Serpent’s Counter is a counter build for Phantom Blade Zero: White Serpent & Crimson Viper and Soft Snake Sword as main weapons, Iron Gauntlets and Dread Axe as Phantom Edges, and Reflex Device and Mother’s Talisman as key accessories. Attack with the White Serpent & Crimson Viper and defend yourself with the Soft Snake Sword, whose guard costs no Sha-Chi and whose counter parries and returns the blow. Designed for aggressive bosses with long combos.
Main weapons
| Weapon | Type | What it brings | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Serpent & Crimson Viper | Dual | The blade spins around you; ranged execution | Bai Chilian, the Sacrificial Serpent |
| Soft Snake Sword | One-handed | Counter that parries and returns; guard with no Sha-Chi cost | Wu Lengshuang |
Phantom Edges
| Phantom Edge | Category | Use | Cost | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Gauntlets | Martial art | — | 1 spark per combo | Stone Hand Iron Fever |
| Dread Axe | Destruction | Breaks chains, shields and golden armor | — | Peng Meng, the Axemaster |
Accessories
The two marked with ★ are the core: wear them even if you only have 2 slots. The other four come in as you level up Boundless Capacity (up to 6 slots).
| Accessory | Effect | Why it fits | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Reflex Device | +15% window for perfect blocks or dodges | gives you a wider window for perfect deflects and dodges | Furnace crank |
| ★ Mother’s Talisman | You recover 10% health when your guard is broken | heals you if your guard gets broken | Giant puppet |
| Sha-Chi Headscarf | +15% Sha-Chi recovery | you recover Sha-Chi sooner | Tale “Xue, Admirer of Heroes” |
| Crimson Resolve | +15% damage after 3 hits in a row | rewards chaining 3 hits in a row | Tale “Young Master Lan” |
| Quick Hand Pendant | +10% damage with one-handed weapons | boosts your one-handed weapon | Gift from Quick Hand Zhang |
| Battleforged | Immunity to one hit after 10 s without taking damage | saves you from one hit if you’ve gone 10 s without taking damage | Docks |
Medicines
You carry 2 medicines; besides healing, they give buffs that fit the build. Upgrade them with the medicine upgrade guide.
| Medicine | Effect (base) | Why it fits | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuye Dew | −20% damage taken for 15 s and 40% health over 10 s | −20% damage taken | Outlaw Trap bell |
| Merciful Dew | 60% health over 10 s | heals a lot in long fights | Tale “A Mother’s Heart” (Pangzhen) |
How to get all the gear
Sorted by the point in the game when you can get each piece.
| Stage | Piece | Type | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley and Crimson Forest | White Serpent & Crimson Viper | Main weapon | Bai Chilian, the Sacrificial Serpent |
| Valley and Crimson Forest | Dread Axe | Phantom Edge | Peng Meng, the Axemaster |
| Valley and Crimson Forest | Reflex Device | Key accessory | Furnace crank |
| Valley and Crimson Forest | Quick Hand Pendant | Accessory | Gift from Quick Hand Zhang |
| Village of Lu and Pangzhen | Iron Gauntlets | Phantom Edge | Stone Hand Iron Fever |
| Village of Lu and Pangzhen | Mother’s Talisman | Key accessory | Giant puppet |
| Village of Lu and Pangzhen | Battleforged | Accessory | Docks |
| Village of Lu and Pangzhen | Kuye Dew | Medicine | Outlaw Trap bell |
| Village of Lu and Pangzhen | Merciful Dew | Medicine | Tale “A Mother’s Heart” (Pangzhen) |
| Encampment, Meigu, Imprisonment and Estate | Soft Snake Sword | Main weapon | Wu Lengshuang |
| Encampment, Meigu, Imprisonment and Estate | Sha-Chi Headscarf | Accessory | Tale “Xue, Admirer of Heroes” |
| Encampment, Meigu, Imprisonment and Estate | Crimson Resolve | Accessory | Tale “Young Master Lan” |
How to play it
- Apply pressure with the White Serpent & Crimson Viper: its blade spins around you and chains hits.
- When the boss starts a long combo, switch to the Soft Snake Sword and hold your guard: it costs no Sha-Chi.
- Parry and return the blow with its counter; then go back to the dual weapons to punish.
- Finish from a distance with the White Serpent & Crimson Viper’s ranged execution, and use the Iron Gauntlets and the Dread Axe against guards and shields.
Strengths
Very safe against bosses that attack nonstop.
Weaknesses
The Soft Snake Sword is missable and doesn’t arrive until the Mandate Encampment.
Where this build comes from
It is our adaptation of the “Serpent Counter Build” published by OSLink. We took its idea and its pieces, checked each one against our item pages (effect and where to get it) and wrote the guide in our own words.
Related builds
- Perfect Parry Mirror (deflect)
- Army of the Veil (summoner)
Try your own combinations in the build creator or go back to all builds.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need for the Serpent’s Counter build?
White Serpent & Crimson Viper (Bai Chilian, the Sacrificial Serpent), Soft Snake Sword (Wu Lengshuang), Iron Gauntlets, Dread Axe, at least the Reflex Device and Mother’s Talisman accessories, and the Kuye Dew and Merciful Dew medicines. The table “How to get all the gear” shows where each piece is.
When can I start using Serpent’s Counter?
From the Encampment, Meigu, Imprisonment and Estate stage, which is when you have the weapons, the Phantom Edges and the two key accessories.
Are the damage figures official?
The accessory percentages are the ones published by Vandal and SoloJugadores. The game does not show the weapons’ base damage, so the build is based on their effects.
