Support agents in Zenless Zone Zero need strategic skill investment to avoid material waste. Prioritizing Special Attack and Core Skills to Level 5 while keeping Basic Attack at Level 1-3 saves over 800,000 Dennies and 66 Certification Seals per agent. This guide covers exact skill priorities, material costs, and investment strategies for mid-game progression.
Understanding Support Agent Roles
Support agents like Soukaku, Rina, Nicole, Alexandrina, Astra, Luciana, and Ukinami operate through quick rotations focused on buff application and debuffs rather than sustained damage. They spend 3-5 seconds on field per rotation using Special Attack or EX Special to apply effects before swapping out.
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Support vs DPS Distinction
Supports amplify teams rather than deal personal damage. Nicole provides defense shred, Soukaku grants ATK buffs, Rina delivers PEN Ratio increases. Their Basic Attacks scale poorly compared to Special and Ultimate skills which directly enhance buff potency, debuff duration, and energy generation.
Field Time Analysis
Optimal rotations prioritize damage windows on DPS agents. Supports enter for Quick Assist energy generation, Special Attack buff application, or Ultimate during stun phases—consuming 2-4 seconds max before swapping back. Basic Attack strings require 5-8 seconds to complete, time that generates more damage on DPS agents. This makes Basic Attack investment a resource trap.
Core Support Functions
Supports contribute through three mechanics that don't scale with Basic Attack:
Quick Assist: Energy generation and positioning (timing-based, not skill level)
Defensive Assist: Depends on Assist skill level, not Basic Attack
Buffs/Debuffs: Scale with Special Attack, Ultimate, and Core Skill levels
Soukaku's ATK buff increases with Special Attack level. Nicole's defense reduction strengthens through Special and Core Skill investment. Special Attack Level 5 and Core Skill Level 5 are universal priorities.
The Material Crisis
Mid-game progression (Inter-Knot Level 35-50) creates severe bottlenecks that punish inefficient investment.
Dennies Scarcity
Agent promotions from Level 20-60 consume 800,000 Dennies per character:
1st Promotion (Lv20): 24,000 Dennies
2nd Promotion (Lv30): 56,000 Dennies
3rd Promotion (Lv40): 120,000 Dennies
4th Promotion (Lv50): 200,000 Dennies
5th Promotion (Lv60): 400,000 Dennies
Managing three core members demands 2.4 million Dennies before skill upgrades.
Combat Chip Limitations
Basic Attack Level 10-60 requires 4 Basic, 32 Advanced, and 30 Pioneer's Certification Seals plus 800,000 Dennies. Second team unlocks at Inter-Knot Level 7, creating pressure to distribute resources across six agents minimum.
Weekly Boss Bottlenecks
Core Skill upgrades require Higher Dimensional Data and Exuvia of Refinement:
Core Skill A: 5,000 Dennies + 2 Higher Dimensional Data
Core Skill B: 12,000 Dennies + 4 Higher Dimensional Data
Core Skill C: 28,000 Dennies + 2 Exuvia + 9 Higher Dimensional Data
Core Skill D: 60,000 Dennies + 3 Exuvia + 15 Higher Dimensional Data
Core Skill E: 100,000 Dennies + 4 Exuvia + 30 Higher Dimensional Data
Core Skill F: 200,000 Dennies + 60 Higher Dimensional Data
Real Cost Analysis
Leveling one support's Basic Attack Level 10-60 consumes 800,000 Dennies and 66 Certification Seals. This same investment could fund Core Skill A-C on three supports, providing team-wide buff improvements. A support's Basic Attack at Level 60 adds 5,000-8,000 damage per rotation during 3-second field time. Same resources in Special Attack across three supports increases team damage by 50,000+ through enhanced DPS buff potency.
Basic Attack Mechanics Explained
Scaling Disadvantages
Supports have 15-25% lower base ATK than Attack-class agents. Each Basic Attack level adds 8-12% damage multipliers. For 800 base ATK support, this translates to 64-96 damage per level. DPS agents with 1,200 base ATK gain 96-144 damage from identical investment.
