Unofficial guide · Launch edition · Last checked Confirmed Reported Conflict After unlock
Phantom Blade Zero upgrades: weapons, Soul Tempering and accessories
Weapons and Phantom Edges level up at a Bell for Remnant Dust plus class-specific materials, up to level 30. Confirmed· Steam Community Soul Tempering is a separate, one-time boost per weapon that uses a hidden Tempering Material. Reported· PowerPyx Almost all of the detail below comes from launch-day guides, so each line carries its source and status.
The in-game upgrade screen for the one-handed blade Jagged Steel (level 5 to 6): metal, Solvent and Remnant Dust costs sit bottom right. The menu is the Chinese client; a BWIKI capture.Image: S-GAME / BWIKI
The short version
What new players keep asking, in the order you will meet it.
Level up weapons at a Bell. Choose Upgrade Equipment once you have met the Forge. Reported· Fextralife Phantom Blade Zero Wiki
Pay in Remnant Dust, a class metal and Solvent. Phantom Edges use their own materials. Reported· Fextralife Phantom Blade Zero Wiki
Experiment. Refunds exist, but the price above level 10 is disputed. Conflict· Fextralife Phantom Blade Zero Wiki
Collect for stats. Blackstone, Sha-Chi Amber and Memory Flowers raise attack, Sha-Chi and HP. Reported· PC Gamer
Hunt Tempering Materials. They unlock after a point in Pangzhen. Reported· PowerPyx
Fill your accessory slots. You start with 2 and can reach 6. Reported· Fextralife Phantom Blade Zero Wiki
How do I level up my weapons?
There are two routes to a stronger Soul. Collectibles raise your stats directly, and Remnant Dust buys weapon and Phantom Edge levels.
Upgrading · sources
Currency
Remnant Dust is the currency that pays for weapon and Phantom Edge upgrades. You pick it up from enemies and exploration, and examining objects and notes in the world also pays out dust.
A main weapon level costs Remnant Dust, one metal ingot that matches the weapon's class (one-handed, dual-wielded or two-handed) and a universal Solvent. Each material comes in three grades, for levels 1 to 10, 10 to 20 and 20 to max. Phantom Edges use a separate material line for each of five types: Martial, Destruction, Artifice, Ranged and Summon.
New abilities unlock as a weapon levels up. Fextralife lists milestones at levels 5, 10, 15 and 25; PC Gamer says a new passive or active ability arrives every five levels. Some level-10 abilities apply to every weapon of the same class once unlocked.
On the in-game weapon screen shown in a BWIKI capture, taking the one-handed blade Jagged Steel from level 5 to 6 asks for 6 Forged Metal, 3 Solvent and 3,240 Remnant Dust.
Stat growth comes mainly from collectibles. PC Gamer says attack power, Sha-Chi and HP are raised by Blackstone, Sha-Chi Amber and Memory Flowers. Some skill-tree abilities also need a Banyan's Heart, earned from a combat trial at a Banyan tree.
Official so far: only the level-30 goal, which S-GAME wrote into its Steam achievements. Material names above are the level 1 to 10 grades; levels 10 to 20 and 20 to max use polished and flawless versions, per Fextralife.
Yes, there is a revert. What it costs is where the guides disagree.
Conflict · Refunds
Is a refund free at every level?
Can you take upgrades back for free? Sources disagree: one says a refund is free at any level, others say it is free only up to level 10 and costs a Reforging Talisman after that.
PC Gamer, 29 Oct 2026 I've spent over 50 hours in Phantom Blade Zero—here are my top 20 tips to conquer the Wulin Says the free refund stops at level 10.
Gamersky (游民星空), 9 Oct 2026 《影之刃零》游民采访：鼓励进攻与策略而不是一招鲜 Developer interview: past level 10 the refund costs the talisman.
Game Informer, 28 Oct 2026 Phantom Blade Tips And Tricks For New Players We Wish We Knew Before Starting Mentions revert items without naming a level threshold.
