Where to Find All Human-Faced Banyan Trees in Phantom Blade Zero

TL;DR

There are 5 Human-Faced Banyan Trees in Phantom Blade Zero, spread across five different regions.
Each tree starts a combat challenge — waves of enemies followed by a boss.
Beating each tree rewards you with a Banyan’s Heart, which unlocks special abilities.
Finding and completing all five trees finishes the Heart of the Banyan side quest.
Completing the quest also earns the “Even Trees Know Sorrow” Silver trophy/achievement.

Human-Faced Banyan Trees are one of the more interesting side activities in Phantom Blade Zero. They look like any other ancient tree until you interact with one — then things get intense fast. Each tree pulls you into a trial realm where you fight wave after wave of enemies before a final boss.

The reward for each tree is a Banyan’s Heart. This item is tied to real progression — you spend it to unlock certain abilities like Fluid Form Level 2, Quick Remedy, and Opening Strike. So these challenges are worth doing, not just for completion.

There are five trees in total, one per region from the Crimson Forest onward. Here is exactly where to find every single one.

Table of Contents

What Are Human-Faced Banyan Trees in Phantom Blade Zero?

Human-Faced Banyan Trees are special combat encounter locations scattered across the world of Phantom Blade Zero. Each one is part of the side quest called Heart of the Banyan. The quest objective simply reads: “Find the Human-Faced Banyan Trees.”

When you interact with a tree, you are pulled into a challenge arena — a Discordance trial. Inside, you fight multiple waves of enemies and then face a boss. Win, and you earn a Banyan’s Heart. Each tree gives you one heart, so the total is five across the whole game.

Every region from Crimson Forest to Mountain of Imprisonment has exactly one tree. The first tree you find also starts the quest automatically. After that, a quest icon appears on your regional maps to help you track down the remaining four.

All Human-Faced Banyan Tree Locations in Phantom Blade Zero

Here is a quick overview before we go region by region:

Banyan Tree 1 — Crimson Forest (Nearest Bell: Parting Mists)
Banyan Tree 2 — Pangzhen (Nearest Bell: Lion Dance Hall)
Banyan Tree 3 — Mandate Encampment (Nearest Bell: Sunset Path)
Banyan Tree 4 — Meigu Lake (Nearest Bell: Lake Banyan Dock)
Banyan Tree 5 — Mountain of Imprisonment (Nearest Bell: Shrine Outer Gate)

Banyan Tree 1 — Crimson Forest Location

The first Human-Faced Banyan Tree is in the Crimson Forest, the game’s second region. This is where the Heart of the Banyan quest begins.

Where to Find All Human Faced Banyan Trees in Phantom Blade Zero 1

Head to the Burial Grounds Bell and travel south. You will pass a vision of Inanis on the path. Keep going south across the map toward the Parting Mists Bell. Drop down from that bell and cross to the island ahead — the tree is right there waiting for you.

Nearest Bell: Parting Mists

Crimson Forest Banyan Tree Boss

The boss for this tree is Jing Ye, the Outlaw — the same fighter you encounter as a regular boss in the Crimson Forest. He is an aggressive close-range fighter. Stay mobile, parry his attacks when you can, and use the Phantom Edges you have unlocked by this point. Defeating him here rewards you with your first Banyan’s Heart.

Banyan Tree 2 — Pangzhen Location

The second Human-Faced Banyan Tree is found in Pangzhen, the fourth region of the game. You need to progress through the main story until you reach the Lion Dance Hall Bell.

From that bell, travel west. Look for the large Human-Faced Banyan Tree near a western pond in the northwestern part of Pangzhen. The tree is in this area, and you can spot it while exploring the Lion Dance Hall side of the map.

Where to Find All Human Faced Banyan Trees in Phantom Blade Zero 2

Nearest Bell: Lion Dance Hall

Pangzhen Banyan Tree Boss

The boss at the Pangzhen tree is Master Bi Yuan — the elderly swordsman of the Tianxuan Sect, another face you already know from the main story. He uses parriable sword combos and ranged blade arcs, so keep close and fight on his terms. Beat him here to claim the second Banyan’s Heart.

Banyan Tree 3 — Mandate Encampment Location

The third Human-Faced Banyan Tree is in the Mandate Encampment, the fifth region. It sits near the beginning of the level.

Travel to the Sunset Path Bell. Go up the stairs from there and look for a grapple prompt on the cliff to the right. Use it to pull yourself up. The Banyan Tree is in the center of the open area above. You will see a few enemies around it before you interact.

