Phantom Blade Zero White Serpent & Crimson Viper Weapon Guide

TL;DR

White Serpent & Crimson Viper are a dual-wield weapon dropped by Bai Chilian, Lady of the Twin Serpents, at the end of the Crimson Forest chapter. You receive them when you wake up in the Village of Lu.
Twin Serpent Dance is the core mechanic — alternate heavy and light attacks in a looping combo where damage keeps climbing the longer you sustain it.
Crimson Viper Orbit (L1 + Heavy) sends the short blade spinning around Soul, dealing continuous damage to nearby enemies while you fight with the White Serpent.
You can throw the Crimson Viper to mark enemies and execute low-HP targets at range — one of the only weapons in the game with a ranged execution.
Level 5 adds Viper Mark (throwable short blade that extends guard-broken duration). Level 15 gives you a phantom Crimson Viper to fight with while the real one is thrown. Level 25 keeps the Crimson Viper active even after you switch weapons.
Soul Tempering with Serpent’s Memory (a multi-fragment collectible) unlocks Hundred-Knot Serpents — recall your blade to summon serpent swarms, scaled by how long the blade was away.
S-tier for crowd control, offensive pressure, and versatility. Pairs best with Fiend Saws or Outlaw Warblade.

Table of Contents

What Are the Phantom Blade Zero White Serpent & Crimson Viper?

The White Serpent & Crimson Viper is one of the most dynamic and visually exciting weapons in Phantom Blade Zero. It’s a dual-wield set made up of two very different blades — the White Serpent, a long elegant sword built for reach and sweeping cuts, and the Crimson Viper, a shorter blade with faster attacks and Sha-Chi generation.

What makes this weapon stand apart from everything else in the game is how the two blades work together. You don’t just alternate between them — you build a looping combo system called Twin Serpent Dance where damage climbs the longer you keep the chain going. You can throw the Crimson Viper to orbit Soul, continue fighting with the White Serpent while the short blade spins and hits independently, mark enemies from range, and even execute low-health targets at a distance. No other weapon in Phantom Blade Zero plays quite like this.

It’s ranked S-tier by most players for its offensive pressure, crowd control, and overall versatility. If you enjoy aggressive, fast, multi-layered combat where skill expression is high, White Serpent & Crimson Viper is probably the most rewarding weapon in the game to master.

How to Get the White Serpent & Crimson Viper

The Phantom Blade Zero White Serpent & Crimson Viper is awarded by defeating Bai Chilian, Lady of the Twin Serpents — the final boss of the Crimson Forest chapter. It’s a mandatory story boss, so you cannot miss it just by not exploring. Defeat Bai Chilian and the weapon is yours.

There’s one slight timing quirk worth knowing. You don’t receive the White Serpent & Crimson Viper immediately after the fight. Soul gets knocked out during the story transition, and you’ll find the weapon in your inventory when you wake up in the Village of Lu, the next region. Don’t panic if you finish the Crimson Forest and don’t see the weapon right away — it’s waiting for you at the start of Chapter 3.

For more about the Crimson Forest and its other rewards, see our Crimson Forest Weeping Portal Puzzle guide.

How to Beat Bai Chilian — Boss Fight Tips

Bai Chilian is the fastest and most aggressive boss you’ll face up to this point in the game. She’s quick, mobile, disappears and reappears constantly, and uses all three Flash attack types. Here’s how to handle her.

General Approach

Keep lock-on active throughout the whole fight. Bai Chilian moves so fast and teleports so frequently that losing track of her for even a second can get you killed. With lock-on, you’ll always see her Flash attacks coming even when she’s off-screen or repositioning in the air.

Stay close to her when possible. Your best damage windows come immediately after her Flash attacks end — stay in range so you can capitalize on them without needing to close the gap first.

Avoid getting guard-broken at all costs. A full guard-break into her follow-up combo is the most common way to die against Bai Chilian. Manage your Sha-Chi carefully and don’t just hold block continuously.

Phase 1 — Lady of the Twin Serpents

Bai Chilian opens with rapid sword combos mixed with summoned snake attacks and teleportation. After certain attack sequences she disappears and immediately reappears nearby. When you see her vanish, start your standard combo — hitting her on her return can interrupt her attack and give you a free window.

