Phantom Blade Zero Walkthrough: Full Main Story Order

Main story order, step by step

Here is the main story as the Quest Log lists it: two unnumbered opening sequences, then nine entries. Boss names link to our boss pages. The Quest Log uses names, not Chapter 1, 2, 3.

Some boss and unlock details are still being checked against more guides, so this page is marked partial.

1. 01Opening: Prologue, Diverging Paths and Reckless PursuitPrologue

   • · Two unnumbered opening sequences come before the Quest Log starts. Your Soul receives the Tainted Heart and escapes by wagon.
   • · Bosses: Zuo Shang in the Prologue, then The Hunt during Reckless Pursuit.
   • · Missable: nothing reported.

2. 021. Against the FlowWeeping Creek Valley

   • · Goal: defeat Peng Meng and continue toward the Great Waterfall.
   • · Bosses: Jagged Steel and Peng Meng, the Axemaster.
   • · Unlocks: the Dread Axe, which breaks iron chains. The Feather Bow comes from the Purge the Sect side quest plus a repair by the Brooding Old Archer.
   • · Missable: hand the first Primal Stone to the Shadow Warden before you leave the valley.

3. 032. Steel and SteamWeeping Creek Valley / Great Waterfall (Sha-Chi Tower)

   • · Goal: beat The Hunt and move on toward Crimson Forest.
   • · Bosses: The Hunt, Hunter of the Order and Sixfold Scythe.
   • · Unlocks: the Hunter's Chain Sickle, which lets you grapple to anchors.
   • · Missable: the Medicine Case herb quest (Apprentice Healer) needs the Sickle and has to be finished before you complete the Crimson Forest main objectives. See Best Medicine.

4. 043. Snake's ReflectionCrimson Forest, then Village of Lu

   • · Goal: push through Crimson Forest to the Village of Lu.
   • · Bosses: Hua Qianxiao, Stone Hand Iron Fever, Bai Chilian and Jing Ye (one source names him; others do not).
   • · Unlocks: Flying Dagger (Quick Hand Zhang, 3 treasures) and Iron Gauntlets (Stone Hand Iron Fever).
   • · Missable: finish Apprentice Healer before you defeat Jing Ye.
   • · Missable: before Bai Chilian, complete Flesh Lily and A Healer's Mercy, and start Secrets of the Baishan Sect.

5. 054. Heartless RemnantsVillage of Lu (underground Puppet Workshop)

   • · Goal: defeat Mu Xiaokui to open the Smuggler's Tunnel.
   • · Bosses: Zhuo Bi (the Gatekeeper), Master Bi Yuan, Master Bi Hai, Yuzan (No. 3 Musician Puppet), Iron Fiend and Jade Dancer and Mu Xiaokui.
   • · Unlocks: Bastion, Kuye Temple Prayer Beads, Heartrend Pipa, the Smuggler's Tunnel and Fist Fragment: Core. The optional Puppeteer's Bell comes from Dusk.
   • · Missable: examine all 5 of Mu Xiaokui's ribbons before the fight. It adds a boss phase and gives Fist Fragment: Core.
   • · Missable: accept The Journey Home and Young Master Lan before you enter Pangzhen.

6. 065. Town of DeathPangzhen (also spelled Pengzhen)

   • · Goal: explore Pangzhen and meet Lei Dang at Jingyang Hall.
   • · Bosses: Blaze, the Shadow Warden Captain. Cavalrybane shows up in boss tables only.
   • · Unlocks: Fire Meteor.
   • · Missable: finish the Flesh Lily follow-up in Pangzhen before you go on to the Training Grounds.

7. 076. The Heart's TrailPangzhen

   • · Goal: defeat Flame and have Lei Dang repair the Dormant Flaming Mane.
   • · Bosses: Flame, the Lion Dance Grandmaster, Wu Xuan, Gu Wanyue, Xie Qiudong, Chang Hong, You Loong and Soulclaimer.
   • · Unlocks: Flaming Mane (burns bramble barriers), Wolfjaw, Thunder Spear and You Loong's Deluge (puts out fire barriers).
   • · Missable: you must bring the item to Lei Dang for the repair. More in Missables.

