How to Beat The Hunt, Sixfold Scythe in Phantom Blade Zero

The Hunt has been chasing Soul since the start of Phantom Blade Zero, and he is the first chapter-ending boss of the game. He is also the first boss with two phases, which makes him a big step up from Peng Meng. You actually fight him twice: once on the cart, where the fight is cut short, and properly at the Great Waterfall. This guide covers both encounters and the key moves to learn.

The first encounter: the cart fight

Your first scrap with The Hunt happens on a cart, and FPSGen notes that this fight ends once he reaches roughly half of his health. You are not expected to kill him here. Treat it as a free practice session. Watch how he moves, which attacks flash blue and which flash red, and how long his combos last. Anything you learn now transfers directly to the rematch.

The rematch at the Great Waterfall

The real fight happens at the Great Waterfall in Weeping Creek Valley. PCGamesN describes The Hunt as fast and keen to use the whole arena. He likes to leap into the air and then come crashing back down, and that aerial attack is the key to the first phase. When he goes airborne, get ready: the descending strike is a blue attack you should parry. Successfully parrying gives you a Ghoststep and a clean opening.

He also has a chain lash that reaches surprisingly far. FPSGen recommends sidestepping it rather than backing away, since a straight retreat keeps you in the line of the chain. Another important move is his hook grab. The advice here is to dodge late; if you roll too early the hook tracks you and you get pulled in anyway.

PCGamesN adds a whirlwind attack to the list. This one should simply be avoided by dodging away from him, not by trying to parry through it. Your damage should come when he is on the ground and close to you, not when he is spinning or in the air.

Phase two

Once his health drops far enough, The Hunt enters a second phase. FPSGen's key tip is about the Sixfold Scythe combo: parry the fourth swing. The first three swings come in a rhythm you can block or dodge, but the fourth is the one that offers a parry opening, and getting it right sets you up for a counter. He also gains a tornado in this phase; keep moving and do not stand inside it trying to trade hits.

Helpfully, FPSGen reports that there is a checkpoint at the start of phase two. If you die in the second phase you do not have to replay the whole first phase, which takes a lot of pressure off while you learn the new moves.

Recommended weapons

FPSGen suggests three weapons for this fight: Sanguine Twin, Jagged Steel and the Dread Axe. Sanguine Twin and Jagged Steel are fast enough to fit damage into The Hunt's short ground windows, and Jagged Steel's bleed keeps chipping at him while he jumps around. The Dread Axe, the Phantom Edge you earned from Peng Meng, deals heavy guard break damage, which helps you open him up after a parry.

Tips for a cleaner run

• Keep lock-on enabled so you can track him when he leaves the ground.
• Do not chase him across the arena. He covers ground faster than you, so let him come back to you.
• Save your weapon switch for when your Sha-Chi is nearly empty, because switching refills it.
• Parry the airborne strike every time; it is the most reliable opening of phase one.
• In phase two, count the scythe swings and wait for the fourth.
• Upgrade your weapons at the nearest bell before committing to the attempt.

Reward

Beating The Hunt awards the Hunter's Chain Sickle Phantom Edge. TechWiser lists it as a Martial edge with 247 damage and 213 guard break. More importantly, it can grapple to anchor points, which opens traversal routes. You can later Soul Temper it with the Alloyed Scythe Blade, a material dropped by the Puppet Scavenger and Acolyte Hansui fight in Crimson Manor, to gain the Gleaming Hook effect.

The Hunt also appears again late in the story: his outfit "The Hunt" is one of the rewards listed for reaching the true ending, which we explain in the true ending guide. For the next boss on the path, read our Hua Qianxiao guide.