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Chaos Zero Nightmare (CZN)

Season 2 Balance Patch Notes

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NEW: Season 2: Seed of Karmic Fire
┗ Learn About the 2026 Roadmap!
February 4 Patch Notes
★ New Characters: Nine | Alcea
☆ See our Endgame Mode Tier List
★ Tier Lists: Character | Partner | Cards

Here are all the upcoming season 2 balance changes the developers of Chaos Zero Nightmare (CZN) have in store for the game's season 2 update. Learn more about the upcoming changes to CZN here!

Upcoming Season 2 Balance Changes

Balance Change List







Save Data Rule Adjustments

Developer Smilegate will change the calculation and mechanics of save data. This is to prevent a linear building path that forces players to rely on 3rd party tools to create their desired save data.

Main Mechanic Rule Change
Final Save Data Value will be calculated based on additional elements acquired beyond a base Save Data consisting of 8 cards, made up of uniquely obtainable starting cards and Epiphany cards.
Neutral cards Will now be calculated at a fixed value regardless of whether Epiphany has been applied.
Divine Epiphany Unchanged
Monster cards Will now gain 3 tiers Common, Rare, Legendary with each tier costing 20, 50, and 80 respectively.
Card Duplication Point calculation change from 0/10/30 to 0/0/40
Card Removal Will no longer have costs and will also not add points after removing cards outside the combatant's starting cards. Each starting card removed is valued at 20 points.
Card Transformation Will now count as a removal.
Duplication and Removal Limits Duplication is now limited to 4 times and removal to 5 times.

Combatant Reworks

Reworked Combatants
TressaTressa CassiusCassius

Tressa Rework

Adjustment Target Before After
Agony Effect Mechanics Applied as a new debuff to the target each time Agony is inflicted.
At the end of the turn, each Agony debuff deals damage and reduces its stack by 1.
Agony applied by the caster is stacked as a single debuff.
At the end of the turn, damage is dealt based on the number of Agony stacks, then the stack count is reduced by half (damage count increases based on stack count).
Agony Continuous Effect At turn end, deal Fixed DoT equal to 50% of the amount of Agony.
On effect activation, reduce Agony by 1.
At turn end, deal Fixed DoT equal to 50% of the amount of Agony.
On effect activation, decrease Agony stacks by half (max 20 stacks).
Shadow Dagger Cost 0 / Attack / [Exhaust]
Damage 50%, 2 Agony
Cost 0 / Attack / [Exhaust]
Damage 80%, 1 Agony
Advanced Shadow Dagger Cost 1 / Attack / [Retain/Retrieve]
Damage 100%, 2 × 2 Agony
Cost 0 / Attack / [Retain/Exhaust]
2 Agony, Damage 50%, +10% Damage Amount per Agony on target
Unsheathe Dagger – Unique Epiphany 4 Create 2 Shadow Dagger.
Increase the Agony effect of the created Shadow Dagger by 3.
Create 2 Shadow Dagger.
Increase the Agony effect of the created Shadow Dagger by 2.
Shadow Reload – Unique Epiphany 1 Cost 2 / Attack / [Retain]
80% Damage to all enemies, 2 Agony.
Exhaust all Shadow Dagger in hand, repeat equal to that number.
Cost 1 / Attack / [Retain]
80% Damage to all enemies, 2 Agony.
Exhaust all Shadow Dagger in hand, repeat equal to that number.
Shadow Reload – Unique Epiphany 2 Cost 1 / Skill / Heal 100%.
Create 2 Advanced Shadow Dagger.
Cost 0 / Skill / Heal 150%.
Create 1 Advanced Shadow Dagger.
Shadow Reload – Unique Epiphany 3 Cost X / Skill / Heal 100% × X.
Create X Shadow Dagger.
Cost X / Skill / Heal 100% × X.
Create X cards, each randomly Shadow Dagger or Advanced Shadow Dagger.
Shadow Reload – Unique Epiphany 4 Cost 1 / Upgrade / [Initiation]
When healed by a Skill Card, create 1 Shadow Dagger.
Cost 1 / Skill
Exhaust all Shadow Dagger, then create Advanced Shadow Dagger for each exhausted.
Shadow Reload – Unique Epiphany 5 Cost 1 / Skill / [Exhaust]
Discard all cards, create Shadow Dagger equal to that number.
Cost 1 / Skill / [Exhaust 2]
Discard all cards, create Shadow Dagger equal to that number.
Vital Attack – Unique Epiphany 3 Cost 2 / Attack
80% Damage × 3.
+50% Agony Damage Amount for 1 turn.
Cost 1 / Attack
80% Damage × 3.
2–6 Agony.
Cursed Gouge Cost 1 / Skill
2 Agony Imprint, 2 Weaken.
Cost 1 / Skill
Activates this unit’s Agony applied to the target.

