The Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet is an optional boss in Phantom Blade Zero that appears early in the game, but Sportskeeda’s guide says the encounter can be difficult because of the boss’s fast combo attacks and large health pool. The recommended approach focuses on preparation, parrying and equipment that can increase Sha-Chi damage.
Find the boss in Weeping Creek Valley
The boss arena is in the Weeping Creek Valley region. Players can reach the area relatively early by following the nearby bell called The Lady’s Rift. Sportskeeda describes it as likely the second bell encountered during the game. A broken statue near the bell provides access to the boss arena when interacted with.
The encounter is optional, so players who are struggling can prepare elsewhere before returning. The guide specifically recommends upgrading the main weapon to at least Level 15. That preparation is important because the Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet has a substantial amount of health, requiring players to deal damage steadily rather than relying on a short burst.
Recommended weapons and accessories
Sportskeeda recommends first defeating Bai Chilian to obtain the White Serpent and Crimson Viper swords. The key tool for this fight is the special attack associated with the Crimson Viper. It is activated with the Parry + Heavy Attack input and sends the Crimson Viper moving around the player.
Using that ability during the battle is intended to increase the damage dealt to the boss’s Sha-Chi. Since the Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet is described as highly aggressive, the guide advises players to rely on parries for most of its attacks instead of treating the encounter as a straightforward damage race.
- Upgrade the main weapon to at least Level 15.
- Bring the White Serpent and Crimson Viper swords after defeating Bai Chilian.
- Use the Crimson Viper’s Parry + Heavy Attack special attack to deal more Sha-Chi damage.
- Equip Reflex Device, Hunter’s Insight and Counterstrike Bracers.
Watch for the teleport attack
The guide identifies a teleport attack as one of the boss’s patterns. The Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet opens a portal and disappears briefly before reappearing through another portal close to the player. It then follows with an attack that can be parried, creating an opportunity to inflict Sha-Chi damage.
That sequence makes positioning and timing important. Players should be ready for the boss to return near them rather than assuming that its disappearance ends the attack. The recommended response is to wait for the follow-up strike and attempt the parry, then use the opening to continue applying pressure.
The Counterstrike Bracers can be obtained by challenging and defeating the Gold-Masked One in Weeping Creek Valley. The guide also lists Reflex Device and Hunter’s Insight as part of the suggested accessory setup. Because Sportskeeda does not identify a patch number for this strategy, players should treat it as a guide for the game version covered on Nov. 2, 2026 and verify the setup if a later update changes the encounter.