8. 087. The Four Serpent HousesPangzhen, Meigu Lake, Village of Lu and Crimson Forest (backtracking); Mandate Encampment content fits here too

   • · Goal: collect the Serpent relics and the Loong Emblem to open the route to Mirage Estate.
   • · Bosses: Zhu Yuan, Grief-Stricken Jin, One-Eyed Archer, You Loong, the Frenzied Blackwater Crewleader, Yan Qiansui, Heartpiercer and Wan Jun, the Coppermaul (Mandate Encampment; some tables call him optional, but he gives Phantom Edges).
   • · Unlocks: the Sha-Chi Powered Boat (needs two Transcension Cores), Bashpole, Swordsman's Summon, War Wagon, Loong Trident, One-Eyed Bow and Illusory Pipa.
   • · Missable: destroy the Heart of the Lake ritual (Secrets at the Heart of the Lake) before you enter Mirage Estate.
   • · Missable: deliver all five regional treasure lists (Quick Hand's Request) before you finish Mirage Estate. See Collectibles.

9. 098. The Way ForwardPangzhen / Mirage Estate (Opera House)

   • · Goal: get the Opera Ticket, enter the Opera House, and look into the Perfect Vessel and the Radiant Heart.
   • · Bosses: Lei Dang, the Tiger Cannon at the end of Mirage Estate (KeenGamer).
   • · Unlocks: Opera House access and the Tiger Cannon.
   • · Missable: the Mirage Estate deadlines from step 7 still apply.

10. 109. A Soul's WorthMountain of Imprisonment / Mount Soulrend, Soulrend Cliff

    • · Goal: continue through Mount Soulrend and face the Order's leaders.
    • · Bosses: Iron Butcher, Bi Feng, Kui Yanyan, Huangxing and the Acolytes.
    • · Unlocks: Flying Guillotine, Inanis' Radiant Fan, Ink Cut, Infernal Rouge (Bloodline Awakening) and Heart of the Banyan (The Banyan's Heart).
    • · Missable: complete all five Long Pillar trials before the final ascent.
    • · Missable: finish the Human-Faced Banyan challenges before the final showdown. See True Ending.

Before the point of no return

Entering Mirage Estate locks the side stories that the true ending needs, so finish them first. Game Informer says that skipping the purple-icon side quests gives the most basic ending, and a last-chance warning appears before the finale. See True Ending, Endings and Missables.

• · Hand the first Primal Stone to the Shadow Warden before you leave Weeping Creek Valley.
• · Finish the Apprentice Healer herb quest (needs the Hunter's Chain Sickle) before you end the Crimson Forest main objectives and before Jing Ye.
• · Do Flesh Lily and A Healer's Mercy before Bai Chilian, and start Secrets of the Baishan Sect.
• · Examine Mu Xiaokui's 5 ribbons before her fight.
• · Accept The Journey Home and Young Master Lan before you enter Pangzhen.
• · Destroy the Heart of the Lake ritual before you enter Mirage Estate.
• · Deliver all five Quick Hand's Request treasure lists before you finish Mirage Estate.
• · Finish all five Long Pillar trials and the Human-Faced Banyan challenges before the final ascent.

Order of regions

The Quest Log does not give Mandate Encampment or Meigu Lake their own main entries. They are reached during The Four Serpent Houses and onward. That placement is inferred from PowerPyx's region order and KeenGamer's Phantom Edge page, so verify it in your own run.

• · Prologue: opening sequences.
• · Weeping Creek Valley: Against the Flow, Steel and Steam.
• · Crimson Forest: first half of Snake's Reflection.
• · Village of Lu: end of Snake's Reflection, then Heartless Remnants.
• · Pangzhen: Town of Death, The Heart's Trail, The Four Serpent Houses.
• · Mandate Encampment and Meigu Lake: reached during The Four Serpent Houses (inferred).
• · Mirage Estate: The Way Forward.
• · Mountain of Imprisonment and Mount Soulrend: A Soul's Worth.