Phantom Blade Zero Outlaw Warblade Weapon Guide

TL;DR

The Outlaw Warblade is a two-handed weapon dropped by Jing Ye, the Outlaw, in the Crimson Forest during Chapter 2.
Light attacks restore Soul’s HP — making it one of the best lifesteal weapons in the game.
Heavy attacks convert your own HP into Recoverable Damage, so play smart.
Its Power Surge, Bloodthirst Frenzy, pins and drains an enemy’s blood to heal you massively.
The Level 15 perk, Survival Shield, gives 10 seconds of invincibility — a huge deal.
Pair it with a fast dual-wield weapon to build Sha-Chi faster and unleash Power Surge more often.
Lifesteal does NOT work on Puppets, Golden Bodies, or Phantom Bodies — equip the Livingwood Talisman to partially fix this.

Table of Contents

What Is the Phantom Blade Zero Outlaw Warblade?

The Outlaw Warblade is one of the best two-handed weapons you can get early in Phantom Blade Zero. It’s a ruthless, blood-drinking sword with high Shield-Breaking power. What makes it stand out is its built-in lifesteal mechanic — your standard attacks actually restore Soul’s HP as you fight.

For players who prefer staying alive over pure damage, this weapon feels like a cheat code. You’re healing through aggression. That’s a rare combination in any action game.

It’s also a great backup weapon for almost any build. Even late in the game, when its damage starts to fall off a bit, its healing and defensive perks keep it very much worth carrying.

How to Get the Outlaw Warblade in Phantom Blade Zero

You get the Phantom Blade Zero Outlaw Warblade by defeating Jing Ye, the Outlaw — the Chapter 2 story boss found in the Crimson Forest. This is a mandatory boss fight, so you cannot miss it. Just follow the main story path through the Crimson Forest and you’ll run into him.

There’s no side quest needed. No hidden area. Beat Jing Ye, and the Outlaw Warblade is yours.

For more on the Crimson Forest area, check our Crimson Forest Weeping Portal Puzzle guide.

Outlaw Warblade Weapon

How to Beat Jing Ye, the Outlaw (Boss Fight Tips)

Jing Ye is a significant step up from earlier bosses, so go in prepared. The fight has two clear phases.

Phase 1 — Mounted Combat

Jing Ye starts the fight on horseback. He uses sweeping attacks, throws spinning blades, and fires Red Thread projectiles that inflict bleed even when blocked. He can also drag his weapon on the ground to kick up dust and blind Soul — move away when you see this animation so you can keep track of him.

Stay mobile. Don’t stand in his approach path. Prioritize dodging over trading hits during this phase.

Phase 2 — Shield and Sword

At around 60% health, Jing Ye dismounts and switches to a spiked shield and his large sword. His attack combos become more complex, and many sequences end in blue or red flash attacks. The spiked shield also causes bleed if you block hits with it.

Avoid striking directly into the shield. Bring a Shieldbreaker Talisman if you have one — it makes a real difference in this phase. Watch for the flash attacks at the end of his combos and parry or dodge accordingly.

His red flash attacks are grabs or unblockables — always dodge those. His blue flash attacks can be parried.

Outlaw Warblade Stats and Base Properties

Here’s a quick look at the weapon’s core numbers:

Type: Two-Handed
Base Damage (Level 1): 240
Base Guard Break (Level 1): 106
Max Damage (Level 30): 936
Max Guard Break (Level 30): 415
Attack Speed: Average (faster than most two-handed weapons)
Special Feature: Lifesteal on standard attacks
Power Surge: Bloodthirst Frenzy

The weapon has solid reach for a two-hander and feels quicker than you’d expect from a big sword. That attack speed helps you stack healing fast.

Outlaw Warblade Moves and How They Work

Light Attacks (Square / Left-Click) — Your Main Healing Tool

Each successful light attack restores a small flat amount of HP for Soul. This is not percentage-based, so stacking max HP with accessories won’t increase what you heal per hit. The healing amount itself goes up as you upgrade the weapon, especially past Level 10 and 20.

In prolonged fights, especially against human or beast enemies, this healing alone can replace healing items almost entirely if your defense is solid.

