This log gathers what the Phantom Blade Zero community uncovers on Bilibili, Chinese forums (GamerSky, Bahamut, 3DM), Steam and Reddit: hidden mechanics, numbers, secrets, missables and bugs with their fixes. Each finding comes with its source, date and how much we trust it; whatever is confirmed goes into the guides.
How we verify each finding
- We read the original source and translate it from Chinese, keeping the in-game term.
- If several sites copy the same text, they count as a single source.
- A finding is confirmed when two or more independent sources report it.
- A lone forum opinion is not a fact: it stays a hypothesis.
- We mark it tested by PBZ Guide only once we check it in-game.
- If a finding contradicts one of our guides, we review it and say so under “On the wiki”.
What each status means
| Status | What it means | Used in the guides? |
|---|---|---|
| Tested by PBZ Guide | We checked it in-game. | Yes |
| Confirmed | Two or more independent sources agree. | Yes, citing the sources |
| One source | Only one reliable source reports it. | Only with a warning |
| Hypothesis | The community suspects it, without clear proof. | No; only in this log |
The log
How sure we are
28 discoveries logged
Where they come from
Communities we track
Tested by PBZ Guide We checked it in-game.
Confirmed Two or more independent sources agree.
One source Only one reliable source reports it; still to be cross-checked.
Hypothesis The community suspects it, but there is no clear proof.
The perfect deflect window shrinks with difficulty: from 10 to 6 frames
The perfect deflect lasts 10 frames on Wayfarer, 8 on Pathbreaker and Hellwalker and just 6 on 66 Days. So 66 Days is not just “Hellwalker with a day limit”: deflecting is also tighter.
Details
Wayfarer 10 frames (≈0.17 s) · Pathbreaker 8 (≈0.13 s) · Hellwalker 8 · 66 Days 6 (≈0.10 s). While guard-broken, according to th.gl, the window rises to 14 and 12 on the lower difficulties but drops to 6 on Hellwalker and 66 Days.
Original terms: Perfect Deflect · 完美格挡 · Wayfarer / Pathbreaker / Hellwalker / 66 Days
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Difficulties · Combat FAQ
Sources: AllThings.How · AllThingsHow Staff · th.gl · GamerSky · allthings.how; editor 極56
Blocking without deflecting costs less Sha-Chi on the lower difficulties
The Sha-Chi you lose when blocking is multiplied by 0.33 on Wayfarer and 0.66 on Pathbreaker, and is full on Hellwalker and 66 Days. According to th.gl, common enemies also have 20 % less HP on the two easiest.
Details
Sha-Chi cost of blocking: Wayfarer ×0.33 · Pathbreaker ×0.66 · Hellwalker ×1 · 66 Days ×1 (AllThings.How and th.gl agree). Enemy HP and bosses resisting reflected Sha-Chi on Hellwalker come only from th.gl.
Original terms: Sha-Chi · Block
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Difficulties · Combat and Sha-Chi
Sources: AllThings.How · AllThingsHow Staff · th.gl
Don’t mash block: the deflect window shrinks
Pressing block again within 0.4 s leaves the next deflect window at one third, and by the third or fourth press there is no perfect deflect at all. A normal dodge gives 0.25 s of invulnerability; a perfect one, 0.6 s.
Details
Leave about 0.5 s between presses. Holding the button only keeps your guard up; it does not extend the deflect. This explains why you sometimes take damage on what looked like a perfect deflect.
Original terms: Perfect Deflect · Perfect Dodge · i-frames
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Combat FAQ
Sources: AllThings.How · AllThingsHow Staff
New Game+ in numbers: weapons up to level 35 and stronger accessories
Re-acquire a weapon or Phantom Edge in the second cycle and its cap goes from 30 to 35 (極56 on GamerSky and Game Rant). The internal tables go up to level 60, so the cap keeps rising each cycle.
Details
Only according to 極56: re-acquired accessories gain 3 % per cycle up to 18 %, duplicate books turn into dust, and 7 traversal Phantom Edges are removed. th.gl confirms accessories can be polished more times each cycle.
Original terms: 二周目 · New Game+ · Cycle
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: New Game+ and 66 Days · Upgrading accessories
Sources: GamerSky · 極56 · 17173 · 極56 · Bilibili · 老王游戏情报站 · Game Rant · Ayyoun Ali · th.gl
Crane bells take a day off the counter, even outside 66 Days
The first time you rest at a crane bell you see a memory and the “Days Remaining” counter drops by one for good, even on Pathbreaker. Normal bells, fast travel and dying do not change it on the normal difficulties.
Details
It starts at 66 and reads 65 after the first crane bell. Only the first rest costs a day; resting there again does not.
Original terms: Crane Bell · Days Remaining
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Bells · New Game+ and 66 Days
Sources: AllThings.How · AllThingsHow Staff · GamerFuzion · LaserBolt · AllThings.How · AllThingsHow Staff
Flowing Chi: when a Phantom Edge finishes for free
The Flowing Chi skill only lets certain Phantom Edges fire without a spark in two cases: when a regular enemy throws a red ranged attack, or when it is guard-broken and under 50 % HP. Bosses are not mentioned.
