Introduction
Zenless Zone Zero throws new players into a stylish city with fast combat and a lot of systems. This Shinigami AE guide gives new players everything they need in 2026, from the first hour to the first month.
The game is free on PC, mobile, PlayStation 5, and Xbox. You can clear the story without paying, and the beginner banner is discounted with an early top reward. New players who learn the basics first save weeks of wasted resources.
This guide follows Wise, the male hero, through New Eridu. It covers combat, teams, gear, draws, money, and daily tasks in plain order. Nothing here needs prior knowledge of other HoYoverse games.
Shinigami AE is a manga and anime site for readers, and it does not host games or videos.
What Is Zenless Zone Zero?
Zenless Zone Zero is a free urban fantasy action RPG by HoYoverse. It launched worldwide on July 4, 2024, at 10:00 UTC+8, with Version 1.0 called Welcome to New Eridu. The game runs on PC, iOS, Android, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
The setting is New Eridu, the last surviving city after disaster zones called Hollows appeared. Players take missions into the Hollows, fight monsters, and return to the city to rest, shop, and plan. The city itself is half the game.
Wise, the male hero, co-runs the Random Play video store in New Eridu. He also works as the legendary Proxy Phaethon, guiding agents through the Hollows. The chosen hero is used for exploration and story scenes in the city, while agents handle combat.
The Xbox version arrived on June 6, 2025, with Version 2.0. The Steam version followed on June 17, 2026, with Version 3.0. There is no PlayStation 4, Switch, or Mac version.
Cross-save works through one HoYoverse ID across PC, mobile, PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Steam. Players must stay on the same server, and there are four servers: America, Asia, Europe, and TW/HK/MO. Server data is separate, and switching servers is not supported.
How We Checked This Guide
This Zenless Zone Zero beginner guide was checked against official news and current player guides in November 2026. The current version at the time of checking is Version 3.3, called Journey to the Sky, which launched on October 21, 2026, and runs until December 2, 2026.
Two launch-era facts have changed since 2024, and this guide uses the current versions. TV Mode grid exploration ended after Version 1.2, replaced by direct 3D exploration in Version 2.0. Ultimate meters also changed in Version 2.0, so each character now has an individual meter instead of one shared gauge.
Numbers in this guide come from published rates and official pages. Pull costs, pity guarantees, Battery limits, and system requirements are all stated by HoYoverse or by current guides that quote them. No monthly free-pull total is stated anywhere, because no developer publishes one.
What to Do First
The first hour sets up the whole game, so new players should take it slowly. Start by finishing the prologue, which teaches movement, attacks, and dodges through the story. The prologue also unlocks the video store, the mission terminal, and the first daily tasks.
Pick Wise at the start and learn his movement in the city. The hero is used for walking around New Eridu, talking to people, and taking missions. Combat uses agents instead, so the hero choice does not change fight strength.
Do not spend Polychrome in the first hour. The beginner Signal Search banner is discounted and carries an early top reward, so it is the best first pull. Save the standard banner tickets for later, and save premium currency for limited banners.
Claim the launch rewards and any active redeem codes early. Codes checked on November 2, 2026 include HOLLOWRUN33, LEVELUP33, and INKSHIFT33, each worth 20 Polychrome and 2,222 Denny. ZENLESSGIFT gives 50 Polychrome for new accounts only.
Codes expire fast, so try them soon.
Open the HIA Club and the training mode before the first hard fight. Training teaches dodges and chain attacks without risk, and the club missions give early materials. A few minutes in training saves many failed missions later.
Combat Basics: Dodges, Daze, and Chain Attacks
Combat in Zenless Zone Zero is fast real-time action, and it rewards timing over button-mashing. New players should learn four moves first: normal attacks, special attacks, dodges, and squad swaps. Every fight uses all four, and the tutorial covers each one.
Normal attacks build energy for the EX Special, which fires when the energy meter is full. The EX Special hits harder than a normal attack, so players should use it whenever the meter fills. Saving it for the wrong moment wastes damage.
Dodging is the most important skill in the game. A perfect dodge triggers Extreme Evasion, which slows time and opens a counter window. Players who dodge well take little damage and deal more damage.
Swapping squad members mid-fight keeps the pressure on. The swap button switches the active agent instantly, and the incoming agent can strike right away. Swapping also lets a hurt agent recover off the field.
The Daze system drives the biggest damage in the game. Hitting enemies fills a Daze meter, and a full meter stuns the enemy. A heavy attack on a stunned enemy triggers a chain attack, which brings in another agent for a big hit.
