Lightyear in ZZZ: Guide to the best build

In Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ), Lighter is a 5-star Intimidation character that uses the Fire attribute. In a team, he can play the role of a secondary damage dealer with a supportive focus, aimed at stunning enemies and buffing allies. In this guide, you will learn about his best build, amplifiers and drive disks, as well as recommended squads with him.

Main features of Lightyear

How to get Lightyear

In the second phase of version 1.3, this biker first appeared in the banner, which increased the chance of his drop. In the future, this character can only be obtained using Signal Search. Unfortunately, HoYoverse has never held an event that would reward a 5-star fighter, so you definitely won’t be able to get a fist fighter for free.

Lighter's key characteristics

Lighter's abilities and the priority of their pumping

You can read about the hero's abilities in the game itself, so we decided to add it under the spoiler so as not to increase the size of the article. We also recommend that you study our combat system guide to better understand it.

Basic attacks

L-thunder strike

To launch, press the basic attack button (LMB). The agent performs an attack in front of itself in several (up to 5) hits, dealing physical and fire damage. When performing the 3rd hit of the basic attack, tilt the joystick (or use the arrow keys on the keyboard) and at the same time press several times in a row or hold the attack button to continuously perform additional attacks. Release the joystick to immediately go to the 4th hit of the basic attack.

During the initial light punch of the 5th stage of the basic attack, if you tilt the joystick while continuously pressing or holding the attack button, Lightyear can alternate between the initial light punch and the 4th stage of the basic attack. If you release the joystick, you can immediately go to the next jab series. Continue pressing or holding the attack button to continue the jab series.

When you stop pressing or holding the attack button, or when the jab combo reaches its maximum, Lightyear will perform a finishing move in front of him. During the finishing move, Lightyear is invulnerable. When performing the 5th hit of his Basic Attack, Lightyear takes 40% less damage. When Lightyear is in Selflessness, his 5th stage of his Basic Attack increases his Interrupt Defense and his damage reduction increases to 80%.

Evasion

Evasion: Shadow Step

Press the dodge button (RMB or L Shift) to quickly dodge while dashing. While using this skill, the character is invulnerable. While attacking, press the dodge button to activate: Pull the joystick to the side to dodge in that direction. This does not interrupt the basic attack sequence. While using this skill, the character is invulnerable.

Dash Attack: Knuckle Slam

Press the basic attack button (LMB) while dodging to activate. Lightyear performs a quick strike in front of him, dealing physical damage.

Counterattack after dodging: Blazing Strike

To activate, press the basic attack button (LMB) after launching a perfect dodge. Lightyear strikes enemies in front of him, dealing fire damage. While using this skill, the character is invulnerable. After launching the move, press or hold the attack button to immediately go to the 5th hit of the basic attack.

Assist

Quick Assist: Blazing Strike (Defensive)

To activate, press the assist button (Space) when the active character is knocked up. Lightyear strikes enemies in front of him, dealing fire damage. While using this skill, the character is invulnerable. After the move is launched, press or hold the attack button to immediately go to the 5th stage of the basic attack.

Defense Assist: Breather

To activate, press the Assist button (Space) when the character is about to be attacked. The agent parries enemy attacks, accumulating a lot of stun points on them. While using this skill, the character is invulnerable.

Additional Attack Assist: Knuckle Strike (Poke)

To activate, press the basic attack button (LMB) after using a defensive assist. Lightyear strikes enemies in front of him, dealing fire damage. While using this skill, the character is invulnerable. After the move is launched, press or hold the attack button to immediately go to the 5th stage of the basic attack.

Special Attacks

Dawn V-Strike

To activate, press the Special Attack button (E) when Lightyear has enough energy. Lightyear jumps and uppercuts in front of him, dealing massive fire damage. While performing the move, press E again to perform a powerful additional attack, using additional energy, and dealing massive fire damage. The character is invulnerable while using this skill. After starting the move, press or hold the Basic Attack button to immediately go to the 4th hit of the Basic Attack.