Details
It costs 10,000 dust. On Reddit, a player says that with two valid Edges the game picks one by its own priority (daggers over fists, for example) — that part is a single testimony.
Original terms: Flowing Chi
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Skill tree · Phantom Edges
Sources: AllThings.How · AllThingsHow Staff · pbz.gg · Reddit · chanandlerbong420
Dusk, phase 2: you only need to kill the copy
At 40 % HP Dusk splits in two. The copy is the one whose bar drops faster with the same hits; beat it and the real one is left at a quarter of its HP — no need to kill both.
Details
Note: AllThings.How gives Dusk 62,520 HP while our sheet says 26,050. We are checking which figure is right.
Original terms: Dusk, the Puppeteer
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Dusk, the Puppeteer
Sources: AllThings.How · AllThingsHow Staff · Method · Callum Marshall · Steam · sergantuss y otros
Lu jetty amber: you can still climb the broken lift
Village of Lu amber #14 looked missable because the lift breaks after Mu Xiaokui. On Steam, one player says you can walk over the wrecked lift; another says any amber counts for the achievement in New Game+.
Original terms: Sha-Chi Amber
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Amber fragments · Village of Lu
Sources: Steam · Chicken Sandwich (autor), Harukage y Rev · Reddit · ConferenceOk1625
Platinum stuck at 65/66: starting New Game+ fixes it
Several players had the other 65 achievements and “Defy Destiny” would not unlock. For two of them it popped after starting New Game+: one on beating the first group of enemies, the other after earning the hidden “The Four Freed”.
Details
Restarting Steam or reloading did not help.
Original terms: Defy Destiny · The Four Freed
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Platinum guide
Sources: Steam · aboudalanazi1999 (autor); ArdaZeno, renz · Steam · kaizuku
“Lost and Found” gave one player a material instead of the Thundermoon Lantern
On finishing Zhang’s requests, a Steam player got a Flying Daggers material he had already used instead of the accessory. It is an isolated case with no replies in the thread.
Original terms: Lost and Found · Thundermoon Lantern
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Thundermoon Lantern · Zhang’s relics
Sources: Steam · kaizuku
New Game+: “Honour among thieves” loops if you talk before getting the letter
In New Game+ you can complete the tale by talking to the Gentleman Thief before you have the Blood Letter; if you find the letter afterwards, the quest is re-accepted over and over.
Details
To avoid it (deduced, not tested): get the agile thief’s letter first (campfire near the Outlaws’ Trap bell) and only then talk to the Gentleman Thief.
Original terms: 盗亦有道 · 梁上君子
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Crimson Forest
The game gets stuck “in combat” and blocks the Traversal Talisman
Some players are told they cannot travel “in the current state”. For one, the game still thought he was in combat: ladders and other prompts were missing too.
Details
Suggested causes, unproven: pausing mid-fight or using the grapple while being hit. Reloading from the last bell is what usually works.
Original terms: Traversal Talisman
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Game-breaking bugs
Does Hellwalker have adaptive AI? The community says no
Some pre-launch press said Hellwalker enemies “adapt to your style”. On Steam, several players deny it: they see more attacks, split combos and scripted reactions, not an AI that learns.
Original terms: Hellwalker
On the wiki: We toned down the difficulty guide, which stated it as fact.
Related: Difficulties
Sources: Steam · Mellar (autor); Spoon, parent child bowl · Game Rant · Ayyoun Ali
Chain assassination: jump to the next enemy unseen
During a stealth kill animation a prompt appears to leap onto another unaware enemy. The game also has a chain execution, and each gives an achievement: “Way of the Phantom” and “Way of the Blade”.
Original terms: Chain Assassinate · Way of the Phantom · Way of the Blade
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Platinum guide
Sources: GamerFuzion · SteelTron · Steam
After a fight you regain up to half your health on your own
When the fight ends, health regenerates on its own up to about 50 %. Wait for it before using the Healing Flask so you don’t waste charges.
Original terms: 战斗结束回血
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Healing Flask
Sources: GamerSky · 猛鲨男鱼王 (recoge consejos de un jugador) · TapTap · 游戏小魔王 · BWIKI (Bilibili) · editores de la wiki
Poison won’t kill you: it leaves you at 1 HP
However much poison builds up, your health won’t drop below 1. Out of combat you don’t need to cure it right away — just before the next fight.
Details
The GamerSky, TapTap and NetEase lists are the same copied text, so they count as a single source.
Original terms: 中毒
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Poison Pouch
Sources: GamerSky · 猛鲨男鱼王 · TapTap · 游戏小魔王 · NetEase · 双余Xn
Jump off a cliff to return to the bell without spending items
Chinese players use cliffs as free fast travel: jump, respawn at the last bell and travel from there. Careful: on 66 Days every death costs a day.
Original terms: 跳崖
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Bells
Sources: GamerSky · 猛鲨男鱼王 · NetEase · 双余Xn
Blue flash on heavy attacks, area hit and leap to the next enemy
With Sha-Chi, the heavy attack flashes blue and deals more stagger. Breaking a grouped enemy’s guard triggers an area hit, and after an execution you can leap to the next foe.
