TL;DR
- The Dread Axe is a Destructive Phantom Edge you get early in Chapter 2.
- Defeat Peng Meng, the Axemaster in Weeping Creek Valley to unlock it.
- It breaks iron chains in the world — even when you don’t have it equipped.
- Hold R2 to charge, release for a heavy cleave. Great for smashing shields.
- Soul Temper it with the Axemaster’s Blood Oath Dagger to charge 30% faster.
What Is the Dread Axe in Phantom Blade Zero
The Dread Axe is a Destructive-class Phantom Edge in Phantom Blade Zero. It’s one of the first Phantom Edges most players will pick up, but don’t let that fool you. This weapon stays useful for a long time. It deals heavy charged damage, crushes enemy shields fast, and even has an exploration ability that unlocks areas you couldn’t reach before.
Its base stats are 309 Damage and 208 Guard Break. That Guard Break number is what makes it special early on. No other Phantom Edge you get at this stage hits shielded enemies this hard.
If you want to see how it fits into the full list of Phantom Edges, check out our Phantom Blade Zero All Phantom Edges List.
How to Get the Dread Axe in Phantom Blade Zero
You get the Dread Axe by defeating Peng Meng, the Axemaster. This boss is found in Weeping Creek Valley, during the Chapter 2 quest Against the Flow. It’s also tied to the side quest Four Fierce Axes, which you can start around the same time.
Where to Find Peng Meng the Axemaster
Head to the Mandate Outpost in Weeping Creek Valley. Go up the stone staircase and through the tiled gateway. Just past the gate, you’ll see a large figure moving in a misty clearing. Walk into that area and the boss fight triggers automatically.
If you’re working through the Four Fierce Axes quest, the Petrified Mandate Disciple NPC near the outpost will also point you directly to Peng Meng.
How to Beat Peng Meng
Peng Meng has two main attacks to watch out for. He does a five-hit upward slash combo — dodge the fifth hit specifically, it’s the most dangerous one. He also grips his axe with both hands, rests it on his shoulder, and swings hard. That two-handed axe swing is your best window to parry.
Landing a perfect parry on his blue-flash attacks deals major Guard Break damage and staggers him fast. Use whatever weapon gives you the best parry timing and go aggressive after each stagger.
Once Peng Meng is defeated, he’ll run toward a large tree in the area, and you’ll get a prompt to claim the Dread Axe. You also get a clue to move forward with the Four Fierce Axes evidence hunt.
Dread Axe Iron Chain Breaker – The Exploration Ability
Right after you pick up the Dread Axe, the game shows you a tutorial card: Iron Chain Breaker. This is an exploration passive that lets you destroy iron chain barriers scattered across the world.
Here’s the important part — you don’t need to have the Dread Axe equipped to use this ability. Just owning it is enough. You won’t lose one of your two Phantom Edge slots to clear chains. Walk up to any iron chain barrier and you’ll get a prompt to break it automatically.
Several areas and quest paths in the game are locked behind chain barriers. Once you get the Dread Axe, go back and explore old areas — you’ll find new routes that were blocked before. This is especially useful in the outpost right after the boss fight. Use the axe to destroy the nearby chain barrier, climb the stairs, and continue the story path.
The Dread Axe is one of several Phantom Edges that unlock exploration shortcuts. For others, see our full Phantom Edges list.
All Dread Axe Skills in Phantom Blade Zero
The Dread Axe gets new abilities as you upgrade its level. Here’s every skill it has and when you unlock it:
- Active Ability (Level 1): Hold R2 to charge the attack up to 2 stages. Release R2 to unleash a crushing cleave. Higher charge stages deal more damage. Costs 1 Remnant Spark.
- Iron Chain Breaker (On Pickup): Once obtained, the Dread Axe can break iron chains blocking the path, even when not equipped.
- Full-Power Charge (Level 5): Double-tap R2 to consume 1 additional Remnant Spark and immediately perform a fully charged strike. No need to hold the button at all.
- Armored Resilience (Level 10): Slightly reduces damage taken while you’re holding the charge. Makes it safer to charge up in the middle of a fight.
- Rushing Axe (Level 15): Press the Phantom Edge button after dodging or while sprinting to charge the attack while moving. Lets you close distance aggressively.
- Crushing Force (Higher Level): Releasing a fully charged attack while running launches a more powerful leaping cleave. Great finisher when you’re mobile.
- Rapid Charge (Soul Temper): Increases charge speed by 30%. Unlocked through Soul Tempering.
To upgrade the Dread Axe, open Upgrade Equipment from any bell or at the Forge and switch to the Phantom Edges tab. Levels below 10 refund upgrade materials for free, so you can try it without a permanent commitment.
How to Soul Temper the Dread Axe
Soul Tempering is a special upgrade you unlock after meeting Myst in Pangzhen. For the Dread Axe, the unique item you need is the Axemaster’s Blood Oath Dagger.