Chain attacks follow a simple limit: up to two in a row against elites, and three against bosses. The Bangboo should go first in a chain attack, because it can only join at the start. Missing that order wastes the Bangboo hit.
The Ultimate fires at 3,000 Decibel points, and each character has an individual meter since Version 2.0. Older guides describe one shared gauge for the whole squad, but that changed in June 2025. Players should watch each agent meter separately.
Parry adds a defensive option through the defensive assist. Some attacks can be parried, but parry charges are limited. Players should save parries for heavy attacks instead of spending them on light hits.
Agents, Roles, and Your First Team
Squads hold up to three agents, and each agent has one of five specializations. Attack agents deal pure damage, Stun agents build the Daze meter, Support agents buff the team, Defense agents protect it, and Anomaly agents apply weakening debuffs.
Same faction or same attribute in a squad activates extra passive bonuses. Factions include the Cunning Hares, Victoria Housekeeping, and Hollow Special Operations Section 6. The five elements are Fire, Ice, Electric, Ether, and Physical.
The best starter shape is one Main DPS, one Stunner, and one Supporter. The Stunner fills the Daze meter, the Main DPS strikes during stuns, and the Supporter keeps the team strong. This shape works from the first chapter to the late game.
Decide the main team early and avoid spreading resources. Level the Main DPS to the maximum first, and keep the other two about 10 levels below. A focused team beats three half-built agents every time.
Agents gain XP from Investigator Logs, and every 10 levels needs an ascension. The ascension uses a Certification Seal to raise the level cap. Players should farm the seals before the cap blocks progress.
- Item: A first team of Main DPS, Stunner, and Supporter
- Source: Current player guides, checked in November 2026
- Best use: New players who want one team that works from the prologue onward
- Sample usage: Pick a Main DPS, add a Stunner for the Daze meter, then add a Supporter and level the DPS first
W-Engines and Drive Discs
W-Engines are the weapons of Zenless Zone Zero, one per agent, matched to specialization. High-tier W-Engines come from gacha banners, and some come from the Gadget Store on Sixth Street. The right W-Engine can change how an agent plays.
New players should not invest much in 3-star W-Engines. They are placeholders until 4-star and 5-star ones arrive, and the upgrade materials are better saved. A 4-star W-Engine for the Main DPS is the first real investment.
Drive Discs are gear sets, up to six per agent, with 2-piece and 4-piece bonuses. They work like artifacts and relics in other HoYoverse games, and the set bonus matters more than any single disc.
Do not farm Drive Discs seriously until account level 40. Good sets only start appearing then, and early farming wastes Battery that story missions need more. Two 2-set bonuses are fine early instead of forcing a 4-set.
Do not upgrade every disc, and do not level discs below A-Rank. Low-rank discs become obsolete fast, and the upgrade materials are scarce early. Save the materials for A-Rank sets earned after level 40.
Bangboo Explained
Bangboo are small companion creatures that act as a fourth party member. They cannot be controlled, but they attack on their own and join chain attacks. A Bangboo called Eous is linked to the hero for Hollow navigation.
Bangboo unlock properly after the first Hollow Zero run. The game introduces them early, but the full system opens once that run is done. Players should finish Hollow Zero as soon as it appears.
Bangboo Signal Search uses Boopons, not Polychrome. The selected Bangboo is guaranteed within 80 pulls, which is kinder than the agent banners. Free Boopons come from missions and events, so players should not buy them.
Use the Bangboo first in a chain attack. It can only join at the start of the chain, and a late Bangboo misses its hit entirely. This one habit adds free damage to every stunned enemy.
Signal Search and Pity: The Numbers That Matter
Signal Search is the gacha system of Zenless Zone Zero, and its numbers are published by HoYoverse. New players should learn them before spending a single pull, because the wrong banner wastes weeks of saving.
The Exclusive Channel holds the limited Agent. An S-Rank Agent is guaranteed within 90 pulls, with a 50/50 chance for the featured one. The worst case is 180 pulls, which costs 28,800 Polychrome, and pity carries over to the next Exclusive Channel.
The W-Engine Channel holds agent weapons. An S-Rank W-Engine is guaranteed within 80 pulls, with a 75% chance for the featured one. The worst case is 160 pulls, which is kinder than the Agent channel.
The Stable Channel is the standard banner. An S-Rank is guaranteed within 90 pulls, and at 300 cumulative pulls, players pick one of six S-Rank agents as a one-time bonus. One pull costs 160 Polychrome on every channel.
