| Agent | Attribute | Rank | Fighting Style | Faction | Role | Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Ether | S | Attack | N.E.P.S. | DPS | Modified Firearm |
Zhu Yuan is an S-Rank character in Zenless Zone Zero, known for her Ether attribute and Attack fighting style. As the leader of the Public Security’s Criminal Investigation team, Zhu Yuan is reliable and powerful, making her a solid DPS choice for any team. Explore her skills, strengths, weaknesses, and best builds below.
Zhu Yuan’s Skills
Zhu Yuan excels in dealing Ether damage and boosting her team’s combat effectiveness. Her skill set focuses on enhancing her damage output and providing critical debuffs to enemies.
| Basic Attacks | Skill Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Basic Attack: Don’t Move! | [Assault Mode] Press Basic Attack to activate. Unleash a flurry of martial arts, bullets, and Ether Buckshots in a series of up to 5 attacks, dealing Physical DMG and Ether DMG. Upon activation of the 5th hit, obtain 1 Enhanced Shotshell. While using this skill, drag the joystick and press Basic Attack to activate Dash Attack: Firepower Offensive and readjust to face the selected direction. While under Assault Mode, hold Basic Attack to switch to Suppressive Mode. |
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Basic Attack: Please Do Not Resist | [Suppressive Mode] Hold Basic Attack to activate. Unleash up to 4 Shotshell piercing attacks, dealing Physical DMG. If Zhu Yuan has Enhanced Shotshells upon firing, 1 Enhanced Shotshell will be consumed, dealing massive Ether DMG. While using this skill, drag the joystick and press Basic Attack to activate her Dash Attack and readjust to face the selected direction. While under Suppressive Mode, hold Basic Attack to switch to Assault Mode. |
| Dodge Skills | Skill Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Dodge: Tactical Detour | Press icon_evade to activate. A rapid dodge. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
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Dash Attack: Firepower Offensive | [Assault Mode] Press icon_normal during a dodge to activate. Uses handgun to attack, dealing Physical DMG. |
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Dash Attack: Overwhelming Firepower | [Suppressive Mode] Press icon_normal during a dodge to activate. Unleashes a Shotshell piercing attack, dealing Physical DMG. If Zhu Yuan has Enhanced Shotshells upon firing, 1 Enhanced Shotshell will be consumed, dealing massive Ether DMG. |
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Dodge Counter: Defensive Counter | Press icon_normal during a Perfect Dodge to activate. Shoots enemies in front with an Ether Buckshot, dealing Ether DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
| Assist Skills | Skill Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Reactive Assist: Covering Fire | When the on-field character is launched, press icon_switch to activate. Shoots enemies in front with an Ether Buckshot, dealing Ether DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
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Evasive Assist: Guarded Backup | When the character on field is about to be attacked, press icon_switch to activate. Dodges the enemy’s attack and activates the Vital View. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
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Assist Follow-Up: Defensive Counter | Press icon_special after a Defensive Assist to activate. Attack with a combination of martial arts and shotshells, dealing Physical DMG and Ether DMG. Upon activation, gain 3 Enhanced Shotshells. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
| Special Attacks | Skill Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Special Attack: Buckshot Blast | Press icon_special to activate. Shoots Ether Buckshots that deal Ether DMG. This can be repeated 3 times by repeatedly pressing icon_special. Anti-Interrupt level is increased while using this skill. |
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EX Special Attack: Full Barrage | When Zhu Yuan has enough Energy, press icon_special_ready to activate. Shoots a series of Ether Buckshots, that explode and deal massive Ether DMG. Upon activation, gain 3 Enhanced Shotshells. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
| Chain Attack | Skill Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Chain Attack: Eradication Mode | When a Chain Attack is triggered, select the character to activate. Uses Modified Master Firearm to execute a saturated attack, firing lasers and seeking missiles to deal massive Ether DMG. Upon activation, gain 3 Enhanced Shotshells. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
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Ultimate: Max Eradication Mode | When Decibel Rating is at Maximum, press icon_ultimate to activate. Uses Modified Master Firearm to execute a saturated attack, firing lasers and seeking missiles to deal massive Ether DMG. Upon activation, gain 3 Enhanced Shotshells. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
Zhu Yuan Pros & Cons
Understanding Zhu Yuan’s strengths and weaknesses is crucial to using her effectively in Zenless Zone Zero. Here’s a detailed look at what makes her shine and where she falls short.
Pros
- Enhanced Shotshells provide significant boosts to her damage output.
- Core skills increase DMG against Stunned enemies by an additional 20%.
- Has a versatile skill set allowing for both close and ranged combat.
- Quick reload mechanics ensure sustained damage during prolonged fights.
Cons
- High dependency on Enhanced Shotshells for maximum damage output.
- Requires precise timing to maximize the effectiveness of her skills.
- Relatively low base DEF, requiring careful management during high-damage encounters.