While sidestepping, press E if the character has enough energy to perform the next attack: Lightyear performs a boxing combo in front of him, dealing massive fire damage. Performing this attack does not interrupt the basic attack sequence. The character is invulnerable while using this skill. After starting the move, press or hold the basic attack button to immediately go to the 5th stage of the basic attack.

V-Strike of Dawn (Full Power)

Press the Special Attack (E) button to activate. Lightyear uppercuts in front of him, dealing Fire damage. Interrupt Defense is increased while this attack is activated. While dodging to the side, press E to perform the following attack: Lightyear performs a combo of punches in front of him, dealing Fire damage. Performing this move does not interrupt a basic attack chain. Interrupt Defense is increased while this attack is activated.

Attack Chains

Attack Chain: Scorching Sun V-Strike

Target Lightyear while an attack chain is activated to activate. Lightyear powerfully strikes enemies in a small area in front of him, dealing massive Fire damage. While using this skill, the character is invulnerable.

Ultimate Ability: Hellish Signature W-Strike

To activate, press the Ultimate (Q) button at maximum decibel level. Lightyear powerfully strikes enemies in a large area around him, dealing massive fire damage. The character is invulnerable while using this skill.

Inclinations

Main Passive Skill: Fuse

Lightyear automatically gains 2.9 Morale per second over time. For every point of energy spent by other squad members, Lightyear recovers 0.26 Morale (maximum Morale is 100). When Morale reaches 80, Quick Aid is immediately triggered the next time Lightyear enters the battlefield. If Morale is at least 80, Lightyear enters the Selfless state when performing the 5th hit of his Basic Attack, increasing the power of his initial light punches, jab sequence, and the finishing hit of the 5th stage of his Basic Attack. Morale is consumed when hitting an enemy with these increased power punches. For every 10 Morale spent, Lightyear's momentum is increased by 1-2% (maximum bonus is 10-20%; the effect lasts 6 seconds).

While in Selfless, Lightyear does not automatically gain Morale over time. When Lightyear uses up all of his Morale with his initial Light Strikes or Jab Combos, he automatically switches to an even more powerful Finisher. If Lightyear hits an enemy with his initial Light Strikes or Jab Combos while in Selfless, that enemy's Ice and Fire Resistance is reduced by 15% for 30 seconds. If Lightyear hits an enemy with his Finisher while in Selfless, that enemy is afflicted with Devastation, extending their Stun by 3 seconds. Devastation can only be applied to the same enemy once before they are no longer stunned. When Lightyear hits an enemy with the finishing blow of his 5th hit of his basic attack, leaves the battlefield, or spends all his Fighting Spirit, he exits the Selfless state and retains any unspent Fighting Spirit.

Additional Ability: Fighter's Spirit

Activates if there is a character in the squad with the Offense specialty or from the same faction. When Lightyear in the Selfless state hits an enemy with a basic attack on the 5th hit, the entire squad gains 1 level of Fighting Fervor for 30 seconds (maximum 20 levels). Repeated launches refresh the duration. Each level of Fighting Fervor increases the agents' ice and fire damage by 1.25%. If Lightyear's impulse when receiving Fighting Fervor is higher than 170, then every 10 points of the impulse value above this value further increases the effect of each level of Fighting Fervor by 0.25%. When any character in the squad launches an attack chain, the duration of the entire squad's Fighting Fervor is refreshed. The “Fighting Fervor” effect can increase the agent's ice and fire damage by no more than 75%.

As for leveling up the hero's talents, then the priority should be the inclinations and basic attacks, as they are the main source of his damage and buffs. Next in importance are special attacks, which will allow you to stun opponents faster and immediately switch to the most powerful blows of the basic attack.

Once you've maxed out these abilities, you can move on to upgrading Assist and Evasion. Although both skills aren't as important for Lightyear as the previous ones, they'll still help increase his overall damage output a bit. Finally, you can tackle the character's attack chains.

Lightyear's Mental Picture

To open it, you need to save up Agent Profiles, which are given out when you drop duplicates of the hero, which is, of course, random. Considering the low chance of getting 5-star characters, you'll need to spend a lot of time and money to unlock all the mentals. However, even without them, Lightyear can easily play the role of a sub-DD/support.

The table below lists all the mental abilities, their descriptions and benefits for the hero.

