Shiyu Defense Critical Node 7 (Nov 7-21, 2025) offers 720 Polychrome through F2P teams that skip Ellen. Ice/Ether DMG buffs (+15%), enhanced Defensive Assist (+100% Daze), and optimized Billy/Anby/Soukaku + Corin/Ben/Nicole rotations enable sub-90s clears against Miasma Ravager Avarus and Ionized Thanatos via stun exploitation and shield breaks.
Understanding Critical Node 7 Mechanics
Node 7 grants Agent Ice/Ether DMG +15%, plus +50% CRIT DMG vs Stunned enemies—massive for budget teams. Ether Veil adds +40% CRIT DMG, Sheer DMG gets +20%, Stun specialists gain +15% Daze.
Key mechanic: Defensive Assists receive +100% Daze and +150% Assist Follow-Up DMG. Chain Attacks grant +1 Assist Point. Elite shields = 30% max HP, Boss shields = 15% max HP. Weakness attacks on shields deal +100% DMG and clear anomalies for Ice/Ether.
Time requirement: defeat all enemies with >180s remaining for top rewards. 90s clears demand understanding wave structures and vulnerability windows.
Need Polychrome for roster optimization? Zenless Zone Zero Monochromes buy through BitTopup offers secure transactions, competitive pricing, and instant delivery.
Boss Patterns and Phase Transitions
Miasma Ravager Avarus: Rolling attack requires exactly 3 Defensive Assists to interrupt. Transforms invulnerable phase into Daze-building opportunity.
Sacrifice Heretic Jester: Flying Blade Frenzy telegraphs high damage—Defensive Assist interrupts, forcing Weakened state that extends stun duration.
Ionized Thanatos: 3-hit combo's third strike requires Defensive Assist parry, not dodge. Missing this costs 15-20s waiting for next window.
Ionized Farbauti: Charged stomp demands dodge timing, not parry—creates rhythm variation separating 90s from 120s clears.
Stun Gauge Thresholds
Enhanced Daze (+15% for Stun specialists) compresses stun gauge filling by ~30%. Anby achieves stun in 8-10 rotations vs typical 12-14.
First stun: 15-20s with optimized rotations. +100% Defensive Assist Daze = 2x standard value, halving posture break time.
Second stun: 60-70s when ultimates sync with Daze accumulation. +1 Assist Point from Chain Attacks enables back-to-back bursts. Missing both windows costs 20-30s.
Attribute Weakness Exploitation
Ice/Ether DMG +15% benefits Soukaku directly. Second-half Ionized enemies show reduced Physical/Fire resistance, expanding F2P options.
Shield breaks amplify attribute importance—weakness attacks deal +100% DMG. Proper attribute clears Elite shields in 4-6 attacks vs 10-12 neutral. 5s differential per shield compounds across encounters.
Ether Veil (+40% CRIT DMG) stacks multiplicatively with +50% vs Stunned = 90% total CRIT DMG amplification during burst windows.
Optimal F2P Teams Without Ellen
First-half: Billy/Anby/Soukaku + Sumoboo Bangboo. Billy's Physical DPS handles Guardian MK II, Soukaku provides Ice coverage + ATK buffs, Anby exploits +15% Daze and +100% Defensive Assist mechanics.
Second-half: Corin/Ben/Nicole + Bagboo Bangboo. Corin's Electric burst syncs with Ben's shields and Nicole's debuffs. Addresses Thanatos's 3-hit combo through Ben's mechanics while maintaining non-stun DPS.
Core Roles
F2P teams need: 1 DPS, 1 Stunner, 1 Support. DPS (Billy/Corin) focuses damage scaling. Stunner (Anby) prioritizes Daze for enhanced mechanics. Support (Soukaku/Nicole) provides buffs/debuffs.
Billy: Ranged Physical DPS with consistent output, no animation lock for rapid Defensive Assists.
Corin: Melee Electric burst DPS, concentrated damage in stun windows, requires precise positioning.
Anby: Stun specialty = +15% Daze buff. Defensive Assist timing aligns with boss patterns (Avarus roll, Thanatos combo).
