Character skills in Phantom Blade Zero help you improve Soul’s combat abilities, increase his survivability, and unlock useful moves as you progress through the story. Some skills improve your damage and guard-breaking potential, while others give you more accessory slots, additional Medicine uses, or better ways to dodge and counter enemy attacks.
In this guide, I’ll explain all the character skills listed for Phantom Blade Zero, including their costs, effects, and the resources you need to unlock them. The skills are divided into four categories: Blackstone, Sha-Chi Amber, Memory Flower, and Banyan’s Heart. Each category focuses on a different part of Soul’s progression, so choosing the right upgrades can make a big difference in combat.
If you are unsure which skills to unlock first, start by understanding what each category offers. Blackstone skills generally improve offense, Sha-Chi Amber skills focus on combat resources, Memory Flower skills provide health and support benefits, and Banyan’s Heart skills introduce more advanced combat abilities later in the game.
Phantom Blade Zero Character Skills – Cost, Effect
Phantom Blade Zero has four main skill categories. You unlock skills by collecting the required progression materials and spending Remnant Dust where necessary.
| Skill Category | Main Focus | Required Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Blackstone Skills | Offensive power, weapon swapping, and combat recovery | Blackstones and, for some skills, no additional cost |
| Sha-Chi Amber Skills | Remnant Spark, accessory slots, and combat follow-ups | Sha-Chi Ambers and Remnant Dust |
| Memory Flower Skills | Medicine, health-related progression, and support | Complete Memory Flowers and Remnant Dust |
| Banyan’s Heart Skills | Advanced defensive and combat techniques | Banyan’s Hearts and other requirements, depending on the skill |
Blackstone Skills
Blackstone skills focus mainly on Soul’s offensive capabilities. The category includes skills that improve weapon swapping, provide additional combat opportunities, and restore resources after certain actions.
All Blackstone Skills
| Skill | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Fluid Form — Level 1 | None | After perfect dodging a red-flash attack, parrying a blue-flash attack, guard-breaking, or defeating an enemy, press Square or Triangle shortly afterward to perform a Quick Pursuit on a distant enemy. |
| Boundless Capacity | None | Adds one accessory slot. |
| Endless Renewal — Level 1 | None | Circle Assassinations and Executions restore a small amount of HP and Sha-Chi. |
| Masterful Flow — Level 1 | 1 Blackstone | Reduces weapon-swap cooldown by 2 seconds. |
| Redirect Force | 2 Blackstones | Parrying with L1 or dodging with R1 to avoid an enemy attack restores Sha-Chi. |
| Masterful Flow — Level 2 | 4 Blackstones | Reduces weapon-swap cooldown by another 2 seconds and increases damage and Guard Break. |
1. Fluid Form — Level 1
Fluid Form lets you perform a Quick Pursuit after certain successful combat actions. These include perfect dodges against red-flash attacks, parries against blue-flash attacks, guard breaks, and defeating enemies.
After triggering one of these actions, press Square or Triangle within the short follow-up window to pursue a distant enemy.
This is useful when an enemy moves away from you or when you want to maintain pressure instead of wasting time closing the distance manually.
2. Boundless Capacity
Boundless Capacity adds one accessory slot, allowing you to equip another accessory.
Additional accessory slots are useful because they let you combine more bonuses in a single loadout. Since accessories can support different combat styles, this skill provides flexibility as you collect more equipment.
3. Endless Renewal — Level 1
Endless Renewal allows Circle Assassinations and Executions to restore a small amount of HP and Sha-Chi.
This provides additional recovery opportunities during exploration and combat. If you regularly use assassinations or executions, the skill can help you maintain your resources between encounters.
4. Masterful Flow — Level 1
Cost: 1 Blackstone
Masterful Flow reduces your weapon-swap cooldown by 2 seconds.
This is useful if you frequently switch between your primary weapons during combos. A shorter cooldown lets you return to your preferred weapon more quickly and maintain a smoother combat rotation.
5. Redirect Force
Cost: 2 Blackstones
Redirect Force restores Sha-Chi when you successfully parry an enemy attack with L1 or dodge an attack with R1.
This skill rewards good defensive timing. Instead of using defensive actions only to avoid damage, you can also recover Sha-Chi and prepare for your next offensive move.
6. Masterful Flow — Level 2
Cost: 4 Blackstones
The second level of Masterful Flow reduces weapon-swap cooldown by another 2 seconds and increases Damage and Guard Break.
This makes the upgrade valuable for players who frequently alternate between weapons and want to improve their offensive performance.
Sha-Chi Amber Skills
Sha-Chi Amber skills focus on special combat resources, follow-up attacks, and additional accessory slots. Several upgrades improve Remnant Spark, which is used by certain Phantom Edge abilities.
All Sha-Chi Amber Skills
| Skill | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Steady Composure | 5,000 Remnant Dust | After dodging or parrying an enemy attack, your next Square attack is more likely to interrupt the enemy’s move. |
| Flowing Chi | None | Allows certain Phantom Edges to counter a regular enemy’s ranged red-flash attack or follow up when the enemy is below 50% HP and guard-broken, without consuming Remnant Spark. |
| Endless Renewal — Level 2 | 1 Sha-Chi Amber | Circle Executions have a chance to restore Remnant Spark. |
| Still Depths — Level 1 | 1 Sha-Chi Amber | Increases maximum Remnant Spark by 1. |
| Boundless Capacity — Level 2 | 2 Sha-Chi Ambers | Adds one accessory slot. |
| Still Depths — Level 2 | 4 Sha-Chi Ambers | Increases maximum Remnant Spark by 1. |
1. Steady Composure
Cost: 5,000 Remnant Dust
Steady Composure improves your next Square attack after you dodge or parry an enemy attack. The attack becomes more likely to interrupt the enemy’s move.
This is a useful skill for players who prefer a reactive combat style. You can avoid an attack, then respond with a counterattack that has a better chance of interrupting your opponent.
2. Flowing Chi
Flowing Chi allows certain Phantom Edges to perform special counters or follow-up attacks without consuming Remnant Spark under specific conditions.
These conditions include a regular enemy using a ranged red-flash attack or having less than 50% HP while guard-broken.
The skill can help you save Remnant Spark while taking advantage of openings. However, it depends on the enemy’s condition and the Phantom Edge being used, so it will not apply to every attack.
3. Endless Renewal — Level 2
Cost: 1 Sha-Chi Amber
Endless Renewal — Level 2 gives Circle Executions a chance to restore Remnant Spark.
This upgrade is useful if you want more opportunities to replenish your Phantom Edge resource while fighting regular enemies.
4. Still Depths — Level 1
Cost: 1 Sha-Chi Amber
Still Depths — Level 1 increases your maximum Remnant Spark by one.
More Remnant Spark capacity gives you additional room to use abilities that consume this resource before you need to replenish it.
5. Boundless Capacity — Level 2
Cost: 2 Sha-Chi Ambers
This upgrade adds another accessory slot.
Since additional accessory slots let you combine more equipment bonuses, it is a useful progression option if you want to customize your loadout further.
6. Still Depths — Level 2
Cost: 4 Sha-Chi Ambers
Still Depths — Level 2 increases your maximum Remnant Spark by one more.
Combined with the first level, this provides two additional units of maximum Remnant Spark across the two upgrades.
Memory Flower Skills
Memory Flower skills focus on support and progression benefits. They can increase Medicine uses, improve your ability to replenish resources, and increase your maximum Sha-Chi Essence.
Memory Flowers also permanently increase Soul’s maximum HP when collected, making them important collectibles even before you spend them on skills.