Damage Comparison
Soukaku's Basic Attack at Level 1 deals 3,000-4,000 damage per combo. Level 12 increases this to 6,000-7,000—a 3,000-4,000 gain requiring 800,000 Dennies. DPS Basic Attack investment yields 12,000 to 22,000 damage—a 10,000 improvement from identical resources. That's 3x better efficiency.
Actual Usage
Optimal rotations: swap to support → Special Attack/EX Special → Quick Assist → swap to DPS. This takes 2-3 seconds with no Basic Attack inputs. Basic Attacks occur only during emergencies (energy recovery, repositioning, mistimed swaps)—less than 10% of combat time.
The 3-Second Rule
Frame data shows supports average 3-5 seconds field time per 20-second rotation (15-25% allocation). During this window: one Special Attack (1-1.5s), potentially one Ultimate (2-3s), swap mechanics (0.5s). Basic Attacks don't fit without sacrificing DPS uptime.
Complete Skill Priority Framework
Priority Tier 1: Special Attack and Core Skill
Always level first. These directly scale buff potency, debuff effectiveness, and energy generation. Soukaku's Special Attack Level 5 maximizes ATK buff. Grace Howard's Special Level 5 and Core Level 5 optimize shock application.
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Recommended path: unlock Special Attack Level 5 after 2nd Promotion (Agent Level 30), then push Core Skill to Level C (28,000 Dennies, 2 Exuvia, 9 Higher Dimensional Data). This provides 80% maximum effectiveness for ~150,000 Dennies.
Priority Tier 2: Ultimate and Assist
Ultimate receives secondary priority after Special/Core reach Level 5. Nicole's Ultimate Level 3 offers sufficient debuff application. Soukaku's Ultimate Level 3 provides adequate ATK buff duration.
Assist skills warrant Level 3-4 depending on kit. Nicole's Assist reaches Level 4 due to frequent swaps. Ben's Assist hits Level 3 for protective capabilities.
Sweet spot: Ultimate Level 3-5 costs ~80,000 Dennies with substantial improvements. Levels 4-5 require disproportionate resources for diminishing returns.
Priority Tier 3: Dodge
Minimal investment, typically Level 1-3. Nicole's Dodge reaches Level 3 for positioning during debuff windows. Soukaku and Rina stay at Level 1. Ben's Dodge hits Level 3 for survivability during tanking.
Priority Tier 4: Basic Attack
Skip until late endgame. Remains Level 1-3 until all other skills reach targets and Core Skills achieve Level C minimum. Soukaku optimal: Basic 1, Dodge 1, Assist 1, Special 5, Ultimate 3, Core 5. Grace: Basic 2. Rina: Basic 2.
Breakpoint for Basic Attack investment: all team members have Special 5, Core C minimum, Ultimate 3+, sufficient W-Engine/Drive Disc optimization. For most players, this arrives 60-90 days into progression.
Skill Breakpoint Chart
Special Attack: Level 5 (mandatory)
Core Skill: Level C minimum, Level E for mains
Ultimate: Level 3-5 based on buff scaling
Assist Skills: Level 1-4 based on swap frequency
Dodge: Level 1-3 for positioning-dependent agents only
Basic Attack: Level 1-3, upgrade only after all others complete
Agent-Specific Investment Guide
Soukaku: Basic 1, Dodge 1, Assist 1, Special 5, Ultimate 3, Core 5
Ice Support Slash agent. Kit revolves around ATK buff via Special Attack and Ice amplification via Core Skill. Enters field, executes Special, swaps immediately. Spends 2-3 seconds on field, never completes Basic strings. Basic Attack contributes <2% team damage. 800,000 Dennies to max it could fund Special 5 and Core C on two additional supports.
Rina: Basic 2, Dodge 1, Assist 1, Special 5, Ultimate 1, Core 5
Electric Support Strike. Electrical field scales exclusively with Special and Core. Ultimate sits at Level 1 because value derives from persistent fields, not burst damage. Basic 2 only from early natural progression—further investment provides zero benefit to PEN Ratio buffs.
