Zenless Zone Zero, the latest action-packed RPG from HoYoverse, the creators of acclaimed titles like Honkai Impact Third and Genshin Impact. Set to launch on July 3, Zenless Zone Zero introduces an exhilarating real-time action combat system that borrows the dynamic flair of its predecessors and integrates unique new mechanics to elevate the gaming experience. The result is an experience that, while feeling very similar, has a vastly different approach to its combat system.

As we get ready to explore the far reachers of New Eridu and face the mysteries of the Hollows, this guide will arm you with all the necessary information to excel in combat. Whether you’re battling monstrous mutants or navigating the chaotic factions within the city, understanding the depths of the combat system will be key to your survival and success. Remember that playing Zenless Zone Zero on PC with BlueStacks will help to greatly enhance your experience with this game, facilitating the combat and increasing your performance at all times.

Let’s begin!

Combat Basics

In this game, players assemble a squad of up to three characters and dive into various dungeons and stages. Each stage presents a unique challenge with a variety of enemies that require strategic handling and quick reflexes to defeat. Characters each have their own sets of stats and skills, and you can learn more about these vital elements in our Zenless Zone Zero character guide.

At the core of Zenless Zone Zero’s gameplay is its real-time action combat system. Players have the ability to freely run, dodge, and attack, weaving these elements together to form the foundation of every encounter. Mastery of movement and timing is crucial, as you’ll need to navigate through enemy attacks while positioning yourself to strike effectively, much like other HoYo games.

Each character in your squad is equipped with a distinct set of skills that enhance their combat capabilities. These skills range from devastating special attacks to strategic defensive maneuvers, each timed perfectly to turn the tide of battle. Supplementing basic attacks with these skills is essential for overcoming tougher adversaries and complex scenarios.

The ultimate goal in most stages is straightforward: clear the area of all enemies. This direct approach emphasizes the importance of mastering the combat mechanics from the outset. Whether you’re dodging an onslaught of attacks or coordinating a powerful combo with your squad, every action counts towards your success on the battlefield.

Character Skills

In Zenless Zone Zero, each character is equipped with a toolkit that shapes their role and effectiveness in combat. Although the types of skills are consistent across characters—basic attack, dodge, special skill, and chain skill—their specific functions and effects can vary dramatically between different units. This diversity ensures that each character brings a unique flair to the battlefield.

• Basic Attack

Every character has a basic attack combo, typically ranging from 3 to 5 hits. However, the functionality of these attacks can vary. Some characters might offer hold variants, where holding down the attack button unleashes a different move, adding a layer of depth and strategy to simple button presses.

• Dodge

Dodge mechanics are critical for avoiding damage and are uniquely tailored to each character. Some characters may have special dodges that not only evade attacks but also allow them to counterattack or trigger additional effects, enhancing their mobility and defensive capabilities.

• Special Skill

Special skills are significant abilities that can turn the tide of battle. These skills require energy, which accumulates over time from actions like attacking, dodging, or picking up energy matter dropped by enemies. Characters off the field also passively regenerate energy, making strategic character rotation important. Special Skills come in regular variants, which can be used at any time without cooldown, but are very weak, and in EX versions, which are unleashed if the character has enough energy, and are the strongest versions that you ALWAYS want to use. 

• Chain Skill

Chain Skills unleash devastating attacks and are activated by landing a heavy attack on a stunned enemy. This powerful technique involves sequentially using your characters’ most potent moves, each taking their turn to maximize damage output. The success of chain skills heavily relies on effectively utilizing the Daze mechanic, which we will explain in further detail in the next section.

• Core Passives

Core passives are continuous, underlying abilities that provide various advantages. These passive skills are always active, enhancing character performance and synergizing with the team. The effectiveness of core passives can greatly depend on team composition, making thoughtful selection and alignment of your squad’s abilities essential.

