The game seems pretty linear when you get started, but it really opens up with hidden choices as you play. Missing out on a quest because you talked to the wrong person or defeated the wrong boss can really sting. In Phantom Blade Zero, many regions are accessible, but some quests can fail if you advance others prematurely. These quests are known as “missables,” and I’ve compiled a list of them to help you keep track and ensure you don’t miss anything.
This compendium sorts the missables in the order you encounter them, along with the events that can lead to missing them. If you happen to miss something, don’t sweat it—New Game+ resets your quests, giving you another shot during your next playthrough.
Quick checklist
Quick checklist
Before using the Thieves’ Camp Bell
Do these before each cutoff:
- 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
Weeping Creek Valley
Apprentice Healer
Apprentice Healer
Closes when: you use the Thieves’ Camp Bell for the first time.
After this point, Yu’er moves from the Outpost to the Thieves’ Camp, and the Tale only occurs at the Outpost. So, make sure to accept it, gather the three herbs, and return them before you proceed.
You lose: Medicine Case and The Healer’s Legacy achievement.
Flesh Lily
Flesh Lily
Closes when: you beat Bai Chilian without giving Yu’er the Flesh Lily.
The story continues into Pangzhen, but the ending varies. Instead of receiving the Blessed Jade Pendant, Yu’er’s father gifts you a Tarnished Jade Pendant.
You lose: Blessed Jade Pendant and The Healer’s Legacy achievement.
The story continues in Pangzhen regardless, but with a twist in the ending. Instead of receiving the Blessed Jade Pendant, you’ll be given a Tarnished Jade Pendant from Yu’er’s father. It’s a small change, but it definitely adds a unique flavor to your journey!
What you miss out on: You’ll lose the Blessed Jade Pendant along with the achievement called The Healer’s Legacy. These items are important for collectors, so keep that in mind.
Crimson Forest
Quick Hand Zhang
Closes when: you reach the Thieves’ Camp with Zhang still locked in his cage.
Zhang is hanging in a cage near the Trail of Cages Bell. Lower the cage and free him before moving on; if you enter the Thieves’ Camp first, he’s gone permanently.
This is arguably the most punishing miss in the game since he initiates two different questlines.
You lose: The Wily Hare’s Three Dens, Quick Hand’s Request, his hideouts in other regions, plus rewards like the Flying Dagger, Goldblaze, and Fine Thread.
Zhang is hanging out in a cage just near the Trail of Cages Bell. If you want to rescue him, make sure to lower the cage and open it the first time you stroll by. If you opt to head on over to the Thieves’ Camp before doing this, unfortunately, he’ll be gone for good, which would be quite a bummer!
This is quite possibly the most significant missed opportunity in the game, and for good reason: Zhang kicks off two essential questlines that you won’t want to miss out on. Skipping him means losing a lot of fun and exploration!
What you’ll be losing: Missing out on Zhang means you forfeit The Wily Hare’s Three Dens, Quick Hand’s Request, access to his hideouts in other regions, and you’ll also lose some sweet treasure rewards such as the Flying Dagger, Goldblaze, and Fine Thread. These items could really come in handy!
A Healer’s Mercy
Important note: The opportunity to rescue Zhang closes up once you defeat Bai Chilian, so make sure to act before that big confrontation!
Listen to Yu’er over at the Thieves’ Camp; he’s got a task for you! Your goal here is to take care of the four thieves and then report back to him once you’ve completed the task. It’s a bit of a journey, but you’ll feel accomplished when you finish it up!
A Healer’s Mercy
Honor Among Thieves
Honor Among Thieves
Closes when: you beat Bai Chilian.
Deliver the Nimble Thief’s blood letter to the Gentle Thief at the camp and respond correctly to his three questions.
You lose: Silent Wrap.
Here’s what you’ll lose: the Silent Wrap. Keep that in mind as you embark on your adventures; losing gear can be a tough pill to swallow!
Secrets of the Baishan Sect
This Tale comes with two potential traps.
First, start it on time. You must speak to the Baishan disciples at the Thieves’ Camp before defeating Bai Chilian.
Second, keep it active. Make sure the Tale is still in your journal when you fight Yubi, No. 21 Swordfighter Puppet, in the Mandate Encampment. If it’s not, the Tale fails immediately. However, you still receive the Baishan Stormswords.
You lose: Broken Vessel and The Last of Baishan achievement.
First things first, timing is everything! Make sure to have a chat with the Baishan disciples at the Thieves’ Camp before you take on Bai Chilian. If you play it right, you’ll keep the story moving smoothly!
Second, it’s all about keeping that momentum! You’ll need to have the Tale noted in your journal before you take down Yubi, the No. 21 Swordfighter Puppet, in the Mandate Encampment. Be cautious, though! If the Tale isn’t in your journal by the time you defeat him, it will cause everything to fall apart right away. That said, you’ll still snag the Baishan Stormswords, so at least there’s a silver lining!
Keep in mind: Losing the Broken Vessel and the achievement, The Last of Baishan, could really sting. So, keep an eye on your progress and make sure you’re doing everything right!
Village of Lu
Old Man Gen: The Journey Home
Old Man Gen: The Journey Home
This Tale has two important deadlines.
Talk to him before opening the one-way door in the Smuggler’s Tunnel. If you open it without talking to him, he disappears, preventing Leave None Alive from starting through him.
Agree to his request before entering the Pangzhen backstreet. If you reach the backstreet without agreeing, the Tale fails, and he leaves the Village of Lu.