Where to Find All Human Faced Banyan Trees in Phantom Blade Zero 3

Nearest Bell: Sunset Path

Mandate Encampment Banyan Tree Boss

This tree’s trial ends with a rematch against two bosses together: Stone Hand, Iron Fever and Iron Fiend, Young Mistress’s Guardian. Both are enemies you have faced in the Crimson Forest before. Fighting two at once is the real challenge here. Take down Iron Fiend first to reduce pressure, then focus on Stone Hand. Surviving both earns the third Banyan’s Heart.

Banyan Tree 4 — Meigu Lake Location

The fourth Human-Faced Banyan Tree is on an island in Meigu Lake, the sixth region. You need the boat to properly explore this area.

Once you have access to the boat, sail east across the lake to reach the Lake Banyan Dock area. The Banyan Tree is right in the middle of the island there — it is hard to miss once you reach the dock. The Lake Banyan Dock Bell sits right next to it, making this the easiest tree to return to.

Where to Find All Human Faced Banyan Trees in Phantom Blade Zero 4

Nearest Bell: Lake Banyan Dock

Meigu Lake Banyan Tree Boss

The Meigu Lake tree sends you against Cavalrybane and Shadowclaimer. These are fast, mobile enemies who like to split your attention. Focus on one target at a time and use any Phantom Edges that deal area damage to pressure both. Finishing this challenge gives you the fourth Banyan’s Heart.

Banyan Tree 5 — Mountain of Imprisonment Location

The fifth and final Human-Faced Banyan Tree is in the Mountain of Imprisonment, the game’s seventh region. This region is locked until you use the Illusory Pipa on the mist in the northeastern section of Meigu Lake to open the path forward.

Once inside, progress through the main objective until you use the Shrine Gate Key and open the Shrine Outer Gate. The tree is right along the straight path ahead, just across the rope bridge in the northwest section of the region. The Shrine Outer Gate Bell and The Lady’s Shrine Bell are both nearby.

Where to Find All Human Faced Banyan Trees in Phantom Blade Zero 5

Nearest Bell: Shrine Outer Gate

Mountain of Imprisonment Banyan Tree Boss

The final tree pits you against Iron Butcher and Jagged Steel — two heavy hitters from Mountain of Imprisonment. Iron Butcher is a massive brute with powerful slam attacks. Jagged Steel is more mobile and aggressive. This is the toughest Banyan challenge in the game. Come prepared with your best polished accessories and upgraded weapons. Winning here gives you the fifth and final Banyan’s Heart and completes the Heart of the Banyan quest.

What Does the Banyan’s Heart Do?

Each Banyan’s Heart you collect is a progression material. You spend it in the ability training menu to unlock specific skills. Some of the abilities tied to these hearts include:

Fluid Form Level 2
Quick Remedy
Opening Strike

These are not minor passive tweaks. They can meaningfully change how Soul fights, especially in harder encounters. This is the main reason to track down every Banyan Tree, even if the combat challenges are demanding.

There are two ways to get a Banyan’s Heart — winning a Banyan Tree challenge, or buying one from a merchant later in the game. But the tree challenges are the most reliable early source and you should clear them naturally as you push through each region.

Heart of the Banyan Quest — Completion Reward

Clearing all five Human-Faced Banyan Trees completes the Heart of the Banyan side quest and unlocks the “Even Trees Know Sorrow” Silver trophy on PlayStation (or the equivalent achievement on PC). It is a satisfying quest to complete because each tree sits naturally along the main path through the game — you are not hunting off-road for hours to find them.

If you want to plan ahead, always fast travel to the nearest Bell listed for each tree and follow the directions above. None of the five locations are hidden in obscure corners of the map.

Tips for Beating Banyan Tree Challenges

Polish your accessories before attempting later trees. The Mandate Encampment and Mountain of Imprisonment challenges are tough. Upgraded accessories give you a meaningful edge. See our guide on how to polish accessories in Phantom Blade Zero if you have not done this yet.
Heal between waves. The trial arena pauses briefly between enemy waves. Use that window to use medicine if your health is low.
Bring a Phantom Edge that suits the fight. Fast multi-hit Phantom Edges work well against fast bosses. Heavy-hitting ones are better for armored brutes like Iron Butcher.
You can leave and come back. There is no penalty for failing or walking away. If a tree challenge is too hard right now, continue the main story, level your weapons further, and return later.
Check the map layer. Phantom Blade Zero has a dedicated “Banyan Trees” layer on the interactive map. Turn it on to see the exact location of any tree you have not visited yet.

More Phantom Blade Zero Guides

Here are more guides to help you through the game:

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