ZZZ Beginner Guide: Your First Steps into Zenless Zone Zero

Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) plunges you into a thrilling Action Combat RPG experience, reminiscent of the dynamic gameplay found in Genshin Impact. The game offers two primary modes to engage with: Story and Hollows, each providing a unique facet of the ZZZ universe.

Story Mode: This mode serves as your narrative journey through ZZZ. Progress through distinct areas, unravel the main storyline, and confront challenging enemies and formidable bosses that stand in your path.
Hollows Mode: Considered the core game mode of ZZZ, Hollows will become your primary focus as you advance beyond the initial story content. Hollows deliver a compelling roguelike experience, challenging you to navigate procedurally generated dungeons with a team of your chosen Agents to earn valuable rewards.

The central gameplay loop revolves around exploring Hollows through the innovative HDD system, which presents a top-down roguelike dungeon crawler perspective. Gameplay involves strategic navigation of the HDD game board, interacting with diverse events, and engaging in dynamic combat encounters managed by your assembled team of Agents.

Agents: Your Playable Characters

Agents are the diverse playable characters you’ll command in ZZZ. At the outset of your adventure, you’ll be granted three Agents for free: Anby, Nicole, and Billy, forming the foundation of your initial squad.

[

Anby Demara](/zenless/characters/anby-demara)

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Nicole Demara](/zenless/characters/nicole-demara)

[

Billy Kid](/zenless/characters/billy-kid)

Beyond these initial characters, you can acquire more Agents through game progression and participating in various in-game events. Here are some Agents obtainable for free as you play:

[

Ben](/zenless/characters/ben)

[

Corin Wickes](/zenless/characters/corin)

[

Soukaku](/zenless/characters/soukaku)

Acquisition Sources:

Ben: Acquired by completing Chapter 2 Story 1.
Corin: Obtained as a pre-registration reward.
Soukaku: Earned by completing Shiyu Defense 3-4.

Agent Rarities

Agents are categorized into two distinct rarity tiers: S-rank and A-rank. S-rank Agents are generally considered more potent and, on average, are more challenging to obtain through the game’s systems.

Understanding Agent Stats

Familiarizing yourself with Agent stats is crucial for team building and combat strategy. Here’s a breakdown of the combat stats Agents possess and their functions:

HP (Health Points): Represents the amount of damage an Agent can sustain before being defeated in battle.
ATK (Attack): Dictates the base damage an Agent inflicts on enemies.
DEF (Defense): Reduces the amount of damage an Agent receives from enemy attacks.
Impact: Affects the Daze accumulation on enemies. A higher Impact stat leads to faster Daze buildup with each attack, making enemies vulnerable to powerful follow-up attacks sooner.
Crit Rate (Critical Rate): The probability of an Agent landing a critical hit, which deals increased damage.
Crit DMG (Critical Damage): Determines the damage multiplier when a critical hit is successfully landed.
PEN (Penetration): Ignores a fixed amount of the target’s DEF stat when attacking, effectively increasing damage output against heavily armored foes.
Pen Ratio (Penetration Ratio): Ignores a percentage of the target’s DEF stat when attacking, scaling penetration with enemy defense.
Anomaly Mastery: Enhances the efficiency of Anomaly Buildup. Each point increases Anomaly Buildup Rate by 1%, leading to quicker application of elemental debuffs.
Anomaly Proficiency: Boosts the damage inflicted by Attribute Anomalies. Each point increases Attribute Anomaly DMG by 1%, amplifying elemental debuff damage.
Energy Regen (Energy Regeneration): Agents passively generate Energy over time during combat. A higher value results in faster Energy accumulation per second, enabling more frequent use of special skills.
Energy Generation Rate: Multiplies the Energy gained through both Energy Regen and attacking enemies, accelerating energy accumulation overall.

Character Attributes: Elemental Strengths and Weaknesses

Agents in Zenless Zone Zero are categorized into five distinct Attributes, each representing an elemental affinity:

Fire
Electric
Ice
Frost
Physical
Ether

Strategically combining Agents with specific Elemental attributes and Factions within the same squad can unlock supplementary passive skills, adding a layer of tactical depth to team composition.

Understanding enemy vulnerabilities is key to effective combat. Enemies in ZZZ have elemental weaknesses:

Organic and Corrupted enemies are especially vulnerable to Fire-Type Attacks.
Machines are weak against Electric-Type Attacks.
Mutants are susceptible to Ice-Type Attacks.

Attribute Anomalies: Elemental Debuffs

When Agents deal attribute damage, they apply Anomaly Buildup to enemies. Upon reaching a threshold, enemies are afflicted with an attribute anomaly debuff corresponding to the element. Exploiting enemy weaknesses to trigger Attribute Anomalies amplifies their effects. Anomaly Mastery increases Anomaly Buildup, while Anomaly Proficiency increases the damage these anomalies inflict.

Combining two different attribute anomalies triggers an additional effect called Disorder. Disorder deals extra damage based on the original anomalies’ damage and also accumulates Daze, further weakening enemies.

Here is a breakdown of the Anomaly Debuffs in ZZZ:

Element	Activation	Debuff
Electric	Dealing Electric damage accumulates Electric Attribute Anomaly, triggering Shock.	Shock: Intermittently deals additional Electric damage when attacked and interrupts enemy actions. Machine enemies are immobilized while Shocked.
Physical	Dealing Physical damage accumulates Physical Attribute Anomaly, triggering Assault.	Assault: Interrupts the enemy, deals significant Physical damage, and greatly increases Daze infliction.
Ice/Frost	Dealing Ice/Frost damage accumulates Ice/Frost Attribute Anomaly, triggering Freeze and Frostbite.	Freeze: Temporarily prevents enemy action, followed by Shatter at the end of the effect, dealing Ice damage. Frostbite: Increases the CRIT DMG the target receives for a duration, making them more vulnerable to critical hits.
Fire	Dealing Fire damage accumulates Fire Attribute Anomaly, triggering Burn.	Burn: Deals continuous Fire damage over time. Organic enemies are immobilized while Burned.
Ether	Dealing Ether damage accumulates Ether Attribute Anomaly, causing Corruption.	Corruption: Deals additional Ether damage when the enemy is attacked. Corrupted Ethereal enemies will attack both allies and foes, turning them into a temporary threat to their own side.

For a more visual and in-depth explanation of Anomaly Debuffs, consider watching video guides dedicated to this mechanic.

Agent Specialties: Defining Roles in Combat

Agents further differentiate themselves through five distinct Specialties, defining their primary role within a team:

Attack: Agents specializing in Attack excel at dealing high damage output. They are designed to swiftly defeat enemies through direct attacks, aiming for quick combat resolution.
Stun: Stun specialists are masters of crowd control. They excel at building up Daze on enemies, leading to stuns that create openings for the team to unleash powerful attacks.
Support: Support Agents are invaluable for team enhancement. They provide buffs and utility to allies, increasing the overall combat effectiveness of the entire squad by bolstering their capabilities.
Defense: Defense-oriented Agents are resilient and durable. They are designed to withstand heavy attacks and protect allies, often capable of counterattacking and turning the tide of battle through survivability.
Anomaly: Anomaly specialists are adept at applying debuffs and elemental effects. They focus on accumulating Anomaly Buildup to weaken enemies and deal damage through triggered Attribute Anomalies, controlling the battlefield through debuffs.

Agent Training: Strengthening Your Team

To delve deeper into enhancing your Agents’ power and progression, consult dedicated guides on Agent progression and training.

[

Zenless Zone Zero Agents Progression Guide](/zenless/guides/agents-progression)

W-Engines: Equipping Your Agents

W-Engines in Zenless Zone Zero serve a similar function to Weapons in Genshin Impact or Light Cones in Honkai: Star Rail – they are crucial equipment for enhancing Agent capabilities. Key aspects of W-Engines include:

Rarities: W-Engines come in three rarities: S-rank, A-rank, and B-rank, with higher rarities generally offering superior stats and passive effects.
Stat Boosts: W-Engines directly increase an Agent’s Attack stat and an additional stat unique to each W-Engine, providing significant combat boosts.
Passive Effects: Each W-Engine possesses a passive ability that activates during combat, offering strategic advantages or stat enhancements.
Specialty Restriction: W-Engines are linked to Agent Specialties. Only Agents of a matching Specialty can activate the W-Engine’s special passive effect. For example, only Attack Specialty Agents can fully utilize Attack W-Engines.
Leveling: W-Engines can be leveled up using in-game resources, similar to Agent leveling, to further enhance their stat bonuses and passive effects.
Acquisition: W-Engines are primarily obtained through the Signal Search (gacha system), purchased from the Gadget Store using in-game currency, or as random rewards from certain game modes.

For a comprehensive list of available W-Engines and their properties, refer to dedicated W-Engine guides.

[

Zenless Zone Zero W-Engines Guide](/zenless/w-engines)

Bangboo: Your Combat Support Companions

Bangboo are unique support units in Zenless Zone Zero, originally designed to assist New Eridu citizens during Hollow disasters. When Hollows emerge, Bangboo receive real-time disaster information and evacuation guidance, helping people navigate to safety.

If you’re familiar with ELFs from Honkai Impact 3rd, Bangboo are conceptually similar. They function as a fourth team member, providing active skills and buffs to support your currently controlled Agent. Like Agents and W-Engines, Bangboo are categorized into S-rank and A-rank rarities.

Obtaining Bangboo

Bangboo are acquired through the Bangboo Oriented Signal Search, a dedicated banner within the gacha system. This banner exclusively uses Boopons, a special currency earned through missions, events, and Hollow Deep Dive Zone modes. Boopons cannot be purchased with real-world currency, making Bangboo acquisition purely gameplay-driven.

To explore the roster of Bangboo and their unique skills, consult Bangboo-specific guides.

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Zenless Zone Zero Bangboo List Guide](/zenless/bangboo)

Gacha System: Acquiring New Characters and Equipment

Zenless Zone Zero utilizes a gacha system as the primary method for players to obtain new Agents, W-Engines, and Bangboo. It is generally the exclusive way to acquire the highest rarity units and equipment. There are three main banner types:

Character (Agents) Banner: Focuses on acquiring new Agents.
W-Engines Banner: Provides W-Engines for Agent enhancement.
Bangboo Banner: Used to obtain new Bangboo companions.

The gacha rates in ZZZ are comparable to other Hoyoverse titles. The base rate for pulling an S-rank Character is 0.6%, and the chance of obtaining an A-rank Character from the Character Banner is 9.4%.

For a detailed understanding of the gacha mechanics, pity system, and banner types, refer to dedicated gacha system guides.

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Zenless Zone Zero Gacha System Guide](/zenless/guides/gacha-system)

Mastering Combat: Core Mechanics

Before engaging in battle, you must assemble a team of up to 3 Agents. While you can only directly control one Agent at a time, you can seamlessly switch between them to utilize their diverse abilities and create powerful combinations.

Combat UI Elements: Understanding the Interface

HP (Health Points)

If all your Agents’ HP is depleted during combat, you will be forced to retreat from the current combat zone or Hollow, failing the encounter.

Energy

Agents passively regenerate Energy over time while active on the field, based on their Energy Regen stat.
Basic attacks, dodge counters, and dash attacks also contribute to Energy generation for the active Agent.
Breaking supply chests and collecting Energy Matter dropped by defeated enemies replenishes Energy for the entire squad, providing a team-wide benefit.
Each Agent possesses an individual Energy bar. Strategically cycling between Agents to maximize the use of each Agent’s Energy for special skills is a key combat tactic.

Daze

When enemies are struck, they accumulate Daze. Once the Daze meter reaches 100%, enemies become Stunned, rendering them immobile and significantly more vulnerable to subsequent attacks.
While enemies are in a Dazed state, they become susceptible to your team’s devastating Chain Attacks, a core combat mechanic to master.

Combat Actions: Your Arsenal in Battle

Basic Attack

Execute a Basic Attack by pressing, tapping, or holding the designated key or button. Basic attacks consist of a series of strikes (typically 3-5). Some Agents possess alternative attack patterns when holding the basic attack button during a combo sequence, adding variation to combat.
Basic attacks are your primary source of consistent damage and energy regeneration for most Agents. Completing full basic attack chains is generally the most efficient way to maximize both damage and energy recharge in typical combat scenarios.