Watch for her black flash attacks carefully. If she combines black and red flash attacks, dodge the black then block and counter the red. If she combines black flash with a serpent summon, dodge the black — the following serpent will guard-break you if you block it instead.

Blue flash attacks are parryable. After a flurry she will sometimes link to a blue flash — parry it to drain a large amount of her Sha-Chi. Parrying blue flashes is one of the most efficient ways to stagger her and open a big damage window.

At around 80% health, an Accord illusion appears as an ally NPC and begins attacking Bai Chilian from range. During the transition, you cannot target the boss directly — use the time to kill the serpents in the arena. When the Chord joins the fight, she contributes Sha-Chi damage and can stagger the boss, giving you additional openings.

Phase 2 — The Sacrificial Serpent

Phase 2 opens aggressively with a five-hit swing combo ending in a follow-up serpent attack and a parryable lunge. Successfully parrying that final hit staggers Bai Chilian and opens a solid free attack window. She also gains a Sha-Chi draining surprise attack from behind after vanishing for a period — stay alert and hold block when she disappears.

Good news: dying in Phase 2 does not restart the full fight. You resume directly in Phase 2, so you won’t have to redo Phase 1 if she catches you off-guard during the transition.

White Serpent & Crimson Viper Stats and Base Properties

Type: Dual-Wield
Base Damage (Level 1): 260
Base Guard Break (Level 1): 110
Attack Speed: Fast
Core Mechanics: Twin Serpent Dance, Crimson Viper Orbit, Ranged Execution
Power Surge: Twin Serpent Frenzy
Soul Temper Material: Serpent’s Memory (multi-fragment collectible)

The Crimson Viper generates Sha-Chi faster due to its higher attack speed, while the White Serpent hits harder per strike but builds Sha-Chi more slowly. Smart play means using Crimson Viper strings to fill your resource meter and switching to White Serpent strings for the actual damage output — a rhythm that becomes second nature once you spend time with the weapon.

White Serpent Crimson Viper

How the White Serpent & Crimson Viper Mechanics Work

This is a weapon with multiple layered systems happening at once. Each one is simple individually, but putting them all together is what makes White Serpent & Crimson Viper exceptional.

Twin Serpent Dance — The Core Combo Loop

Twin Serpent Dance is activated by alternating heavy and light attacks repeatedly — heavy into light, then light into heavy, then back again in a continuous loop. On PlayStation that’s alternating Triangle and Square in either order. On PC it’s alternating the corresponding heavy and light attack keys.

The critical thing about Twin Serpent Dance is that damage keeps climbing the longer you sustain the loop. Each successful alternation of the two attack types ramps up the damage of your next hit. The longer you stay in the rhythm without breaking it, the harder you hit. Break the chain and the damage scaling resets.

This turns every encounter into a test of focus. The more controlled and patient you are — landing clean alternating hits without getting interrupted — the more damage you accumulate. It rewards skilled players with significantly higher output than any other combo approach.

You can also weave the Crimson Viper’s short blade attacks into combos to change the pattern and extend chains. The looping nature means there’s no natural end to the combo unless you choose to break out of it or get hit.

Crimson Viper Orbit — The Spinning Blade

Press L1 + Heavy Attack (Triangle on PS / Heavy key on PC) to launch the Crimson Viper spinning continuously around Soul. While orbiting, the short blade hits nearby enemies automatically and continuously, dealing damage without any additional input from you. This is your crowd control tool — with the Viper orbiting, you’re passively dealing area damage while you use the White Serpent for direct attacks.

There’s a cost. The orbiting Crimson Viper continuously drains Sha-Chi while it spins. The blade is automatically recalled the moment your Sha-Chi runs out. This means you can’t just send the Viper out and forget about it — keeping an eye on your Sha-Chi while the blade orbits is essential. Press the recall input (L1 + Heavy again) to bring it back early when you need your Sha-Chi for other purposes.