Overall, Tressa's capability to stack Agony has been reduced. To compensate, her damage numbers have been amped as well as new mechanics that lets her use Agony in different methods such as activitating it manually with Cursed Gouge or using the stacks to amplify her Advanced Shadow Dagger damage.

Cassius Rework

Adjustment Target Before After
Quest Mechanic Changes When conditions are met during battle, generate a Quest card as a reward.
Quest card is excluded from the criteria.
When conditions are met during battle, generate a Quest card as a reward, 80% Fixed Healing (3 times per turn).
Quest card is excluded from the criteria.
Triple 0 Cost 0 / Attack / [Exhaust/Ephemeral]
40% Damage for each Attack Card used this turn
Cost 0 / Attack / [Exhaust/Ephemeral]
40% Damage, +40% Damage Amount for each Attack Card used this turn (max 4 times)
Empowered Triple 0 Cost 0 / Attack / [Exhaust/Ephemeral]
50% Damage for each Attack Card used this turn
Cost 0 / Attack / [Exhaust/Ephemeral]
50% Damage, +50% Damage Amount for each Attack Card used this turn (max 4 times)
Triple 1 Cost 0 / Attack / [Exhaust/Ephemeral]
90% Damage, Heal 90%
Cost 0 / Attack / [Exhaust/Ephemeral]
150% Damage, Heal 150%
Empowered Triple 1 Cost 0 / Attack / [Exhaust/Ephemeral]
120% Damage, Heal 120%
Cost 0 / Attack / [Exhaust/Ephemeral]
200% Damage, Heal 200%
Full House Cost 0 / Skill / [Exhaust/Ephemeral]
Draw 1
Cost 0 / Skill / [Exhaust/Ephemeral]
Draw 1,
Decrease Stress of a random ally by 2
Strengthened Full House
(Added on 1/26 09:07)
Cost 0 / Skill / [Exhaust/Retain]
Draw 1
Cost 0 / Skill / [Exhaust/Retain]
Draw 1,
Decrease Stress of a random ally by 3
Dice Trick Cost 2 / Attack
240% Damage,
Decrease Cost by the number of completed Quests
Cost 2 / Attack
240% Damage,
Reduce 1 Morale for 1 turn,
Decrease Cost by the number of completed Quests
Dice Trick – Unique Epiphany 1 Cost 2 / Attack
360% Damage,
Decrease Cost by the number of completed Quests
Cost 2 / Attack
360% Damage,
Reduce 1 Morale for 1 turn,
Decrease Cost by the number of completed Quests
Dice Trick – Unique Epiphany 2 Cost 2 / Attack
300% Damage to all enemies,
Decrease Cost by the number of completed Quests
Cost 2 / Attack
300% Damage to all enemies,
Reduce 1 Morale for 1 turn,
Decrease Cost by the number of completed Quests
Dice Trick – Unique Epiphany 3 Cost 0 / Attack
80% Damage,
+80% Damage Amount for each completed Quest
Cost 0 / Attack
80% Damage,
+80% Damage Amount for each completed Quest (max 5 times)
Dice Trick – Unique Epiphany 4 Cost 2 / Upgrade
When using Quest Card,
Heal 100%, 100% Fixed Damage to a random enemy
Cost 2 / Upgrade / [Unique]
When using Quest Card,
Heal 100%, 100% Fixed Damage to a random enemy
Dice Trick – Unique Epiphany 5 Cost 2 / Upgrade
When Quest is completed,
Create 1 Quest Card
Cost 2 / Upgrade / [Unique]
At the start of the turn,
Create 1 Empowered Quest Card

Cassius's synergy with combatants that can utilize some of his quest mechanics has been adjusted. This will prevent combatants from creating effect loops using his quest mechanics and to compensate, his sustain is improved while providing new ways to interact with his quest mechanics such as reducing combatant stress, enemy morale, etc.

