This comprehensive Zenless Zone Zero tier list analyzes all DPS and support characters in the Version 2.x meta, ranking agents from SS-Tier must-haves like Miyabi and Yixuan to situational picks. Updated through October 2025 with latest character additions including Lucia and Manato.
How We Actually Rank These Characters (And Why It Matters)
Look, I've seen too many tier lists that throw characters into arbitrary buckets without explaining the why behind it all. Here's how we're breaking this down.
Damage output is king – we're talking sub-150 second Shiyu Defense clears and hitting 20,000+ Deadly Assault points within those brutal 3-minute windows. No fluff, just raw performance numbers.
Team flexibility separates the wheat from the chaff. Nicole's 25-33% DEF shred with that gorgeous 8-meter pull? That's versatility you can build around. Compare that to faction-locked specialists who sit on the bench half the time.
Ease of use matters more than people admit. Sure, that frame-perfect combo looks amazing in theory, but can you actually pull it off when the boss is breathing down your neck? We prioritize characters with comfortable execution – automatic chain attacks, essential swap cancels, the works.
Every agent gets the full treatment: Core Skills 11/12, optimal S-Rank Drive Discs, signature W-Engines. S-Rank characters tested at Mindscape 0 because let's be realistic about what most players can achieve.
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SS-Tier DPS: The Absolute Monsters
Miyabi isn't just good – she's game-changing. This Anomaly DPS powerhouse delivers absolutely massive Frostburn damage through her Basic Attack - Shimotsuki combos.
The Fallen Frost point system? Pure genius. It enables enhanced rotations that feel smooth as silk, especially when you pair her with the Hailstorm Shrine W-Engine.
Her Level 60 stats tell the story: HP 7673, ATK 880, CRIT Rate 19.4%. Those numbers support both Anomaly Proficiency builds and traditional crit setups. She's triggering Disorder effects left and right in mono-Ice teams while applying consistent Frost buildup. Frostbite, Freeze, Shatter – she does it all.
Yixuan represents everything beautiful about Rupture mechanics. Sheer Force damage that completely ignores enemy defenses? Yes, please. Her dual-Ultimate system combined with flight mechanics gives you positioning flexibility that other DPS characters can only dream about.
Here's what's wild – her HP-scaling damage (Level 60: HP 7673, DEF 606, ATK 880) opens up build alternatives beyond the typical CRIT-focused approach. Pair her with Ju Fufu for Ultimate/Chain Attack buffs plus CRIT DMG enhancement, and you've got yourself a low-competition team environment that just works.
Evelyn rounds out our SS-Tier through Chain Attack specialization and absolutely ridiculous boss performance. Her Burning Embers system builds through basic attacks, enabling enhanced attacks and those satisfying Burning Tether applications.
The core passive is where things get spicy – +25% CRIT Rate in Binding Seal state (auto-triggered on swap-out), with additional damage bonuses above 80% CRIT Rate. It's elegant design that rewards good play without being overly punishing.
S-Tier Support: The Team Enablers You Actually Want
Astra Yao sets the support meta standard, and honestly? It's not even close.
Her Idyllic Cadenza Mode provides comprehensive team enhancement while keeping her invulnerable off-field.
Think about what she brings: simultaneous ATK/DMG buffs, Tremolo attack enhancement, automatic Quick Assists, healing, AND Ultimate-upgraded Chain Attacks. Her Level 60 stats (HP 8609, DEF 600, ATK 715) maintain solid durability while focusing entirely on making your team better.
Yuzuha specializes in Anomaly team optimization – if you're running anomaly comps, she's basically mandatory. Her Tanuki Wish system activates through EX Special/Ultimate abilities, delivering team ATK buffs that scale with her personal ATK plus anomaly mastery enhancements.
Our testing shows Yuzuha boosting anomaly damage from baseline 35% to enhanced 60% levels. That's not incremental improvement – that's transformative.
Lucia serves as the premier Rupture support through her Dream Points system. It accumulates via Whim/Harmony attacks, and when Dream State activates? You get Ether Veil team maximum HP buffs while her off-field Aftershock provides consistent HP-scaling damage. Darkbreaker specifically amplifies Sheer Force damage for Rupture characters, which is exactly what you want.
A-Tier: Solid Investments That Won't Let You Down
Jane Doe maintains strong positioning through exceptional mobility and Assault Anomaly damage.
Her Passion Stream system enables Salchow Jump execution – and this is important – it's uninterruptible critical Assault with damage reduction. You get offensive power AND defensive utility in one package.
The high mobility and double-dodge mechanics create positioning control that feels almost unfair against slower bosses.
Ellen Joe represents premier Ice Attack DPS through multi-slash basic attacks and dodge combinations. Her Freeze/Shatter application creates strong elemental synergy, while Roaming state provides speed/mastery bonuses that stack beautifully. The Version 2.0 rework added critical hit buffs to ultimate, dash, and basic attacks – she's in a really good spot right now.
Zhu Yuan excels as ranged Ether DPS, switching between melee/ranged modes while building Enhanced Shotshells through EX Special charges. Her Enhanced Shotshell system delivers the highest burst multipliers available in Version 1.0 content. Still competitive, still worth investing in.
Burnice offers exceptional off-field value through Scorch buildup and Afterburn damage systems. Her EX Special fire streams provide Burn application while maintaining mobility – you're not locked into clunky animations. The off-field Afterburn assists create consistent damage supplementation that adds up over longer fights.
