Zenless Zone Zero has a unique and dynamic combat system, the use of which may raise many questions. At the same time, having understood its basic principles, you will easily complete even the most complex game content. From our guide you can learn about all the basic principles of the ZZZ combat system: description of techniques and their use; dodging and parrying; changing agents and the “Help” system, as well as elemental damage and choosing Banbu.
Basics of the Zenless Zone Zero combat system
The gameplay in ZZZ can hardly be called monotonous; you just need to try out any of the agents added to the game – squad members, which we described in detail in a separate guide with a tier list of the best heroes.
The two pillars on which all of ZZZ's combat rests are definitely parrying and dodging. These mechanics test the reaction and strategic thinking, without which you will not be able to keep up with the dynamics of the battle, which means you will pass a generous portion of enemy damage through your squad. It is worth noting that in this Null Zone is friendly to both beginners and experienced players – in ZZZ there are enough battle modes like the Abyss from Genshin Impact or the Virtual Universe from HSR.
Dodging and parrying are not only important in the game – they are interconnected, and in some ways even interchangeable. Their goal is approximately the same: to avoid damage and carry out a counterattack against the attacker. First, let's look at what buttons the ZZZ combat interface is equipped with, and then discuss how to implement them.
Description and purpose of the buttons
In terms of the complexity of the interface, ZZZ is more reminiscent of Wuthering Waves than its older comrades to the general development studio: it doesn’t all end with the standard basic attack, E-shke and Q-shke. In the table below we will look at what the local buttons can do:
| Basic attack: is used to accumulate energy and the stun scale on enemies, activate combo chains and special techniques of some agents. |
| Special attack or E-shka: a more complex technique, when energy accumulates, it is converted into a special one (the key is colored). |
| Enhanced Special Attack: A unique heavy maneuver that consumes a bar of accumulated energy. More effective against stunnedenemies. |
| Dodge: a technique that basically helps to avoid an enemy’s blow. If you use it in time in battle, you will launch Perfect Dodge – parrying an attack, in which you can not only avoid the blow, but also carry out a counterattack with increased damage. |
| Chain of attacks: this is a collective combo of attacks for allied agents (if there are at least 2 of them), which is launched in QTE scenes after pressing E-shki on a stunned enemy. Such maneuvers restore assistance points and make a big impact on finishing off the enemy. |
| Super ability: a strong combat technique activated after achieving 3000 points on the decibel scale. Only one squad member can be activated at a time. |
| Character change: changes the active hero to the next one followed by an ally from the pocket (in the order of the squad). Using it during an enemy attack, you activate Perfect Assist – a special maneuver in which an ally entering the field instantly blocks (“Defense Assist”) or distances himself from the attacker by performing at the same time, a retaliatory attack technique (“Evasion Assistance”). If the hero is hit by a stunning blow, a window appears for Quick Assist – an attack with a change of hero, ready to retaliate against the enemy. |
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As you can see, there are not only more buttons here – they, under certain conditions, can transform into more powerful versions of themselves, which is also accompanied by a change in animation.
HP and energy scale
The two main stats of your heroes (HP and energy) are always displayed in the upper left corner of the screen. If everything is clear with the health scale, then the energy in the ZZZ works a little differently: it is needed to accumulate a enhanced special attack, which means without a sufficient amount of it, we will not be able to activate this version of E-shki with unique ones for everyone agent effect.
There are a couple of main ways to accumulate energy:
- Passively from the pocket (depending on the recovery speed of the individual hero);
- When completing all types of attacks by the active hero (except for ults and any E-sheks);
To somehow increase its base accumulation, pay attention to the recovery or energy generation stat in “artifacts” (master disks) and weapons.
Enemy characteristics: stun
Enemies, like our squad, have a health block, but the lower scale is the stun level. At the beginning of the fight it is at zero, but gradually accumulates from any attacks. When the entire bar is filled to 100, the enemy will fall into a stupor, and all hits against him will be dealt with increased damage (at least by 150%).
While the enemy is knocked out, the squad can launch a combo chain (the main thing is that there are at least two units in the team). And at this moment, it is time to use the accumulated ultimate, preferably for the strongest member of the squad. The condition does not last long, and after recovery you will have to start all over again.
To increase the efficiency of filling the stun bar, look for the “Impulse” stat in your equipment – the higher it is, the faster the agent will fill the enemy’s immobilization scale.
Important combat techniques
Types of evasion and counterattacks
There are several types of evasion in ZZZ, and the simplest of them is evasion by an active squad member. On a PC, this action is pressed with RMB (or left Shift).
With sound and light signal from the enemy, you must have time to press dodge: The hero will enter a brief state of invulnerability (the surroundings will turn gray and time will slow down). In this short period you can fit a unique counterattack (basic strike) – the main thing is to have time to hit the enemy.
There are two ways to avoid enemy damage:
- «Perfect Evasion” – a timely dodge from an attack for the active hero;
- “Perfect Assistance” – the ability to avoid an attack by switching to an ally;
The “Ideal Assists” include: parrying “Defense Assist” and distancing “Evasion Assist”. In the first case, the agent blocks the blow with his weapon and accelerates the enemy's stun, and in the second case, he moves away to a certain distance from the attacker and counterattacks. Both actions require assistance points.
Tips: try to take at least one hero with “Dodge Assist” in your pack to be able to dodge unblockable attack. You can find out the type of agent assistance in the skills section (description of the third “Help” icon).
counterattack.
Change agent and help points
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The mechanics of changing the active unit (agent) is another standard technique on which other types of combat techniques depend. On a PC, such a switch is made with a spacebar (space). If your team consists of at least 2 heroes, you can freely switch between them in formation order(slot 1 → slot 2 → slot 3).
