Phantom Blade Zero Acolyte Scarecrows and Masks

Three of the four Phantom Blade Zero Acolytes are scarecrows you walk up to and touch to start the fight; the fourth, Hansui, has no scarecrow at all and joins the Puppet Scavenger fight halfway through. Each one drops an elemental mask — Blazing, Thunder, Venom and Frost — and each one needs a specific resist trinket equipped before you start. Collect all four masks and you can open the Four Guardians' Mirror in the frozen north-west of Meigu Lake, which leads to the Phantom Illusionist Ruins and the Blizzard Blademaster on the true-ending route.

The four Acolytes at a glance

Yanru, the fire Acolyte (Village of Lu)

Where the scarecrow is. The lone burning scarecrow stands in the northern farming fields of Village of Lu, across from the shield-puppet training area, between the Terraces Bell and the Engine Giant Remains Bell. Guides place it by those two bells but disagree on which one to steer by, so use the field landmarks.

What to bring. The Flameward, from the golden chest on the porch of the big building at the South Gate Bridge Bell in Pangzhen. It blunts fire damage and burn buildup.

The fight. She fires rapid fireballs, drops an explosion aura under you, flies with fire duplicates and lays flame mines on the ground. Sidestep the fireballs, keep moving while she is airborne, and watch for the red flash before the explosion aura — that flash is the window to perfect-dodge it and close the gap while she is grounded.

The reward. Yanru's Blazing Mask.

Leiting, the lightning Acolyte (Pangzhen)

Where the scarecrow is. The lightning-wreathed scarecrow sits straight down the slope from Old Man Gen's House in Pangzhen.

Before you can trigger it. It cannot be reached until the Flaming Mane Phantom Edge is repaired by Lei Dang at Jingyang Hall, because the repaired edge burns the vine wall on the south-western cliffside. The Flaming Mane itself comes from Flame, the Lion Dance Grandmaster, and the Phantom Edges page lists it as the edge that burns away vines.

What to bring. The Thunderward, from the banquet hall upstairs across from the Green Serpent House Bell in Pangzhen. It blunts lightning damage and paralysis buildup.

The fight. She zaps, expands an electrified field outward and spawns circular fields that call down thunderstrikes. Only one published guide lists her moves, and it does not confirm a perfect-dodge counter, so watch for the red flash and get out of the expanding field rather than trying to time a dodge you cannot rely on.

The reward. Leiting's Thunder Mask.

Guhe, the poison Acolyte (Meigu Lake)

Where the scarecrow is. The scarecrow surrounded by a flock of birds, at the far end of the Meigu Village East Dock island in Meigu Lake. One guide puts it at the eastern corner of the island and the other at the southern corner, so clear the whole far end rather than trusting one bearing.

What to bring. The Preservation Jar, merged from two Preservation Talisman Fragments in the cave beside the Outlaw Trap Bell in the Crimson Forest. One fragment comes from the Butcher there, the second from the underground mining area you reveal with the Crimson Forest Tunnel Crank, and the two merge on their own. The Deathlock accessory sits next to this fight if you want it.

The fight. She throws poison globules, summons clones and drains health fast. Wait for the red flash and perfect-dodge the green circle to teleport to the real Guhe; a parry also works.

The reward. Guhe's Venom Mask.

Hansui, the ice Acolyte (Crimson Manor)

There is no scarecrow for Hansui. She joins the Puppet Scavenger fight at the bottom of Crimson Manor, so this one is a duo fight rather than a solo encounter.

Before you can reach the manor. Finish Deep in the Valley, blow the Powderkeg under the Sha-Chi Tower to expose the lift, and take the Puppet's Tongue from the Puppet Testing Grounds. That needs Yuzan defeated, the Mandate Encampment cleared past Yubi, and the summit dial on the Mountain of Imprisonment, where Huangxing drops the Flying Guillotine. The secrets page covers the Illusory Pipa pieces that two of those fights drop.

What to bring. Green Serpent Brew. Her ice spells chill first and then freeze Soul solid for several seconds, and the Brew is the only way out of a freeze. Its charges are limited, so do not spend them on a Chill you can walk off — save them for an actual Freeze. The Frostward would blunt her, but that chest only appears after you enter Mirage Estate, which is past the point of no return for the true ending, so a true-ending run usually fights her without it.

The fight. The first half is the Scavenger on his own; Hansui joins at 50% HP. Switch your attention to her when she arrives, then finish the Scavenger.

The reward. Hansui's Frost Mask, plus the Crystal Puppet Eye [Yang] and the Alloyed Scythe Blade.

Turning the four masks into the Phantom Illusionist Ruins

All four masks are required for the true ending. Take them to the Four Guardians' Mirror at the frozen north-west of Meigu Lake — sail to the fishing village in the frozen shoals and enter through the ice gap — and the masks break the mirror and open the Phantom Illusionist Ruins, where the Blizzard Blademaster waits at the end and another Long Pillar sits.

Two things to plan around. The mirror wants both Crystal Puppet Eyes, and Hansui's reward is the [Yang] one. And the mirror realm has to be cleared before you open the Green Serpent House door in Pangzhen, because that door is the point of no return on the endings checklist.

Yanru's Blazing Mask is also a Phantom Edge and sits in the Phantom Edge list; the other three masks are not listed there. Every Acolyte row with its region and drop is on the boss list.