All Bosses in Phantom Blade Zero — Full List, Locations & Rewards

TL;DR

Phantom Blade Zero has over 50 bosses — covering main story and optional encounters across all regions.
Most bosses drop weapons, Phantom Edges, or accessories — a few drop nothing at all.
Some optional bosses only appear after completing specific quests or side tales.
Several bosses appear more than once across the game with different forms or higher difficulty.
Clearing all optional bosses is tied to trophies, achievements, and the true ending.

Boss fights are the heart of Phantom Blade Zero. Every region throws new enemies at you — swordmasters, puppet warriors, shadow wardens, acolytes — and the rewards for beating them build out your entire arsenal. Most weapons and Phantom Edges in the game come directly from boss drops.

This guide lists every confirmed boss in Phantom Blade Zero in order, grouped by region, so you know exactly what is coming, where to find optional fights, and what you will walk away with after each one.

Table of Contents

How Bosses Work in Phantom Blade Zero

Every boss in Phantom Blade Zero has its own HP bar at the top of the screen. Most main story bosses are unmissable — they sit on the critical path and you cannot progress without beating them. Optional bosses are found off the main route and require either exploration or quest completion to access.

When you die to a boss, you respawn at the nearest Bell with full HP and medicine charges restored. There is no penalty for dying. You can also return to any boss you have already beaten to replay the encounter, though rewards are only given on the first clear.

Some bosses have multiple encounters across the game — you fight the same character more than once, usually with new moves or a harder phase. These count separately in the encounter list.

All Main Story Bosses in Phantom Blade Zero

Weeping Creek Valley Bosses

Zuo Shang in phantom blade zero

Weeping Creek Valley is the game’s first full region. It introduces Soul’s core moveset and the fundamentals of combat through several boss fights in quick succession.

Zuo Shang — Prologue tutorial fight. No reward.
The Hunt — First encounter. Reckless Pursuit chapter. No reward. This enemy returns later with a more dangerous form.
Jagged Steel — Against the Flow chapter. Drops the Jagged Steel weapon.
Peng Meng, the Axemaster — Against the Flow chapter. Drops the Dread Axe Phantom Edge.
The Hunt, Hunter of the Order — Steel and Steam chapter. Second encounter with the Hunt. No reward.
The Hunt, Sixfold Scythe — Steel and Steam chapter. Final form of the Hunt. Drops the Hunter’s Chain Sickle Phantom Edge.

Crimson Forest Bosses

Crimson Forest is the second region and where the game opens up significantly. Bosses here introduce more complex movesets and reward some of Soul’s most useful early tools.

Hua Qianxiao, the Sword Fanatic — Snake’s Reflection chapter. First major Crimson Forest fight. Drops the Fanatic’s Broken Blade weapon.
Jing Ye, the Outlaw — Found near the Outlaw Trap Bell. Drops the Outlaw Warblade weapon.
Stone Hand, Iron Fever — Snake’s Reflection chapter. Drops the Iron Gauntlets Phantom Edge.
Bai Chilian, Lady of the Twin Serpents — Snake’s Reflection chapter. Main story boss. Drops the White Serpent & Crimson Viper weapon and the Resonance Talisman accessory.

Village of Lu Bosses

The Village of Lu is the third region and the first major hub. Several bosses here are tied to the Heartless Remnant chapter and reward both weapons and Phantom Edges that carry you through the mid-game.

Zhuo Bi, the Gatekeeper — Heartless Remnant chapter. Drops the Bastion Phantom Edge.
Master Bi Yuan of the Tianxuan Sect — Heartless Remnant chapter. Drops the Tianxuan Bronze Sword weapon.
Master Bi Hai of Kuye Temple — Heartless Remnant chapter. Drops the Kuye Temple Prayer Beads accessory.
Yuzan — Heartless Remnant chapter. Drops the Heartend Pipa Phantom Edge.
Iron Fiend and Jade Dancer — Heartless Remnant chapter. A two-boss fight. Drops the Fiend Saws weapon and the Fist Fragment: Core Puppet No. 44’s Eye.
Mu Xiaokui — Heartless Remnant chapter. Final boss of the Village of Lu. Drops the Wild Oriole Sword weapon.

Pangzhen Bosses

Pangzhen is one of the largest regions in the game, split across multiple chapters. It has some of the most varied boss encounters and is where the game’s story begins to reveal its deeper layers.

Blaze, Shadow Warden Captain — Town of Death chapter. Found on the main route between South Gate Bridge and Jingyang Hall. Drops the Fire Meteor Phantom Edge and Crimson Fresh Lily.
Cavalrybane — Town of Death chapter. Drops the Armybreaker weapon.
Wu Xuan, the Fallen General — The Heart’s Trail chapter. Found in the western part of Pangzhen. Drops the Wolfjaw weapon.
Gu Wanyue — The Heart’s Trail chapter. Drops the Fanatic’s Fragment: Fixation.
Xie Qiudong, the Divine Healer — The Heart’s Trail chapter. Found in Pangzhen. Drops the Everflow medicine.
Chang Hong, the Thunder Spear — The Heart’s Trail chapter. Found at the Ancestral Shrine Square in Pangzhen. Drops the Thunder Spear Phantom Edge.
You Loong, Leader of the Blackwater Crew — The Heart’s Trail chapter. First encounter in Pangzhen. No weapon drop here — the Loong Trident drop comes from the second fight in Meigu Lake.
Flame, Grandmaster of the Lion Dance — Beginning of Pangzhen’s second part. Drops the Dormant Flaming Mane (required for a Phantom Edge unlock later).
Zhu Yuan, the Searing Blade — Found at the bottom of the Pangzhen Sha-Chi Tower. Required for the true ending. Drops a Soul Tempering material.

Mandate Encampment Bosses

The Mandate Encampment is a military zone packed with optional encounters. Several bosses here are tied to side quests or require specific Phantom Edges to reach.

Wan Jun, the Coppermaul — Main Encampment area. Drops the Bashpole Phantom Edge — needed to smash floorboards and access hidden areas.
Chief Disciple of the Seven Stars — Fight alongside Red. Found between Three Towers and Tower Rear Exit. Drops the Swordsman’s Summon Phantom Edge.
Red — Fought alongside the Chief Disciple. No separate reward.
Wu Lengshuang, the Soft Sword — Optional. Found near the Path of the Baishan’s Fall. Drops the Soft Snake Sword weapon.
Yubi, No. 21 Swordfighter Puppet — Optional. Fought at the Training Grounds as part of the Illusory Pipa quest. Drops the Illusory Pipa Backplate and Baishan Stormswords weapon.
Corpse-Eating Xue — Optional. Found in Mandate Encampment. No reward.

Meigu Lake Bosses

Meigu Lake is a large open water region with exploration tied to your boat access. Several optional bosses here require sailing to islands or completing quests first.

Zhu Yuan, the Searing Blade — Also appears here; the Meigu Lake Sha-Chi Tower encounter is separate from the Pangzhen one.
You Loong, the Frenzied Blackwater Crew Leader — Second encounter, fought at Blackwater Crew Dock in Meigu Lake. Drops the Loong Trident Phantom Edge.
Yan Qiansui, the Zither Maiden — Optional. Found at Meigu Songhouse Dock. Requires collecting all six Yan’er Memory Flowers to access. Drops the Fanatic’s Fragment: Attachment and Illusory Pipa Strings.
One-Eyed Archer — Optional. Sail to the eastern island (One-Eyed Isle Dock). Drops the One-Eyed Bow Phantom Edge.
Heartpiercer, Elite Shadow Warden — Optional. Found at White Serpent House. Drops the Sundering Dual Axes weapon.
Grief-Stricken Jin — Found in Meigu Lake.
Blizzard Blademaster — Hidden inside the Four Guardians’ Mirror realm (reached with all four Acolyte Masks). Drops the Whiteshadow weapon.

Mountain of Imprisonment Bosses

The Mountain of Imprisonment is the seventh region and one of the most challenging. To reach it, you must use the Illusory Pipa on the mist in northeastern Meigu Lake. Bosses here hit harder and reward powerful late-game weapons.

Iron Butcher, the Frenzied Brute — Main story boss. A massive melee fighter found near Iron Butcher’s Camp Bell.
Bi Feng, Giant Saber Commander — Main story boss. Drops the Juggernaut weapon. Required for the true ending.
Kui Yanyan, the Deranged — Main story boss.
Huangxing, the Kunlun Renegade — Found near The Lady’s Shrine Bell. Drops the Flying Guillotine Phantom Edge, which operates mechanical dials to open hidden walls.
Jade-Face — Optional. Found near The Lady’s Shrine. Drops the Seamless Death weapon.
Acolytes — Final main story boss encounter in the Mountain of Imprisonment.