You earn this dagger by completing the Four Fierce Axes quest. Specifically, hand the full case file over to the Child of Insight, and they’ll give you the Blood Oath Dagger as a reward. Use it to Soul Temper the Dread Axe and unlock the Rapid Charge passive — your charge speed increases by 30%, which makes every charged attack come out noticeably faster in combat.
This makes the Full-Power Charge ability much more reliable in actual fights. You’re less exposed while charging, and you can punish shorter openings that wouldn’t have been worth trying before.
For help with the quest, see our Four Fierce Axes Quest Walkthrough.
How to Use the Dread Axe in Phantom Blade Zero – Combat Tips
Dread Axe Is Your Best Shield Breaker
This is the main reason to equip it. When an enemy has a blue shield bar above their Sha-Chi gauge, normal attacks chip through it slowly. The Dread Axe, especially at a full charge, rips through shields fast.
For best results, pair it with the Shieldbreaker Talisman. Together, this combo can break a shielded enemy’s guard in two charged uses at stage 1, or one full charge plus a follow-up hit. You can see this in action against the shield-carrying enemy in Crimson Forest, which has a spiked shield that damages you when you hit it directly — the Dread Axe bypasses that completely.
Use It to Stagger and Create Openings
The Dread Axe staggers most regular enemies for a short time after you use it. That stagger window gives you enough time to charge the weapon to at least stage 1 and follow up with a heavy hit. Against bosses, the stagger is smaller, but you’re still doing significant Guard Break damage to their Sha-Chi bar.
This is especially useful if you struggle with parry timing. The Dread Axe gives you a reliable way to create openings on your own terms instead of relying purely on perfect parries.
Double-Tap for Speed After Level 5
Once you unlock Full-Power Charge at Level 5, stop holding R2 and start double-tapping it instead. You get the same fully charged hit instantly, no waiting. This uses one extra Remnant Spark, but the speed trade-off is almost always worth it. Boss fights get a lot smoother when your heavy attack is nearly instant.
When to Replace It
The Dread Axe is excellent through the early and mid-game. Eventually, the Tiger Cannon is the better Destructive Phantom Edge for flexible burst damage at higher levels — it hits harder and works in more situations. But don’t rush to swap it out. Keep the Dread Axe until you have the Tiger Cannon leveled up and ready. And remember — even after you stop using it in combat, the Iron Chain Breaker ability still works as long as you own it.
Check out our Tiger Cannon Phantom Edge Guide for a full comparison when you’re ready to upgrade.
Best Builds That Use the Dread Axe
The Dread Axe pairs best with weapons that deal fast bleed damage while it handles the Guard Break work. A popular early-game setup is:
- Main Weapons: Jagged Steel + Outlaw Warblade
- Phantom Edges: Dread Axe + Hunter’s Chain Sickle
- Accessories: Shieldbreaker Talisman, Crimson Resolve, Reflex Device
Jagged Steel inflicts bleed on enemies while the Dread Axe keeps their shields down. The Chain Sickle handles ranged pulls and crowd control. This combination carries you comfortably through most of Chapter 2 and well beyond.
For the full weapon list to compare options, see our Phantom Blade Zero All Weapons List.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Dread Axe
Do I Need the Dread Axe Equipped to Break Chains?
No. The Iron Chain Breaker ability works passively as soon as you own the axe. You can equip two completely different Phantom Edges and still walk up to any iron chain barrier to destroy it. Just own it.
Can I Upgrade the Dread Axe Without Losing It?
Yes. You can upgrade the Dread Axe safely at any bell or Forge under the Upgrade Equipment menu. If you stop using it later, you can refund all materials at no cost (free below level 10). No upgrades are wasted permanently.
Where Do I Get Upgrade Materials for Phantom Edges?
Destructive Phantom Edges like the Dread Axe use their own upgrade materials separate from main weapons. You can find them through exploration and looting, or buy some early-game materials from the Peddler for about 1,040 Remnant Dust each.
Is the Dread Axe Good Against Bosses?
Yes, especially shielded bosses. It’s your most reliable way to break a blue shield bar early in the game. Against non-shielded bosses, it’s still decent for Sha-Chi drain, but you’ll get more mileage from parrying well and using the Chain Sickle or your main weapon’s abilities for damage.
The Dread Axe is one of the most practical Phantom Edges in the game. It does exactly what you need early — breaks shields, staggers enemies, and opens up locked areas. Even players who switch to harder-hitting options late game keep it around just for the chain-breaking passive. If you just started Phantom Blade Zero, make this a priority.
For more Phantom Blade Zero guides, visit the official Phantom Blade Zero website. You can also grab the game on Steam, PlayStation Store, or Epic Games Store.
See our other Phantom Blade Zero weapon guides:
