Phantom Blade Zero may appear linear at the start, but hidden choices begin to emerge as you delve further. It’s easy to miss quests if you interact with the wrong character or defeat a boss prematurely.
Certain quests are time-sensitive and can fail if you progress beyond them; these are your “missables”. I’ve compiled a detailed list to ensure you complete everything you want during your journey.
Each quest is listed in the order you will encounter it, along with the specific event that triggers its failure. If you do miss a quest, don’t worry too much—a New Game+ will reset the quests, giving you another chance in the next cycle.
Before diving in, make sure to keep track of prerequisites for each significant event. Completing certain tasks before using key items can save you from permanently locking yourself out of rewarding content.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Checklist Items | Important tasks to complete before cutoffs |
Before using the Thieves’ Camp Bell: Free Quick Hand Zhang at the Trail of Cages Finish Apprentice Healer
Before beating Bai Chilian, Lady of the Twin Serpents:
- Give Yu’er the Flesh Lily
- Finish A Healer’s Mercy
- Finish Purge the Sect
- Finish Festering Secret
- Finish Honor Among Thieves
- Start Secrets of the Baishan Sect
Before opening the one-way door in the Smuggler’s Tunnel:
- Talk to Old Man Gen in the Village of Lu
Before entering the Pangzhen backstreet:
- Agree to Old Man Gen’s request
Before fighting Leng Tu:
- Finish Secrets at the Heart of the Lake
- Finish all five Long Pillar trials
- Give Yu’er the Flesh Lily
- Finish A Healer’s Mercy
- Finish Purge the Sect
- Finish Festering Secret
- Finish Honor Among Thieves
- Start Secrets of the Baishan Sect
Before opening the one-way door in the Smuggler’s Tunnel
- Talk to Old Man Gen in the Village of Lu
Before entering the Pangzhen backstreet
A Healer’s Mercy
Closes when: you beat Bai Chilian.
Start this quest with Yu’er at the Thieves’ Camp, treat the four thieves, and report back afterward.
You lose: Calming Gourd and The Healer’s Legacy achievement.
Before fighting Leng Tu
- Finish Secrets at the Heart of the Lake
- Finish all five Long Pillar trials
Apprentice Healer Closes when: you use the Thieves’ Camp Bell for the first time. Yu’er moves to the Thieves’ Camp after this point, making it impossible to complete this quest at the Outpost. Make sure to accept it, gather the three herbs, and turn them in first. You lose: Medicine Case and The Healer’s Legacy achievement.
Flesh Lily Closes when: you beat Bai Chilian without having given Yu’er the Flesh Lily. The quest continues in Pangzhen, but the outcome changes significantly. Instead of gaining the Blessed Jade Pendant, you will receive a Tarnished Jade Pendant from Yu’er’s father. You lose: Blessed Jade Pendant and The Healer’s Legacy achievement.
Closes when: you use the Thieves’ Camp Bell for the first time.
Quick Hand Zhang
Closes when: you reach the Thieves’ Camp with Zhang still locked in his cage.
Zhang hangs in the cage near the Trail of Cages Bell. Make sure to free him before heading to the Thieves’ Camp; if you leave without him, he will no longer be available, locking you out of two questlines.
You lose: The Wily Hare’s Three Dens, Quick Hand’s Request, and his rewards, including the Flying Dagger, Goldblaze, and Fine Thread.
You lose: Medicine Case and The Healer’s Legacy achievement.
Flesh Lily
Closes when: you beat Bai Chilian without having given Yu’er the Flesh Lily.
The Tale carries on in Pangzhen either way, but the ending changes. Yu’er’s father leaves you a Tarnished Jade Pendant instead of the Blessed Jade Pendant.
You lose: Blessed Jade Pendant and The Healer’s Legacy achievement.
Crimson Forest
Quick Hand Zhang
Closes when: you reach the Thieves’ Camp with Zhang still locked in his cage.
Zhang hangs in a cage near the Trail of Cages Bell. Lower the cage and open it the first time you pass. If you walk on to the Thieves’ Camp first, he’s gone for good.
This is the costliest miss in the game because he starts two questlines.
You lose: The Wily Hare’s Three Dens, Quick Hand’s Request, his hideouts in other regions, and his treasure rewards, including the Flying Dagger, Goldblaze and Fine Thread.
A Healer’s Mercy
Closes when: you beat Bai Chilian.
Take it from Yu’er at the Thieves’ Camp, treat the four thieves, and report back.
You lose: Calming Gourd and The Healer’s Legacy achievement.
Honor Among Thieves
Closes when: you beat Bai Chilian.
Take the Nimble Thief’s blood letter to the Gentle Thief at the camp and answer his three questions.
Honor Among Thieves
Closes when: you beat Bai Chilian.
To complete this tale, deliver the Nimble Thief’s blood letter to the Gentle Thief and correctly answer his three questions.
You lose: Silent Wrap.
Secrets of the Baishan Sect This tale has two potential traps you need to avoid: First, start it in time. Speak to the Baishan disciples at the Thieves’ Camp before facing Bai Chilian. Second, keep it active. Ensure this Tale is in your journal when you defeat Yubi, the No. 21 Swordfighter Puppet, to avoid failing it. Completing the tale still grants you the Baishan Stormswords. You lose: Broken Vessel and The Last of Baishan achievement.
Old Man Gen: The Journey Home
This tale has two critical deadlines to meet:
Talk to Old Man Gen before you open the one-way door in the Smuggler’s Tunnel. Opening the door first makes him disappear and stops the accompanying quest from starting.
Agree to his request before entering the Pangzhen backstreet. Head back after opening the door to accept the request; if you reach the backstreet without agreeing, the tale will fail, and Old Man Gen leaves the area.
You lose: War Wagon and the Together Till the End achievement.
Leave None Alive
Closes when: either of two key NPCs dies before you deliver their relics:
- The wounded thief dies as soon as you enter the Village of Lu. Deliver the Thief’s Manual first.
- The Kuye Temple monk dies if you answer “Believe” to his query. Opt for “Do not believe” instead, and bring him the Prayer Beads.
Both relics come from monsters at the old camps, so they can only be obtained after defeating Bai Chilian.
You lose: Arrowward from the thief and Agarwood Prayer Beads from the monk. The tale fails if both die without you holding it.
Hero’s Lament and Don’t Forget Me
Closes when: you pick up the Missing Lift Crank before speaking to the prisoners, Liu Yi and Zhou Pingzi.
If you take the crank first, both will die, so make sure to speak to each of them beforehand.
You lose: Ink Cut from Liu Yi plus Don’t Forget Me achievement.
Ledger of Atonement and Bai Xue
Closes when: you spare the agonized Maskwalker, Chen Zhu, during your interaction with him. After presenting him the ledger, you’ll have two options:
- “Never mind. Leave him be.” ends the encounter and prevents Bai Xue’s tale from beginning.
- “This won’t absolve you of your sins.” triggers a boss fight. Defeat him to enable Bai Xue’s tale afterwards.
You lose: the Bai Xue tale and its reward, Snow and Blood.
Cui Closes when: you initiate combat with The Crusher and the Saw on Soulrend Cliff without being prepared. To finish Cui’s tale, ensure you have: Cui’s Red Ribbon obtained from meeting him in the Village of Lu The letter from Lu Sanqian, who must have consumed the Rootless Dew Present both items to Lu Jieyuan before engaging in the fight. Failing to provide them results in an immediate tale failure. You lose: the remainder of the Cui tale and Lu Jieyuan’s aid in the forthcoming battle.
The Undying Heroic Spirit Closes when: you fail to release three out of the six masters you encounter. You receive this tale from the Wolf Leader at the Order’s Tavern in Pangzhen. Each master requires proper release, which happens while they are kneeling. If you strike any master after their kneel finishes, that release is considered failed. You lose: Hero’s Courage.
Crossing into the Mirage Estate
Crossing the bridge at the Green Serpent House locks nine Crimson Forest bells permanently and blankets Mirrorwood in snow:
- Mirrorwood Long Pillar
- Parting Mists
- Mirrorwood Depths
- Threadbound Great Tree
- Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower Gate
- Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower Base
- Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower 6th Floor
- Human-Faced Banyan
- Burial Grounds
If you haven’t completed Secrets at the Heart of the Lake, the game will provide a warning. Heed this warning and select “There’s still unfinished business. Return later” if you have tasks left to finalize there.
Triple Threat
Closes when: you finish the Mirrorwood fight without Blazing Edge.
The Three-Faced Puppet will escape to Mirrorwood, appearing only after you have crossed the bridge. Ensure Blazing Edge is your primary weapon. If you don’t, the fight will abruptly end at phase two, failing the tale.
You lose: phase three and Chaos Iron Fragment II.
Agree to his request before entering the Pangzhen backstreet. Once the door is open, go back to him and accept. Reaching the backstreet without agreeing fails the Tale. He also leaves the Village of Lu at that point.
You lose: War Wagon and the Together Till the End achievement.
Leave None Alive
Closes when: either of two people dies before you bring them their relic.
- The wounded thief dies when you enter the Village of Lu well. Bring him the Thief’s Manual first.
- The Kuye Temple monk dies if you answer “Believe” when he asks. Answer “Do not believe”, then bring him the Prayer Beads.
Both relics come from monsters at the old camps, so you can only get them after beating Bai Chilian.
You lose: Arrowward from the thief and Agarwood Prayer Beads from the monk. The Tale fails if both die without you holding it.
Mountain of Imprisonment
Hero’s Lament and Don’t Forget Me
Closes when: you pick up the Missing Lift Crank before speaking to the prisoners.
Both Liu Yi and Zhou Pingzi die if you take the crank before you’ve talked to them, so speak to each one first.
You lose: Ink Cut from Liu Yi, plus Don’t Forget Me.
Ledger of Atonement and Bai Xue
Closes when: you choose to spare the agonized Maskwalker, Chen Zhu.
After you bring him the ledger, you get two options:
- “Never mind. Leave him be.” ends things here, and Bai Xue’s Tale never starts.
- “This won’t absolve you of your sins.” starts a fight. Win it and the puppet beside him starts the Bai Xue Tale.
You lose: the Bai Xue Tale and its reward, Snow and Blood.
Cui
Closes when: you start the fight with The Crusher and the Saw on Soulrend Cliff.
To finish the Tale, you need both of these before that fight:
- Cui’s Red Ribbon from meeting Cui in the Village of Lu
- The letter from Lu Sanqian, who must have drunk the Rootless Dew
Give both to Lu Jieyuan before the fight. The Tale fails on the fight’s opening scene if you’re missing either one.
You lose: the rest of the Cui Tale and Lu Jieyuan’s help in that fight.
Mandate masters
The Undying Heroic Spirit
Closes when: you botch three of the six masters.
You get this Tale from the Wolf Leader at the Order’s Tavern in Pangzhen. Each master must be released while kneeling. Strike one after the kneel ends and that release counts as failed.
You lose: Hero’s Courage.
Late game
Crossing into the Mirage Estate
Crossing the bridge at the Green Serpent House switches off nine Crimson Forest bells for good and covers Mirrorwood in snow:
- Mirrorwood Long Pillar
- Parting Mists
- Mirrorwood Depths
- Threadbound Great Tree
- Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower Gate
- Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower Base
- Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower 6th Floor
- Human-Faced Banyan
- Burial Grounds
If Secrets at the Heart of the Lake isn’t finished, the game warns you first and lets you turn back. Take the warning seriously: choose “There’s still unfinished business. Return later.” if you have anything left there.
Triple Threat
Closes when: you finish the Mirrorwood fight without Blazing Edge.
The Three-Faced Puppet flees to Mirrorwood, and it only appears there after you cross the bridge above. Have Blazing Edge as your main weapon.
Otherwise the fight ends at phase two and the Tale fails. You still get Freezing Chaos.
You lose: phase three and Chaos Iron Fragment II.