Seven Judgments

Overview

The Seven Judgments are an elite group of swordsmen in Phantom Blade Zero who serve as recurring antagonists throughout the game. Led by a figure known as the Decree, the group consists of seven warriors who have undergone the process of Perfect Transcension, a cult ritual that strips away their humanity in exchange for enhanced combat abilities.

The Decree

The Decree is the leader and architect of the Seven Judgments. Unlike the other members who surrendered their individuality through Perfect Transcension, the Decree appears to have retained full control of their faculties. They direct the group with tactical precision and serve as the mastermind behind several of the assassination attempts on Soul throughout the story.

The Decree's own combat abilities have not been fully revealed, but their authority over the other six members is absolute. They can coordinate the group's movements in battle and trigger formation changes on command.

Big Dipper formation

The Seven Judgments fight using a coordinated battle formation called the Big Dipper, named after the constellation. In this formation, the seven members position themselves at specific points and coordinate their attacks in predetermined patterns. Each member corresponds to one of the seven stars, and the formation allows them to cover each other's weaknesses while maintaining constant offensive pressure from multiple angles.

From the player's perspective, fighting the Big Dipper formation means dealing with attacks that come from multiple directions simultaneously. Standard one-on-one combat tactics are ineffective. The player must read the formation's movements as a unit rather than tracking individual fighters.

Marionette phase

When sufficiently damaged, individual members of the Seven Judgments enter a 'marionette' state. Their movements become puppet-like and mechanical as the effects of Perfect Transcension take full control. In this state, they lose the fluidity of their normal fighting style but gain unpredictable, jerky movements that are difficult to read.

The marionette phase changes the combat rhythm entirely. A member who was fighting with precise, choreographed sword techniques suddenly lurches and twitches, their timing becoming erratic. This mirrors the transformation of the Chief Disciple boss, suggesting that the marionette state is a common consequence of Perfect Transcension when the subject is pushed to their limits.

Boss encounters

Players encounter the Seven Judgments at multiple points throughout the game. Early encounters involve fighting individual members or pairs, while later battles feature the full formation. The Chief Disciple: Seven Stars boss fight is one such encounter, pitting Soul against a corrupted former member of the group.

Strategy

Against the Big Dipper formation, mobility is essential. Use Ghostep to escape multi-directional attacks and reposition. Focus damage on one member at a time to break the formation's coordination. Once a member enters the marionette state, they become easier to isolate and finish off, which weakens the formation for subsequent rounds. Weapon switching is critical for maintaining Sha-Chi through the extended fight.

Key details