Soukaku: Ice damage + ATK buffs. Nicole: DEF reduction debuffs (15-20% team damage amp).
Team 1: Billy + Anby + Soukaku
Handles first-half via Billy's Physical vs Heavy Gunner/Guardian MK II. Soukaku's Ice clears Scout Jaegers + buffs Billy's burst. Anby builds universal Daze.
Rotation: Anby Defensive Assist groups Wave 1 Scouts. Billy follows with skills during group. Soukaku applies Ice + charges ultimate. Wave 2 Heavy Gunner requires dodge for floor bombs—Anby parries create safe DPS. Wave 3 Guardian MK II has unparriable laser—dodge timing required. Billy's range enables continuous damage. Soukaku ultimate at 15-20s syncs with first stun, amplifying Billy's CRIT DMG.
Team 2: Corin + Ben + Nicole
Second-half Ionized enemies favor Electric. Corin's burst aligns with +50% CRIT DMG vs Stunned. Ben shields absorb Farbauti stomps, maintaining Corin uptime. Nicole's DEF reduction amps Corin's burst.
Wave 1: Prioritize Cyrtoidea first to prevent support mechanics. Ben Defensive Assist groups for Corin AoE. Nicole debuffs during group.
Wave 2 Farbauti: 1.5s stomp windup. Ben shield absorbs, preventing Corin interrupt. Nicole ultimate at 40-50s provides DEF reduction for first stun.
Thanatos: 3-hit combo requires Defensive Assist parry on third strike. Ben's parry creates Weakened state, extending stun 3-4s. Corin ultimate syncs with extended window for max burst during +50% CRIT DMG.
Character Substitutions
Billy alternatives: Any Physical DPS works, +10-15s clear time due to kit differences.
Corin alternatives: Any Electric burst DPS—key is damage concentration in stun windows.
Anby: Irreplaceable in F2P for Stun specialty + +15% Daze buff synergy.
Soukaku: Any Ice support/ATK buffer works, though her kit is optimal.
Nicole: Other debuff supports viable, but standard banner accessibility + consistent uptime make her practical F2P choice.
Ben: Any defensive support absorbing Farbauti attacks without extended dodge animations.
90-Second Rotation Breakdown
0-15s: Aggressive Defensive Assist for Daze momentum. Anby deploys vs Scout Jaegers, 2 Defensive Assists to group + build Daze. Billy basic chains until group. Soukaku applies Ice, charges ultimate.
15-35s (First Stun): Anby's Daze triggers Heavy Gunner stun at 18-20s. Billy activates damage skills, exploiting +50% CRIT DMG. Soukaku ultimate at 22s provides ATK buffs for Billy's burst. Heavy Gunner falls at 30-32s.
35-60s (Mid-Fight): Energy management for Guardian MK II. Anby rebuilds Daze via basics + Defensive Assists, conserves ultimate. Billy maintains pressure, dodges laser at 45s. Soukaku reapplies buffs, builds energy.
First Stun Window: 15-35s
Heavy Gunner stun at 18-20s = 12s vulnerability. Billy's skill rotation prioritizes highest DPS abilities over energy-building.
Soukaku ultimate at 22s ensures max buff uptime during Billy's burst. ATK buff + +50% CRIT DMG = 2.5-3x non-stun damage.
Defensive Assist during stun extends duration via additional Daze. Anby parries during recovery animations add 2-3s, enabling full Billy rotations. Missing extensions loses 8-10s per phase.
Second Stun Window: 60-80s
Guardian MK II stun at 62-65s with proper Daze. Anby ultimate at 60s delivers concentrated Daze. Billy ultimate at 63s syncs with vulnerability + Soukaku buffs.
Chain Attack grants +1 Assist Point for back-to-back ultimates. Billy ultimate → Chain Attack → Anby Assist Follow-Up (+150% DMG) = 40-45% remaining HP in 8s.
Soukaku second ultimate at 72s provides final ATK buffs. Guardian falls at 78-82s with optimized sync. Desync or missed Chain Attack extends to 95-105s.