Lucy: Basic 5, Dodge 2, Assist 3, Special 5, Ultimate 3, Core 5
Fire Support Strike hybrid with damage components justifying Basic Attack investment after core functions complete. Special 5 and Core 5 take absolute priority. Basic reaches 5 only in late-game with excess resources. New players: Special/Core first, Basic at 1-3 until other teams optimize.
Nicole: Basic 3, Dodge 3, Assist 4, Special 5, Ultimate 3, Core 5
Ether Support Strike. Defense shred scales with Special and Core (mandatory Level 5). Higher Dodge (3) and Assist (4) reflect active swap patterns. Basic 3 represents early natural progression, not intentional investment.
Ben & Piper
Ben (Basic 3, Dodge 3, Assist 3, Special 5, Ultimate 3, Core 5): Tank-support hybrid needing balanced survivability. Piper (Basic 3, Dodge 1, Assist 2, Special 5, Ultimate 4, Core 5): Anomaly-focused with higher Ultimate priority. Both maintain Special 5 and Core 5 as absolutes. Basic 3 is practical ceiling for support-class.
Material Cost Breakdown
Dennies by Level
Basic Attack Level 10-60:
Lv10-20: 24,000 Dennies + 4 Basic Seals
Lv20-30: 56,000 Dennies + 12 Advanced Seals
Lv30-40: 120,000 Dennies + 20 Advanced Seals
Lv40-50: 200,000 Dennies + 10 Pioneer's Seals
Lv50-60: 400,000 Dennies + 20 Pioneer's Seals
Total: 800,000 Dennies, 66 total Seals
Core Skill Efficiency
Core C costs 45,000 Dennies total—5.6% of maxing Basic Attack while providing dramatically higher team damage. Core E requires 205,000 Dennies, still 25% cheaper than Basic 60, delivering passive bonuses affecting every rotation.
ROI Comparison
45,000 Dennies in Core C on Soukaku increases team damage 8-12% through enhanced ATK buff affecting every DPS damage instance (70-80% of team damage). 800,000 Dennies in Basic 60 on Soukaku increases her damage 3,000-4,000 per rotation. Since she contributes 5-8% team damage, this is 0.3-0.5% total increase—20-40x worse ROI.
Common Mistakes
Misconception #1: Equal Skill Levels
Balanced investment wastes ~400,000 Dennies per support on Basic/Dodge providing negligible value. Correct framework prioritizes by impact. Soukaku's 1/1/1/5/3/5 distribution is optimal despite wildly unbalanced numbers.
Misconception #2: Higher Numbers = Better
A support with Special 5, Core 5, Ultimate 3, Basic 1 outperforms all skills at Level 3. Performance derives from strategic allocation, not total skill sum.
Mistake #3: Basic Before Ultimate
Nicole's Ultimate Level 3 applies defense shred amplifying all damage during debuff window—exceeds Basic Attack at any level. Sequence Ultimate 3 before Basic gets any investment.
Recovery Strategy
Halt all Basic Attack investment on supports immediately
Redirect resources to Special 5 on under-invested supports
Push Core Skills to Level C on all actives
Resume promotions and Ultimate leveling once Special/Core hit targets
Consider Basic only after 60+ days focused optimization
Over-investing three supports' Basic to Level 40 wastes ~1.2 million Dennies and 150+ Seals—requiring 3-4 weeks farming to regenerate.
Advanced Optimization
Weekly Resource Planning
Mon-Wed: Farm Certification Seals for Special Attack upgrades
Thu-Fri: Collect Higher Dimensional Data from weekly bosses for Core progression
Sat-Sun: Dennies farming through commissions and material conversion
Spread resources across 3-4 core members rather than completing one while others stagnate.
Shiyu Defense Minimums
Supports need Special 5 and Core C minimum for sufficient buff potency. Ultimate 3 necessary for energy generation and burst windows. Basic Attack levels remain irrelevant—optimal strategies minimize support field time regardless of difficulty.
