Where you fight: About 115 m west of the Old Man Gen’s Hideout Bell (Village of Lu), about 7 m below it
Nearest Bell: Old Man Gen’s HideoutApproximate: distances are estimated from the game data, and the map painting is not to scale.Open this spot on the map →
How to beat this fight
- He is in the centre of the Village of Lu, and the fight is about the shield. Bring a shield-breaking weapon.
- The real damage is the finisher after the shield breaks, about a quarter of his health each time. Hit him when he is on the ground after a swing.
- He drops the Bastion Phantom Edge, which is also used to get around.
Attacks & how to counter
Attacks seen 2
These labels are our plain descriptions; the game has published no move names.
- Shield raised overhead He lifts the huge beast-face shield high above the player, kicking up dust. Seen in the State of Play deep dive at 9:20.
- Shield slam The shield slams down into the ground and glowing cracks spread across the yard around it. Seen in the State of Play deep dive at 9:22.
How to counter 4
- Press summary of the same broadcast: blunt weapons are needed against shields.
- Swords alone struggle against his heavy shield; the official narration says iron fists and hammers break such defences. Official narration, State of Play deep dive, 9:14.
- In the footage the player dodges away from the slam (smoke-trail dodge) as embers cover the ground. As played in the State of Play deep dive, 9:25.
- The player then closes in on his side, away from the shield face. As played in the State of Play deep dive, 9:30.
Location, drops & connected quests
- Arena seen: wooded village yard with a tiled gatehouse and wooden fence (State of Play 9:20). Seen in the State of Play deep dive at 9:20.
- Drops The Bastion.
Phases and mechanics
Watch the footage
About 16 seconds, from 9:18 in the official State of Play gameplay deep dive (PlayStation on YouTube, August 2026), with the narration about shields running over it. YouTube loads only when you press play.
Frame by frame
The narration starts on a rope bridge just before the clip, at 9:14, and finishes at 9:29. His moves have no published names.
9:19State of Play deep dive · PlayStation
- Seen The shield goes up overhead before it comes down.
- Narration
However, the light blade won't be enough against heavy shields and relying on swords alone will turn the fight into a punishing struggle— crushing those defenses requires the brutal momentum of iron fists and hammers.
Official frame at 9:19.22, YouTube blh1v1dGJ2s · © PARAWULIN PRODUCTION LIMITED / S-GAME
9:24State of Play deep dive · PlayStation
- Seen The cracks are still glowing while the player moves around the planted shield.
Official frame at 9:24.95, YouTube blh1v1dGJ2s · © PARAWULIN PRODUCTION LIMITED / S-GAME
9:30State of Play deep dive · PlayStation
- Seen The player is now on the side away from the shield face, right against the body.
Official frame at 9:30.00, YouTube blh1v1dGJ2s · © PARAWULIN PRODUCTION LIMITED / S-GAME
Launch-build boss dossier (29 October 2026)
“Gatekeeper under Wu Xuan, stationed at Village of Lu. Clad in heavy armor, he wears a helmet that conceals a single blood red eye and carries a massive shield bearing the face of a fearsome beast. In battle, he swings the shield in crushing blows and wide sweeps, or slams it into the ground to send dust surging upward. He can also crouch behind it and charge forward. Slow and heavy, he makes no attempt to dodge, relying on his armor and formidable physique to withstand every attack. He grew up in military camps, knowing only horns and orders, with no knowledge of ordinary life beyond them. The general ordered east, he went east. If the general ordered him west, he went west. When the general ordered him to undergo Transcension, he silently obeyed without the slightest hesitation. He has long since forgotten himself. All that remains is an unshakable fixation on his duty to guard. Immovable as a mountain, he holds his post and refuses to let any enemy advance even a single step. He has not looked behind him in far too long, unaware that red threads now wind through the village and puppets fill the ground.”
Zhuo Bi, the Gatekeeper — Phantom Blade Zero in-game boss dossier
Connected weapon: Bastion.
Key facts
Boss · name plate only · added 14 Oct
Zhuobi, the Gatekeeper
First shown: the State of Play gameplay deep dive of August 2026, where its name plate comes up at 9:22.