All Optional and Secret Bosses in Phantom Blade Zero

Beyond the main story fights, Phantom Blade Zero has a large set of optional bosses spread across every region. Some are in plain sight. Others are hidden behind quests, Phantom Edge requirements, or exploration.

Hua, Deadly Betrothed — Weeping Creek Valley. Optional early-game fight. Drops the Scarlet Wraithblade weapon. See our Scarlet Wraithblade weapon guide.
Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet — Weeping Creek Valley. Drops the Three-Headed Doll.
Yucong, No. 34 Twisted Puppet — Crimson Forest. Optional. Drops the Freezing Chaos weapon.
The Gold-Masked One (1st encounter) — Weeping Creek Valley. A recurring secret boss. First fight gives no drop — later encounters do.
The Gold-Masked One (2nd encounter) — Crimson Forest. Drops the Miraculous Scabbard accessory. See our Gold Masked One boss guide.
The Gold-Masked One (3rd encounter) — Meigu Lake. Drops the Flaming Grip weapon.
Dusk, the Puppeteer — Village of Lu. Optional but important. Drops the Puppeteer’s Bell Phantom Edge and Illusory Pipa Head (a part needed to repair the Illusory Pipa).
Acolyte Yanru — Village of Lu. Drops Yanru’s Blazing Mask accessory.
Acolyte Leiting — Pangzhen Backstreets. Drops Leiting’s Thunder Mask (lightning) accessory.
Soulclaimer, Elite Shadow Warden — Pangzhen, near the northeastern docks at Dockside Warehouse. Drops the Parting Hooks weapon.
The Puppet Scavenger and Acolyte Hansui — Crimson Mansion. Secret area boss encounter.
Lei Dang — Illusory Domain. Mandatory boss tied to the true ending path. Trophy: “All Will Return to Dust.”
Menghua, the Merciful Lady of the Blossom Veil — Crimson Mansion. Final hidden boss encounter.

Bosses That Appear More Than Once

A handful of bosses in Phantom Blade Zero fight you multiple times. Each encounter is treated as a separate boss fight and some of these rematches are harder than the first meeting:

The Hunt — Appears three times: the first encounter, then as the Hunter of the Order, then as the Sixfold Scythe. Only the final form drops a reward.
The Gold-Masked One — Three separate encounters across Weeping Creek Valley, Crimson Forest, and Meigu Lake. Later encounters drop accessories and weapons.
You Loong — First fight in Pangzhen (no weapon drop), second fight in Meigu Lake (drops Loong Trident). Both encounters count toward the “Turning the Tide” trophy.
Yan Qiansui, the Zither Maiden — Appears as both a main story encounter and an optional fight in Meigu Lake. The optional lake fight is what drops the Illusory Pipa Strings.

Bosses Tied to the True Ending

If you want the perfect ending in Phantom Blade Zero, certain optional bosses are not optional at all. These fights are required:

Zhu Yuan, the Searing Blade — Pangzhen Sha-Chi Tower.
Bi Feng, Giant Saber Commander — Mountain of Imprisonment.
All five Long Pillar encounters must also be cleared as part of Bloodline Awakening.
All purple-icon side tales must be finished before entering Mirage Estate.

For the complete breakdown, see our Phantom Blade Zero perfect ending guide.

Tips for Fighting Bosses in Phantom Blade Zero

Polish your accessories before optional fights. Even a +1 upgrade on a defensive accessory can take the edge off harder optional bosses. See our guide on how to polish accessories for the full breakdown.
Upgrade your medicines. A single upgraded Kuye Dew or Phantom Remedy makes a massive difference in boss fights. Check our all medicines guide to make sure you have the best options equipped.
Don’t ignore optional bosses early. Many of them drop weapons and Phantom Edges that open new parts of the map. The Bashpole (Wan Jun) and Illusory Pipa pieces (Dusk, Yubi, Yan Qiansui) are particularly important for progression.
Resting at a Bell fully restores you. There is no cost to dying. Use Bells near hard bosses to reset your medicine charges before each attempt.
The Banyan Tree challenges also count. The five Human-Faced Banyan Trees each end in a boss fight. See our all Banyan Tree locations guide for details on those encounters.

More Phantom Blade Zero Guides

Phantom Blade Zero is available on PlayStation Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store. The official site is at pbz.s-game.com.