Finishing: 80-90s
Final 10s requires clean execution. Missed Defensive Assist or mistimed dodge breaks 90s. Billy basics finish HP while Anby maintains Defensive Assist readiness.
Preserve 30-40% energy on supports for faster second-half Wave 1, compounding time savings.
Second-half mirrors first-half timing: Nassellaria group 0-15s, Farbauti stun 15-35s, Thanatos burst 60-80s—same windows, different execution per attack patterns.
Character Build Priorities
Billy: 4pc Fanged Metal. Main stats: CRIT Rate (slot 4), Physical DMG (5), ATK% (6). Substats: CRIT Rate to 60-65%, then CRIT DMG + ATK%.
Anby: 4pc Shockstar Disco. Main stats: Impact% (5), Energy Regen (6). Impact% critical over CRIT stats. Energy Regen > CRIT for ultimate frequency.
Soukaku: 4pc Swing Jazz. Main stats: ATK% (4/5/6). Support scales from ATK → buff potency. Energy Regen substats increase ultimate uptime.
Budget W-Engines
Billy: Starlight Engine (A-rank)—CRIT Rate + ATK% scaling. Passive increases damage vs >50% HP enemies. Standard channel accessible.
Anby: Demara Battery Mark II (A-rank)—amplifies Daze + Energy Regen. Passive reduces skill cooldowns for more Defensive Assists. No F2P alternative matches synergy.
Soukaku: Precious Fossilized Core (A-rank) for team buffs, though any ATK% W-Engine delivers 80-90% performance. Prioritize Billy/Anby weapons first.
For faster progression: top up ZZZ Monochromes via BitTopup—secure, competitive pricing, instant delivery.
Skill Investment Priority
Billy: Basic > Special > Ultimate > Dodge Counter. Basic = consistent DPS, Special = burst, Ultimate = situational, Dodge = minimal (ranged positioning).
Anby: Ultimate > Special > Basic > Dodge Counter. Ultimate = concentrated Daze for stuns, Special = Daze during cooldowns, Basic = filler.
Soukaku: Ultimate > Special > Basic. Ultimate = team buffs for Billy's stun damage, Special = buff uptime + energy.
Minimum Stats for 90s Clears
Billy: 60% CRIT Rate, 120% CRIT DMG, 2000 ATK. Ensures consistent CRITs during +50% CRIT DMG windows. Lower CRIT Rate = RNG dependency extending times.
Anby: 180% Energy Regen, 140% Impact. <180% delays second ultimate past 60s, desynchronizing stun. <140% extends Daze accumulation past 20s first stun.
Soukaku: 1800 ATK, 160% Energy Regen. Buff potency scales from ATK. Can achieve 90s slightly below if Billy/Anby meet requirements.
Advanced Techniques
Perfect Assist Timing: Cancels enemy animations while applying +100% Daze. Input during 0.3s window before attack connects. Early = standard dodge without bonus, late = damage + interrupt.
Avarus Roll: Perfect Assist when visual roll begins (~0.5s before impact). 3 consecutive Perfect Assists interrupt roll, trigger stun 8-10s earlier = 90s vs 105s clears.
Thanatos Combo: Perfect Assist on third strike only. Dodge first two to preserve Assist Points. Window opens during overhead windup (0.4s before strike). Success = Weakened state, +3-4s stun extension.
Dodge Counter Windows
Dodge Counters provide I-frames for damage avoidance without repositioning.
Heavy Gunner Bombs: 1.2s danger zones. Dodge at 0.8s into telegraph = I-frames through explosion + counter-attack positioning.
Guardian Laser: 1.5s telegraph. Dodge at 1.2s = I-frames through beam + proximity maintained. Earlier dodge creates distance costing 2-3s repositioning.
Farbauti Stomp: Ground cracks 1.8s before impact. Dodge at 1.5s = I-frames + behind positioning for uninterrupted DPS. Alternative: Ben shield absorbs, preserving dodge.