If you still decide to try your luck, you can stop at M1 and M2, thanks to which playing as Lightyear will become much more enjoyable – he will be able to stun opponents faster and give even more buffs to allies. If you have a choice between a starting mental weapon and a signature weapon, then we advise you to take the first option if you have alternative 5-star amplifiers.

How to play as Lightyear

Basic combinations

Here, in fact, everything is quite simple, since the entire gameplay is built around the accumulation of Fighting Spirit by the character. You can charge this scale in two ways:

• Doing nothing, as the scale accumulates by itself at 2.9 units per second. It takes about 34 seconds to fill completely.
• Spending energy with all squad members (for each unit of energy spent, an additional 0.26 points of Fighting Spirit are given).

Of course, it is necessary to combine both methods, since, having spent, for example, 30 units of energy, you will already reduce the time it takes to fill the bar by 2.7 seconds. As a result, with more or less frequent use of enhanced special attacks by allies, you will be able to completely fill the scale in 20-25 seconds, and, therefore, maintain the action of the main buffs almost all the time.

Note: Do not forget that 80 units of Fighting Spirit will be enough to enter the Selflessness state, but we still advise you to accumulate 100, since this will allow you to get the maximum bonus to the impulse of 10-20%.

So, after gaining at least 80 units of Fighting Spirit and switching to Lightyear, he will automatically perform a quick assist, which will allow him to start a basic attack from the 5th hit. You can also use Defense Assist instead of a normal switch, which will also inflict more stun on the enemy.

After switching to the biker, all you need to do is Hold down the basic attack button, thereby entering the “Selflessness” mode, which gives the following buffs: increases your own impulse to 10-20%, reduces the resistance of enemies to fire and ice damage by 15% for half a minute, and also increases the fire and ice damage of the entire team to 75% for half a minute.

Considering the duration of all these bonuses, you can not even monitor their work, but simply switch to Lightyear as soon as he accumulates the required amount of Fighting Spirit. Let's add that on the 5th hit of the basic attack, incoming damage is reduced by 80% and it is more difficult to interrupt, so you don't have to worry about his health.

We will separately tell you about the finishing blow that the hero performs after a combo of basic attacks. The fact is that it imposes “Rout” on the enemy, which increases the duration of his stun by 3 seconds. At the same time, be sure to spend the scale to 0 to perform an enhanced blow, which will inflict 3.6 times more damage and 1.44 times more stun.

Note: However, if you see that the enemy is already on the verge of death, it is better to stop the combo earlier (just release the attack button) in order to save energy.

After performing the finishing blow, you should definitely do a strengthened special attack (costs 40 energy), and then press the button again (costs 20 energy) to perform an additional blow. This way you will be able to use the impulse buff. This also applies to the ult, that is, it is recommended to use it after receiving the bonus.

As a result, the optimal rotation for Lightyear will look like this:

1. When playing, for example, as the main damage dealer, switch to Lightyear (preferably with help in defense), when the Fighting Spirit scale accumulates, and then immediately hold down the basic attack button to perform a combo from the 5th blow.
2. Perform the finishing blow (after the scale is used up or at the right moment), receiving all possible buffs, and press the enhanced special attack button twice with enough energy (or once).
3. Then return to the main DD, having all the bonuses from Lightyear in hand, and begin to inflict the main damage to enemies.
4. Again wait for the Fighting Spirit bar to accumulate and repeat everything from the first step. The gif below shows the entire process.

This information should be enough for you to use almost all of Lightyear's capabilities to the maximum and play comfortably with him. However, if you want to learn more in-depth mechanics, then consider the information provided below.

Advanced Combinations

First of all, let's note that Lightyear has an alternative enhanced special attack. To use it, you need to dodge during basic attacks, which, by the way, will not interrupt the series of attacks, and then press E – after which you can immediately proceed to the 5th hit of basic attacks.

The biker also has alternative options for the basic attack. The thing is that if you tilt the joystick during the 3rd hit (or hold down the movement arrows on the keyboard), the character will start performing the 3rd hit infinitely. If you do the same at the beginning of the 5th hit, the hero will return to the 4th.