Special Attack

Special Attacks are often the defining abilities of Agents, each with unique properties. They can be used at any time without cooldown. However, after accumulating sufficient Energy, Special Attacks can be enhanced into a more powerful EX Skill Variant. Special Attacks have a “Heavy Attack” property, which, when used on a fully Dazed enemy, can initiate a Chain Attack sequence.
Normal Special Attacks, without the EX enhancement, are generally less efficient for damage and energy regeneration compared to basic attacks. They are often less prioritized. The empowered EX Special Attack, however, is always worth utilizing and should be deployed as soon as available. It can also be strategically saved for encounters with stronger enemies or to synergize with specific Agent team compositions.

Chain Attack

Chain Attacks are a core team-based mechanic. When your squad consists of two or more Agents, inflicting a Heavy Attack on a Stunned enemy (Daze at 100%) will trigger a Chain Attack opportunity.
Agent avatars will appear on the left and right of the screen. Pressing an Agent’s avatar before the countdown timer at the bottom expires will initiate that Agent’s Chain Attack.
Chain Attacks deliver substantial damage and can be executed in rapid succession while an enemy remains Stunned. Combining multiple Chain Attacks is highly recommended to maximize damage output during the Stunned state.

Ultimate

The Decibel Rating gauge is filled by dealing damage, executing Chain Attacks, Dodge Counters, and triggering Assist Follow-Ups.
When your Decibel Rating reaches 3,000, the Ultimate button will illuminate, indicating readiness. Pressing the Ultimate key will consume the Decibel Rating and unleash a powerful Ultimate ability.
The Decibel Rating Gauge is shared across your entire team. Observe the gauge, which has three stages indicated by “Maximum” when fully charged, and strategically deploy Ultimates with the Agent who will provide the most impactful contribution in the current combat situation.

Dodge

Execute a Dodge by pressing the designated key or button to evade enemy attacks.
Performing a Basic Attack while dodging will initiate a Dash Attack, allowing for offensive maneuvers during evasion.
Dodging precisely as an enemy attack is about to land triggers a “Perfect Dodge,” providing a brief window of invulnerability and potential counterattack opportunities.
Quickly following up a Perfect Dodge with a Basic Attack will launch a Dodge Counter, a powerful attack with a Heavy Attack property, allowing for immediate retaliation.

Switching Agents

When your squad comprises two or more Agents, pressing the Agent switch key will cycle to the next Agent in the Agent bar located in the top-left corner of the screen. Agent switching is crucial for combo execution and utilizing elemental reactions.

Assist Attack

When the active Agent is knocked back by an enemy attack, an Assist Attack window may trigger. Switching Agents during this window initiates a Reactive Assist.
Reactive Assists possess a Heavy Attack effect and can be strategically used to regain momentum and turn the tide of battle in your favor after being pressured by enemies.

Special: Perfect Assist

Executing an Agent switch precisely before specific enemy attacks (indicated by a gold flash) land will trigger a Perfect Assist. This consumes an Assist Point and activates either a Defensive Assist (damage reduction) or Evasive Assist (full evasion).
Up to three Perfect Assists can be chained in quick succession within a limited timeframe, allowing for skillful defensive maneuvers.
Chain Attacks can regenerate Assist Points, encouraging aggressive play to maintain defensive options.
When Assist Points are depleted, Agent switching will automatically default to a Perfect Dodge, providing a fallback defensive option.
Pressing the Basic Attack or Special Attack button immediately after triggering a Perfect Assist will launch an Assist Follow-Up, a powerful counterattack.

Game Modes: Exploring New Eridu

Zenless Zone Zero features a variety of game modes, many of which will be familiar to players of Hoyoverse titles like Honkai: Star Rail and Genshin Impact.

Resource and Boss Stages

Similar to other games in the genre, ZZZ features instance-based stages where you combat bosses encountered in the story or face waves of regular enemies. These stages are designed to reward you with essential resources and materials needed for account and Agent progression. Entry and reward collection for these stages typically require Battery Charges (stamina), a common energy system in gacha games.