Chain Attack Sequencing
Chain Attacks grant +1 Assist Point. Optimal: Billy ultimate → Anby Assist Follow-Up (+150% DMG) → Soukaku ultimate = 35-40% boss HP in 10s.
Time Chain Attacks during stun for +50% CRIT DMG multiplication. Billy ultimate at 63s during stun → Chain Attack with amplified damage. Assist Follow-Up inherits CRIT DMG buff, exceeding Billy ultimate by 20-30%.
Desynchronized Chain Attacks (outside stun) lose 40-50% effectiveness. Triggering during invulnerability or between stuns extends times 15-20s.
Ultimate Synchronization
Billy: Generates energy via basics (3%/hit), skills (8-12%/use). 100% by 60s requires: 2 skill rotations 0-30s, 1 rotation 30-45s, basics 45-60s.
Anby: Needs 180% Energy Regen minimum for 60s ultimate. Lower = 70-75s delay, desynchronizing Billy burst. Generation: Defensive Assists (15%), skills (10%), basics (2%). Pattern: 4 Defensive Assists + 2 skill rotations across 60s.
Soukaku: 22s and 72s timing needs 160% Energy Regen. Generation: skills (12%), basics (3%). Requires 3 skill rotations + filler basics. Delaying first ultimate past 25s loses ATK buff during Billy's first burst, reducing damage 15-20%.
Common Mistakes
Energy Starvation: Spamming damage skills 0-30s depletes points without building energy for 60s ultimate. Alternate damage skills with basic chains.
Assist Point Exhaustion: Overusing Defensive Assists 0-15s exhausts points before critical windows. Avarus roll at 25-30s needs 3 consecutive—depleted points can't interrupt, +12-15s extension.
Delayed Ultimates: Soukaku ultimate past optimal windows loses buff uptime during Billy burst. 22s must align with first stun—delays to 28-30s mean Billy's highest damage occurs unbuffed, -20-25% burst.
Mistimed Stuns
Triggering stun outside ultimate availability wastes +50% CRIT DMG. Aggressive Daze 45-55s triggers stun at 52-55s before Billy's 60s ultimate. Stun expires before burst, forcing rebuild = 110-120s clears.
Conservative Daze delays stun past ultimate. Avoiding Defensive Assists 50-60s fails stun until 68-70s after Billy ultimate energy decays. Forces ultimate outside stun, losing CRIT DMG multiplier.
Optimal: Maintain 70-80% stun gauge at 55s, precise trigger at 60-62s via controlled Defensive Assist. Syncs stun with ultimate for max +50% CRIT DMG window.
Attribute Resistance
Ignoring attribute matching loses 15-20% damage + shield break efficiency. +100% DMG to shields via weakness = attribute teams break Elite shields (30% max HP) in 4-6 attacks vs 10-12 neutral. 5s per shield compounds across Guardian/Thanatos.
Weakness attacks clear anomalies, preventing DoT interruptions. Ice/Ether weakness maintains clean DPS windows. Ignoring costs 3-5s per interrupt, accumulating to 15-20s total.
Overcommitting Attacks
Billy vs Guardian Laser: Continuing damage during 1.5s telegraph = interruption costing 4-6s recovery. Stop attacks at 1.0s into telegraph.
Corin vs Thanatos Combo: Melee range makes dodging third hit difficult without early repositioning. Pause damage at 0.8s into combo telegraph for clean Defensive Assist on third strike.
Soukaku Chasing: Chasing repositioning enemies wastes 2-3s per occurrence. Support role doesn't need constant damage—let enemies approach, maintain Defensive Assist positioning.
Ellen vs F2P Performance
Ellen's Ice-weak dominance: innate CRIT Rate scaling, Ice DMG amp, burst concentration. Ultimate delivers 250-300% more damage than Billy's, compressing 90s to 45-55s with comparable investment.
F2P bridges gap via execution + buff stacking. +50% CRIT DMG vs Stunned + +15% Ice/Ether + +150% Assist Follow-Up = multiplicative scaling elevating Billy to 60-70% Ellen output. With Perfect Assists + ultimate sync, F2P achieves 1.6-1.8x Ellen times (90s vs 50s).
