Updated October 29, 2026
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If you've cleared an area in Phantom Blade Zero and returned to a Bell hoping to farm more enemies, you may have noticed that they never come back. This becomes especially frustrating when your favorite weapon needs more Forged Metal, Solvent, or Remnant Dust to reach its next upgrade level.
Fortunately, you don't have to rely on repeatedly defeating the same enemies to improve your equipment. You can explore new areas, purchase certain upgrade materials from merchants, and recover resources you've already invested in weapons you no longer use.
This guide explains why enemies aren't respawning, where to get more upgrade materials, and how to reclaim your resources without starting over.
📋 Table of Contents
- Quick Answer: Why Aren't Enemies Respawning?
- Do Enemies Respawn After Resting at a Bell?
- What to Do When You Run Out of Materials
- Where to Buy Forged Metal, Twinned Metal & Solvent
- How to Revert Weapon Upgrades
- When Do You Need a Reforge Talisman?
- How to Get More Remnant Dust
- Best Ways to Avoid Wasting Materials
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Tips
Quick Answer: Why Aren't Enemies Respawning in Phantom Blade Zero?
Enemies not respawning is an intended gameplay mechanic, not a bug. Unlike many Soulslike games, ordinary defeated enemies in Phantom Blade Zero generally remain defeated even after you rest at a Bell or return to an earlier area.
If you're running low on upgrade materials:
- Explore uncleared areas for additional enemies, treasure, and upgrade resources.
- Visit Quick Hand Zhang to check for materials such as Forged Metal, Twinned Metal, and Solvent.
- Revert upgrades on unused weapons to recover the materials and Remnant Dust you previously spent.
- Check your weapon category before buying materials, because different weapon types require different metals.
- Use Treasure Basin when collecting Remnant Dust from remaining enemies for its 10% bonus.
Most useful tip: If you've upgraded a weapon that you no longer use, reverting it can recover a substantial amount of resources. This is often more useful than searching for another enemy farming location.
Do Enemies Respawn After Resting at a Bell?
No. Resting at a Bell does not normally respawn defeated enemies in Phantom Blade Zero.
Bells function as checkpoints and provide useful services, including restoring health, replenishing medicine charges, traveling between discovered locations, and managing equipment.
However, resting does not repopulate previously cleared areas with the same enemies.
This is an intentional difference from games where players can repeatedly rest at checkpoints to farm experience or currency.
What Happens If You Return to an Earlier Area?
If you've already defeated the ordinary enemies in an area, returning later generally won't bring them back.
That means repeatedly traveling between Bells or resting at the same checkpoint isn't a reliable way to farm upgrade materials.
Instead, progression and exploration become your main ways to discover additional resources.
Is There a Way to Reset All Defeated Enemies?
There is no normal Bell option that resets every defeated enemy in a cleared area.
If you're short on resources, it's better to explore somewhere new or recover materials from equipment you've already upgraded rather than spend time trying to reset enemies.
What to Do When You Run Out of Upgrade Materials
Before searching for more enemies, open your equipment upgrade menu and check exactly which material you're missing.
Different weapons require different resources, and having plenty of one material doesn't necessarily mean you can upgrade another weapon.
For example, upgrading Jagged Steel from level 9 to level 10 requires:
| Material | Required |
|---|---|
| Forged Metal | 8 |
| Solvent | 4 |
| Remnant Dust | 5,400 |
Even if you have enough Solvent and Remnant Dust, the upgrade remains unavailable when you don't have the required Forged Metal.
Check These Three Things First
1. Are you missing the correct metal?
One-Handed, Dual-Wielded, and Two-Handed weapons use different metal categories.
2. Have you already invested materials in another weapon?
You may be able to recover those resources through the Revert system.
3. Have you checked the available merchant inventory?
Quick Hand Zhang sells several useful upgrade materials, although available stock can vary.
If you've reached a difficult encounter while under-equipped, upgrading your main weapon before returning can make the fight more manageable. Our Phantom Blade Zero Three-Faced Puppet: Fight Now or Later? guide also explains why preparation matters before committing to that encounter.
Where to Buy Forged Metal, Twinned Metal, and Solvent
Quick Hand Zhang is a useful merchant to check when you're missing basic weapon upgrade materials.
His inventory can include several types of metal and Solvent used for weapon improvements.
