Phantom Blade Zero: Second Banyan Tree Challenge Guide

Learn the best gear, ability tree setup, and step-by-step strategy to beat the second Banyan Tree challenge and its final two-boss fight.

Overview and Preparation

The second Banyan Tree challenge (also referred to as the second bunny entry encounter) presents a tough series of battles, culminating in a demanding final fight against two bosses at once. Because you do not need to clear every single encounter in one continuous go, you have the flexibility to manage your resources effectively across the entire sequence.

Before diving into the arena, you need to configure your loadout properly. Success relies heavily on utilizing high-damage fast weapons, specialized shield-breaking tools, and reliable summons to distract enemies and bosses alike.

Recommended Build and Equipment

To handle the fast-paced combat and heavily shielded foes in this challenge, configure your loadout with the following gear and abilities:

Equipment / Build Element	Purpose / Function
Primary Weapon: Fiend Saws	Excellent for fast-paced combat. Utilizes charged onslaught and charged frenzy to deal massive damage.
Fiend Form Ability	Consumes one Saachi essence to enter a 10-second Fiend Form state.
Secondary Weapon: Army Breaker	Essential for dealing with shielded monks due to its high shield-breaking power.
Shield Breaker Talisman	Optional replacement for the treasure basin if you need even more shield-breaking power.
Kuwait Temple Prayer Beads	Summons three bronze men, which are vital for the final two-boss stage.

Step-by-Step Encounter Walkthrough

The challenge is broken down into multiple sequential encounters. Use your resources, including your bronze men summons, in each stage since progress is saved between encounters.

First Encounter

The opening fight of the challenge is relatively straightforward, but prioritizing targets is key to minimizing damage taken:

Locate and take down the healer enemy first. Eliminating the healer immediately prevents them from prolonging the fight or restoring enemy health.
Once the healer is down, focus your attention on the remaining enemies to clear the encounter.

Second Encounter

The second encounter can be tricky due to enemy defenses, but your loadout is tailor-made for it:

Bring out the Army Breaker weapon to quickly melt through enemy shields.
As soon as a shield breaks, immediately switch to the Fiend Saws to finish off the vulnerable enemy.
Stay focused and pick enemies off one by one. Avoid getting surrounded.
Crucial Tip: When you break an enemy's shield, kill that specific enemy quickly. If you take too long, they will reactivate their shield, making the fight much harder.

Final Encounter: Two Bosses

If you ran out of summons during the previous fights, take a moment to rest and recover before stepping into the final arena.

Summon Bronze Men: Start the final fight immediately by summoning your three bronze men via the Kuwait Temple Prayer Beads.
Focus Fire: Pick one of the two bosses and focus all your damage entirely on it. Do not ignore the second boss completely, however—keep an eye on it, especially when it prepares its red attacks, which provide a huge window for you to react.
Manage the Timer: You have roughly a minute while your initial summons are active to pressure your chosen target. Try to lower its health as much as possible during this window.
Resummon When Needed: Once your bronze men go down, activate them again as soon as possible and continue dealing focused damage to the same boss until it falls.
Finish the Last Boss: With one boss down, you are left with a single opponent. Provided you have some health flasks remaining, use the strategy and gear habits you practiced to easily close out the fight.

Strategy and Combat Tips

Resource Management: Remember that you don't need to clear every encounter in a single unbroken run. Use your bronze men and abilities freely in each phase.
Weapon Swapping: Keep the Army Breaker ready for any armored or shielded threats, and rely on the Fiend Saws (charged onslaught and charged frenzy) for maximum damage output once defenses are stripped.
Talisman Swap: If you find yourself struggling to break heavy enemy defenses, swap out your treasure basin for the shield breaker talisman.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to clear every encounter in a single run?

No. You do not need to clear every encounter in a single go, allowing you to use your resources and summons strategically across the different phases.

How do I deal with the shielded monks?

Use your secondary weapon, the Army Breaker, which features high shield-breaking power. Alternatively, you can equip the shield breaker talisman in place of the treasure basin for extra breaking power. Once a shield is broken, kill that enemy quickly before they can reactivate it.

What is the best way to handle the final two-boss fight?

Start the fight by summoning your three bronze men using the Kuwait Temple Prayer Beads. Focus all your attacks on one boss while watching out for the other's red attacks. When your summons expire, resummon them and keep pushing damage onto that same target until it is defeated.

Source: This guide is based on the video "Phantom Blade Zero: How to Beat the Second Banyan Tree Challenge" by FIDISTI — watch the original video.