Understanding and mastering these character skills is crucial for progressing in Zenless Zone Zero. Each element—from the rhythmic tapping of basic attacks to the strategic unleashing of EX special skills—plays a pivotal role in navigating the game’s challenges. Keep in mind that the best skills and attacks are often offered by the best characters in the game, which is why you should consider rerolling in Zenless Zone Zero if you have the patience for it. Regardless, by integrating these skills effectively, you can enhance your combat strategy, ensuring that your team is prepared to face whatever threats arise. Next, we’ll explore the specific mechanics of Daze and how it integrates into the combat system, allowing you to fully capitalize on your squad’s potential.

The Daze Meter and Stunned Status

A key component of combat in Zenless Zone Zero is the Daze Meter, a crucial element that players must strategically manage to dominate battles. Each enemy in the game has a Daze Meter, indicated by a yellow bar positioned beneath their health bar. As you deliver attacks, skills, and other offensive maneuvers, this bar fills up. The rate at which the Daze Meter fills depends on the specific attacks and skills used; not all moves contribute equally to the meter.

• Achieving Stunned Status

When the Daze Meter reaches 100%, the enemy enters a Stunned status. This critical moment renders the enemy immobile and unable to respond to your attacks, leaving them highly vulnerable to further damage. The Stunned status lasts only for a brief duration, but it provides a pivotal opportunity to deal significant damage.

• Utilizing the Stunned Status

During the Stunned status, it’s imperative to unleash your most powerful moves. This is the ideal time to initiate Chain Skill combos, which are exceptionally potent sequences that can be executed by landing a Heavy Attack on a stunned enemy. The extent of Chain Skill combos you can perform varies with the type of enemy:

• Regular enemies: Allow for one chain.
• Elite enemies: Can be chained twice.
• Bosses: Offer the opportunity for three chains per Stunned status.

The impact of your Chain Skills during these windows can drastically affect the outcome of a fight, especially against tougher adversaries like Elite enemies and Bosses.

• Maximizing Daze Contributions

Different attacks and skills contribute to the Daze Meter at varying degrees. Typically, EX Skills and the final hits of a basic attack sequence exhibit the strongest Daze multipliers. Understanding which moves in your arsenal are most effective at building Daze can help you more quickly incapacitate your enemies and create openings for devastating attacks.

Play Zenless Zone Zero on PC

Play Zenless Zone Zero on PC

Mastering the Daze Meter and effectively exploiting the Stunned status are essential strategies for thriving in the combat of Zenless Zone Zero. By carefully timing your attacks and maximizing the effectiveness of your Chain Skills during these critical moments, you can ensure your squad dominates in the most challenging encounters. 

Distinction Between Light and Heavy Attacks

In Zenless Zone Zero, understanding the nuances between Light and Heavy attacks is vital for mastering combat and leveraging the game’s mechanics to your advantage. Each type of attack plays a specific role and understanding their distinctions can significantly enhance your strategic approach.

• Light Attacks

Light attacks make up the majority of the damaging moves you will use in combat. These are typically faster, can be rapidly executed in succession, and form the bulk of your basic attack chains. While they are essential for consistent damage output and energy generation, their contribution to the Daze Meter, though present, is generally lower compared to Heavy attacks.

• Heavy Attacks

Heavy attacks are less frequent but crucial for their strategic importance in combat. They are often more powerful and carry significant weight in terms of gameplay mechanics. The most critical aspect of Heavy attacks is their role in triggering Chain Skills. When an enemy is in a Stunned state, only Heavy attacks can initiate these potent combos that are key for maximizing damage during this vulnerable phase.

Heavy attacks typically appear as the final blow in a basic attack string or are incorporated into some EX skills. Due to their impactful nature, identifying and timing these attacks properly can turn the tide of battle.

To effectively utilize your arsenal, it is important to familiarize yourself with the skill descriptions of your characters. These descriptions clearly indicate whether an attack is classified as Light or Heavy. This knowledge allows you to strategically plan your attack sequences, ensuring that you have Heavy attacks ready to exploit the moments when an enemy becomes Stunned.