All Memory Flower Skills
| Skill | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Healing Art | 5,000 Remnant Dust | Increases Medicine uses by 1. |
| Thousand-Mile Stride | None | After sprinting for 2 seconds, enter a high-speed sprint. |
| Blood Remedy | 1 Complete Memory Flower | Defeating enemies has a chance to restore Medicine. |
| Ascendance — Level 1 | 1 Complete Memory Flower | Increases maximum Sha-Chi Essence by 1. |
| Unyielding Will | 2 Complete Memory Flowers | Retains Sha-Chi Essence upon death. |
| Ascendance — Level 2 | 4 Complete Memory Flowers | Increases maximum Sha-Chi Essence by 1. |
| Boundless Capacity — Level 4 | 6 Complete Memory Flowers | Adds one accessory slot. |
1. Healing Art
Cost: 5,000 Remnant Dust
Healing Art increases your Medicine uses by one.
This is a useful upgrade for players who frequently rely on Medicine during exploration and boss fights. Having an additional use can give you more flexibility during difficult encounters.
2. Thousand-Mile Stride
Thousand-Mile Stride lets Soul enter a high-speed sprint after sprinting for 2 seconds.
This is primarily a movement skill, making it useful when travelling through large areas or moving between objectives.
3. Blood Remedy
Cost: 1 Complete Memory Flower
Blood Remedy gives defeated enemies a chance to restore Medicine.
This can help you replenish your healing resources as you progress through areas filled with enemies. Keep in mind that the effect is chance-based, so it does not guarantee Medicine recovery after every kill.
4. Ascendance — Level 1
Cost: 1 Complete Memory Flower
Ascendance — Level 1 increases your maximum Sha-Chi Essence by one.
This provides additional capacity for the associated combat resource, allowing you to carry more before needing to manage or replenish it.
5. Unyielding Will
Cost: 2 Complete Memory Flowers
Unyielding Will allows you to retain Sha-Chi Essence upon death.
This is a useful option if you want to preserve your resource investment when an encounter goes badly.
6. Ascendance — Level 2
Cost: 4 Complete Memory Flowers
Ascendance — Level 2 increases your maximum Sha-Chi Essence by one more.
Like the first level, it expands your resource capacity and gives you additional flexibility during combat.
7. Boundless Capacity — Level 4
Cost: 6 Complete Memory Flowers
This upgrade adds one accessory slot.
It is part of the later Boundless Capacity progression, allowing you to equip another accessory and further customize your loadout.
Banyan’s Heart Skills
Banyan’s Heart skills are advanced abilities that become available in the latter half of the game. They are unlocked through the Heart of the Banyan quest given by Inanis.
You must travel to the forest she identifies and collect Banyan’s Hearts. These resources are then used to learn advanced skills, although some abilities may also require prerequisite skills.
Several costs and requirements are not yet specified in the available skill list, so those entries are marked as unknown rather than assigning unconfirmed values.
All Banyan’s Heart Skills
| Skill | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Flow Like Water | 1 Banyan’s Heart + 12,500 Remnant Dust | Blocking and dodging do not interrupt the current combo. |
| Opening Strike | Not confirmed | Replaces the move triggered by switching weapons with the left directional button with a special move. |
| Flash Step | Not confirmed | Pressing L1 and R1 consumes a small amount of Sha-Chi to perform a special dodge immediately. |
| Boundless Capacity — Level 3 | Not confirmed | Adds one accessory slot. |
| Still Mind | Not confirmed | Grants brief invincibility during a Power Surge. |
| Quick Remedy | Not confirmed | Using Medicine while being attacked cancels the stagger. |
| Cicada’s Escape | Not confirmed | Automatically retreats and grants immunity to attacks when Guard Broken. |
| Against All Odds | Not confirmed | Once per battle, prevents an attack from reducing HP below 10%. |
1. Flow Like Water
Cost: 1 Banyan’s Heart and 12,500 Remnant Dust
Flow Like Water allows you to block and dodge without interrupting your current combo.
This is a powerful option for players who want to maintain offensive pressure while responding to enemy attacks. Instead of losing your combo whenever you need to defend yourself, you can block or dodge and continue your attack sequence.