Heavy Attacks (Triangle / Right-Click) — Use With Caution

Heavy attacks with the Outlaw Warblade convert some of Soul’s HP into Recoverable Damage. If you get hit while in this state, you lose that Recoverable HP. If you avoid damage, you recover it after a short time.

This is a risk-reward mechanic. Going heavy attack spam can actually put you in danger. Save heavy attacks for clear openings, not panic situations.

Reckless Cleave (Unlocked at Level 5)

Hold the heavy button combination to charge up a Reckless Cleave. This is a strong charged attack that helps with shield-breaking and dealing with armored opponents.

Power Surge — Bloodthirst Frenzy

Once your Sha-Chi meter is full, you can unleash Bloodthirst Frenzy. Soul pins the enemy down and drains their blood directly to restore a large amount of HP. This Power Surge also has a massive invincibility window, making it useful not just for damage but for escaping dangerous situations mid-fight.

It is one of the best Power Surges in the game — both offensively and defensively. Use it when you’re low on health and the enemy has an opening.

Note: Bloodthirst Frenzy does not work on Puppets, Golden Bodies, or Phantom Bodies.

Outlaw Warblade Upgrade Perks — All Level Milestones

Like every weapon in the game, the Outlaw Warblade unlocks new perks at Levels 5, 10, 15, and 25. Here’s what each one does:

Level 5 — Reckless Cleave

Unlocks the charged Reckless Cleave heavy attack. Good for breaking shields and dealing big single hits on staggered enemies.

Level 10 — Unstoppable Lv. 1

Slightly increases the rate at which Recoverable HP recovers after heavy attacks. This makes the heavy attack risk much more manageable — you recover your sacrificed HP faster, which opens up heavier playstyles.

Level 15 — Survival Shield

This is the real prize. When your Recoverable HP drops to 30% of Max HP, you automatically gain one layer of Emergency Shield for 10 seconds. Emergency Shield absorbs incoming damage during that window. It’s relatively easy to trigger, and 10 seconds of invincibility in an action game is massive.

This perk alone makes the Outlaw Warblade worth upgrading to at least Level 15, even if you’re using another weapon as your main damage dealer.

Level 25 — Further Enhancement

The Level 25 perk continues scaling the weapon’s lifesteal and recovery mechanics. By this point you’re committed to the weapon, and it rewards that commitment with better sustain across longer fights.

Soul Tempering the Outlaw Warblade

Once you reach Chapter 4 and unlock the Soul Tempering system through an NPC called Myst in Pengzhen, you can take the Outlaw Warblade a step further.

The Soul Temper material for the Outlaw Warblade is the Six Paths Warrant. The Soul Tempering skill it unlocks is called Ruthless Outlaw:

Ruthless Outlaw: The longer Recoverable HP is retained without taking damage, the greater the damage boost — up to 25% extra damage.

This turns the heavy attack’s risk-reward into an actual damage amplifier. If you can hold onto Recoverable HP without getting hit, you’re hitting 25% harder. This pairs well with a defensive, patient playstyle.

Important: Soul Tempering is irreversible. Make sure you want to go all-in on this weapon before spending your materials. Unlike regular upgrades, you cannot reforge or reset a Soul Tempered weapon.

Best Weapon Combos With the Outlaw Warblade

In Phantom Blade Zero you can carry two main weapons and swap between them. The Outlaw Warblade works best in the second slot — as a defensive backup. Here are the best pairings:

Fiend Saws + Outlaw Warblade

This is widely considered one of the strongest early-game weapon combinations. Use the Fiend Saws as your main damage dealer against regular enemies and bosses. Switch to the Outlaw Warblade when your health drops or when facing heavily shielded opponents. The two weapons complement each other perfectly — fast attacks from the saws build Sha-Chi quickly, and you can use that for Bloodthirst Frenzy more often.

Any Dual-Wield Weapon + Outlaw Warblade

Dual-wield weapons are the best partners for the Outlaw Warblade in general. The faster a weapon hits, the faster it builds Sha-Chi. More Sha-Chi means more Power Surge uses. More Power Surges means more healing. The cycle is very strong.