Flash of Possibility - New Item

To compensate players that invested on reworked combatants, a new item called Flash of Possibility will be added to the game moving forward. This item lets players adjust a selected card's unique epiphany from an already finalized save data.

Aside from being a compensation reward, Flash of Possibility will also become avaialable as an in-game reward moving forward.

Combatant and Mechanic Improvements

List of Buffed Mechanics and Combatants
NiaNia ReiRei OrleaOrlea
HaruHaru YukiYuki ChizuruChizuru
KhalipeKhalipe MagnaMagna HugoHugo
RinRin Counterattack IconCounter Attacks

Nia

Adjustment Target Adjustment Direction
Decibel Healing equal to the number of stacks will be added to the default effect.
Elasticity The stack limit will be increased,
and the effect will now trigger based on the number of stacks.
G Chord The Decibel gain effect will be increased.
Soul Rip An effect that grants Elasticity will be added.

Nia will get buffs to her healing as well as improvements to her Decibel acquisition (which will also get healing improvements).

Rei

Adjustment Target Adjustment Direction
Basic Card Potential Effect The Critical Chance increase effect will be changed to a damage-based healing effect.
Snack Time Healing capability will be increased.

Critical-related potential will be changed to healing.

Orlea

Adjustment Target Adjustment Direction
Base Card Composition The base card composition will be changed from 2 basic attack cards and 1 basic skill card to 1 basic attack card and 2 basic skill cards.
Basic Card Potential Effect The chance to generate Creations will be increased.
Creation The effect values of Creations will be increased.
Growth Acceleration Healing will be increased.
Will of Light Reduce cost by 1.

Reduced attack cards with creation cards also getting number buffs. Lastly, she will also have a card cost reduction for Will of Light to re-activate the newly buffed creation card's retain effects.

Haru

Adjustment Target Adjustment Direction
Anchor Shot Damage amount will be increased.
Lift Anchor The cost of Anchor Shot will no longer increase.

Damage number buff and card cost increase removal from Lift Anchor to smoothen her combos.

Yuki

Adjustment Target Adjustment Direction
Flash Slash Damage amount will be increased.
Trickery Strike Damage amount will be increased.
A single-target damage-focused effect will be added to low-pick-rate Epiphanies.
Freezing Blade Damage amount will be increased.

More general damage buffs with Freezing Blade and Flash Slash improvements while Trickery Strike gets single-target related changes with its low pick-rate epiphanies.

Chizuru

Adjustment Target Adjustment Direction
Karmic Flames The effect triggered when used on targets inflicted with Cursed Shackles will be enhanced.
The cost of certain Epiphanies will be reduced.
Inhibit It will become possible to gain AP tnlough the user’s own cards and continuous effects.
Bound At Dusk In its base state, the cost of two cards will be reduced.
Oni Hunt Damage amount increase effects will be enhanced, and the usability of low-pick-rate Epiphanies will be improved.
Shadow of the Moon / Shadow of the Moon+ Damage amount will be increased.
Shadow of the Moon Cards of the same pile will now stack even when they are in the Graveyard or Draw pile.
Moonlight of High Tide Damage amount will be increased.

Inhibit will no longer restrict AP gain and her Shadow of the Moon's stacking will be much more reliable by stacking same copies even in different card locations such as the graveyard or draw pile. She'll also get enhanced effects for her Cursed Shackles, Oni Hunt, and Moonlight of High Tide together with some upgrades to Oni Hunt's low pick rate epiphanies.

Khalipe

Adjustment Target Adjustment Direction
Upward Slash Damage amount of Upward Slash when its Potential is not applied will be increased.
Vulture Ejection Both damage amount and the shield gain of certain Epiphanies will be increased.
Overpower Shield gain will be increased.

General damage buff and shield gain across the board to make her damage numbers comparative to others in the late game.

Magna

Adjustment Target Adjustment Direction
Glacial Iron Fist Damage amount will be increased.
Ice Wall Shield gain will be increased.

General number improvement together with the counter attack buffs that will release on the same update.

Hugo

Adjustment Target Adjustment Direction
Hunting Instincts An [Initiation] effect will be added to select Epiphanies.

