The Essential ZZZ Tier List (2025): Best Agents & Team Comps

Welcome to New Eridu, Proxy. This city, the last bastion of urban civilization, hums with energy, ambition, and danger. Just beyond the neon glow lie the Hollows warped dimensions teeming with ethereal monsters. As a Proxy, you are the indispensable guide, the one who leads brave Agents into these chaotic spaces. But with a roster of powerful individuals at your disposal, the most critical question arises: who do you choose?

A tier list is more than just a simple ranking; it’s a reflection of a game’s entire ecosystem. It tells a story about what the game values most be it raw damage, tactical control, or team synergy. This comprehensive ZZZ tier list will not only show you who stands at the top but, more importantly, will break down why. We’ll dissect the game’s combat engine, explore the art of squad building, and provide deep dive builds for the most impactful Agents. This is your license to becoming a legendary Proxy.

Understanding the Combat Engine: The Rhythm of Battle

Before we can rank any Agent, we must first master the fundamentals of ZZZ’s combat. This isn’t a simple button masher. It’s a rhythmic dance of pressure, defense, and explosive power centered around one crucial mechanic: the Daze system.

The Core Combat Loop

Your actions in battle revolve around a simple yet deep cycle. Basic Attacks generate Energy, which you then spend on more powerful Special Attacks. Dodging enemy attacks is key, but a Perfect Dodge triggers a slow motion state called Vital View, opening a window for a devastating Dodge Counter. This means defense isn’t just about survival; it’s about creating offensive opportunities. Finally, your entire team shares a Decibel meter, which, when full, allows any Agent to unleash their Ultimate attack.

The Daze System: The Heart of ZZZ’s Combat

The entire combat system is built around stunning your enemies. Below every enemy’s health bar is an orange Daze meter. Every hit you land fills this meter, with some Agents (Stun Specialists) being exceptionally good at it. When the meter is full, the enemy enters a Stunned state.

This is your kill window. A stunned enemy is helpless and, most critically, takes massively increased damage. Your entire offensive strategy should revolve around triggering this state and capitalizing on it with everything you’ve got. It is only when an enemy is Stunned that you can trigger the game’s signature mechanic: the Chain Attack.

Mastering the Perfect Assist and Chain Attack

This is where ZZZ’s combat truly shines, blending offense, defense, and teamwork into a seamless flow.

Defensive & Evasive Assists

When an enemy is about to attack (indicated by a golden flash), switching Agents triggers a powerful Assist. Melee characters perform a Defensive Assist, parrying the attack and dealing huge Daze damage. Ranged characters perform an Evasive Assist, dodging the attack and triggering the slow motion Vital View.

Chain Attacks

This is your reward for stunning an enemy. After triggering it with a heavy hit, you can unleash a cinematic sequence of powerful attacks, switching between your squad members. The number of chain attacks you can perform depends on the enemy’s rank (one for normal, two for elites, three for bosses), making this the cornerstone of any boss fighting strategy.

Anatomy of a Perfect Squad: Team Building 101

Now we translate that mechanical knowledge into team building principles. An effective team isn’t just a collection of strong Agents; it’s a well oiled machine designed to funnel resources and field time to the right person at the right time.

Agent Specialties: The Five Pillars of Team Building

Every Agent falls into one of five roles, which defines your team’s overall strategy.

• Attack: These are your main damage dealers (DPS). They are the “finishers” who capitalize on the Stun window to deal maximum damage.
• Stun: These Agents specialize in rapidly filling the Daze meter. They are the “enablers” who create the opportunities for your Attack Agents.
• Support: These are the “amplifiers.” They boost the team’s combat effectiveness with buffs (like increased ATK) or by debuffing enemies.
• Defense: Tough characters who protect the team with shields and parries. They increase survivability and can often apply Daze through defensive actions.
• Anomaly: These Agents excel at applying elemental effects (Fire, Ice, Electric, Physical, Ether) to trigger powerful debuffs and a high damage “Disorder” effect when two different anomalies are applied to the same target.

Synergistic Team Compositions

The most common and effective team structure is the holy trinity: 1 Attack, 1 Stun, and 1 Support Agent. The Stun Agent creates the opening, the Support Agent buffs the team, and the Attack Agent delivers the final blow.

Advanced teams can be built around other principles, such as Disorder Teams (featuring two Anomaly Agents of different elements) or Hypercarry Teams (built around one dominant on-field DPS supported by two off-field enablers). Furthermore, pairing Agents from the same Faction (like Cunning Hares or Victoria Housekeeping) or with the same Attribute (like a “Mono Ice” team) grants powerful passive bonuses.

The Definitive ZZZ Tier List

This is the centerpiece of the guide. This ranking is based on an Agent’s overall power, versatility, and value in the game’s current meta, particularly in challenging endgame content.

A Note on Tier Lists

Remember, a tier list is a compass, not a rigid set of rules. An Agent’s performance can be influenced by player skill, investment level (Mindscapes, W-Engines), and team composition. The goal of this list is to provide a general benchmark of an Agent’s potential.

ZZZ Agent Tier List Summary

Apex Tier (S+): The Meta Defining Pillars

These are Agents so powerful they define entire team archetypes or provide irreplaceable utility.