Evasive Maneuvers and Character Swapping

In Zenless Zone Zero, mastering evasive maneuvers and effective character swapping are crucial elements that enhance your ability to maintain pressure and control the battlefield. These mechanics not only help avoid damage but also create opportunities for aggressive counterattacks.

• Dodging and Dash Attacks

The Dodge button is a fundamental tool in your defensive arsenal. Pressing it allows your character to perform a quick dash in the direction they’re facing. This dash includes invincibility frames, making it possible to pass through most attacks unscathed. Additionally, if you attack during a dodge, your character will perform a dash attack. This attack typically has a different damage multiplier than the first attack of a basic attack string and can seamlessly transition into the regular combo with subsequent presses of the attack button.

• Vital View and Dodge Counters

The dynamics of dodging extend beyond mere evasion. When you dodge an attack at the last possible moment, you enter a slow-motion state known as Vital View. This temporary slowdown allows you to assess the situation and react with precision. Attacking during Vital View triggers a dodge counter, a powerful move that combines damage output with continued invincibility frames, allowing you to keep attacking without fear of retaliation.

• Enhanced Evasive Maneuvers through Character Swapping

The strategic potential of dodging is further amplified by character swapping. Instead of just dodging, if you swap characters at the last second, you can execute specialized evasive maneuvers:

• Ranged characters: Swapping to a ranged character during a dodge will trigger an evasive maneuver that creates distance between you and the enemy, setting up opportunities for long-range attacks.
• Melee characters: Switching to a melee character during a dodge results in a defensive maneuver, effectively a dodge counterattack, allowing you to maintain close-quarters pressure while automatically adding to the enemy’s Daze meter.

By integrating these evasive tactics and character swapping techniques, you enhance your ability to control the pace of combat in Zenless Zone Zero. Mastering these skills ensures that you are always prepared to respond to enemy attacks, maintain offensive momentum, and exploit every opening, all while minimizing your vulnerability. This approach not only keeps the pressure up but also turns defensive actions into opportunities for aggressive retaliation.

Ultimate Skills

In Zenless Zone Zero, Ultimate Skills represent the pinnacle of each character’s combat potential, providing dramatic shifts in battle dynamics when used at the right moment. Understanding how to effectively charge and unleash these powerful abilities is key to mastering the game’s combat system.

• The Decibel Gauge

The Decibel Gauge is an essential element in charging up your Ultimate Skills. Similar to the style meter in games like Devil May Cry, the Decibel Gauge fills up as you engage in combat, reflecting your style and effectiveness. Actions such as dodging, countering, attacking, using skills, stunning enemies, and inflicting status anomalies all contribute to increasing this gauge.

• Triggering Ultimate Skills

Once the Decibel Gauge reaches its maximum capacity, indicated as “MAXIMUM”, the Ultimate skill of the currently active character becomes available for use. These Ultimate Skills are devastating attacks that can significantly impact the flow of battle, often inflicting massive damage across a wide area or affecting multiple enemies. While these skills are somewhat similar in different characters, specifically in their destructive capacity, variations exist among characters; some might have stronger Ultimates or additional effects such as buffs or debuffs.

• Strategic Use of Ultimate Skills

Since the Decibel Gauge is shared among all characters in your squad, strategic management of this resource is crucial. It is advisable to swap to your character with the most potent Ultimate when the gauge is full, maximizing the effectiveness of this powerful resource. This strategic swapping can be the difference between a narrow victory and a resounding defeat, especially in tightly contested battles or against formidable bosses.

That wraps up our comprehensive guide to mastering combat in Zenless Zone Zero. By understanding the intricacies of character skills, the importance of the Daze Meter, and the strategic use of evasive maneuvers and character swapping, you’re well-equipped to take on any challenge the game throws your way. Remember, each battle is an opportunity to refine your tactics and enhance your gameplay.