Upgrade Material Prices
| Material | Main Use | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Forged Metal | Lower-level One-Handed weapon upgrades | 1,040 Remnant Dust |
| Twinned Metal | Lower-level Dual-Wielded weapon upgrades | 1,040 |
| Broadplate Metal | Lower-level Two-Handed weapon upgrades | 1,040 |
| Solvent | Lower-level weapon upgrades | 832 |
| Concentrated Solvent | Higher-level weapon upgrades | 992 |
| Polished Forged Metal | Higher-level One-Handed weapon upgrades | 1,240 |
| Polished Twinned Metal | Higher-level Dual-Wielded weapon upgrades | 1,240 |
Prices are listed per item. Check the merchant's current inventory, since not every material may be available at every location or stage of progression.
How to Find Quick Hand Zhang
Quick Hand Zhang is associated with the Trail of Cages area in the Crimson Forest.
Once you've encountered and helped him, check his merchant services for available upgrade materials.
If you haven't reached him yet, continue exploring the area around Trail of Cages and its connected routes.
Can You Buy Unlimited Upgrade Materials?
Don't assume that merchant supplies are unlimited.
Although Quick Hand Zhang sells upgrade materials, purchasing an item doesn't necessarily mean that his stock will replenish indefinitely.
Check the quantity available before spending your Remnant Dust, particularly when you need several copies of the same material.
If the merchant doesn't have enough stock, weapon reversion is another way to recover resources.
How to Revert Weapon Upgrades and Recover Materials
One of the most useful progression mechanics in Phantom Blade Zero is the ability to reset upgraded weapons and recover the resources spent on them.
This is especially valuable when you've replaced an older weapon but still have a large amount of Remnant Dust and upgrade materials invested in it.
Step 1: Visit a Bell
Travel to a Bell where the equipment upgrade service is available.
Open the Bell menu and select Upgrade Equipment.
Step 2: Select the Weapon You Want to Reset
Choose a weapon you've previously upgraded.
Before continuing, make sure it isn't a weapon you still depend on for combat.
Step 3: Open the Revert Option
From the weapon upgrade interface, switch to the Revert option.
The game displays a confirmation screen showing the weapon's current level, its starting level, and the materials that will be returned.
Step 4: Review the Refund
Check the refund list carefully.
Reverting a weapon resets its upgrade level to its starting level and returns the resources invested in those upgrades.
This includes the applicable weapon metals, Solvent, and Remnant Dust.
Step 5: Confirm the Revert
Hold the displayed confirmation button to complete the reset.
The refunded resources can then be used to upgrade another compatible weapon.
Important: Reverting does not transfer weapon levels directly. It returns the invested resources so you can spend them again.
Example: Recovering Materials From a Level 18 Weapon
Consider White Serpent & Crimson Viper, a Dual-Wielded weapon upgraded to level 18.
Reverting it to its starting level returns:
| Refunded Resource | Amount |
|---|---|
| Remnant Dust | 99,450 |
| Twinned Metal | 78 |
| Solvent | 26 |
| Polished Twinned Metal | 57 |
| Concentrated Solvent | 19 |
That's a substantial amount of resources recovered from a single weapon.
If you're no longer using White Serpent & Crimson Viper, those materials could support upgrades to another Dual-Wielded weapon.
The refunded Remnant Dust and compatible resources can also be used elsewhere.
Do You Lose Soul Tempering Skills When Reverting?
No. The weapon Revert interface states that Soul Tempering skills are retained.
However, the weapon's ordinary upgrade level is still reset, so you must reinvest materials if you want to restore its previous upgrade strength.
This distinction matters when experimenting with different weapons.
When Do You Need a Reforge Talisman?
Some weapon upgrades can be reverted without consuming a Reforge Talisman, while higher-level weapons may require one.
The exact requirement is displayed in the Revert interface.
Before resetting a heavily upgraded weapon, check whether the game requires a talisman and how many you currently own.
Weapon Reforge Talisman vs. Phantom Reforge Talisman
There are two different items to watch for:
| Item | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Weapon Reforge Talisman | Resets a regular weapon's upgrade level |
| Phantom Reforge Talisman | Resets a Phantom Edge's upgrade level |
Both items can appear in the Bell store under Key Progression Materials, with a displayed price of 2,000 Remnant Dust each.
Availability depends on the stock shown in your game.
What If You Don't Have the Required Talisman?
If the Revert screen shows that you need a talisman, check the Bell store's Key Progression Materials section.
Select the correct talisman for the equipment you're resetting.
Before purchasing, compare the cost with the resources you expect to recover.
For example, spending 2,000 Remnant Dust to reclaim a large amount of invested materials may be worthwhile if you're switching to another weapon.
However, don't reset equipment you still rely on just to recover currency.
Should You Revert a Weapon Immediately?