Bridging the Gap
F2P compensates lower base damage through extended buff uptime + mechanics exploitation. Soukaku ATK buffs (+40-50%) amp Billy during stuns. Nicole DEF reduction (-20-25%) provides team-wide amp Ellen doesn't need.
+100% Defensive Assist Daze enables F2P stun frequency matching Ellen despite lower Daze/s. Anby's enhanced Defensive Assists build gauge at rates comparable to limited S-rank stunners.
Chain Attack optimization (+1 Assist Point): Billy ultimate → Chain Attack → Anby Follow-Up → Soukaku ultimate = 10s windows delivering 35-40% boss HP, approaching Ellen burst despite lower individual ability damage.
Skill Expression Requirements
F2P 90s demands near-perfect execution: 95%+ Perfect Assist accuracy, ±2s ultimate sync, zero telegraphed damage. Ellen achieves equivalent with 80-85% accuracy via higher base damage compensating errors.
Perfect Assist vs Avarus/Thanatos = highest skill expression. Missing one extends 8-12s. Ellen misses 1-2 and still clears 50-55s via raw damage.
Ultimate sync tolerances: F2P needs ±2s Billy ultimate/stun sync. Ellen maintains sub-60s with ±5s desync. Precision requirement creates skill ceiling separating 90s from 110-120s F2P attempts.
Resource Optimization
Billy/Anby = highest-value F2P investments. Billy's Physical extends beyond Node 7 into future Physical-weak cycles. Anby's Stun specialty ensures relevance across all Daze content. Drive Discs, W-Engines, skills provide returns across multiple cycles.
Soukaku value depends on roster—Ice DPS owners gain max value. Physical/Electric focus may prioritize alternatives. ATK buffs universal, but specialized supports like Nicole offer comparable amp for non-Ice.
Farming Priority
Drive Discs: 4pc Fanged Metal for Billy = 800-1000 stamina across 2-3 weeks. Main stats > substats—correct mains with acceptable subs outperform perfect subs with wrong mains.
Anby 4pc Shockstar: Similar stamina, but main stats (Impact% slot 5, Energy Regen 6) appear less frequently. Expect 3-4 weeks for minimum thresholds (180% Energy Regen, 140% Impact).
Skill Materials: Billy Basic/Special to 8, Anby Ultimate to 8, Soukaku Ultimate to 6. Costs ~2.5-3M Denny + 150-200 materials across 4-5 weeks daily farming.
Long-Term Value
F2P teams built for Node 7 maintain relevance via transferable mechanics. Perfect Assist timing, ultimate sync, stun exploitation apply universally regardless of enemy compositions. Execution investment = permanent skill development benefiting all future content.
Billy's Physical = viable in 40-50% future cycles (historical attribute distributions). Anby Stun specialty = 100% relevance in Daze content. Soukaku support = value in Ice compositions (25-30% future cycles).
720 Polychrome from Node 7 funds future acquisitions, creating progression loop where F2P clears generate resources for roster expansion. Consistent Shiyu clears accumulate 1440-2160 Polychrome/cycle (two Critical Nodes), enabling limited pulls every 2-3 cycles without spending.
Troubleshooting 90s Misses
Damage Audit: Billy should deal 8000-10000 damage/CRIT during stuns with minimum stats. Lower = insufficient CRIT Rate/DMG/ATK—review Drive Disc mains + W-Engine level before substats.
Anby Daze: First stun 18-22s, second 60-65s. Earlier = over-aggressive Defensive Assist depleting points. Later = insufficient Impact% or missed Defensive Assist opportunities.
Soukaku Buffs: 70-80% uptime covering Billy rotations. Lower = delayed ultimates or energy issues—verify 160% Energy Regen + review skill patterns.
Rotation Self-Assessment
Record attempts, review for: missed Perfect Assists, telegraphed damage taken, desynchronized ultimates, wasted skills during invulnerability. Each error costs 3-8s. 3-4 errors extend 90s to 110-120s.
