Zenless Zone Zero Zhu Yuan build and teams

The right Zenless Zone Zero Zhu Yuan build is pretty easy to put together, even if you don’t have the S-rank Agent’s signature W-Engine. Zhu Yuan is a flexible burst damage dealer whose attacks power up when she uses assists, specials, and counters, which means you don’t even have to focus on energy regen to make her kit work well. That ease of use is a big bonus, especially considering the lack of viable party members in ZZZ’s launch version.

Our Zenless Zone Zero Zhu Yuan build guide breaks down the best W-Engines and Drive Discs for Zhu Yuan, with some tips for putting a strong party together as well.

Zenless Zone Zero Zhu Yuan build

Zenless Zone Zero Zhu Yuan kit explained

Zhu Yuan is unique among damage dealers in that she’s mainly a burst Agent whose biggest potential for dishing out pain happens when she activates her enhanced attacks, which she can activate after stacking enough Enhanced Shotshells. Zhu Yuan gains one Enhanced Shotshells when she uses her dodge counter and three when she uses her EX Special, quick assist, and assist follow-up. Zhu Yuan also gains one Skillshot when the fourth or fifth shot in her basic combo connects with an enemy.

Her basic attack sees her fire Ether-aligned shots at enemies, and if you hold the button, she’ll enter suppressive mode. Zhu Yuan fires repeatedly while in suppressive mode and, if you have Enhanced Shotshells, uses them to deal heavier damage. Her dodge attacks are standard, except her dash attack, which can consume an Enhanced Shotshell, and her Dodge Counter, which deals high damage and, as mentioned, gives Zhu Yuan one Shotshell.

Zhu Yuan’s assist attacks are also standard – she pops in and deals Ether damage – and her specials see her shoot Ether bullets that explode. The EX Special functions the same, but the multipliers are ridiculously high.

Zhu Yuan’s core passive buffs her Ether damage by 20 percent when she uses Enhanced Shotshells in suppressive mode and a further 20 percent buff when she attacks stunned enemies. She functions just fine normally, but getting the most out of her kit means you’ll want to plan on building up Shotshells and swapping her in after your stun Agent inflicts Daze.

Finally, if Zhu Yuan is on a team with another Ether or Public Security Agent, she’ll get a 30 percent crit rate increase for 10 seconds after using her EX Special, chain attack, or ultimate. As of ZZZ 1.0, there’s only one other Ether character – Nicole – and no other Public Security Agents.

Zenless Zone Zero Zhu Yuan teams

If you want Zhu Yuan’s extra bonus, you’ll need Nicole on your team, and even with no shortage of stun Agents as of launch, Anby is a strong choice thanks to the Cunning Hares bonus she and Nicole share. Nicole’s skills reduce enemy defense as well, so when you do swap Zhu Yuan in, your foes won’t last long.

It’s particularly good since everyone except Zhu Yuan is a free ZZZ character, but it's not the only setup you can use. If you’re tired of the Hares already, you could try for something like:

• Zhu Yuan
• Lycaon
• Soukaku or Lucy

It’s a more traditional setup, where Lycaon stuns everything he comes into contact with, Soukaku or Lucy buff the party’s attack, and Zhu Yuan sweeps in to explode everything before the cycle starts again.

Zenless Zone Zero Zhu Yuan W-Engine

Zhu Yuan’s signature W-Engine is Riot Suppressor Mark VI, and it’s a doozy. It gives the equipping character a 15 percent crit rate boost, and when they use their EX Special, they generate eight Charge stacks. When the user’s basic attack deals Ether damage – and Zhu Yuan’s always will – they consume a Charge stack and get a 35 percent damage increase.

The Brimstone, another S-rank W-Engine, is also a strong choice. It raises the user’s attack by 3.5 percent when they use a basic attack, dash attack, or dodge counter. The effect stack eight times and each skill creates a separate buff stack. That’s quite a lot of attack buffing.

The A-rank Starlight Engine works well with Zhu Yuan’s kit thanks to its straightforward nature. Using dodge counters and quick assists increases the user’s attack by 12 percent for 12 seconds.

Don’t ignore B-rank W-Engines, though. [Lunar] Pleniluna is an excellent fit if you don’t have any of the others, as it gives the equipping character a flat 12/20 percent damage increase for basic attacks, dash attacks, and dodge counters. Since you can get these at the gadget store, that high-end 20 percent buff is easily attainable.

Zenless Zone Zero Zhu Yuan Drive Discs

Zhu Yuan’s best Drive Disc choice is Chaotic Metal, even though she probably can’t get its full effect as of version 1.0.

• Four-piece Chaotic Metal: Increases Ether damage by 10 percent and increases the wearer’s crit damage by 20 percent. If any party member triggers the Corruption effect, the equipping character’s crit damage increases by a further 5.5 percent for eight seconds, and this bonus can stack six times

Triggering Corruption is difficult at present, since it isn’t Nicole’s or Zhu Yuan’s speciality, but that extra 20 percent crit damage makes this set worth investing in.

Zhu Yuan has a few choices for the remaining two slots, and since you don’t have to rely on energy to stack Enhanced Shotshells, you’re free to focus on other stats if you want. Woodpecker Electro is a solid choice, with its eight percent crit rate boost, or you could try for Puffer Electrofor an eight percent PEN boost.

Zenless Zone Zero Zhu Yuan stats

Zhu Yuan needs the usual stat spread common to DPS characters, a blend of attack, crit rate and crit damage, and some elemental damage or PEN buffs.

• Slot IV: Crit rate or crit damage. Priotize whichever stat you don’t get from your W-Engine, though if Zhu Yuan is on a team with Nicole, you should aim for crit damage
• Slot V: Ether damage, attack%, or PEN ratio
• Slot VI: Attack%

Any of those would work for Zhu Yuan’s substats, but pay extra attention to stacking as much crit rate and crit damage on her as you can.

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.