Hollow Deep Dive Zone: The Central Hub

The Hollow Deep Dive Zone serves as the primary hub for gameplay content in ZZZ. From here, you can access:

Story Missions: Continue the main narrative of Zenless Zone Zero.
Combat Commissions: Daily and weekly challenges focused on combat scenarios for resource rewards.
Exploration Commissions: Missions focused on exploration and world interaction, offering diverse rewards.
Shiyu Defense: This mode is analogous to Memory of Chaos from Honkai: Star Rail. Shiyu Defense challenges you to defeat groups of enemies within a time limit. Stages are graded with 0 to 3 stars based on completion time, encouraging efficient team compositions and combat strategies.
Hollow Zero: Hollow Zero shares similarities with Simulated Universe from Honkai: Star Rail. It is a roguelike mode where you select a team of 3 Agents to venture into procedurally generated Hollow Zones. Within these zones, you collect random buffs (“Blessings” or “Ciphers”) to enhance your team and overcome increasingly challenging combat encounters.
Rally Commission: A unique weekly mode not directly comparable to other Hoyoverse games. Rally Commission presents stages filled with combat challenges. Completing the initial two stages unlocks a more demanding weekly stage with greater rewards.

For a more comprehensive breakdown of each game mode and their rewards, consult dedicated game mode guides.

[

Zenless Zone Zero Game Modes Guide](/zenless/guides/game-modes)

Drive Disks: Equipping for Stats and Set Bonuses

Drive Disks function as equipment pieces in Zenless Zone Zero, fulfilling the role of armor and accessories found in traditional RPGs. They are conceptually similar to Relics in Honkai: Star Rail.

Key features of Drive Disks include:

Stat Enhancement: Equipping Drive Disks to your Agents grants various stat increases, ranging from HP and ATK to CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG, significantly boosting Agent performance.
Primary Stat Source: Drive Disks are the primary source of stat bonuses for your Agents, making them essential for character progression and combat effectiveness.
Equipment Slots: Each Agent can equip up to six Drive Disks, allowing for a highly customizable build.
Slot Numbering: Drive Disk slots are numbered using Roman numerals I, II, III, IV, V, and VI, as visually indicated in the equipment interface.
Main Stat and Sub-stats: Each Drive Disk has one fixed main stat and up to 4 randomly generated sub-stats, adding an element of RNG to equipment optimization.
Set Effects: Equipping a specific number (2 or 4) of Drive Disks belonging to the same set unlocks powerful Set Effects, providing additional bonuses when combined correctly, encouraging strategic set collection.

Drive Disk Main Stats: Slot-Specific Bonuses

The main stat on a Drive Disk is determined by its slot number. Possible main stats for each slot are:

Slot I: Flat HP
Slot II: Flat ATK
Slot III: Flat DEF
Slot IV: HP%, ATK%, DEF%, CRIT Rate%, CRIT DMG%, Anomaly Proficiency
Slot V: HP%, ATK%, DEF%, PEN Ratio%, Element DMG% (random element: Fire, Electric, Ice, Frost, Physical, or Ether)
Slot VI: HP%, ATK%, DEF%, Anomaly Mastery%, Energy Regen%, Impact%

Drive Disk Sub-stats: Random Stat Variety

Drive Disk sub-stats are randomly assigned from a pool of possible stats, adding another layer of customization and farming potential. Possible sub-stats include:

Flat HP
Flat ATK
Flat DEF
HP%
ATK%
DEF%
Crit Rate%
Crit DMG%
PEN (flat)
Anomaly Proficiency

To learn more about optimal Drive Disk sets and stat priorities for specific Agents, refer to detailed Drive Disk guides.

[

Zenless Zone Zero Drive Disks Stats Guide](/zenless/guides/disk-drives-stats)

[

Zenless Zone Zero Drive Disks Sets Guide](/zenless/disk-drives)

Video Resources: Visual Learning

For players who prefer visual learning, numerous video guides are available online that further explain Zenless Zone Zero’s mechanics and provide gameplay demonstrations. Searching platforms like YouTube for “Zenless Zone Zero beginner guide” will yield a wealth of supplementary video content.