Steel and Steam Walkthrough - Phantom Blade Zero Guide - IGN

Steel and Steam is the second chapter in Phantom Blade Zero . This chapter picks up shortly after defeating the Axemaster and having another run-in with the Hunt. This walkthrough will guide you through the second half of Weeping Creek Valley.

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This chapter begins as you leave the Axemaster’s Holding Cell area through its eastern exit. Your new Dread Axe can open up the chain barrier path to your left , and two shielded Maskwalkers are blocking the bridge directly in front of you.

The path on the left leads to a northern dead-end, where you’ll find x3 Forged Metal, the Battle Report collectible, Remnant Dust, and a chest containing Focus Pill medicine. There’s also a Traversal Talisman hidden behind the boxes near the chest.

Soul also notes that he can see a crimson forest steeped in Sha-Chi in the distance – a quick hint at the next location.

Return to the broken chain barrier and look down to your left to see Blood-Stopper Vine guarded by several Maskwalkers. This is one of the three medicinal herbs Yu’er needs for her Apprentice Healer side quest.

Don’t let the Maskwalkers surround you. You can lure them up out of the water to maintain an advantage.

Then, instead of returning to the bridge above, check the path in the water below the bridge. There’s a small chest there containing x2 Broadplate Metal, which upgrades two-handed weapons. The chest also contains Forged Metal and Remnant Dust.

Return to the bridge to fight the two shielded Maskwalkers. Heavy weapons like the Dread Axe can destroy shields . Hold the button/key to charge the axe hit until you see a red flash on Soul, then let go to unleash an extremely powerful heavy combo.

Cross the bridge and pick up the x2 Solvent on the other side before continuing down the path. Destroy the chain gate blocking the road to find a giant tower in the next area.

Quickly turn to your right and walk back the way you came to find Ancient Timber on an elevated wooden platform. There’s also x223 Remnant Dust inside a cage on the right side of the path, further down.

Speak to the Mandate Disciple near the cage, and he’ll warn you to go around the Sha-Chi Tower. Of course, we’re going inside.

Walk across the bridge ahead and approach the bell. The nearby disciple tells you he dropped the base camp gate key inside the Steel Tower while escaping faceless enemies. This begins the Deep in the Valley purple quest.

Interact with the Creek Valley Plains Entrance bell and choose an ability to unlock. This time, Boundless Capacity Lv. 1 is a solid option because you’ll find new accessories soon. Head up the hill to approach the tower when ready.

A scene plays at the top of the hill, showing the Hunt killing more people on his way to the Steel Tower in the distance.

A group of Maskwalkers is ahead, and two archers fire down on you from above. Lure the Maskwalkers on the ground back down the hill you came up, so you’re not caught out in the open as arrows rain down.

You can also parry or block arrows , so listen for the sound they make as they get fired through the air. You can also go straight for the archers and target them first to save some hassle. There’s one to the left on a large pipe, and the other is to the right on an elevated platform.

Pick up the Darkfire Charcoal at the well in the middle of the area after the battle, then continue down the road until you see more elevated wooden platforms.

Climb the ladder on the right to reach the next archer who’s also shooting arrows from above. There’s also x3 Solvent at the foot of the next ladder, where the archer was standing.

Climb the ladder next to the Solvent to reach another archer. This time, he isn’t facing you. Sneak up and assassinate this one to avoid open combat, then turn to your right to pick up the Sha-Chi Tower Ruins collectible inside the house behind you.

Jump down to fight several Maskwalkers below, then take the path to the right to confront another archer. The final archer is sniping from up near a chest, and you receive a Blackstone Fragment and a Broken-String Bow when you defeat him.

Pick up x2 Darkfire Charcoal on the way up to the chest, then open it to obtain the Token of Pursuit accessory. It increases damage dealt to guard-broken enemies by 7%. You can also pick up the Garrison Log collectible to the left of the chest.

Walk up the stairs next to the chest to find the Ruthless Archer Camp bell . You can use it to fast-travel back to the Outpost. But first, pick up the Weapon Reforge Talisman in the room ahead and speak to the dying archer for extra dialogue. There’s also Remnant Dust behind the shack.

