The best early weapons in Phantom Blade Zero give you a useful mix of speed, reach, and manageable attacks. Sanguine is a reliable starting blade, Sanguine Twin introduces quick dual-wield combos, and Sanguine Reach gives you wider swings once you reach the Outpost. Boss rewards then add options such as Bleed, battlefield control, and healing.
This guide covers those six weapons across Weeping Creek Valley and early Crimson Forest, with pickup routes, checkpoint names, prerequisites, and reasons to equip each one. Easy pickups and boss rewards are separated below, so you can plan your next upgrade around your progress.
Follow our full guide to learn more here.
In brief:
- Use Sanguine with Sanguine Twin before reaching the Outpost, then try Sanguine and Sanguine Reach for a straightforward mixed-range loadout.
- Sanguine Twin and Sanguine Reach are world pickups. Collecting them requires no dedicated weapon boss fight.
- Jagged Steel, Scarlet Wraithblade, and Outlaw Warblade require defeating their respective bosses.
- Complete Yu’er’s Apprentice Healer tale before defeating Jing Ye if you want to preserve that quest.
Recommended Early Weapon Loadout
Our recommended starting setup is Sanguine plus Sanguine Reach once you reach the Outpost. Sanguine offers accessible one-handed attacks, while Reach helps cover more space. Before then, collect Sanguine Twin to fill your second slot and try dual-wield combat.
| Stage or preference | Recommended pair | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| Before the Outpost | Sanguine + Sanguine Twin | Two available movesets to learn |
| Simple Outpost setup | Sanguine + Sanguine Reach | Faster attacks alongside broader reach |
| Fighting enemies susceptible to Bleed | Jagged Steel + Sanguine Reach | Status damage and a longer-reaching alternative |
| Prefer close-range pressure | Sanguine Twin + Sanguine Reach | Fast dual blades paired with wider swings |
These recommendations favor accessibility and complementary movesets. Change the pair when you find yourself consistently more comfortable with another weapon.
Best Early Weapons at a Glance
| Weapon | Type | Acquisition | Checkpoint reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanguine | One-handed | Starting equipment | No pickup checkpoint |
| Sanguine Twin | Dual-wield | Weapon rack near the waterfall | First Meeting with Yu’er |
| Sanguine Reach | Two-handed | Pickup behind Forge’s weapon rack | Outpost |
| Jagged Steel | One-handed | Defeat the Frenzied Brute | Red Thread Barrier approach; Rustblade Pavilion after the fight |
| Scarlet Wraithblade | Two-handed | Defeat Hua, Deadly Betrothed | Valley Sha-Chi Tower 1st Floor approach |
| Outlaw Warblade | Two-handed | Defeat Jing Ye, the Outlaw | Outlaw Trap |
The checkpoint references distinguish the route you can use on your first visit from Bells reached after a boss. The Weeping Creek Valley acquisition locations are also documented in regional collectible guides.
Easy Early Weapon Pickups in Phantom Blade Zero
These weapons are starting equipment or pickups along the opening route. You still need to progress through the surrounding areas, but the pickups themselves require no separate boss victory.
Sanguine: Best for Learning the Basics
Prerequisite: Progress beyond the tutorial to Soul’s normal starting equipment.
Nearest checkpoint: None required.
How to get it: Sanguine is provided automatically.
Keep Sanguine equipped while learning enemy attack patterns. Its quick combos and useful reach make it easy to work with short openings.
Its level 5 perk, Chi-Infused Blade, supplies a damage boost lasting 40 seconds. That makes level 5 a sensible early upgrade target if you enjoy the weapon.
Sanguine remains worth considering after you collect other blades. A familiar moveset helps when you’re already concentrating on an unfamiliar boss.
Sanguine Twin: Best Early Dual-Wield Pickup
Region: Weeping Creek Valley.
Nearest checkpoint: First Meeting with Yu’er, above the pickup.
Prerequisite: Reach the waterfall route after meeting Yu’er.
Boss required: No.
Exact Sanguine Twin pickup route
- After meeting Yu’er, continue along the stream through the rocky gorge.
- Look for a broken cart wheel among the rocks.
- Continue toward the cliff with a tall wooden ladder.
- Inspect the weapon rack beside the burning brazier at the ladder’s base.
- Collect the glowing twin blades.
If you have already activated First Meeting with Yu’er, return to that Bell and descend the nearby ladder. The weapon rack is below the checkpoint, which explains why searching only the upper ledge can be confusing.
Sanguine Twin offers rapid dual-blade attacks and a six-hit standard combo. Pick it up to test whether you prefer sustained close-range pressure over Sanguine’s simpler rhythm. Equip it through the pickup prompt or your equipment menu before leaving.
Sanguine Reach: Best Accessible Option for Groups
Region: Weeping Creek Valley.
Nearest checkpoint: Outpost.
Prerequisite: Reach Forge’s workstation in the Outpost.
Boss required for the pickup: No.
Exact Sanguine Reach pickup route
- Start at the Outpost Bell.
- Find Forge’s workstation beside the tall brick chimney.
- Locate the weapon rack next to the workstation.
- Walk around to the rack’s far side.
- Collect the upright, glowing blade from the ground.
If interacting keeps opening Forge’s dialogue, move farther around the rack. You need the weapon’s pickup prompt.
Sanguine Reach uses broad, sweeping attacks, making it a useful choice when enemies bunch together. Pair it with a faster weapon so you can switch approaches as the fight changes.
