Combat
Phantom Blade Zero Phantom Edges: All Secondary Weapons
Phantom Edges are the two secondary weapons you carry beside your main blade: bows, cannons, polearms and stranger tools. They run on their own ammo, and several of them open routes as well as fights.
At a glance
- Official count
- 25 named Phantom Edges; a later interview said 20+
- Equipped
- Two slots beside your main weapon
- Resource
- Red orbs, separate from Sha-Chi
- Refill
- Only at fast-travel points
- Categories
- Strength, ranged, martial arts and occult
- Double duty
- Several Edges break chains or hook anchors in the world
A Phantom Edge is not a second main weapon. It is a limited-use answer: the bow that reaches a fleeing archer, the cannon that cracks a shielded guard, the axe that breaks the chain across a doorway. Deciding which two to carry is a statement about what you expect the next area to ask of you.
What are Phantom Edges and how are they equipped?
They are the game's secondary weapons, and their full Chinese name translates as "shadow armament". You carry two at a time alongside your main blade, and they stay hidden until you use them — which is why the weapon on Soul's back is his main blade, not the tool in his hand.
Each Edge maps to a face button and behaves like a short ability rather than a weapon swap. That is the important difference: you do not switch into a bow and stay there. You fire it, then return to the blade.
How many Phantom Edges are there?
The official PlayStation Blog line is 25 named Phantom Edges. A later developer interview described "more than 20", which is consistent with 25 but not identical. Treat 25 as the official figure and verify the exact launch count in the retail menu.
About ten had been shown or catalogued before launch. The rest are undisclosed, so any list naming all 25 is unsourced.
What pays for a Phantom Edge?
Red orbs. They sit under the Edge icons in the lower-right corner and are a completely separate pool from Sha-Chi. You start with a fixed stock, and it refills only at fast-travel points — the bells.
That rule changes how you use them. An Edge is not a rotation piece you spam between combos; it is a consumable answer. Spending the last orb before a boss room is a decision you will feel, because the bell that would refill it is usually behind you.
An Edge never costs Sha-Chi, so using one does not compete with your guard or heavy attacks. The two economies are independent by design.
What are the four categories?
- Strength — long-handled heavy weapons: the Giant Axe, the Long-Handled Golden Melon, the Thunder Spear. Built to break guards and shields.
- Ranged — bows, cannons and firearms: the Feather Bow, Leidang Tiger Cannon, Blazing Lion Head, High-Pressure Water Cannon, Fire Lance.
- Martial arts — unusual weapons with special moves: the Hunt's Chain Sickle, Hooker's Sickle, Sawyer's Saw, Inkblood Traceless.
- Occult — represented only by a bell icon in the menu. No gameplay has been shown, so its effect is Unconfirmed.
Which Phantom Edges are confirmed?
| Edge | Category | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Giant Axe | Strength | Heavy shockwave; breaks chains in the world; one charge is a blue heavy, two charges a red ultimate |
| Long-Handled Golden Melon | Strength | Single swing knocks back; charged version swings three times and slams; aerial use knocks down a crowd |
| Thunder Spear | Strength | Long polearm with lightning effects; a gift from Changhong |
| Feather Bow | Ranged | Can be fired while moving; reliable ranged pressure |
| Leidang Tiger Cannon | Ranged | Damage scales with charge time; a gift from Leideng |
| Blazing Lion Head | Ranged | Flamethrower; applies burning damage over an area |
| High-Pressure Water Cannon | Ranged | Extinguishes fire-based enemies and attacks |
| Fire Lance | Ranged | Matchlock firearm; can detonate powder barrels at range |
| The Hunt's Chain Sickle | Martial arts | Mid-range slashes, strong against cavalry; hooks distant anchors for traversal |
| Inkblood Traceless | Martial arts | Blade-aura attack with a strong visual effect |
Names for several of these are working translations rather than confirmed English UI strings. The mechanics are sourced; the labels may change at launch.
Which Edges are best for breaking guards and shields?
The Giant Axe is the clearest answer. Shielded bandits and bronze guardians are described as strong-mechanic enemies: ordinary blades struggle, flanking or a perfect-guard counter works, and a heavy Edge makes the job straightforward. The Long-Handled Golden Melon does similar work with more crowd control — its charged spin knocks back everything around you, handy when a shield is protecting a group.
Neither is subtle. Both are slow, and both leave you committed. Use them to start an exchange, not to end one you are already losing.
Which Edges are best for ranged pressure?
The Feather Bow is the generalist: fire on the move, chip a distant archer, keep a fleeing enemy in the fight. The Leidang Tiger Cannon is the burst option, with damage that grows the longer you hold the charge. The Blazing Lion Head is the area option, applying burn over a cone, and the High-Pressure Water Cannon is the counter-pick that puts out fire enemies and flame hazards.
The Fire Lance is the utility pick. It is a matchlock, so it is slow, but it detonates powder barrels from a safe distance — which can end several encounters in a single shot.
Which Edges open the map?
At least two confirmed Edges are traversal keys. The Giant Axe breaks the chains that block routes, and the Hunt's Chain Sickle hooks anchors you cannot otherwise reach. Because these are the same items you slot for combat, a route you cannot open is often a sign that you have not yet found the Edge that belongs there.
This is the strongest argument for carrying one utility Edge over a second damage tool. A duplicate damage answer rarely changes an encounter; a traversal Edge can unlock a whole optional area.
Which Phantom Edges are missable?
The confirmed sources are bosses and story progress: the Hunt's Chain Sickle comes from The Hunt, and the Long-Handled Golden Melon from a mid-boss. Hidden Edges are also tied to purple side quests, which can close permanently at story checkpoints.
Whether any Edge is exclusive to a single missable quest is Unconfirmed. The safe habit is the same as for weapons: finish purple quests before the game warns you about an irreversible step.