New players usually make the same mistake. They look at a tier list, see an S-rank at the top, and dump every single piece of Dennies and leveling material into that one unit without thinking about how the actual combat flow works. Zenless Zone Zero is different. It’s not just about raw power; it’s about the "Daze" mechanic and how specific Zenless Zone Zero characters interact with the stun bar. If you aren't balancing your Attack, Stun, and Support units, you’re basically just hitting a brick wall with a wet noodle.
HoYoverse really leaned into the "urban fantasy" vibe here. You've got everything from high-tech corporate assassins to a literal bear in a hard hat. But beneath that slick, neon-soaked exterior is a rigid combat system. You need to understand that the game is a dance.
Why Your Zenless Zone Zero Characters Composition Is Failing
Most people treat this like Genshin or Star Rail. They think one "hypercarry" solves everything. In New Eridu, that’s a recipe for a 10-minute boss fight that should’ve taken two. The core loop revolves around the Stun gauge. You need a Stun character like Anby or Lycaon to build up that yellow bar under the enemy’s health. Once it hits 100%, the enemy takes massive increased damage. That is when your Attack units like Ellen Joe or Zhu Yuan come in to do the heavy lifting. If you’re just spamming Ellen’s basic attacks on a non-stunned boss, you’re wasting time. Honestly, it’s painful to watch.
The elemental types—Electric, Ice, Fire, Physical, and Ether—aren't just for show either. They trigger "Anomalies." If you stack enough Electric damage, you trigger Shock, which interrupts enemies. Ice freezes them. Ether triggers Corruption. You have to match these up.
The Problem With Chasing "S-Ranks" Exclusively
Let’s be real. Everyone wants Ellen Joe or Zhu Yuan. They’re flashy. They have the best trailers. But here’s the kicker: some of the "A-rank" Zenless Zone Zero characters are actually more vital for a functional account than the premium ones. Take Anby Demara. You get her for free. She is an Electric Stun unit, and her kit is incredibly reliable. Her "bolt" attack after a third basic hit is the bread and butter of most early-game rotations.
Then there’s Nicole Demara. She’s the only Ether Support most people will have for a long time. Her ability to gather enemies into a small black hole is indispensable for clearing out trash mobs in the Hollow Zero. Without her, Zhu Yuan loses a massive chunk of her potential because of how their faction bonuses interact.
Breakdown of the Faction System
In Zenless Zone Zero, characters aren't just lone wolves. They belong to factions like Cunning Hares, Belobog Industries, or Victoria Housekeeping. This matters because of "Additional Abilities." If you put two characters from the same faction—or the same element—on a team, they unlock passive buffs that are often game-changing.
Cunning Hares
- Billy Kid (Physical Attack)
- Nicole (Ether Support)
- Anby (Electric Stun)
- Nekomata (Physical Attack)
This is the starter squad. Billy is... okay. He’s great for range, but his damage ceiling is lower than Nekomata’s. Nekomata is a beast if you can master her "backstab" mechanic. She gains huge damage buffs when she hits enemies from behind, which requires you to use the perfect dodge and defensive assist mechanics constantly. It’s high-effort, high-reward.
Belobog Heavy Industries
- Anton (Electric Attack)
- Ben (Fire Defense)
- Grace (Electric Anomaly)
- Koleda (Fire Stun)
Belobog is where the "tanky" gameplay lives. Ben Bigger is currently the only Defense-class character in the game. He can block hits and counter. Is he "meta"? Not really. Speed is king in the Shiyu Defense (the endgame spiral), and Defense units usually slow you down. However, for casual players struggling to stay alive, Ben is a literal lifesaver. Koleda and Grace are the real stars here. Grace is an Anomaly specialist. She doesn't just hit hard; she builds up the Shock status faster than anyone else. Pair her with Anton, and you have a "mono-electric" team that shreds mechanical enemies.
Victoria Housekeeping: The High Society Meta
If you’ve spent any time on social media, you’ve seen Ellen Joe. She’s the shark-tailed maid who redefined the Ice meta. She’s an Attack unit, but she plays very differently from someone like Billy. You have to use her "dash" state to charge up her scissors. It’s rhythmic.
Pairing her with Von Lycaon is the gold standard. Lycaon is arguably the best Stun character in the game because his charged attacks deal massive Daze. If you have those two plus Soukaku (who is technically Section 6 but works perfectly with Ice teams), you’ve basically beaten the game’s current hardest content. Soukaku’s "Fly the Flag" buff provides a flat Attack increase that is frankly broken for an A-rank unit.