B-Tier & Situational Picks: Niche But Not Useless
Soldier 11 provides beginner-friendly Fire DPS with straightforward mechanics and high damage against stunned enemies. Her Fire Suppression timing system delivers core buffs while maintaining pseudo-tank durability through high HP/ATK stats. Not flashy, but reliable.
Piper serves as your budget Anomaly option, building Power stacks through EX Special/Ultimate for anomaly buildup and Assault damage. Her Tire Spin AoE provides anti-interrupt frames and damage reduction – useful when you're learning fight patterns.
Koleda delivers high Daze and Chain DMG boosts against stunned enemies. Air Basic Attacks provide invincibility frames, which is genuinely useful for dodging specific attacks. Her synergy with Ben creates substantial Basic, EX Special, and Ultimate improvements.
Anby represents the quintessential free unit option. High Impact through Thunderbolt system, and that third Basic hit hold mechanic delivers bonus Daze and chain potential. Energy/attack buffs with Electric/Slash allies provide team utility that scales with your roster.
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Version 2.x Meta: What Actually Changed
The October 15, 2025 update introduced significant meta shifts through Lucia/Manato additions while implementing character rebalancing. Rupture empowerment emerged as the dominant theme – and honestly, it was about time.
Harder boss encounters are diminishing Disorder effectiveness for traditional Anomaly setups. It's not that Disorder is bad, but Rupture's defense-ignoring mechanics are proving more reliable against tankier content.
Lucia's SS-Tier Support addition created entirely new Rupture team optimization paths, while Manato joined S-Tier as an accessible A-Rank Rupture DPS. The September 24, 2025 addition of Orphie/Magus expanded Aftershock possibilities through Heat Charge system and Obol Squad synergy.
Soldier 0 Anby received substantial buffs elevating her to T0.5 positioning. Particularly with Orphie synergy and the growing Aftershock meta, she's become genuinely competitive. Nicole gained Expert tag recognition for T0 potential through skilled crowd control and DEF shred maximization – she's always been good, but now people are finally recognizing it.
Team Building: Making These Characters Work Together
Disorder compositions centered around Miyabi demonstrate optimal synergy through elemental mixing and Fallen Frost management.
The core setup pairs Miyabi with Yanagi for Polarity Disorder nukes, supported by Yuzuha for ATK/Anomaly buffs. It's elegant, it's powerful, and it feels great to play.
Rupture teams featuring Yixuan capitalize on low resource competition and specialized buffs. Optimal composition includes Yixuan as primary DPS, Ju Fufu for off-field Daze/CRIT DMG buffs, and Lucia for HP buffs/healing support. The synergy here is almost unfair.
Aftershock compositions built around Soldier 0 Anby leverage the expanding meta through coordinated burst windows. Core synergy pairs S0 Anby with Trigger for off-field Purge management and Orphie/Magus for ATK/Aftershock amplification.
Investment Priorities: Where to Spend Your Resources
New players should prioritize free units like Anby/Nicole while saving for confirmed S-Tier limited characters.
Your core team requires one DPS, one Stun, one Support at minimum. Level 60 and Core Skills 11/12 are essential thresholds – don't spread yourself too thin early on.
Mid-game players benefit from focused S-Tier investment like Miyabi or Astra Yao. Avoid high-investment niche options without proper support infrastructure. Team flexibility becomes crucial here – Nicole's universal utility remains valuable across compositions.
Endgame optimization demands careful resource allocation between multiple viable teams for different content types. Limited supports like Astra Yao/Yuzuha provide broader impact than additional DPS characters due to multiplicative support buffs. One great support can elevate multiple teams.
Common Mistakes (And How I've Seen Players Waste Resources)
Over-investing in B-Tier characters without proper synergy represents frequent resource traps. Characters like Anton require specific Shock teams to achieve competitive performance – don't build him expecting universal utility.
Neglecting team flexibility for single DPS focus creates rigidity that struggles with diverse content requirements. Poor element mixing misses Disorder opportunities representing significant damage loss.
Caesar over-investment exemplifies clunky composition mistakes – her defensive pacing creates team flow issues that off-field Stuns handle more efficiently. She's not bad, but she's often not the answer players think she is.
FAQ
Q: Who are the current SS-Tier must-have characters? Miyabi, Yixuan, Evelyn lead DPS rankings; Astra Yao, Yuzuha, Lucia dominate support roles with the highest performance ceilings in Version 2.x content.
Q: How often does the tier list change? Major updates occur monthly with version releases, minor adjustments with character additions. The October 15, 2025 update shifted meta toward Rupture mechanics pretty significantly.
Q: Should I prioritize limited characters over standard banner options? Limited supports like Astra Yao/Yuzuha provide broader team impact than most DPS. Standard characters like Nicole remain viable, but limited options offer superior performance ceilings.
Q: Which characters work best for beginners? Nicole/Anby provide excellent free options; Miyabi or Astra Yao represent optimal limited targets. Focus on one complete team before expanding – trust me on this one.
Q: How do I evaluate character investment worth? Assess damage output, team flexibility, ease of use. Avoid characters requiring specific teams or high skill execution without proper support infrastructure.
Q: What's the difference between Disorder and Rupture compositions? Disorder teams mix elements for additional damage when anomalies override; Rupture teams use Sheer Force damage ignoring enemy defenses. Rupture currently shows stronger performance due to defense-ignoring mechanics against tankier content.