The Hunter’s Chain Sickle is one of the best Phantom Edges in Phantom Blade Zero. Obtained at the end of the Weeping Creek Valley by defeating The Hunt, the sickle can help you traverse otherwise untraversable gaps and wreak havoc on the battlefield.
On their own, they’re a great Phantom Edge, but like every weapon in the game, you can Soul Temper them to gain an incredibly powerful new ability. In the case of the Hunter’s Chain Sickle, that ability is a game changer. First, though, you’ll need the Alloyed Scythe Blade, and it’s a bit of a pain to get, but we have you covered in this guide.
How To Get The Alloyed Scythe Blade And Upgrade The Hunter’s Chain Sickle
Unlike some Soul Tempering items in Phantom Blade Zero, which you can find randomly around the world, the Alloyed Scythe Blade requires a multi-step process. For this guide, we’ll assume you’ve already beaten The Hunt and have the Hunter’s Chain Sickle in tow.
The Alloyed Scythe Blade can be found in the Crimson Manor. If you’ve been exploring, you’ll have found this hidden location beneath Weeping Creek Valley’s Sha-Chi tower; if not, finding it is your first step. Toward the bottom of the tower, entered through a low-level water area, is a cracked wall. Nearby is a Powderkeg enemy. You need to coax the enemy to the wall and make him explode, destroying it.
Behind the wall is an elevator, which you can take down to the Crimson Manor. Unfortunately, you’ll find it’s locked, and you’ll need the Puppet Tongue Key to unlock it. Getting that requires a few steps of its own.
How To Get The Puppet Tongue Key
As you enter the Village of Lu, one of the first things you’ll come across is a giant door leading to the Mandate’s Encampment. Unfortunately, like the door to the Crimson Manor, it’s locked. You’ll need to head to Pangzhen and find the Backstreets area of the map. Here, you’ll find a boss called Gu Wanyue. Defeat him, then search beneath the well for the key to the Mandate’s Encampment door. Once you have the key, head to the locked door and open it.
You’ll then need to clear the whole Mandate’s Encampment area, making your way to and defeating its final boss. Defeating the boss will open another portal for you to enter. Pop in and grab the puppet’s tongue. You can now head to the Crimson Manor.
Go through the door and head to the bottom, dropping from one row of strings to the next. Ring the bell, and you’ll be faced with a boss: The Puppet Scavenger. Defeat it, and you’ll be gifted the Alloyed Scythe Blade and the second Crystal Puppet Eye, vital for the true ending.
During this fight, you’ll also fight one of the game’s Accolytes and earn Hansui’s Frost Mask, which you’ll need to enter a hidden area in Meigu Lake. This is also vital for the game’s true ending, as you’ll use the Crystal Puppet Eyes here.
You’ll now be able to head to the closest Bell and Soul Temper your Hunter’s Chain Sickle to gain the incredibly powerful Gleaming Hook ability. This ability adds Bleed build-up to your Hunter’s Chain Sickle.
With this ability, you’ll be able to create a Bleed setup that will carry you through the endgame. Pair the Hunter’s Chain Sickle with the upgraded Jagged Edge, which fills the Bleed Gauge even when an enemy is blocking, plus the Livingwood Talisman, which allows you to proc bleed on Puppets, and you’ll be an unstoppable Bleed machine.