Start with fast attacks on the dual-wield side to fill the meter, then switch to the Warblade and use Bloodthirst Frenzy to top up your health whenever needed.

White Serpent and Crimson Viper + Outlaw Warblade

You earn White Serpent and Crimson Viper by completing the Crimson Forest chapter — right around the same time you get the Outlaw Warblade from Jing Ye. This pair works well because the viper adds reach and the warblade adds sustain. Switch to the Warblade when its healing special would help mid-fight.

For more weapon options, see our complete Phantom Blade Zero weapons list.

Outlaw Warblade Lifesteal Limitations — What You Need to Know

This is the most important caveat with the Outlaw Warblade. Lifesteal does not work on every enemy type. Specifically, the life drain has no effect on:

Puppets
Golden Bodies
Phantom Bodies

These are non-living enemies. You can’t drain blood from something that doesn’t bleed. Against these enemy types, the Outlaw Warblade functions as a normal two-handed weapon with no healing benefit.

The fix? Equip the Livingwood Talisman, which you can get from Chapter 3. This accessory partially bridges the gap and lets the lifesteal apply to non-living enemies to some degree. If you plan to rely heavily on this weapon, carry the Livingwood Talisman at all times.

Also remember: the healing from standard attacks is a flat value. It does not scale with Soul’s maximum HP. So stacking health accessories won’t improve the healing output from light attacks.

Is the Outlaw Warblade Worth Upgrading?

Short answer — yes. Even if your primary goal is raw damage, the utility this weapon provides as a backup is too good to ignore.

The damage does start to fall behind other options in the late game. But its healing, the Bloodthirst Frenzy Power Surge’s invincibility window, and the Survival Shield perk at Level 15 make it a reliable second weapon all the way to the end.

If you’re on your first playthrough and struggling to stay alive, getting this weapon to Level 15 should be a priority. The Survival Shield alone can save you in fights you’d otherwise lose.

For players who like defensive, patient combat — this is probably the best weapon in the game. You’re essentially regenerating health as a reward for landing clean hits.

Looking to compare it against other options? Check our Sanguine weapon guide and the Jagged Steel weapon guide to see which fits your playstyle best.

Upgrade Materials for the Outlaw Warblade

The Outlaw Warblade is a two-handed weapon, so it uses Broadplate Metals and Solvents for upgrades through Levels 5 to 15. Higher tier upgrades require Polished Broadplate Metal and Concentrated Solvent.

Here’s a rough idea of what to expect at key upgrade milestones:

Level 5: Broadplate Metal x6, Solvent x3, 2,700 Remnant Dust
Level 10: Broadplate Metal x8, Solvent x4, 5,400 Remnant Dust
Level 15: Polished Broadplate Metal x6, Concentrated Solvent x3, 8,100 Remnant Dust
Level 30 (Max): Requires 286,740 total Remnant Dust across all upgrades

You upgrade through Forge, the blacksmith NPC at the Weeping Creek Valley Outpost. If you need to reset your investment, you can Reforge the weapon for free up to Level 9. At Level 10 and above, a Weapon Reforge Talisman is needed to reset it.

Outlaw Warblade Tips and Tricks

Use light attacks as your core healing loop. Don’t just spam heavies. Light attacks are where the sustain comes from.
Save Bloodthirst Frenzy for emergencies or openings. The massive HP restore plus the invincibility window can flip a fight completely.
Don’t neglect the Livingwood Talisman. If you’re fighting non-living enemies, the lifesteal stops working entirely without it.
Get to Level 15 as fast as you can. Survival Shield is the perk that makes this weapon exceptional — don’t sleep on it.
Pair with fast weapons. Dual-wield options build Sha-Chi quickly, which means more Power Surge uses from the Warblade’s slot.
Be careful with heavy attacks. Converting your HP into Recoverable Damage mid-fight is risky. Do it only when you can follow up safely.
Soul Temper for late-game damage. Ruthless Outlaw adds up to 25% bonus damage when you hold onto Recoverable HP — excellent for patient, controlled fighters.

Other Guides You Might Find Useful

If you’re diving deeper into Phantom Blade Zero, here are some related guides that go well alongside this one:

You can also grab the game on Steam, PlayStation Store, or Epic Games Store.