You lose: War Wagon and the Together Till the End achievement.
Before you venture into the Pangzhen backstreet, make sure to agree to his request! Once you get the door open, head back to him and confirm your agreement. If you reach the backstreet without having accepted, the Tale will end up failing right then and there. Don’t forget; he’ll also take off from the Village of Lu if that happens!
Lose out on: The War Wagon and the achievement known as Together Till the End.
Leave None Alive
Closes when: either of two characters dies before you bring them their relic.
- The wounded thief will die when you enter the Village of Lu unless you bring him the Thief’s Manual first.
- The Kuye Temple monk will die if you answer “Believe” when he asks. Instead, reply with “Do not believe” and then provide him the Prayer Beads.
Since both relics are dropped by monsters at the old camps, they have to be obtained after defeating Bai Chilian.
You lose: Arrowward from the thief and Agarwood Prayer Beads from the monk. If both characters die before you acquire the relics, the Tale ends.
- The wounded thief meets his end as soon as you step into the Village of Lu. Make sure you hand him the Thief’s Manual before that happens!
- The Kuye Temple monk will also meet his demise if you answer “Believe” when he poses his question. Instead, go with “Do not believe”, and don’t forget to bring him the Prayer Beads afterward.
Mountain of Imprisonment
What you stand to lose: The Arrowward from the thief and the Agarwood Prayer Beads from the monk. If both of them end up dying and you don’t have the Tale in your possession, the whole endeavor fails.
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.
If you collect the crank first, both Liu Yi and Zhou Pingzi will die, so be sure to converse with each of them first.
You lose: Ink Cut from Liu Yi, plus Don’t Forget Me.
It’s important to chat with both Liu Yi and Zhou Pingzi first because they will be gone if you decide to grab the crank before getting to know them.
Ledger of Atonement and Bai Xue
Ledger of Atonement and Bai Xue
This closes when: you decide to show mercy to the suffering Maskwalker, Chen Zhu.
Once you’ve handed over the ledger, you’ll face two choices:
- “Forget it. Just leave him alone.” This choice brings everything to a halt, and you’ll miss out on starting Bai Xue’s Tale altogether.
- “This won’t cleanse you of your wrongdoings.” This option kicks off a confrontation. If you come out on top, the puppet standing next to him will trigger the beginning of the Bai Xue Tale.
If you choose poorly: you will lose access to the Bai Xue Tale along with its reward, Snow and Blood.
Cui
Cui
Closes when: you start the fight with The Crusher and the Saw on Soulrend Cliff.
To complete the Tale, you need both of the following before that encounter:
- Cui’s Red Ribbon from meeting Cui in the Village of Lu
- The letter from Lu Sanqian, who drank the Rootless Dew
You must present both to Lu Jieyuan before the fight; otherwise, the Tale fails as soon as the scene opens.
You lose: the remainder of the Cui Tale and Lu Jieyuan’s assistance in that encounter.
- Cui’s Red Ribbon, received during your encounter with Cui in the Village of Lu
- A letter from Lu Sanqian, who must have had his share of the Rootless Dew
Make sure you hand both items over to Lu Jieyuan before diving into the fight. If you’re missing even one of these collectibles when the battle begins, you’ll find that the Tale doesn’t progress past the opening scene.
In that case, you’ll miss out: on the rest of the Cui Tale and lose Lu Jieyuan’s support during the fight.
Mandate masters
The Undying Heroic Spirit
Closes when: you botch three of the six masters.
This Tale comes from the Wolf Leader at the Order’s Tavern in Pangzhen. Each master must be freed while kneeling—hitting one after the kneel concludes counts as a failure.
You lose: Hero’s Courage.
You can pick up this Tale from the Wolf Leader at the Order’s Tavern located in Pangzhen. Remember, you need to release each master while kneeling down. If you strike at them after the kneeling concludes, you’ll find that your attempt at release won’t count.
Late game
Late game
Crossing into the Mirage Estate
When you make your way across the bridge at the Green Serpent House, you’ll put an end to nine Crimson Forest bells ringing forever and, in a magical twist, blanket Mirrorwood in a cozy layer of snow. It’s quite a transformative moment in the game!
- 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
Before you dive too deep into your adventure, keep in mind that if you haven’t wrapped up the Secrets at the Heart of the Lake quest, the game will give you a friendly heads-up. It’s your cue to turn back if there are still tasks left undone. Take it to heart and select, “There’s still unfinished business. Return later.” No one wants to leave loose ends behind, right?
Triple Threat
Closes when: you finish the Mirrorwood fight without Blazing Edge.
The Three-Faced Puppet escapes to Mirrorwood, only appearing after you cross the bridge above. Ensure Blazing Edge is your equipped weapon, or else the fight will end prematurely, causing the Tale to fail. You’ll still receive Freezing Chaos regardless.
You lose: access to phase three and Chaos Iron Fragment II.
The Three-Faced Puppet isn’t one to stick around; it will scamper off to Mirrorwood, emerging only after you’ve successfully crossed that bridge. Make sure you have Blazing Edge equipped as your primary weapon. If not, brace yourself for a tough encounter where the battle might fizzle out by phase two, leaving your Tale hanging in the balance. On the bright side, you’ll still snag Freezing Chaos!
Pay attention: if you stumble during the fight, you’ll miss out on phase three and lose that precious Chaos Iron Fragment II.