The spinning blade is excellent in cramped spaces and multi-enemy encounters. When several enemies cluster around Soul during Crimson Viper Orbit, every enemy in range gets hit repeatedly with no additional effort from you — you simply focus on the biggest threat with the White Serpent while the Viper handles the rest.

Viper Mark and Ranged Execution

Press the dedicated throw button (Circle on PS) to throw the Crimson Viper short blade at an enemy and mark them. A marked enemy takes increased damage and, importantly, if a guard-broken enemy gets marked, the duration of their guard-broken state is extended. That’s a big deal for bosses — more time to deal damage during their most vulnerable state.

Once the Crimson Viper is embedded in a distant enemy, you also have access to Ranged Execution. If that enemy’s health is low enough, you can trigger a ranged execution from a distance — finishing them without having to close the gap. This is one of the only weapons in Phantom Blade Zero with this capability, and it makes clearing groups of weak enemies between boss fights noticeably cleaner and faster.

Power Surge — Twin Serpent Frenzy

When your Sha-Chi meter is fully charged, Twin Serpent Frenzy unleashes a masterful sequence of coordinated strikes with both blades simultaneously. It’s unblockable and delivers rapid multi-hit damage. It’s strong for filling gaps between Twin Serpent Dance chains and for capitalizing on staggered enemies. Use it when the boss is breached or guard-broken for maximum effect.

All White Serpent & Crimson Viper Upgrade Perks

Upgrade perks unlock at Levels 5, 10, 15, and 25. Each one meaningfully expands what you can do with this weapon.

Level 5 — Viper Mark

Viper Mark lets you press a dedicated button to throw the Crimson Viper and mark an enemy mid-combo — without needing to end Twin Serpent Dance first. If the blade marks a guard-broken enemy, their guard-broken duration is extended. This gives you more time to pile on damage during a boss’s most vulnerable moment.

The blade drains Sha-Chi while it remains embedded in or orbiting near the enemy. It’s recalled automatically when Sha-Chi runs out, or manually by pressing the recall input. Get this weapon to Level 5 early — Viper Mark changes how you open up and extend attack windows substantially.

Level 5 also begins improving Twin Serpent Dance’s damage ramp-up speed as a passive bonus, making the looping combo reach higher damage values faster.

Level 10 — Passive Enhancement

Level 10 further increases the damage ramp-up speed of Twin Serpent Dance. The looping combo reaches higher damage tiers more quickly, making sustained chains even more rewarding. This is also your free-refund cutoff — you can reset the weapon at any bell for free up to Level 9, so getting to Level 10 lets you evaluate the weapon’s developing toolkit without permanently committing resources.

Level 15 — Ethereal Viper

This is one of the most creative perks in any weapon’s upgrade tree. Ethereal Viper means that after throwing the Crimson Viper with Crimson Viper Orbit or Viper Mark, a second phantom Crimson Viper materializes in Soul’s hand. This spectral blade lets you continue Twin Serpent Dance and Crimson Viper standard combos while the real blade is still thrown and orbiting or embedded in an enemy.

In practice, this means you never lose your combo chain just because you launched the Crimson Viper. The real blade spins and hits enemies at range. The phantom blade lets you keep Twin Serpent Dance going in the meantime. Both are happening at the same time. It’s one of the most satisfying moments in the whole weapon’s progression — the first time you realize you have two Crimson Vipers active simultaneously.

Level 15 is a must-reach milestone for this weapon. The damage ramp-up passive also improves to a moderate level here.

Level 25 — Relentless Bite

Relentless Bite is the late-game payoff. After throwing the Crimson Viper with Crimson Viper Orbit or Viper Mark, the blade remains active even after you switch weapons. It doesn’t vanish or return when you swap to your second weapon slot. It keeps spinning, keeps hitting, keeps orbiting the enemy while you use your other weapon entirely.

This opens up a genuinely powerful multi-weapon loop. Throw the Viper and let it orbit an enemy. Switch to the Fiend Saws or the Outlaw Warblade. Deal damage with your second weapon while the Crimson Viper continues hitting independently. Switch back to the White Serpent when you want to resume Twin Serpent Dance. Both weapons are contributing to the fight at the same time.