An A-Rank or better is guaranteed at least every 10 pulls. The published base rates are 0.6% for S-Rank and 7.2% for A-Rank. The beginner banner is discounted and carries an early S-Rank guarantee, so it is the best first pull.
| Channel | S-Rank guarantee | Featured chance | Worst case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exclusive Agent | 90 pulls | 50% | 180 pulls |
| W-Engine | 80 pulls | 75% | 160 pulls |
| Stable (standard) | 90 pulls | N/A | 300-pull pick |
| Bangboo | 80 pulls | 100% selected | 80 pulls |
Never spend Polychrome on the Stable Channel. Save Encrypted Master Tapes for limited banners, where pity carries over, and the featured agent is worth the wait. Standard pulls come free from play over time.
Currencies and Battery: What Everything Does
Denny is the everyday money of New Eridu. It pays for shops and skill leveling, and it comes from the video store, missions, and events. Players earn it constantly, so it rarely blocks progress.
Polychrome is the premium currency for Signal Search pulls and Battery refills. One pull costs 160 Polychrome. It comes from missions, events, achievements, and redeem codes, and free players should save it for limited banners.
Monochrome is the paid currency. It converts to Polychrome at a one-to-one rate, and it also buys outfits and bundles. Redeem codes never give Monochrome, so any code promising it is fake.
Battery Charge is stamina, capped at 240, regenerating one point per six minutes. A full recharge takes 24 hours. Battery is spent on HIA Club farming and Routine Cleanup, and Backup Battery Charge stores the overflow.
Boopons are the Bangboo-only pull currency, and Master Tapes are pull tickets. Encrypted Master Tapes are for limited banners, while plain Master Tapes are for the standard banner. Players should never convert premium currency into plain Master Tapes.
Inter-Knot Level is the account level, capped at 60. Its XP comes from missions, commissions, and HIA Club VR simulations. Many systems unlock as this level rises, so story progress matters most early.
Daily and Weekly Routine: The 15-Minute Habit
A short daily routine keeps a new account growing without grinding. Start with Errands, the daily quests, which give Polychrome and Inter-Knot XP for a few minutes of play. Then check the Battle Pass daily and weekly missions for early materials.
Buy the daily coffee at Coff Cafe on Sixth Street. It gives 60 Battery Charge plus drop buffs for material stages, and the same cafe has a daily scratch card. Both take less than a minute and are easy to forget.
Spend Battery every day and never let it sit at the 240 cap. A capped Battery wastes the six-minute regeneration, which adds up to a full day of farming over time. Ether Batteries give 60 Battery each when needed.
Weekly tasks add boss runs in the Reckless Challenge, Rally commission rewards, and Hollow Zero license pass rewards. These take longer than dailies, so players should do them on a free day instead of rushing them daily.
The video store earns Denny through management, and food from General Chop’s noodle shop gives temporary buffs. Vegetable Noodles add 30 ATK, and other dishes add 15% HP plus elemental damage. Eat before hard missions, not after them.
- Item: A daily routine of Errands, coffee, scratch card, and Battery spending
- Source: Current player guides, checked in November 2026
- Best use: New players who want steady progress in 15 minutes a day
- Sample usage: Do Errands first, buy coffee at Coff Cafe, spend Battery on HIA Club stages, then log out
Hollows and the End of TV Mode
Hollows are the dungeon zones of Zenless Zone Zero. Missions are taken from the Hollow Deep Dive terminal in the Random Play video store, split into Story Commissions, Combat Commissions, and Exploration Commissions.
TV Mode was the original exploration system, a grid where players steered a Bangboo avatar across TV-screen tiles. It was phased out of regular gameplay after Version 1.2 in September 2024. Version 2.0 in June 2025 replaced it with direct 3D exploration and Investigation Zones.
TV Mode still exists in limited content such as Hollow Zero: Withered Domain. New players who meet it there should not worry, because it is a side mode now, not the main way to explore. The main story uses 3D exploration.
Older beginner guides still describe TV Mode grids as current, and some still describe one shared Decibel gauge. Both changed in Versions 1.2 and 2.0, and this guide uses the current systems only.
Free-to-Play Guide: Playing Without Paying
Zenless Zone Zero is fully free to download and play, and the main story is clearable with free agents. The game unlocks free characters through play, and the beginner banner is discounted with an early S-Rank guarantee. Paying only speeds up collection, never story progress.
The Inter-Knot Membership is the one purchase worth knowing. It gives 300 Monochrome instantly plus 90 Polychrome per day for 30 days, for 3,000 total currency. Free players can ignore it entirely and still clear every chapter.