The Nuance of Anomaly and Support Roles
We need to talk about Zhu Yuan and the Public Security faction. Zhu Yuan is an Ether Attack unit. Her damage comes in bursts. You load up "Enhanced Shells" and then dump them all during the Stun window. It’s a very "burst-heavy" playstyle.
What people miss is the importance of Lucy and Piper from the Sons of Calydon. They bring a different flavor to Zenless Zone Zero characters. Piper is a Physical Anomaly unit. She spins like a whirlwind and procs "Assault." Assault isn't just a dot; it deals a huge chunk of physical damage and increases the Daze the enemy takes.
- Use Piper to spin and build the Anomaly bar.
- Trigger Assault to stagger the enemy.
- Switch to a heavy hitter to finish the job.
It’s a different rhythm than the standard Stun-to-Attack pipeline. It feels more fluid, more chaotic.
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Why You Shouldn't Ignore Your Bangboo
Wait, are Bangboos characters? Technically, no. Functionally? Yes. You cannot talk about building your roster without mentioning these little rabbits. They are the "fourth slot" on your team. If you’re running a Victoria Housekeeping team, you need Sharkboo. If you’re running Belobog, you want Safety. These guys trigger chain attacks and provide elemental buildup. They are the glue.
Misconceptions About the "D-Rank" Units
There are no truly "bad" Zenless Zone Zero characters, but there are misunderstood ones. Corin Wickes. People see her ranking and assume she’s fodder. Corin is a "Stun Punisher." Her damage against enemies that are not stunned is pathetic. But the moment an enemy goes down? Her chainsaw deals some of the highest multi-hit damage in the game. She’s a specialist. You can’t just mash buttons with her. You have to wait for the opening.
Then there’s Anton. People think he sucks because his energy consumption is high. He’s an "on-field" attacker who needs his burst to be effective. If you don't have enough Energy Regen on his Disk Drives, he feels clunky. Once you gear him correctly, he turns into a drill-wielding god.
Expert Strategy: The "Disorder" Mechanic
If you really want to play like a pro, you need to understand Disorder. This happens when you trigger a second elemental Anomaly while a first one is still active. For example, you Proc Shock (Electric) and then immediately Proc Burn (Fire). This triggers a massive explosion of damage called Disorder.
To pull this off, you need a very specific team of Zenless Zone Zero characters.
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- Grace (to apply Shock quickly)
- Piper (to apply Assault/Physical)
- Rina (to extend the duration of the Shock)
This is a high-level playstyle. It bypasses the need for a traditional Stun unit because the Disorder procs do so much heavy lifting. It’s expensive to build because you need high Anomaly Proficiency stats on everyone, but the clear speeds are insane.
Limitations of the Current Roster
Right now, the game is heavily skewed toward Ice and Electric. If you're looking for a top-tier Fire or Ether team, your options are limited to a few specific S-ranks. This will change as more Zenless Zone Zero characters are released in the 1.1 and 1.2 patches. Don't feel pressured to pull for every single banner. A well-built A-rank team with high "Mindscape Cinema" (duplicates) will almost always outperform a poorly geared S-rank team.
Actionable Steps for Your Account
Stop spreading your resources thin. It's the fastest way to hit a progression wall in the Inter-Knot levels. Pick one "Main Team" and stick to it until they are all level 40 or 50.
- Audit your roster: Do you have a Stunner, an Attacker, and a Support? If not, fix that first.
- Check Faction Bonuses: Look at the "Core Passive" screen. If the little face icon isn't lit up, you're missing out on 20-40% extra damage or utility.
- Focus on Disk Drives: Once you hit Inter-Knot level 35, start farming the basic sets. Don't worry about "perfect" stats yet. Just get the right main stats (Attack % on slot 4, Elemental Damage on slot 5, Energy Regen on slot 6).
- Master the Defensive Assist: This is the character swap that happens right before an enemy hits you (the yellow flash). It costs Assist Points, but it’s the fastest way to build Daze.
The real secret to Zenless Zone Zero characters isn't just who you have on the screen, but how fast you can get them off the screen. Rotating through your team to keep the pressure on the enemy's Daze bar is the only way to survive the later stages of the Hollow Zero.
Focus on synergy over rarity. A team of Anby, Nicole, and Billy—played perfectly with chain attacks and assists—will clear content faster than a disorganized team of random S-ranks every single time. Start practicing your switch-parries now; the timing only gets tighter from here.