Level 25 requires late-game upgrade materials, but the payoff is exceptional — especially if you’re running White Serpent & Crimson Viper as part of a dual-weapon aggressive build.

Soul Tempering White Serpent & Crimson Viper — Hundred-Knot Serpents

The Soul Tempering material for White Serpent & Crimson Viper is called Serpent’s Memory. Unlike most Soul Temper materials which are single items, Serpent’s Memory is a multi-fragment collectible. You gather multiple pieces from different locations across the game to complete it.

The fragments are found throughout key locations thematically connected to the White Serpent & Crimson Viper’s story, including:

Serpent Rattle – Red: Inside the Red Serpent House
Serpent Venom Sac – Black: Village of Lu area
Serpent Gall – Green: Inside the Green Serpent House
Serpent Slough – White: From a chest in the White Serpent House

Once you have all pieces of the Serpent’s Memory and have unlocked Soul Tempering through Myst in Pengzhen (available around Chapter 4), you can perform the upgrade for 5,000 Remnant Dust.

The Soul Tempering effect is called Hundred-Knot Serpents:

Hundred-Knot Serpents: When you recall the Crimson Viper using the recall input, you summon Hundred-Knot Serpents to attack. The longer the Crimson Viper blade was away from Soul before being recalled, the more serpents are summoned.

This adds a completely new dimension to how you use the Crimson Viper. Instead of recalling quickly whenever you need your Sha-Chi back, you now have an incentive to keep the blade out as long as possible before recall — building up a bigger serpent swarm. Throw the Viper, let it orbit for a long time while you fight with the White Serpent, then recall and summon a wave of serpents to hit everything at once. Combined with Ethereal Viper at Level 15, you can keep the phantom blade active through the whole waiting period without losing your combo chain.

Important: Soul Tempering is permanent and cannot be reversed. Make sure you want this effect before spending the Serpent’s Memory and Remnant Dust.

Best Weapon Combinations With White Serpent & Crimson Viper

You carry two main weapons at all times in Phantom Blade Zero. White Serpent & Crimson Viper works best as your primary offensive weapon. Here’s what pairs well with it:

White Serpent & Crimson Viper + Fiend Saws

This is widely considered the strongest offensive pairing in the game. Use White Serpent & Crimson Viper to maintain continuous pressure, sustain Twin Serpent Dance chains, and build your Sha-Chi meter fast with the Crimson Viper’s speed. When you break the enemy’s guard or create a clear opening, switch to the Fiend Saws and activate Fiend Form immediately. Unblockable attacks during a guard break, with Fiend-Aura Erosion building through the window — it’s the highest burst damage setup available. Two aggressive weapons covering different roles within the same aggressive playstyle.

White Serpent & Crimson Viper + Outlaw Warblade

The most recommended pairing for players who want both offense and sustainability. White Serpent & Crimson Viper handles all the pressure and Sha-Chi generation. Switch to the Outlaw Warblade whenever health runs low — its light attacks heal through lifesteal and its Bloodthirst Frenzy Power Surge restores a huge amount of HP with a large invincibility window. One weapon keeps you dealing damage, the other keeps you alive. A complete setup from early game all the way to endgame.

White Serpent & Crimson Viper + Wild Oriole Sword

Two fast, aggressive weapons that both reward staying on the offensive. The Wild Oriole Sword adds mid-range blade waves through Oriole Song and hits fast enough to fill Sha-Chi quickly as a secondary. Switch between them to keep constant pressure on enemies at different distances, using White Serpent & Crimson Viper for close-range combo chains and the Wild Oriole Sword’s blade waves when you need to keep the pressure up from range.

White Serpent & Crimson Viper + Tianxuan Bronze Sword

An offense-defense balance for players who want a safety net. Use White Serpent & Crimson Viper aggressively during clear attack windows. Swap to the Tianxuan Bronze Sword during heavy enemy pressure — its Natural Order perk reduces Sha-Chi blocking cost significantly, letting you weather long attack sequences while conserving your meter for when you go back on offense.