No developer publishes a monthly free-pull total, so this guide states none. Community estimates for free pulls per patch circulate online, but they are not official disclosures. Players should count their own Polychrome instead of trusting a forum number.
Nine mistakes waste the most beginner resources, and all nine are avoidable. Spending Polychrome on the Standard banner is first, because limited banners are always the better target. Farming Drive Discs before account level 40 is second, because good sets only appear after 40.
Upgrading every Drive Disc and leveling discs below A-Rank is third. Investing heavily in 3-star W-Engines is fourth. Letting Battery Charge sit at the 240 cap is fifth, and spreading resources across too many agents is sixth.
Skipping stage challenge stars is seventh, because the stars gate story progress tokens. Skipping dailies and Battle Pass missions is eighth. Picking Challenge mode at the start is ninth, because it gives the same rewards for much harder fights, and it can be switched later on the story screen.
The Current Version: Where the Game Stands in 2026
Version 1.4 arrived in December 2024 with Apple Vision Pro support. Version 2.0, called Where Clouds Embrace the Dawn, launched on June 6, 2025, with Season 2, the Waifei Peninsula, the Xbox launch, and the TV Mode replacement.
Versions 2.1 through 2.8 carried Season 2 to its finale. Version 3.0 launched on June 17, 2026, starting Season 3 and bringing the Steam launch. Version 3.2, called Their Secret Histories, followed on September 9, 2026.
Version 3.3, called Journey to the Sky, launched on October 21, 2026, and adds mech combat to the main story. It runs until December 2, 2026, and it is the current version at the time of this guide. New players start directly in this version.
Original by Shinigami AE: The First-Week Checklist
Original by Shinigami AE: This checklist turns the guide into a first-week plan. Tick one row per day, and the account will be set for the first month.
| Day | Do this | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Finish the prologue | Unlocks the store, terminal, and dailies |
| Day 1 | Try the redeem codes | Free Polychrome before they expire |
| Day 2 | Pick the main team | One DPS, one Stunner, one Supporter |
| Day 2 | Train dodges in the HIA Club | Perfect dodges win every fight |
| Day 3 | Clear Hollow Zero once | Unlocks the full Bangboo system |
| Day 3 | Pull the beginner banner | Discounted, early S-Rank guarantee |
| Daily | Errands, coffee, scratch card | Polychrome, Battery, and XP in minutes |
| Daily | Spend all Battery | Never let it sit at the 240 cap |
| Day 7 | Check Inter-Knot Level 40 | Drive Disc farming opens after 40 |
The checklist is a starting point, not a verdict. Players who finish it have a working team, a working routine, and saved Polychrome for the next limited banner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zenless Zone Zero free to play?
Yes. Zenless Zone Zero is fully free to download and play, and the main story is clearable with free agents.
Purchases only speed up collection through draws and the monthly membership. No chapter needs payment to clear.
What is the best starter team in Zenless Zone Zero?
One Main DPS, one Stunner, and one Supporter is the best starter shape. The Stunner fills the Daze meter, the Main DPS strikes during stuns, and the Supporter keeps the team strong. Level the Main DPS first and keep the others about 10 levels below.
How many pulls guarantee an S-Rank Agent?
An S-Rank Agent is guaranteed within 90 pulls on the Exclusive Channel, with a 50/50 chance for the featured Agent. The worst case is 180 pulls, which costs 28,800 Polychrome. Pity carries over to the next Exclusive Channel.
What should I spend Polychrome on?
Spend Polychrome only on limited banners through Encrypted Master Tapes. Never spend it on the Stable Channel, because standard pulls come free from play over time. Save for a featured Agent that fits the main team.
When should I start farming Drive Discs?
Start farming Drive Discs seriously after account level 40. Good sets only start appearing then, and early farming wastes Battery that story missions need more. Two 2-set bonuses are fine early instead of forcing a 4-set.
Does Zenless Zone Zero have cross-save?
Yes. One HoYoverse ID carries progress across PC, iOS, Android, PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Steam, as long as players stay on the same server. There are four servers, and server data is separate, so switching servers is not supported.
Start Tonight and Learn by Playing
Zenless Zone Zero rewards players who learn the basics first and save their pulls second. Combat, teams, pity, and dailies are all simple once they are seen in order, and this guide puts them in that order.
Pick the checklist above, finish the prologue tonight, and pull the beginner banner before spending anything else. New Eridu will still be there tomorrow, and the next limited banner will be worth the wait.