F2P 30/60/90 Day Plans
Days 1-30: Three core agents (one DPS, two supports) to Agent Level 40, Special 5, Core C. Zero Basic Attack investment.
Days 31-60: Second team (three agents). Maintain Special 5/Core C priority while first team pursues Core E and Ultimate 5. Begin selective Basic on primary DPS only.
Days 61-90: Both teams to Level 50+, Core E minimum, all relevant skills 5+. Consider support Basic only if all else completes and excess accumulates.
Basic Attack Investment Checklist
Only invest in support Basic Attack after:
All actives reach Level 50+ with 4th Promotion
Every support has Special 5 and Core C minimum
Primary supports achieve Core E
All Ultimates reach Level 5 where meaningful
Assist/Dodge reach recommended levels
Primary DPS complete full optimization including Basic 12
W-Engine/Drive Disc 80%+ complete on actives
Excess Dennies accumulate beyond immediate needs
For most players: 90-120 days into progression.
Action Plan
New Support Checklist
Lv1-20: Natural progression to 2-3, reach 1st Promotion
Lv20-30: 2nd Promotion, immediately Special to 5, begin Core to B
Lv30-40: Complete Core C, Ultimate to 3, assess Assist/Dodge
Lv40-50: 3rd/4th Promotions, Core to E if primary support, Ultimate to 5 if relevant
Lv50-60: 5th Promotion only after others complete earlier phases, Basic only if checklist done
Quick Reference by Agent
Skip Basic (Lv1-2 Max): Soukaku, Rina, Alexandrina, Astra
Minimal Basic (Lv2-3 Max): Nicole, Ben, Grace, Ukinami
Conditional Basic (Lv3-5 After Core Complete): Lucy, Piper
Weekly Farming Priority
Higher Dimensional Data from weekly bosses (Core C-E)
Advanced Attack Seals (Special 5 on new supports)
Exuvia of Refinement (Core D-E on primaries)
Pioneer's Seals (Ultimate 5 where scales)
Avoid: Basic Attack Seals for supports until endgame checklist completes
60-90 Day Roadmap
Month 1: Three core agents to Lv40, Special 5, Core C. Primary DPS Basic 7+. Supports Basic 1-2.
Month 2: Second team to Lv40. First team to Lv50, Core E. All six actives Special 5, Core C minimum. Begin Ultimate optimization to 5.
Month 3: Both teams Lv50+. All supports Core E. DPS full optimization. Consider support Basic only if excess exists.
FAQ
Should I level basic attack for supports in ZZZ?
No. Maintain Basic 1-3 max until all other skills reach optimal levels. Special 5 and Core 5 provide 20-40x better ROI. The 800,000 Dennies and 66 Seals to max Basic should fund Special/Core across multiple members.
What skills to prioritize for supports?
Special 5 and Core 5 first, then Ultimate 3-5 and situational Assist. Applies to all supports including Soukaku, Rina, Nicole, Lucy. Basic gets investment only after higher-impact skills complete and excess accumulates (typically 90+ days).
How much to max all skills?
~4.8 million Dennies per agent plus hundreds of Seals. But optimal builds never max all—supports need only Special 5, Core 5, Ultimate 3-5, selective Assist, totaling ~300,000-500,000 Dennies for full optimization excluding promotions.
Which supports need basic attack upgrades?
None require beyond Level 1-3. Hybrids like Lucy may justify Basic 5 after core functions complete (late-game luxury). Soukaku, Rina, Nicole, Alexandrina, Astra, Ukinami all perform optimally with Basic 1-2.
How to recover from over-investing?
Halt Basic investment immediately. Redirect to Special 5 and Core C on under-invested members. Recovery takes 2-4 weeks depending on severity. Future efficiency improves immediately upon adopting correct priorities.
Special Attack vs EX Special difference?
Special Attack is the skill from holding Special button. EX Special is enhanced version consuming energy. Both scale with Special Attack skill level. Special 5 maximizes both standard and EX effectiveness.
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