For beginners, the main attraction is its reach. Practice where each swing lands before committing to the full sequence, especially when enemies are spread out.
Best Early Boss Weapons in Phantom Blade Zero
Jagged Steel: Best Early Pick for Bleed
Region: Weeping Creek Valley.
Boss: Jagged Steel, the Frenzied Brute.
Prerequisite: Remove the Red Thread Barrier.
First-visit approach: Red Thread Barrier Bell.
Nearby checkpoint after victory: Rustblade Pavilion.
How to open the Red Thread Barrier
Follow the red-thread trail toward Broken Puppet Valley. Beyond its Bell and the wooden stilt house, trace the threads to a campfire surrounded by crates.
Defeat the enemy carrying a spiked shield and club at the point where the threads gather. A cutscene and on-screen message confirm that the blocked mountain path has opened. Return to the Red Thread Barrier to continue.
Exact Jagged Steel boss route
- From Red Thread Barrier, climb the stairs through the cleared passage.
- Follow the stream through the gorge.
- Continue past the purple-robed corpse beneath a hanging fire basket.
- Walk through the waterfall spray into the broad riverbed.
- Approach the Frenzied Brute beneath the pavilion and defeat him.
The weapon is awarded after the fight. Rustblade Pavilion’s Bell is on the rise beside the arena, near a candle-covered cross. It is a useful landmark after victory, while Red Thread Barrier is the clearer starting point for the first approach.
Why choose Jagged Steel?
Jagged Steel adds Bleed damage against susceptible enemies. Its value depends on the opponent: Puppets, Golden Bodies, and Phantom Bodies normally resist that effect entirely. The later Livingwood Talisman can extend Bleed to those targets at reduced effectiveness.
Use Jagged Steel when its status effect helps the matchup, and keep a familiar alternative available.
Scarlet Wraithblade: Best Early Option for Area Control
Region: Weeping Creek Valley.
Boss: Hua, Deadly Betrothed.
Prerequisite: Reach the Sha-Chi Tower and take its hidden descent.
First-visit checkpoint: Valley Sha-Chi Tower 1st Floor.
Checkpoint after victory: Flesh Lily Fields.
Exact Scarlet Wraithblade route
- Begin at Valley Sha-Chi Tower 1st Floor.
- Circle around the tower’s right side toward the rear.
- Find the opening leading onto a broken wooden bridge.
- Slide down the bridge into the lower area.
- Clear the enemies below, then follow the left-hand route uphill toward Hua’s arena.
- Defeat Hua to receive Scarlet Wraithblade.
Flesh Lily Fields is the Bell in the boss area after the fight. Plan your first approach from the tower checkpoint. Push Square also notes the absence of an available Bell in the lower area before defeating Hua.
Why choose Scarlet Wraithblade?
The weapon creates spider lilies through its combos, slowing enemies and helping control the space around you. It suits players who want their attacks to leave hazards that influence an encounter.
Hua uses those flowers herself, so watch the arena floor during the fight. Positioning matters alongside reading her sword swings.
Outlaw Warblade: Best Early Option for Healing Through Attacks
Region: Crimson Forest.
Boss: Jing Ye, the Outlaw.
Nearest checkpoint: Outlaw Trap.
Prerequisite: Progress into Crimson Forest and reach the route east of the Bell.
Before fighting Jing Ye: Finish Yu’er’s Apprentice Healer tale if you want to complete it. PowerPyx flags defeating Jing Ye as its failure point. The Warblade itself is a boss reward, but rushing to obtain it can close that earlier quest.
Exact Outlaw Warblade boss route
- Rest at Outlaw Trap.
- Head east to the sunken pit bordered by stonework and sharpened stakes.
- Descend carefully and cross to the opposite rock face.
- Use the wall-run prompt to reach the first ledge.
- Follow that ledge and complete the second wall-run.
- At the upper level, find the abandoned cart axle and wheels.
- Follow the shallow stream east toward the large gray boulder with a dead horse beside it.
- Approach to begin Jing Ye’s encounter.
Check your health after entering the pit. The route can involve fall damage, and it is better to notice that before triggering the boss.
Why choose Outlaw Warblade?
Defeating Jing Ye awards the weapon automatically. Its standard attacks drain life from suitable enemies to restore HP, and its Bloodthirst Frenzy Power Surge provides another healing opportunity when it connects.
The health mechanics need attention. Some attacks spend your HP, and its normal life-draining effects do not apply to Puppets, Golden Bodies, or Phantom Bodies.
Choose it when you want recovery built into your offense. Start by learning its standard attacks, then experiment with the health-spending moves once you understand their risks.
Which Early Weapon Should You Upgrade First?
Upgrade the weapon whose moveset you can use consistently. For a straightforward start, Sanguine’s level 5 Chi-Infused Blade is a useful target. If Sanguine Twin or Reach feels better, focus your resources there instead.
Weapon perks unlock at levels 5, 10, 15, and 25, while later upgrade materials depend on progression. Reforging lets you recover invested materials, although higher-level resets involve a Weapon Reforge Talisman. Check the menu’s displayed cost before confirming a reset.
Pick up both free weapons, try their basic strings, and choose a main pair before spreading resources across the whole collection. Add boss weapons when their effects solve a problem you’re actually facing, whether that is damage, crowd control, or staying alive.
