Tactics for Overcoming the Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet in Phantom Blade Zero

The Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet serves as a stern test of your combat fundamentals, specifically endurance and parrying. According to a report by GamesRadar+, while the encounter is intended to be discovered early, it is highly recommended to wait until you have leveled up your gear and character stats before attempting to finish the fight.

Preparation and Prerequisites

Before engaging the puppet, ensure you have addressed the following to increase your chances of survival:

• Upgrade Gear: Your weapons should be at least level 10.
• Enhance Stats: Improve your health and Sha-Chi pools.
• Equip the Right Accessory: Locate the Ancient Armor Fragment, found in the area reached via a lift under the Sha-Chi Tower in Weeping Creek Valley, just outside the Crimson Manor. This provides significant damage resistance.

Combat Strategy

* Prioritize Defense: The puppet is exceptionally resilient, with the source noting the fight can take upwards of seven minutes. Focus on parrying rather than attacking, as the boss attacks relentlessly. Since there are no blue-flash attacks, rely on perfect parries to break its guard.
* Manage Sha-Chi: Switch between weapons when your Sha-Chi bar is near empty to instantly replenish it. Only commit to aggressive Sha-Chi attacks and Power Surges once you have successfully broken the boss’s guard.
* Time Your Healing: Opportunities to heal are scarce due to the puppet’s constant aggression. Only attempt to heal when the boss flies through a portal.

Why it matters

This fight acts as a marathon-style gatekeeper for players. Because the boss has a massive health pool and demands consistent mechanical precision, players who rush the encounter are likely to encounter significant frustration. Successful completion rewards players with 30,600 Remnant Dust, the Three-Headed Doll story item, and progression in the Triple Threat quest.

Players should note that this boss is a test of long-term concentration; losing focus even briefly can lead to a quick defeat. Ensure you have completed other content, such as the Hua boss fight and gathering the Flesh Lily for Yu’er, to ensure your character is sufficiently prepared for the challenge.