2. Opening Strike
Opening Strike replaces the move triggered when you switch weapons using the left directional button with a special move.
This skill changes how you enter your next weapon sequence and may be useful for players who rely heavily on weapon switching during combat.
Its exact cost and additional requirements are not confirmed in the available list.
3. Flash Step
Flash Step allows you to press L1 and R1 to perform a special dodge immediately by consuming a small amount of Sha-Chi.
This offers another defensive option when you need to react quickly to an enemy’s attack. Its exact unlock cost is not confirmed.
4. Boundless Capacity — Level 3
Boundless Capacity — Level 3 adds one accessory slot.
Like the other levels of Boundless Capacity, this skill increases your equipment flexibility. Its specific Banyan’s Heart cost is not confirmed in the available details.
5. Still Mind
Still Mind grants brief invincibility during a Power Surge.
This can help you handle dangerous moments when timing is important. However, the exact duration and unlocking requirements are not specified.
6. Quick Remedy
Quick Remedy allows you to use Medicine while being attacked and cancel the stagger.
This can be useful when you need to recover during a dangerous encounter but would otherwise be interrupted by enemy pressure.
7. Cicada’s Escape
Cicada’s Escape automatically retreats and grants immunity to attacks when Soul is Guard Broken.
This is a defensive safety net that can help you survive mistakes or difficult situations where an enemy breaks your guard.
8. Against All Odds
Against All Odds prevents one attack per battle from reducing your HP below 10%.
This skill provides an additional chance to survive a potentially fatal hit. Since the effect can trigger only once per battle, you should still focus on avoiding attacks and managing your health carefully.
How to Learn Character Skills
Learning skills requires the appropriate progression materials and, where applicable, Remnant Dust. Some skills are available without a material cost, while others require specific collectibles.
1. Collect Blackstones
Blackstones are used for certain skills and upgrades associated with offensive power.
Explore the world, investigate optional paths, and search chests to find progression materials. Some chests are guarded by enemies, so be prepared to fight before collecting their contents.
2. Collect Sha-Chi Amber Fragments
Sha-Chi Amber Fragments contribute to your Sha-Chi Amber progression. Collecting four fragments automatically combines them into a complete Sha-Chi Amber, which permanently increases your maximum Sha-Chi capacity by 10%.
Complete Sha-Chi Ambers are also used to unlock certain character skills, including upgrades that increase Remnant Spark capacity.
3. Collect Memory Flower Petals
Memory Flowers are another important progression collectible. Gather their petals to complete Memory Flowers and improve Soul’s maximum HP.
Complete Memory Flowers can also be spent on skills such as Blood Remedy, Ascendance, and Unyielding Will.
4. Collect Banyan’s Hearts
Banyan’s Hearts are used for advanced skills that become available later in the story.
Progress through the Heart of the Banyan quest given by Inanis, travel to the designated forest, and collect the required resources. Check for prerequisite skills before attempting to unlock an advanced ability.
5. Gather Remnant Dust
Some skills require Remnant Dust instead of, or alongside, progression collectibles.
For example, Healing Art and Steady Composure each cost 5,000 Remnant Dust, while Flow Like Water requires 12,500 Remnant Dust and one Banyan’s Heart.
Make sure you have the required resources before trying to learn a skill.
Character skills are an important part of building Soul in Phantom Blade Zero. Some upgrades improve damage and weapon swapping, others expand your combat resources, and several provide useful defensive abilities that can help you survive difficult encounters.
For general progression, focus on the skills that support your playstyle. Fluid Form and Thousand-Mile Stride offer useful mobility, Healing Art improves Medicine capacity, and Boundless Capacity provides additional accessory slots. Later in the game, Banyan’s Heart skills introduce more advanced options such as Flow Like Water and Against All Odds.
Keep collecting Blackstones, Sha-Chi Ambers, Memory Flowers, and Banyan’s Hearts as you explore. With the right upgrades, you can improve your combat flexibility and prepare Soul for the tougher enemies and bosses ahead.