Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair Boss #48 of 74 · Mandate Encampment
- Base HP
- 9,000
- Attacks
- 13
- Blue / red tells
- 5 / 2
- Weakness
- Fire +16%
- Author
- Dakota Chinnick
- Methodology
- Data Methodology
Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair has 13 attacks: 5 flash blue (parry them) and 2 flash red (dodge them). Base HP 9,000, Sha-Chi 2,400.
How to beat Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair
Our strategy, built from the fight's numbers, followed by the game's own codex entry.
- Parry the blue flashes: 5 of Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair's 13 attacks flash blue before they land, and a timed parry stops them.
- Dodge the red flashes: 2 attacks flash red. They can't be parried, so dodge through them instead of blocking.
- The tightest tell is Crashing Triple Strike: only 0.22s from the flash to the hit, so react to the flash, not the swing.
- Bring Fire: it deals 16% more damage to Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair.
- Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair's Sha-Chi bar is 2,400: perfect parries and Guard Break attacks drain it, and an empty bar opens the boss to a finisher.
Fire is the element to bring against the Sword of Despair: it deals 16% more damage and Burn builds up 16% faster. Almost everything else is resisted. He is immune to Poison, Lightning is cut by 60%, Frost and Water by 30%, and Shock, Bleed, Blood Burst and Soaked all build up more slowly.
Parries drain 40% less of his Sha-Chi than usual, so use Standard Combos and Sha-Chi Combos to reach a Guard Break. At level 19 his 9,000 base HP and 2,400 base Sha-Chi calculate to about 109,881 HP and 21,527 Sha-Chi before difficulty.
The codex describes him hanging upside down from a red thread held by three disciples, swinging his blade and spraying razor-sharp red threads that slice through the air. He follows the Seven-Stars Formation and precedes Wu Lengshuang, the Soft Sword. There are no recorded drops, but he is worth 66,000 Remnant Dust.
Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair moves & attack patterns
Game dataEvery attack Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair can use, read from its ability data. The cards show the in-game animation with its timing: wind-up, the red or blue flash, the hit window and recovery.
- Attacks
- 13
- Red flash (dodge)
- 2
- Blue flash (parry)
- 5
- Tightest tell
- 0.22s
Tumbling Aerial Slash
Blue flashSkillBlue flash at 2.21s → hit at 2.57s (0.36s to react) · 1 hitSpinning Aerial Slash
Blue flashSkillBlue flash at 1.19s → hit at 1.63s (0.44s to react) · 1 hitSwooping Triple Slash
Blue flashSkillBlue flash at 2.5s → hit at 2.81s (0.3s to react) · 3 hitsFloating Double Thrust
Red flashSkillRed flash at 0.59s → hit at 1.11s (0.52s to react) · 2 hits · Normal hitCrashing Triple Strike
Red flashSkillRed flash at 0.92s → hit at 1.14s (0.22s to react) · 3 hits · Normal hitTwisting Lunge Slash
Blue flashSpecialBlue flash at 0.32s → hit at 1.41s (1.09s to react) · 1 hitFrenzied Sword Flurry
Blue flashAttackBlue flash at 0.67s → hit at 1.52s (0.86s to react) · 8 hits · KnockbackInverted Double Slash
SpecialFirst hit at 0.36s · 2 hitsRising Drop Strike
SpecialFirst hit at 1.18s · 2 hitsDiving Sword Plunge
SpecialFirst hit at 1.23s · 1 hitHanging Sword Thrust
SpecialFirst hit at 0.63s · 1 hitOverhead Drop Slash
SpecialFirst hit at 1.66s · 1 hitAll 13 attacks
| Attack | Tell | Hit timing | Hits | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tumbling Aerial Slash Skill | Blue flash | 0.36s after flash | 1 | Whole fight |
| Spinning Aerial Slash Skill | Blue flash | 0.44s after flash | 1 | Whole fight |
| Swooping Triple Slash Skill | Blue flash | 0.3s after flash | 3 | Whole fight |
| Floating Double Thrust Skill | Red flash | 0.52s after flash | 2 | Whole fight |
| Crashing Triple Strike Skill | Red flash | 0.22s after flash | 3 | Whole fight |
| Twisting Lunge Slash Special | Blue flash | 1.09s after flash | 1 | Whole fight |
| Frenzied Sword Flurry Attack | Blue flash | 0.86s after flash | 8 | Whole fight |
| Inverted Double Slash Special | No flash | first hit 0.36s | 2 | Whole fight |
| Rising Drop Strike Special | No flash | first hit 1.18s | 2 | Whole fight |
| Diving Sword Plunge Special | No flash | first hit 1.23s | 1 | Whole fight |
| Hanging Sword Thrust Special | No flash | first hit 0.63s | 1 | Whole fight |
| Overhead Drop Slash Special | No flash | first hit 1.66s | 1 | Whole fight |
| Sudden Sword StrikeSpecial | No flash | first hit 1.72s | 1 | Whole fight |
Attack names are ours: the game doesn't name boss attacks. Times are seconds from the start of the attack; the reaction time runs from the flash to the first hit after it.