• Ellen Joe (Ice, Attack): The queen of burst damage. As a hypercarry in Mono Ice teams, her ability to deal colossal damage during short Stun windows is unmatched, making her arguably the best DPS in the game.
• Zhu Yuan (Ether, Attack): A technical powerhouse who deals incredible burst damage by managing her unique “Enhanced Shotshells” mechanic. High skill, high reward.
• Von Lycaon (Ice, Stun): The undisputed king of Stun. He not only fills the Daze meter with incredible speed but also shreds enemy Ice RES and provides a massive damage buff to the team during the Stun phase, making him the ultimate enabler for Ice teams.
• Miyabi (Frost, Attack): A DPS monster with insane burst potential that surpasses every other DPS on the list. She is also the first Agent with the Frost attribute, allowing her to fit into Mono Ice teams while still triggering the Disorder effect.

Meta Tier (S): The Elite Powerhouses

Agents who are top of the line in their respective roles and form the backbone of most high performing teams.

• Grace Howard (Electric, Anomaly): The premier Anomaly applier for Electric and Disorder teams. Her ability to quickly apply Shock and deal damage with minimal field time makes her incredibly valuable.
• Koleda Belobog (Fire, Stun): A raw, on-field powerhouse who excels at applying Stun with brute force, especially when paired with Ben Bigger. One of the fastest Stunners in the game.
• Soldier 11 (Fire, Attack): As the only S-Rank Fire attacker at launch, she is the go to DPS for dealing with Fire weak enemies. Her attack timing mechanic, while requiring practice, is highly rewarding.
• Alexandrina “Rina” (Electric, Support): An exceptional Support who can share her PEN Ratio with the entire team an incredibly potent offensive buff. Her ability to apply her buff and then quickly leave the field makes her a key component in many top tier squads.

Deep Dive Agent Files: Builds & Strategies

This section provides comprehensive build guides for key Agents, turning theory into practice.

File: Ellen Joe (Ice, Attack, S-Rank)

• Overview & Playstyle: Ellen is an explosive hypercarry DPS specializing in dealing massive Ice damage during Stun windows. Her gameplay revolves around managing “Flash Freeze Charges” and using her “Roaming” state for high mobility and powerful charged attacks.
• W-Engine Recommendations:
  • Best in Slot (BiS): Deep Sea Visitor (Signature)
  • Strong Alternative: The Brimstone (Standard Banner)
  • Best F2P/A-Rank: Starlight Engine (Craftable/Store)
• Drive Disc & Stat Priority:
  • Set: 4 piece Woodpecker Electro + 2 piece Polar Metal
  • Main Stats: CRIT Rate/DMG > Ice DMG > ATK%
  • Substat Priority: CRIT > ATK% > PEN Ratio
• Top Team Composition: Ellen (DPS), Von Lycaon (Stun), Soukaku (Support). This is the premier Mono Ice team. Lycaon’s RES shred and Stun amp, combined with Soukaku’s massive ATK buff, sets the stage for Ellen’s devastating damage.

File: Zhu Yuan (Ether, Attack, S-Rank)

• Overview & Playstyle: Zhu Yuan is a burst DPS who swaps between “Assault Mode” and “Suppressor Mode.” She builds and spends “Enhanced Shotshells” to massively amplify her damage, requiring precise resource management and timing to peak during the Stun window.
• W-Engine Recommendations:
  • Best in Slot (BiS): Riot Suppressor Mark VI (Signature)
  • Strong Alternative: The Brimstone (Standard Banner)
  • Best F2P/A-Rank: Starlight Engine (Craftable/Store)
• Drive Disc & Stat Priority:
  • Set: 4 piece Chaotic Metal + 2 piece Woodpecker Electro
  • Main Stats: CRIT Rate/DMG > Ether DMG > ATK%
  • Substat Priority: CRIT > ATK% > PEN Ratio
• Top Team Composition: Zhu Yuan (DPS), Anby Demara (Stun), Nicole Demara (Support). This is a highly popular and effective team due to the Cunning Hares faction synergy. Nicole groups enemies and shreds their defense, Anby stuns them, and Zhu Yuan finishes the job.

File: Von Lycaon (Ice, Stun, S-Rank)

• Overview & Playstyle: Lycaon is the game’s best Stun enabler. He specializes in applying Ice damage and shredding enemy Ice resistance. His gameplay revolves around perfectly timing his charged Basic and Special attacks to apply maximum Daze.
• W-Engine Recommendations:
  • Best in Slot (BiS): The Restrained (Standard Banner)
  • Best A-Rank: Steam Oven (Standard Banner)
• Drive Disc & Stat Priority:
  • Set: 4 piece Shockstar Disco + 2 piece Swing Jazz
  • Main Stats: CRIT Rate/DMG > Ice DMG > Impact
  • Substat Priority: Impact > CRIT > ATK%
• Top Team Composition: As the premier Stun enabler, Lycaon is the natural partner for Ice DPS agents like Ellen Joe and Miyabi. He stuns enemies and lowers their Ice resistance, allowing them to deal significantly more damage. Soukaku completes this Mono Ice core as the dedicated Support.

Final Words: Your Proxy License

This guide is your foundation, your starting point for conquering the challenges of New Eridu. The meta of Zenless Zone Zero is built on the elegant dance of its Daze and Chain Attack systems. By understanding these core principles, you can see why certain Agents rise to the top. They are the ones who can most efficiently manipulate this system, either by creating the Stun opportunities or by dealing the most devastating damage within them.

Use this tier list as a compass to guide your resource investment, but never forget the most important rule: the best Agents are the ones you have the most fun playing. Skill, strategy, and synergy can elevate any squad. Now go forth, Proxy. The Hollows are waiting.

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