Defeating all of those archers is part of the Purge the Sect side quest. You can bring the Broken-String Bow to the Old Archer back at the Outpost to complete the quest.

There should be three spots on the map where you can immediately put your new bow to good use: Near the Old Archer at the Outpost, near the Creek Valley Plains Entrance bell, and near the Ruthless Archer Camp bell.

Now, from the Ruthless Archer Camp bell, cross the bridge leading to the Steel Tower. Be ready to dodge flaming projectiles from an arsonist as you cross.

Three Maskwalkers are waiting for you on the other side of the bridge, to the right of a lone staircase. You’ll find x2 Broadplate Metal behind them. To the left of the staircase is x224 Remnant Dust.

Defeat the Maskwalkers, then climb the stairs to trigger a duel with a Shadow Warden . You fought two during the high-speed chase in the Reckless Pursuit chapter. The Dread Axe is amazing here, as you can charge it and tank hits before unleashing a combo that’ll crush the Shadow Warden.

Ring the Valley Sha-Chi Tower 1st Floor bell after winning the fight. It reveals two more bow loot spots on the map, as well as a closed door that you can’t open just yet.

Three Maskwalkers attack as soon as you enter the Steel Tower. They emerge from the fire surrounding the central furnace. These bronze men have skin that acts as a shield, so you need to use the Dread Axe to destroy their armor before attacking.

There are three collectibles to pick up on this first floor: Primal Stone Records: Sha-Chi Tower Investigation Report , To My Husband, Huang Miao , and Perfect Transcension . Stand in front of the stairs on the right side of the room to see the first two collectibles, then walk to the back side of the room to see the third.

You’ll notice some candles near a secret path in the second image above. It leads to an area underneath the tower where you’ll find an optional boss and the Flesh Lily Fields bell . The boss fight rewards you with the Scarlet Wraithblade – a two-handed weapon that can slow enemies and deal damage with spider lilies. This is also where you find Twin Flesh Lilies for Yu’er’s Flesh Lily side quest.

You can find collectibles titled The Matchmaker’s Advice and A Reply From Hua’s Father along this low path. You’ll find others titled Letter From Hua , To My Husband, Liu Shangli , To My Dear Husband, Jia Qianqiu , and A Reckless Invitation around the boss battlefield as well.

This walkthrough will continue along the main path, up the Steel Tower, but you should prepare yourself for a difficult fight against Hua, Deadly Betrothed if you decide to take that detour here. Flesh Lily Fields Bell

Hua, Deadly Betrothed, is a tough optional boss, but the detour to the Flesh Lily Fields is well worth it for the bell, Yu’er’s quest item, a strong new weapon, and six collectibles.

When ready, return to the first floor of the Steel Tower and head up the stairs next to the furnace to face a new enemy type: the Maskwalker Powderkeg . Powderkegs are slow-moving enemies that deal serious damage by exploding after they die, so the Feather Bow is a safe final hit from a distance.

The corridor splits after you beat the Powderkeg. One path goes upward while the other goes out onto the roof. Collect the Remnant Dust on the roof, then climb up the scratched ledge to reach the next floor.

There are a few items to pick up on this floor. There are x2 Twinned Metal behind the ramp you used to reach the floor, x444 Remnant Dust in front of the ramp, and the Transcension collectible around the corner.

Three bronze Maskwalkers appear when you get near the steel pillar in the center of the room. Defeat them, then climb the stairs next to the pillar to face another Powderkeg. Bait it, then back up if the explosive on its back starts flashing. That means it’s about to explode.

A collectible titled What Is Sha-Chi? is hiding behind the Powderkeg, and you can also pick up x220 Remnant Dust near the next set of stairs.

Walk up to the next floor to find the Valley Sha-Chi Tower Summit bell . Ring it, then speak to the Watchful Shadow Warden to the right.

Shadow Wardens are usually forced to obey the Order, but he says that he broke free of the Mindseal by ingesting a Primal Stone – a source of energy used to power Transcension like these. This conversation adds the A Severed Mindseal side quest to your log.

Climb the scratched walls next to the Shadow Warden to ascend a bit more, then approach the glowing orange item on the other side of the roof.