How we handle it: We show every claim and pick none. Until we test it in the game, treat levels 1 to 10 as safe to experiment with, and expect to need a Reforging Talisman above that.
What is safe either way. Every source agrees that reverting a weapon returns the Remnant Dust and materials you put into it, and that you should try different weapons. Reported· Game Informer
What is Soul Tempering?
Soul Tempering · sources
What it is
Soul Tempering is a second upgrade layer on top of levels. A Tempering Material found in the world permanently strengthens one specific weapon or Phantom Edge, giving it stronger skills or changing how it plays.
Tempering Materials are mostly hidden in the environment or handed out as side-tale rewards. PowerPyx counts 43 of them in the game. Steam has two matching achievements: Tempering on 10 weapons and on 10 Phantom Edges.
Accessories are mostly pickups: chests and rewards in every region PowerPyx has covered so far. Game Informer adds that a coin-jingling treasure collector rewards finding three treasures per region with an accessory or another prize. A Steam achievement asks for 30 accessories.
Once you reach the Village of Lu you can buff an accessory's effect. PC Gamer calls accessories, besides weapons, the place where your build comes from.
Pre-order bonuses (both editions): Treasure Basin accessory (+10% Remnant Dust drop rate) and Legacy outfit; both also obtainable through in-game progression.
The full list of known accessories, their effects, slots and upgrades now has its own page: Phantom Blade Zero accessories.
Four early accessories from one wiki
Weeping Creek Valley accessories · Fextralife, launch day
Accessory
Type
Effect
Hunter's Insight
Offensive
+7% damage and Sha-Chi depletion against attacking enemies
Battle Wraps
Offensive
+5% damage to enemies
Token of Pursuit
Offensive
+7% damage to guard-broken enemies
Pendant of Righteousness
Support
-15% Sha-Chi cost of Sha-Chi combos
Scroll →
Reported· Fextralife Phantom Blade Zero Wiki Numbers are from one wiki page and not yet checked in the game.
Village of Lu pickups and one missable
PowerPyx lists accessories you can pick up on a first visit to the Village of Lu: Jewel's Knot (chest directly behind Jewel), Mother's Talisman, Livingwood Talisman, Agarwood Prayer Beads and Fine Thread. Arrowward is missable: speak to the Wounded Thief by the door and give him the Thief's Manual before going further into the region. Reported· PowerPyx
Before a fire or lightning boss
Before a fire or lightning boss, look for an accessory that resists that element: Game Informer names Blaze (fire) and Chang Hong (lightning). Reported· Game Informer
Which accessory is best has not been tested by anyone we can cite yet. The Treasure Basin (+10% Remnant Dust drop rate) is the one accessory with an official number, and it is also obtainable by playing. If you did not pre-order, PowerPyx places the Treasure Basin accessory in a chest in the first building on the island by the White Serpent House Dock Bell, in the Meigu Lake region. Reported· PowerPyx
Where should resources go first?
A first pass at where to spend: pick one main weapon and keep upgrading it, since a refund is free at least up to level 10; collect Blackstone, Sha-Chi Amber and Memory Flowers because PC Gamer says they raise attack, Sha-Chi and HP directly; do not hold materials back. Reported· PC Gamer
This is our reading of the sources, not an official order, and no source ranks spending. It will change once players test builds.
What we're still checking
Questions
How do I upgrade weapons in Phantom Blade Zero?
Once you have met the Forge, open a Bell and choose Upgrade Equipment. Each main weapon level costs Remnant Dust, a metal ingot for the weapon's class and a Solvent; Phantom Edges use their own materials. The cap is level 30.
Soul Tempering is a second upgrade layer. A Tempering Material found in the world permanently strengthens one weapon or Phantom Edge. Guides say it opens up after a point in Pangzhen; the exact trigger is still being checked.
Yes, but sources disagree on the price. One says the refund is free at any level; others say it is free up to level 10 and needs a Reforging Talisman above that.
PBZ