Zenless Zone Zero Ben builds and teams
How to use ZZZ's big hairy bear
The best Zenless Zone Zero Ben build turns one of the game's most awkward characters into a useful support unit who smashes and saves in equal measure. This free ZZZ character is the first - and only - defense Agent in ZZZ's launch version, and even though it seems like HoYoverse isn't quite sure what to do with him yet, any party can make good use of his kit.
Our Zenless Zone Zero Ben build lays out the best W-Engines for Ben and which Drive Discs complement his kit the best.
Zenless Zone Zero Ben build
Zenless Zone Zero Ben kit
Ben is a bit of an odd one in ZZZ terms. He’s a defense character who provides shields, which isn’t always as useful as it sounds in a game that rewards you for dodging instead of tanking. Still, his kit does come with an exceptionally powerful special attack, and he’s easy to slot into any team that needs an extra hand from a fire Agent or fellow Belobog member.
Ben’s basic attack deals physical damage up to three times. His core passive buffs his attack by 40 percent of his defense – so that’s definitely the stat you want to focus on – and if he launches a follow-up attack during his EX Special, he’ll grant shields to the whole party that scale with 15 percent of his defense plus an extra 100.
If Ben is in a team with another fire Agent or member of Belobog Heavy Industries and he activates the shield from his core passive, he gets a nice little 16 percent crit rate boost.
Ben’s dodge and assist attacks are the same basic varieties that most characters use, where he dashes and deals damage or pops in to deal some quick damage in front of him, respectively. His dodge counter and assist attacks deal fire damage, though his regular dodge attack deals physical damage.
Ben’s special and EX Special are the same, though his EX Special dishes out fire damage – and much more of it – while his regular special deals physical damage. For both, Ben will swing his weapon forward and block incoming enemy attacks, before charging ahead and delivering a powerful strike. If he successfully blocks an enemy hit, he’ll attack again with a counter with even more power.
He gets a shield while he’s blocking, and when you activate his EX Special and hold the button, you can press it again to perform another fire-aligned attack. The basic idea behind his rotation is to activate his shield to get his crit buff, then attack, ideally blocking enemy hits so Ben’s damage output is higher, and repeat. Or you can just use his shields to keep other party members safe. He works as a sub-DPS or strict support unit, so fit him in whatever slot you need.
Zenless Zone Zero Ben teams
Ben is the rare example where another character’s kit is actually designed with him in mind. Koleda’s basic and enhanced basic attacks are more powerful when she’s in a party with Ben, so if you have her, make sure the two of them are together. You’ll still want a main DPS to take down sturdy foes, though. One possible combination is:
- Koleda
- Ben
- Soldier 11
You could swap Soldier 11 out for Anton, Nekomata, or even Ellen Joe if you wanted.
A non-Koleda team could look like:
Most meta teams have Ben in a stun role in parties without Koleda, though you’ll want to buff his Impact stat if you go that route.
Zenless Zone Zero Ben W-Engines
There aren’t that many defense W-Engines in Zenless Zone Zero yet, but Ben does have a few solid choices to pick from. If you’re running a team without Koleda or a stun Agent, use Original Transmorpher. It increases the equipping character’s HP and buffs their Impact stat by 10 percent when an enemy hit lands.
Another strong choice is Spring Embrace. This A-Rank W-Engine reduces incoming damage by seven percent and buffs the equipping character’s energy regeneration by 10 percent for 12 seconds when an enemy attacks. Better still, that buff applies to an ally if they get swapped in, giving Ben a bit of support utility as well.
On the B-rank side, you’ll want to aim for [Identity] Base, as it increases the user’s defense by 20 percent when they’re attacked. Ben’s attack scales on his defense, so this one will help him hit harder.
Zenless Zone Zero Ben Drive Discs
Ben’s best Drive Discs are the same whether he’s in a Koleda party or acting as the main stun Agent. You’ll need to increase his Impact stat, and for that, Shockstar Disco is your set of choice.
- Two-piece effect: Increases Impact by six percent
- Four-piece effect: Basic, dash, and dodge counter attacks inflict 20 percent more Daze
The remaining slots are free, but we recommend using Swing Jazz to fill them thanks to its 20 percent energy regen buff. Ben needs his EX Special more than anything, so the more you can fire it off, the better.
Zenless Zone Zero Ben stats
As you’ve probably gathered by now, Ben needs defense and energy regen, with a good helping of impact, to work well in any party. A solid spread would look something like this:
- Disc IV: Defense%
- Disc V: Defense%
- Disc VI: Energy regen or Impact
Prioritize energy and impact for your substats as well, and don’t neglect HP. All the defense in the world is fine, but if Ben’s HP is low, he’ll still get knocked out.
If you're looking for other ZZZ characters to form a team for endgame trials, check out our up-to-date selection of Zenless Zone Zero codes for some free Polychrome.