The glowing orange item is the lost key from the purple Deep in the Valley quest. You can’t reach it just yet, but there’s x886 Remnant Dust below it.

Follow the path along the wooden bridge and down a ladder to find a lone Shadow Warden. Defeat him to obtain the Sha-Chi Furnace Inspection Crank.

Pick up the x2 Forged Metal inside the large pipe next to the ladder you just used, then climb down the ladder near where you fought the Shadow Warden.

Turn to the right as soon as you descend the ladder. You’ll find another ladder that you can kick down to create a shortcut leading back to the first floor where you initially entered the tower. You can use this shortcut to reattach the Sha-Chi Furnace Inspection Crank to the furnace on the tower’s first floor, but we’re continuing on toward the Hunt.

Turn back in the other direction to pick up a collectible titled Comments on the Pillars of Kunlun next to a campfire. You can also speak to the collapsing Mandate Disciple there to add the Pillars of Kunlun purple quest to your log.

From there, follow the left path to reach the Waterfall Bridge bell . Defeat the group of Maskwalkers down the stairs in front of the bell, but watch out for the arsonist, shielded brute, and twin-axe brute.

Before crossing the bridge, you can look left to find x3 Broadplate Metal in a cage. There’s also a ladder to the right that leads down to a small area where you’ll find a Weapon Reforge Talisman, x3 Forged Metal, x3 Broadplate Metal, and x770 Remnant Dust.

Cross the wooden waterfall bridge when ready, and walk through the cave, picking up x775 Remnant Dust along the way. The Great Warterfall bell is right in front of the boss arena where the Hunt is waiting.

Boss Battle: The Hunt, Hunter of the Order

It’s time to settle the score against the Hunt in front of the Great Waterfall. This time, you’re fighting on solid ground instead of a moving cart. Some of his moves should feel familiar, but here are the special attacks you need to look out for:

The Hunt can attack from most ranges with wild chain sickle moves. Parrying will lower his Sha-Chi meter quickly, but if you’re not confident in the timings, just block until you see a blue or red flash attack. And switch weapons defensively to refill your Sha-Chi meter if it runs low while blocking.

Offensively, you can overwhelm the Hunt, especially if you obtained the Scarlet Wraithblade from the optional boss battle against Hua, Deadly Betrothed. It creates patches of Red Spider Lilies that drain the Hunt’s health if he stands in them during both Sha-Chi combos and Power Surges. And sometimes, a button prompt pops up during longer combos, giving you chances to deal extra damage.

The Hunt regains all of his HP once you fully deplete his health bar. This is phase two, against The Hunt, Sixfold Scythe . He now has extra arms that come with new attacks, so here are all of the new special moves that you should watch out for.

The Hunt has more arms in this phase, which means he has more sickles to launch your way. The attacks are a bit quicker and can hit you from a greater distance. He also has a slow-moving projectile that hits multiple times.

Your strategy doesn’t need to change much offensively – you can still overwhelm the boss. Just try not to overextend your combos, especially when you see the Hunt’s Sha-Chi meter refill.

You’re rewarded with the Hunter’s Chain Sickle Phantom Edge after the fight. It can perform long-range combos in battle, and it allows you to grapple onto high points outside of battle.

You can now access several new high points across the map to complete side quests and find rare items. The Hunter’s Chain Sickle can be used to grab the lost key for the Deep in the Valley purple quest, opening up the large area in the center of the map.

When ready, head through the cave behind the Great Waterfall. Take the first right when you see a fire to find an Exotic Copper Ingot and a collectible titled Reply to a Request for Aid at a dead end.

Return to the fire and climb up the scratched wall. Follow the linear path and pick up a collectible titled The Discordance at the toppled shrine before using the Hunter’s Chain Sickle to reach the high ledge.

Now, follow the fires, picking up x3 Solvent and x2 Phantom Edge Reforge Talismans and a Traversal Talisman along the way.

The Steel and Steam chapter ends as you approach the cave exit. A scene also plays, showing a cart passing a drunk man on the road one day earlier. Next up, we have the Snake’s Reflection chapter.