Phantom Blade Zero Early Game Bleed Build Guide for Hellwalker

Overview and Difficulty Requirements

When diving into the action RPG Phantom Blade Zero, players quickly find themselves facing intense combat encounters and relentless boss fights. This comprehensive guide outlines an incredible early game build designed to handle bosses easily on Hellwalker difficulty.

For players looking for an even greater challenge, Hellwalker is accompanied by a more punishing mode where you can only die a total of 66 times. This build focuses primarily on maximizing bleed damage, sustaining health through aggressive weapon skills, and simplifying defensive playstyles to help you fly through the first few chapters of the game.

Weapon Setup and Progression

The foundation of this early game build relies on two primary weapons that synergize to maximize damage output and self-sustain.

Note: For the Phantom Edge slot, you can equip anything you like since options are currently limited. Keep in mind that the Jagged Steel's bleed effects do not work on puppets, golden bodies, or phantom bodies.

Recommended Accessories

Bosses in Phantom Blade Zero feature extremely quick and relentless attack strings. Because parrying every single strike is hectic, unreliable, and drains your Sachi, specific accessories are required to stabilize your defense.

• Brass Chest Guard: The most critical accessory for the build. Instead of attempting to parry every attack, you simply hold the guard button. You only need to look out for specific blue and red attacks to execute a parry or perfect dodge.
• Instant Arm of Fragment: Grants damage reduction of up to 20% while you are at full HP.
• Reflex Device: Increases the timing window for executing successful parries and perfect dodges.

For consumable medicine, players can use any items of their choice. The build creator specifically utilizes Quaid Do and Vessel Restorative.

Combat Rotation and Strategy

Once your gear and accessories are locked in, executing the combat rotation is straightforward and relies on passive defense combined with calculated offensive strikes:

1. Defensive Stance: Hold the guard button to absorb relentless boss pressure and conserve your Sachi.
2. React to Telegraphed Attacks: Watch closely for incoming blue or red attacks. When you spot them, execute a parry or a perfect dodge.
3. Apply Bleed Pressure: Capitalize on openings by using the Jagged Steel weapon and its Blood Blade skill to rapidly stack bleed damage on the enemy.
4. Finish with Sachi: Conclude your offensive windows using a standard Sachi combo.
5. Recover Health: If your HP drops low, swap to the Outlaw War Blade and utilize light attacks to drain enemy blood and restore your health without needing to rely on health flasks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What difficulty is this build designed for?

This build is specifically tailored to handle bosses easily on the Hellwalker difficulty setting during the early game.

Does the Jagged Steel bleed effect work on every enemy?

No. The bleed build-up from Jagged Steel does not work on puppets, golden bodies, or phantom bodies.

How do I heal without using health flasks during boss fights?

You can use the Outlaw War Blade's light attacks during open damage windows to drain enemy blood, allowing you to continuously deal damage while actively recovering your HP.

Source: This guide is based on the video "This Bleed Build Makes Hellwalker Easier! Phantom Blade Zero" by FIDISTI — watch the original video.