White Serpent & Crimson Viper Strengths and Weaknesses

No weapon in Phantom Blade Zero is perfect. Here’s an honest look at where this weapon excels and where it falls short:

Strengths

Best crowd control weapon in the game — Crimson Viper Orbit hits all enemies within range simultaneously
Twin Serpent Dance reward curve is excellent — sustained players deal significantly more damage than players who break chains
Ranged execution capability is unique and genuinely useful for finishing weakened enemies at distance
Viper Mark extends guard-broken duration, giving you more time to deal damage after breaking a boss
Ethereal Viper at Level 15 lets you keep combing while the real blade orbits — incredible value
Relentless Bite at Level 25 means the Crimson Viper keeps attacking even after weapon switching
S-tier versatility — effective against single bosses, groups of enemies, and every encounter type

Weaknesses

Combo starters are short-range — you need to be close to initiate Twin Serpent Dance effectively
Crimson Viper Orbit drains Sha-Chi continuously — overusing it can leave you with nothing for defense or Power Surge
Heavy Sha-Chi consumption overall — this weapon demands careful resource management
The damage ramp-up system takes time to reach high values — short fights don’t always let you maximize output
High skill ceiling — beginners may find it overwhelming compared to simpler one-handed or two-handed options

Upgrade Materials and Key Investment Points

White Serpent & Crimson Viper is a dual-wield weapon, so it uses Twinned Metals and Solvents for standard upgrades. Higher tiers require Polished Twinned Metal and Concentrated Solvent.

Key upgrade checkpoints:

Up to Level 9: Free to reset at any bell — no Weapon Reforge Talisman needed. Good window to learn the weapon and confirm it suits you.
Level 10 and above: Requires a Weapon Reforge Talisman to reset. Commit thoughtfully before pushing past this point.
Level 15 — Ethereal Viper: The recommended minimum investment. Huge quality-of-life and damage improvement.
Level 25 — Relentless Bite: Late-game materials required, but the cross-weapon synergy makes it one of the best Level 25 perks in the game.
Soul Tempering: Needs all Serpent’s Memory fragments plus 5,000 Remnant Dust through Myst in Pengzhen.

All upgrades are handled through Forge at the Weeping Creek Valley Outpost. Soul Tempering requires Myst in Pengzhen, unlocked around Chapter 4.

White Serpent & Crimson Viper Tips and Tricks

Master Twin Serpent Dance before anything else. The core loop of alternating heavy and light attacks is the heart of this weapon. Get comfortable with the rhythm before layering in Viper throws and Orbit.
Don’t let the Crimson Viper drain your Sha-Chi completely. The orbiting blade is powerful but costly. Recall it before your meter hits zero so you always have resources for defense and Power Surge.
Use Viper Mark on guard-broken bosses immediately. Extending the guard-broken window gives you more time to land Twin Serpent Dance hits at peak damage — the extra seconds add up.
Use Crimson Viper Orbit against groups, not single bosses. The spinning blade shines when multiple enemies are in range. For solo boss fights, direct attacks and Twin Serpent Dance are more Sha-Chi efficient.
With Relentless Bite active, throw before weapon swapping. Toss the Viper out, switch to your second weapon, deal damage, switch back. The Viper keeps hitting the whole time. It’s a free damage source on top of whatever your other weapon is doing.
With Soul Tempering, delay your recalls deliberately. The longer the Crimson Viper is away, the more Hundred-Knot Serpents you summon on recall. Time big recalls for moments when enemies are clustered together.
Keep lock-on active during the Bai Chilian fight. She moves too fast and teleports too frequently to track without it. You’ll miss Flash attacks without lock-on at this speed.
Get to Level 15 — Ethereal Viper — as fast as possible. Fighting with a phantom Crimson Viper while the real one orbits is the defining experience of this weapon. It fundamentally changes how the weapon feels.
Pair with Fiend Saws for maximum offense or Outlaw Warblade for a balanced build. Both pairings are strong; the choice comes down to whether you prioritize raw damage output or survivability.

More Phantom Blade Zero Guides

Looking for more help across your playthrough? These guides go well alongside this one:

Grab Phantom Blade Zero on Steam, PlayStation Store, or Epic Games Store.