Why do you need this? The point is that this way you can buy time before moving on to the 5th hit and start spending the Fighting Spirit bar. For example, this is useful if you want to first accumulate 100 units of the bar. However, again, we note that it is not necessary to engage in all these tricks, since Lightyear will bring a lot of benefits to the team without them.

Lightyear's Advantages and Disadvantages

With the help of his unique abilities, the biker can easily stun strong single opponents. His advantages also include:

• He is an excellent secondary damage dealer aimed at stunning opponents. At the same time, he is able to independently increase the value of his impulse thanks to his main passive.
• Perfect for fire and ice squads, as it can not only increase the damage of allies with the corresponding attributes, but also reduce the resistance to the specified types of damage in enemies. All this makes it an excellent support.
• Can extend the duration of the stun by 3 seconds, which significantly simplifies the rotation of the team, as there are more opportunities to implement certain tactics.
• Has an incredibly powerful, yet easy to master combo that takes up minimal time on the field if needed. For this reason, even beginners can master his gameplay.
• He is very durable, as when performing his combo, his damage resistance increases by 80%. Plus, Lightyear becomes much harder to interrupt.

However, Lighter cannot be called an ideal character, as he also has his drawbacks:

• Unlike Lycaon, for example, he mostly applies a lot of stunning to only one enemy, which is why when fighting several ordinary mobs you will often waste your Fighting Spirit and energy points. So Lighter shows himself best in battles with elite enemies and bosses.
• Only suitable for Ice and Fire teams, otherwise his usefulness will decrease dramatically. This imposes certain restrictions on the selection of teams for him.
• His support qualities decrease if his impulse falls below 270 units, and reaching this value is extremely difficult without 5-star amplifiers.
• He can only show his best with legendary Ice or Fire damage dealers, such as Ellen and Soldier 11.

Best Lightyear Build

Best Amplifiers

We recommend choosing a weapon that can increase the hero's momentum and, if possible, give more buffs to the team. The table below presents the most interesting options.

The Best Drive Discs

As for the main characteristics of drive disks, your choice should look like this:

• IV-sector: critical hit chance or critical damage in a ratio of 1 to 2.
• V-sector: fire damage bonus (priority) or attack power%.
• VI sector: impulse.
• Substats: crits > attack power% > penetration chance

If we talk about recommended values ​​of Lightyear's parameters, they should look something like this:

• Impulse: 170-195+
• Health: 10500+
• Defense: 800+
• Attack: 1700-2000 units (mostly optional)
• Critical hit chance: 50-60%+ (mostly optional)
• Critical damage: 100-120% (mostly optional)
• Anomaly Knowledge: up to 250 (if used in anomaly commands)

Best Commands for Lightyear

F2P Squad

Recall that Lighter's additional ability can be activated with any “Assault” character, so he can be used in a classic crit team. However, Billy will not benefit from the biker's buffs. Instead of Nicole, you can take Ben, equipping the main DD with a shield if desired.

Fire Squad

Currently, the best main DD for Lightyear in fire packs is Soldier 11, who will be able to take full advantage of the buffs he provides, which will significantly increase her damage. Caesar will provide allies with a shield and an attack power buff. If she is absent, you can take the budget Lucy or Ben.

Ice Squad

If you managed to knock out Ellen, but you don’t have Lycaon, then Lightyear can easily replace the wolf cub. He can significantly increase her damage and effectively stun strong opponents. Sokaku will be the best support for the shark girl, but in her absence, you can also use Rina, who will increase the chance of penetration for allies.

Anomaly Squad

Lighter and Bernice have excellent synergy in a team on Anomaly. The former is able to significantly increase the damage from the latter's Burn, while the latter will consume a huge amount of energy, filling the former's Fighting Spirit bar faster.

Jane Doe or Miyabi will be able to deal significant damage by causing Chaos. The latter will also benefit from buffs from Lightyear.

Leveling up Lightyear

The table below shows the materials needed to increase the hero's level, skills, and traits, as well as their total amount.

This is the guide to the best build for Lightyear in ZZZ can be considered complete. We hope that this information will help you choose the best amplifiers, drives and commands for the hero.