The change key is surrounded by six sectors – these are the “Help” stacks of allies. They are restored from an ultimate (3 stacks) or combo hits (1 stack), and are spent on “Perfect Help”. If you don't have help points, the hero who enters the field will simply dodge the attack.
When to dodge: enemy signals
For your dodge to be successful, you need to get into the timing of a special signal: in battle, pay attention to the glare of light and a short sound – this is how the game warns that we are now under attack.
You can control not only the attacks of the enemies you see in front of you: those that are out of sight are displayed under the model of our character with a gray arrow, each of which points in the direction of the enemy – as soon as it starts blinking, it’s time to dodge.
Sometimes enemies show red signals – such attacks cannot be avoided either independently or with the help of a squad. However, there is an exception: most often this light means that the monster's attack cannot be blocked (Defense Assist), but can be dodged (“Dodge Assist ») by another member of the squad. This type of retreat is available to those agents who have a weapon “inappropriate” for the block: a pistol or puppets, like Rina.
Let's add that if the enemy uses small arms against you (machine guns, machine guns, etc.), you can repel them by switching to a character with a sword and then using sprint. The hero will run forward, waving his blade and repel all the bullets flying at him.
Ulta and decibel scale
The super ability, or Q-shka (on PC) needs no introduction, but ZZZ’s combat was able to distinguish itself here too: under the squad icons in There is a decibel counter in the upper left corner, and it is needed to activate the ult (until it is filled, the action will simply be inactive).
As soon as this counter stops at 3 thousand, the Q key will light up yellow. Remember that this ability can only be used by one squad member.
Tips for filling the ultimate gauge:
- The superpower accumulates from any combat techniques, be it regular attacks, combos or dodges;
- Best used on stunned enemies to make the greatest impact;
- If the ultimate is prepared for the start of the battle, it is worth reset it before stun – after 3000, the decibels do not reach with a reserve;
- The fastest way to accumulate ultimate is the “Defense Assistance” mechanic. By engaging allies with weapons suitable for parrying, you will gain more decibels than any other technique.
Combo attacks
One of the most enjoyable moments of interaction between the entire squad is the chain of attacks. As mentioned above, they are activated after you put the enemy into a stun state. To start a combo, you need to hit the target with a heavy attack. These can be:
- Any of the E-shki variants (special and enhanced special attacks);
- A heavy basic attack that completes a series of hits (usually the 5th) ;
- Evade Counterattack;
- Ultimate;
- Also a series of combos, if after the first chain the enemy is still in the camp.
Attack chains are a QTE element, which means you must have time to press through them (literally a few seconds are given for this): press the right or left mouse button (PC) to select one of the reserve heroes you want to put into a combo. Depending on the difficulty of the enemy, the chain may consist of 1, 2 or 3 hits.
The technique is very useful against a group of enemies: you stun one of the opponents, and wait for another one to approach you someone – they will definitely be hit by a combo of blows. Pay attention to the order in which agents are selected, since it is best to start the chain with support – many of them in this mode enhance the action of the next character.
Attribute anomalies (elemental damage)
Elemental damage in Zenless Zone Zero is called “Attribute Anomalies”, and they are divided into 5 elements: ether, fire, electro, physical (physical) and ice. This type of damage can only be applied by a hero of the corresponding attribute (i.e., a character of a NON-physical element will not be able to fill the effect scale, although he hits with basic physical attacks), and the activation of the status still needs to be accumulated. The first hit with an element usually puts an icon on the enemy (to the right of HP), and the subsequent ones bring the moment of the effect triggering closer.
All types of anomalies have their own principle of operation, and you can read more about them in the screenshot above. If you focus on the effect of the elements, pay attention to these stats: anomaly control (affects the strength/speed of accumulation of the effect on the enemy) and anomaly knowledge– is responsible for the damage multiplier.
In addition to the main five elements, ZZZ has a special Chaos Anomaly – it is activated if the enemy is under the influence of a large number of statuses. Despite the fact that we see only one attribute near the HP bars, the enemy can take on all five – an excess of them and causes a chaos reaction, which adds up the damage of all accumulated effects.
Banbu
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When forming a squad, you are given the opportunity to add one Banbu to help. These bunnies are a kind of buff, and each has its own special effect: some match heroes with a certain type of elemental attribute, while others passively heal or restore energy.
If the rabbit is attacking, then during the battle he can hit the monster or distract its attention – each has its own special animation of the action. On the topic of attack chains: Banbu can also participate in them (at the end of the combo). If you complete a series of joint attacks with a rabbit, an unselected hero will enter the field immediately behind him and perform a finishing blow.
Tips for choosing a squad
Let's finish with the principles of team formation. In the new HoYoverse project, as in Wuthering Waves, we are assembling a squad of 3 heroes.
To increase the effectiveness of your pack and get the most out of your agents, pay attention to three factors: faction, anomaly element and position (specialization). Let's consider separately:
- Faction selection: agents from the same clan can have special passives that work only in conjunction with friends. Also Banbu – there are rabbits that are suitable only for “Cunning Hares” or “Victoria” maids;
- If the squad has several heroes of the same attribute, this speeds up the accumulation of status and also gives buffs from the abilities of the units or the selected Banbu ;
- Selecting heroes by position is one of the foundations for creating a balanced team. There are five of them in ZZZ: support, defense, anomaly, intimidation and attack. However, you shouldn’t get too hung up on the standard [dd/sap.dd/support], since in the game each squad member contributes impact damage. Here the principle of the mechanics itself is much more important than the name, which hangs some kind of template.
At low ranks, you shouldn’t put much meaning into implementing the correct squad bonuses, but with leveling up or in special modes you You will definitely feel the difference.