Parry Trainer
Test your timing on Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair's real attacks: parry the blue flashes, dodge the red ones.
Weaknesses and resistances
Game dataChief Disciple, Sword of Despair takes 16% extra damage from Fire. Every element and status effect below.
| Element | Damage taken |
|---|---|
| Fire | +16% |
| Frost | −30% |
| Lightning | −60% |
| Poison | Immune |
| Water | −30% |
| Status effect | Build-up |
|---|---|
| Frost (duration) | −30% |
| Bleed | −30% |
| Soaked | −30% |
| Burn | +16% |
| Poison | Immune |
| Blood Burst | −60% |
| Shock | −60% |
| Sha-Chi interaction | Resist |
|---|---|
| Sha-Chi lost on a Deflect | −40% |
Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair HP and stats
Game dataBase attributes from the boss's config, and the same values at the level the fight runs at.
| Attribute | Base | At level 19 |
|---|---|---|
| HP | 9,000 | 109,881 |
| Sha-Chi | 2,400 | 21,527 |
| Attack | 100 | 221 |
| Stagger threshold | 1,200 | 11,067 |
Calculated Base values come from the enemy's own config. The game raises them with the area level; it fights at level 19 here (difficulty multipliers are not included).
Each kill gives 66,000 Remnant Dust at this level.
Where to find Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair
Game dataThe boss's spawn point on the Mandate Encampment map. Nearest Bell: Tower Rear Exit.
Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair lore
The codex entry the game unlocks for Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair.
In-game codexOn the high platform, three disciples catch a red thread on their sword tips and draw the Chief Disciple up with it, leaving him hanging upside down in midair. Pulled by the strings, he swings the blade in his hands, like a puppet trying to break free of its strings; like a wraith, he sprays countless razor-sharp red threads from the black hollows of his face, winding and slicing through the air like tears of blood.
He once loved a woman from an evil sect. The Mandate’s upper ranks would not tolerate their love, and with a single order, they tore the lovers apart. The Chief Disciple had known little beyond the sword formation. What did he know of schemes and intrigue? For the first time in his life, he clumsily defied his sect. In return, he could only watch helplessly as the woman he loved was tortured and left covered in wounds. Even his peerless sword formation could not protect the one he wanted to protect.
Once his heart was broken, there was little left he feared losing. He entrusted everything he had left to the strings.
And what if he looked like a puppet hanging upside down? At least the strings of that puppet would be held in their own hands.
Boss order
Boss #48 of 74: the previous fight is Chief Disciple of the Seven-Stars Formation, the next one Wu Lengshuang, the Soft Sword.
Data: Phantom Blade Zero 26367565 (CL-302256, UE 5.7.4). How we source this
Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair is boss #48 of 74 in Phantom Blade Zero, fought in Mandate Encampment at level 19 with 9,000 base HP and 2,400 Sha-Chi. Its moveset has 13 attacks: 5 blue-flash attacks that can be parried and 2 red-flash attacks that must be dodged. Bring Fire: it deals 16% extra damage to this boss.
See Also
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Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair FAQ
How do you beat Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair?
Fire is the element to bring against the Sword of Despair: it deals 16% more damage and Burn builds up 16% faster. Almost everything else is resisted. He is immune to Poison, Lightning is cut by 60%, Frost and Water by 30%, and Shock, Bleed, Blood Burst and Soaked all build up more slowly. Parry the blue flashes: 5 of Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair's 13 attacks flash blue before they land, and a timed parry stops them. Dodge the red flashes: 2 attacks flash red. They can't be parried, so dodge through them instead of blocking.
What attacks does Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair use?
Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair has 13 attacks in its ability data: 5 with a blue flash (parry) and 2 with a red flash (dodge). The moves section shows each one with its in-game animation and timing.
What do the red and blue flashes mean on Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair?
Blue means the attack can be parried: 5 of Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair's attacks flash blue. Red means it can't be parried and must be dodged: 2 attacks flash red. The tightest tell gives you 0.22s from the flash to the hit.
What is Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair weak to?
Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair is weak to Fire and takes 16% extra damage from it.
How much HP does Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair have?
Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair has 9,000 base HP; at its area level (19) that grows to about 109,881 before difficulty modifiers.
Where is Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair in Phantom Blade Zero?
Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair is fought in Mandate Encampment. It is boss #48 of 74 in story order, after Chief Disciple of the Seven-Stars Formation. Nearest Bell: Tower Rear Exit.
Which boss comes after Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair?
Chief Disciple, Sword of Despair is boss #48 of 74. Before it comes Chief Disciple of the Seven-Stars Formation; next is Wu Lengshuang, the Soft Sword.