Perfect Assist <90% accuracy = timing issues. Practice Defensive Assist inputs vs specific attacks in lower difficulty until muscle memory develops. Thanatos combo + Avarus roll = highest-value practice.
Ultimate sync errors = stuns without ultimate availability or ultimates outside stuns. Review energy generation, adjust skill timing to align ultimate availability with planned stun triggers at 20s and 65s.
Gear Verification
Billy: 60% CRIT Rate (slot 4 main + subs), 120% CRIT DMG (subs + W-Engine), 2000 ATK (slot 6 main + W-Engine). Missing any reduces damage 15-25%, extending proportionally.
Anby: 180% Energy Regen (slot 6 main + subs), 140% Impact (slot 5 main + subs). Lower delays ultimate + extends Daze accumulation, desynchronizing rotation.
Soukaku: 1800 ATK (mains + W-Engine), 160% Energy Regen (subs). Buff potency scales from ATK—insufficient reduces Billy buffed damage 10-15%, compounding across windows.
Practice Drills
Defensive Assist Timing: Practice Perfect Assists vs Avarus roll until 95%+ success. 0.3s window needs muscle memory via 20-30 reps. Transfer to Thanatos combo + other patterns.
Ultimate Sync: Practice energy rotations for Billy ultimate at exactly 60s across 10 attempts. ±2s consistency = sufficient mastery. Extend to Anby/Soukaku at 60s and 22/72s.
Full Rotation: Execute complete 90s rotations focusing on consistency over time. 5 consecutive clears with zero damage + 90%+ Perfect Assist = readiness for speed attempts. Gradually reduce times through optimization, not rushing.
FAQ
Can I clear without Billy or Corin?
Alternative Physical/Electric DPS work, +10-15s clear time due to kit differences. Core strategy—stun exploitation via enhanced Defensive Assist—remains viable with any DPS meeting minimums (60% CRIT Rate, 120% CRIT DMG, 2000 ATK). Billy/Corin optimal for F2P accessibility + kit synergy, not mandatory.
How much does RNG affect times?
Minimal (±3-5s) with proper execution. Enemy pattern variations create slight timing differences, but telegraphed attacks provide consistent Perfect Assist windows. 60%+ CRIT Rate ensures consistent stun damage, eliminating CRIT RNG. Energy generation deterministic based on skills, removing energy RNG. Primary variance = player execution, not random mechanics.
Is this viable for future cycles?
Core mechanics—Perfect Assist timing, ultimate sync, stun exploitation—transfer universally. Specific teams adjust per enemy attributes/resistances, but strategic framework applies. Billy/Anby maintain relevance in 40-50%/100% future cycles respectively (historical patterns). Execution skill investment = permanent value regardless of cycle requirements.
Where to get Polychrome efficiently?
Shiyu Defense = 720 Polychrome/Critical Node (1440-2160/full cycle). Daily missions, events, story generate additional F2P Polychrome. For accelerated progression: BitTopup offers secure, competitively-priced top-ups with instant delivery, excellent service, high ratings for Zenless Zone Zero resources. Strategic allocation toward Billy/Anby maximizes F2P efficiency.
Minimum investment for 90s?
Billy: Lv50, skills 8/8/6/4 (Basic/Special/Ultimate/Dodge), 4pc Fanged Metal correct mains, A-rank W-Engine Lv50.
Anby: Lv50, skills 6/6/8/4, 4pc Shockstar correct mains, A-rank W-Engine Lv50.
Soukaku: Lv45, skills 4/4/6, any ATK Drive Discs, W-Engine Lv40.
Total: 3-4 weeks focused farming, ~4-5M Denny.
Can I use this if I have Ellen?
F2P strategy functions independently of Ellen ownership, enabling Ellen deployment in alternative compositions or reserving for future cycles. Billy/Anby/Soukaku clears Node 7 efficiently enough to free Ellen for second-half or different content. Maximizes roster utilization across multiple Shiyu nodes simultaneously, optimizing total Polychrome/cycle.