Original terms: 蓝光重击
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Combat and Sha-Chi
Sources: GamerSky · 猛鲨男鱼王 · TapTap · 游戏小魔王
Phantom Edges that fire on their own for free?
Chinese players report that some equipped Edges fire by themselves, at no cost, against certain enemies. Nobody has said which — it may be the same effect as Flowing Chi.
Original terms: 幻刃自动触发
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Phantom Edges
Sources: NetEase · 双余Xn · GamerSky · 猛鲨男鱼王 · Bilibili · Visic
Dual weapons’ shadow execution: full Sha-Chi and invulnerability
The shadow execution unlocked by the Twin Sanguines at level 10 needs 90+ Sha-Chi and spends it all, but you are invulnerable throughout, which makes it great for wearing down tough bosses.
Details
Open discrepancy: the Bahamut forum gives the input as R1+L1; our page says L1+◯.
Original terms: 暗影处决
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Twin Sanguines
Sources: Bahamut · kng
Finisher QTE below 50 % HP and bosses killed by an execution
A Taiwanese player measured finisher QTEs appearing below 50 % enemy HP with some Edges and with Jagged Steel at level 5; some bosses can be executed too, which kills them outright.
Original terms: 处决 QTE
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Jagged Steel
Sources: Bahamut · yaopenflower
Mu Xiaokui weeps for you if you fail the QTE on purpose
In the Mu Xiaokui fight, if you let the QTE fail without pressing anything, a scene plays where she mourns the protagonist. It can happen up to three times and doesn’t force a restart.
Original terms: 慕小葵 · QTE
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Mu Xiaokui
Sources: GamerSky · 心态良好的胖子 · Bahamut · kng
Collection stuck at 97 %: ~15 cut items counted towards the total
Many players were stuck at 97 % collection despite having everything. Datamining, the Chinese community found about 15 cut items still counted. Players say it has since been fixed.
Details
Tencent News copies the GamerSky article almost word for word, so it is a single source.
Original terms: 收集度 97%
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Collectibles
Sources: GamerSky · 风歌HS · Tencent News · 么么辰的游戏百宝箱
Is White Shadow’s cut an invulnerable counter?
A Bilibili creator stumbled on White Shadow’s cut seemingly making you invulnerable while it lasts, like Onimusha’s “Issen”; he says Infernal Crimson can also counter with a cut.
Original terms: 切刀 · 一闪
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: White Shadow · Infernal Crimson
Sources: Bilibili · 半清伴寒 · Bilibili · Visic
Black attacks can be deflected, but they leave you nearly empty
Bilibili’s Chinese wiki says a perfect deflect also works on black attacks: your guard holds, but you are left with very little Sha-Chi. It nuances our “always dodge it” rule.
Details
Until it is confirmed, dodging remains the safe advice.
Original terms: 黑色攻击 · 完美格挡
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Combat and Sha-Chi
Sources: BWIKI (Bilibili) · editores de la wiki · Bilibili · Visic
Rumour: deflecting a red attack at the exact moment causes a “push”
Several Chinese players claim some red (unblockable) attacks can be deflected at the exact moment with a special push effect. There is no video or data to prove it.
Original terms: 红光攻击
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: Combat and Sha-Chi
Sources: GamerSky · lectores · NetEase · 双余Xn
PC: tutorials without animation and a freeze at the first bell
On 3DM, a player whose tutorial videos showed only subtitles fixed it by installing a missing Windows video decoder (msmpeg2vdec.dll); another avoided the freeze at the first bell with Alt+Tab.
Details
It is not clear whether the decoder also fixes the freeze.
Original terms: msmpeg2vdec.dll
On the wiki: Logged; still to be added to the related guide.
Related: PC performance · Game-breaking bugs
Sources: 3DM · leili262745769 (y respuestas)
There are 66 accessories, not 63: three were missing
Chinese guides count 66 accessories and Wikily (built from game files) agrees; Spanish-language guides said 63. Missing were Boulderguard (missable before the Crimson Forest), Auspicious Lion Fireball and the Thundermoon Lantern.
Original terms: 饰品 · 坚岩护腕 · 瑞狮火球 · 月雷华灯
On the wiki: We added the 3 pages and updated every figure on the wiki to 66.
Related: All accessories · Boulderguard
Found something?
If you found a mechanic, secret or bug that is not here, write to us with the link or video. We will verify it and, if it holds up, credit you.
Frequently asked questions
Where do these discoveries come from?
From Chinese communities (Bilibili, GamerSky, TapTap, Bahamut, 3DM) and Western ones (Steam forum, Reddit, fan wikis). Every card links to its sources.
Can I trust a hypothesis?
Not as fact: it is something the community suspects without clear proof. We publish it so it can be checked, not so you change how you play.
How often is it updated?
With every research round: we add new findings and change the status when a second source appears or we test it.
Kaarosu Damu Kira is a soulslike player with 12 platinum trophies, from Dark Souls and Bloodborne to Elden Ring and Black Myth: Wukong, and the author of PBZ Guide. Now going for the Phantom Blade Zero platinum, Kaarosu turns every fight into clear, fact-checked guides.
