhe (Meigu Lake, south of Meigu Village East Dock). The fourth, Hansui, waits in Crimson Manor. All four masks open the Four Guardians' Mirror in north-west Meigu Lake.
Where
Village of Lu, Pangzhen, Meigu Lake, Crimson Manor; mirror at the Four Guardians' Mirror Bell
Rewards
Yanru's Blazing Mask, Leiting's Thunder Mask, Guhe's Venom Mask, Hansui's Frost Mask → the Phantom Illusionist Ruins (Whiteshadow, a Gold-Masked One pillar, Boy's Worn Outfit)
Watch out
Fights can be retried. Names vary between guides (Yanru/Yanryu, Leiting/Lei Ting).
Four Acolytes (3 + Hansui) boss guide →

Where guides disagree

  • Zhu Yuan: most guides put him at the Pangzhen Sha-Chi Tower furnace; two put him in Meigu Lake.
  • Gold-Masked One: guides disagree on whether Counterstrike Bracers drop from the first pillar or after all five.
  • Bi Feng: no guide names the nearest bell yet.

Related

Boss order & all bosses →Soul Temper materials →Trophy guide →Weapons list →

Frequently asked questions

How many optional bosses are in Phantom Blade Zero?＋

We list 19 confirmed optional bosses so far. The director says the game has at least 50 bosses in total, so this list will grow.

Which optional bosses can I miss?＋

Rewards are missable rather than the bosses: grab the Flesh Lily in Hua's arena, the items in the Seven-Stars arena, and finish Secrets of the Baishan Sect before you defeat Yubi.

How do I unlock the Gold-Masked One?＋

Start Bloodline Awakening with the Rusted Loong Key from the first Crane Bell in Weeping Creek Valley, then clear five Long Pillar arenas. The fourth needs all four Acolyte Masks.

Which optional bosses give weapons?＋

Hua (Scarlet Wraithblade), Yubi (Baishan Stormswords), Bi Feng (Juggernaut), One-Eyed Archer (One-Eyed Bow), Huangxing (Flying Guillotine) and the Chief Disciple (Swordsman's Summon).