If you've permanently switched to another weapon, recovering the resources from your old one is often worthwhile.
However, if you still use both weapons for different encounters, consider whether resetting one will leave you without a useful backup.
How to Get More Remnant Dust Without Farming Respawning Enemies
Remnant Dust is used for weapon upgrades, merchant purchases, and other progression systems.
Because defeated enemies generally stay defeated, you should avoid planning around repeatedly clearing the same group of opponents.
Here are three useful ways to manage your supply.
1. Explore Areas You Haven't Cleared
Progress through unexplored paths and optional locations.
New encounters and exploration rewards provide additional opportunities to collect Remnant Dust and useful materials.
Don't assume that an area is completely explored just because you've reached its main Bell or defeated its primary enemies.
2. Revert Weapons You No Longer Use
This is one of the best ways to recover a large amount of Remnant Dust you've already spent.
For example, resetting the level 18 White Serpent & Crimson Viper returns 99,450 Remnant Dust, alongside its invested upgrade materials.
That refund isn't newly generated currency, but it gives you resources you can immediately redirect into equipment you actually use.
3. Equip Treasure Basin When Collecting Remnant Dust
The Treasure Basin accessory increases Remnant Dust dropped by 10%.
This makes it useful when you're exploring areas with enemies you haven't defeated yet.
However, Treasure Basin does not cause cleared enemies to respawn, and it doesn't create an unlimited farming method.
Best Ways to Avoid Wasting Upgrade Materials
When enemies don't respawn, planning your upgrades becomes more important.
Upgrade Your Main Weapon First
Choose a weapon you're comfortable using and prioritize its upgrades.
A stronger primary weapon is usually more useful than spreading limited materials across several weapons you rarely equip.
Check the Required Metal Type
Don't purchase Forged Metal simply because you're missing an upgrade material.
Verify whether your weapon uses Forged Metal, Twinned Metal, Broadplate Metal, or another resource.
For example, Sanguine and Sanguine Twin require different metals despite their related names.
Recover Resources Before Buying More
Before spending Remnant Dust on materials, check whether you can recover them from weapons you no longer use.
This can reduce unnecessary purchases and help preserve your currency for higher-level upgrades.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do enemies respawn in Phantom Blade Zero?
No. Ordinary defeated enemies generally remain defeated. This is an intended part of the game's progression system rather than a bug.
Does resting at a Bell respawn enemies?
No. Bells restore important resources and provide checkpoint services, but resting at one does not normally bring back defeated enemies.
Where can I buy Forged Metal?
Quick Hand Zhang sells Forged Metal as part of his upgrade material inventory. The listed price is 1,040 Remnant Dust per piece, subject to availability.
Where can I get Twinned Metal?
Twinned Metal can be obtained through exploration and purchased from Quick Hand Zhang when available. It is used for Dual-Wielded weapon upgrades.
Can I get upgrade materials back from weapons?
Yes. Use the Revert option in the weapon upgrade interface to reset a weapon to its starting level and recover the resources invested in its upgrades.
Does reverting a weapon refund Remnant Dust?
Yes. The refund includes Remnant Dust alongside the applicable upgrade materials.
Do I need a Reforge Talisman to reset a weapon?
Some weapon resets do not require a talisman, while higher-level weapons may require the appropriate Reforge Talisman. Check the Revert screen for the exact requirement.
Do merchants restock upgrade materials?
Merchant inventory and available quantities can vary. Unlimited automatic restocking is not guaranteed, so don't rely on repeated purchases as an infinite supply.
Can I farm Remnant Dust indefinitely?
There is no standard repeatable farming loop based on resting at Bells and defeating the same ordinary enemies. Exploring new areas, collecting remaining rewards, and reclaiming previously spent Remnant Dust are more dependable approaches.
What should I do if I run out of materials before a boss?
First, inspect unused upgraded weapons for recoverable resources. Then check merchant stock and explore uncleared paths. If you're struggling with a specific optional encounter, our Three-Faced Puppet fight-now-or-later guide can help you decide whether to return after improving your equipment.
Final Tips
Enemies not respawning in Phantom Blade Zero is normal. Repeatedly resting at Bells won't restore the ordinary enemies you've already defeated.
Instead, focus on exploring new locations, checking merchant supplies, and recovering resources from weapons you no longer use.
The weapon Revert system is particularly valuable because it lets you reclaim both upgrade materials and Remnant Dust rather than permanently losing those resources when you change equipment.
If you're also experiencing technical problems rather than gameplay progression issues, see our Phantom Blade Zero PC startup crash and Denuvo fixes for separate troubleshooting steps.
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