Zhu Yuan’s Mindscapes
Mindscapes are special abilities that enhance Zhu Yuan’s performance in combat. These abilities can be unlocked and leveled up to increase her effectiveness on the battlefield. Here’s a look at Zhu Yuan’s Mindscapes:
| Mindscape | Description |
|---|---|
| M1: Quick Reload | When Zhu Yuan hits an enemy with Chain Attacks/Ultimates, gain the Quick Reload effect. When Zhu Yuan has the Quick Reload effect and uses up all Enhanced Shotshells, the Quick Reload effect will be consumed to instantly gain 6/9 Enhanced Shotshells. |
| M2: Ether Ember | In Suppressive Mode, Zhu Yuan’s Anti-Interrupt level is increased and DMG taken reduced by 10%. When Zhu Yuan hits an enemy with Enhanced Shotshells, the target takes 10% more Basic Attack: Please Do Not Resist and Dash Attack: Overwhelming Firepower DMG, stacking up to 5 times and lasting for 5s. Each shot adds one stack of this effect, and repeated triggers reset the duration. |
| M3: Public Security Special Training | Basic Attack, Dodge, Special Attack, and Chain Attack levels are increased by 2. |
| M4: Ether Perforation | When Zhu Yuan hits an enemy with Enhanced Shotshells, her Basic Attack: Please Do Not Resist and Dash Attack: Overwhelming Firepower ignore 25% of the target’s Ether RES. |
| M5: Special Ops Experience | Basic Attack, Dodge, Special Attack, and Chain Attack levels are increased by 2. |
| M6: Expanded Energy Pack III | When Zhu Yuan consumes a total of 12 Enhanced Shotshells, she receives the Ether Afterglow effect, and the Energy cost of the next EX Special Attack is reduced by 30. Launching an EX Special Attack will consume Ether Afterglow and shoot an additional 4-bullet Ether Buckshot. Each extra bullet deals DMG equal to 220% of Zhu Yuan’s ATK. |
Zhu Yuan Best Builds
Building Zhu Yuan to her full potential involves selecting the right W-Engines and Disk Drive sets. Here’s a look at the best options for maximizing her performance.
Best W-Engines
W-Engines are essential for enhancing Zhu Yuan’s abilities, providing unique passive effects and stat boosts. Here are the top choices for Zhu Yuan:
| W-Engine | Description |
|---|---|
| Roaring Ride | When EX Special Attack hits an enemy, one of three possible effects is randomly triggered for 5 seconds. This effect can trigger once every 0.3s. The same types of effects cannot stack. Repeated triggers reset the duration allowing several effects to be active at once: increases the equipper’s ATK by 8/9.210.4/11.6/12.8%, increases the equipper’s Anomaly Proficiency by 40/46/52/58/64, increases the equipper’s Anomaly Buildup Rate by 25/28/32/36/40%. |
| Fusion Compiler | Increases ATK by 12/15/18/21/24%. When using a Special Attack or EX Special Attack, the equipper’s Anomaly Proficiency is increased by 25/31/37/43/50 for 8s, stacking up to 3 times. The duration of each stack is calculated separately. |
| Electro-Lip Gloss | When there are enemies inflicted with Attribute Anomaly on the field, the equipper’s ATK increases by 10/11.5/13/14.5/16% and they deal an additional 15/17.5/20/22.5/25% more DMG to the target. |
| Rainforest Gourmet | For every 10 Energy consumed, the equipper gains a buff that increases ATK by 2.5/2.8/3.2/3.6/4% for 10s, stacking up to 10 times. The duration of each stack is calculated separately. |
| Weeping Gemini | Whenever a squad member inflicts an Attribute Anomaly on an enemy, the equipper gains a buff that increases Anomaly Proficiency by 30/34/38/42/46, stacking up to 4 times. This effect expires when the target recovers from Stun or is defeated. The duration of each stack is calculated separately. |
Best Disk Drives Sets
Disk Drives are critical for boosting Zhu Yuan’s stats and abilities. Combining the right sets can significantly enhance her performance:
| Disk Drive Set | Description |
|---|---|
| Freedom Blues | A must-have set for all Anomaly teams that is usually run by a support. But if no support with an element matching the type of anomaly being applied is available, can be run by the Anomaly damage dealer themselves. This set causes all EX Special Attacks to apply a 20% Anomaly Buildup Resistance reduction to the same element as the wearer for 8 seconds to all enemies hit. If this debuff is the only source of Anomaly Buildup Resistance reduction you have, its equivalent to enemies triggering anomaly at minimum 20% faster of the specific element. This set is a huge boon for Anomaly based teams and is a top priority to have on at least one character in the team. |
| Fanged Metal | Competitive option for direct and Anomaly-based Physical damage dealers granting 10% permanent Physical DMG% from the 2-PC and 35% increased DMG against enemies inflicted by Assault by any party member for 12 seconds. DMG% bonus against enemies will be up the majority of most fights against boss-type enemies thanks to its long duration and ability to trigger from any team member allowing a Physical based Bangboo/teammate to assist with uptime via their own Assaults. |
Zhu Yuan’s Team Synergy
Nicole’s synergy with other characters can greatly enhance team performance. Here are some of the best characters to pair with Zhu Yuan:
Billy
Billy is a perfect partner for Zhu Yuan, offering synergy through their shared faction and complementary skill sets. Billy can provide powerful crowd control and additional damage, allowing Zhu Yuan to focus on delivering her high-damage shots. Together, they create a balanced team capable of handling various combat situations.
Nekomata
Nekomata’s ability to quickly apply debuffs and deal damage synergizes well with Zhu Yuan’s high burst damage. Nekomata can help set up enemies for Zhu Yuan’s powerful attacks, maximizing their overall damage output. Their combined abilities create a formidable team for both single-target and AoE situations.
Zhu Yuan’s Teams
If a column has multiple characters, the bigger one is the priority choice for the team while the smaller ones are alternatives. If they are the same size, either of them can be used.
Zhu Yuan Team #1
- Zhu Yuan – DPS
- Billy
- Nekomata – STUN
- Nicole – SUPPORT
Zhu Yuan Team #2
- Zhu Yuan – DPS
- Billy
- Nekomata – STUN
- Nicole – SUPPORT
Zhu Yuan is a versatile and powerful Ether attribute character who excels in both single-target and AoE combat. With the right build and team composition, she can be a game-changer in Zenless Zone Zero, offering high damage output and valuable debuffs to control the battlefield.