More initiation tag addition to Hugo's Hunting Instinct to widen Hugo's Hunting Instinct epiphany choices.

Rin

Adjustment Target Adjustment Direction
Dark Mist Secret Art: Destruction Adds the Gain Dark Mist Stance effect to certain Epiphanies. The conditions for Dark Mist Blade Art will be removed from certain Epiphanies.
Dark Mist Inner Art Damage amount increase effects will be increased.
Dark Mist Secret Art: Black Dance Increased Card Hit Count.

Lessens the restrictive nature of Dark Mist Stance while also getting number buffs across the board.

Counter Attack Improvements

Adjustment Target Adjustment Direction
Conditional Damage Amount Damage amount dealt when an attack is fully blocked by a shield will be increased.

Direct damage buff will not be present but activating its conditional damage option by entirely blocking an attack will let counter attack deal more damage.

Partner Improvements

Asteria

Adjustment Target Before After
Light of Ark Cost 2 / +20% Damage Amount of the next Attack card used by the assigned Combatant for the total cost of all cards in the hand (Max 10) Cost 2 / +40% Damage Amount of the next Attack card used by the assigned Combatant for the total cost of all cards in the hand (Max 10)

Westmacott

Adjustment Target Before After
Clue Spotted Cost 3 / Move 1 card from hand to Draw Pile,
Draw 1 assigned Combatant card
Cost 2 / Move 1 card from hand to Draw Pile,
Draw 2 assigned Combatant card

Itsuku

Adjustment Target Before After
Moonlit Leisure Cost 4 / Deal 200% damage to all enemies, Fierce Winds 1 Cost 3 / Deal 200% damage to all enemies, Fierce Winds 1

General Improvement

Aside from the 3 5-star partner buffs, most 5 star and 4 star partners will also get an addition lf ATK and DEF stat percentage bonus added to them to compete with the existing 3 star partners in the game.

Memory Fragment Improvements

Adjustment Target Before After
Orb of Inhibition Set (4-Set) When Hitting 2 times with 1 Attack Card, +10% Damage Amount to Void Cards for 1 turn (2 times per turn) +30% Damage Amount to Void cards that hit 2 or more times
Instinctual Growth (4-Set) When there are 4 or more cards in hand, increase Damage Amount of Instinct Cards by 20% When there are 3 or more cards in hand, increase Damage Amount of Instinct Cards by 20%
Spark of Passion (4-Set) When an Upgrade Card is used, increase Damage Amount of the next 5 Passion Cards used by 20% When an Upgrade Card is used, increase Damage Amount of Passion Cards by 20% (max 1 stack)

4-set Memory Fragments will get a usability buff to let them compete with the existing 2-set fragments in the game.

Equipment Adjustments

Adjustment Target Before After
Brainwave-Blocking Helmet When you Draw a card via an ability, gain a fixed Shield 40% When you Draw a card via an ability, gain a fixed Shield 40% (5 times per turn)
Psionic Combat Suit On card Exhaust, gain Fixed Shield 30% On card Exhaust, gain Fixed Shield 30% (5 times per turn)

Both armor sets can be utilized multiple times to generate tons of fixed shield. A cap will be added to these armor to prevent massive amount of shield values from the said armor pieces.

Card Adjustments

Card Adjustment by Type
Neutral Cards Monster Cards

Neutral Cards

Adjustment Target Before After
Wanderer of the Void Cost 0 / Skill / For 1 turn, target’s Action Count does not decrease Cost 0 / Skill / [Exhaust] For 1 turn, target’s Action Count does not decrease
Tactical Action Cost 1 / Upgrade / [Initiation] Increase Damage Amount to targets granted Shield by 15% Cost 1 / Upgrade / [Initiation] Increase Damage Amount to targets granted Shield by 25% (max 1)
Acid Gas Cost 1 / Skill / [Retrieve] Deal 2 Impair to all enemies Cost 0 / Skill / [Retrieve/Exhaust] Deal 3 Impair to all enemies
Rally Cost 0 / Skill / [Haste] Draw 1, Increase Action Count of all enemies by 3 Cost 0 / Skill / [Haste/Exhaust 2] Draw 1, Increase Action Count of all enemies by 3

Monster Cards

Grade Name Type Cost Card Effect
Common Shy Gardener Attack 1 50% Damage × 4, 3 Marks
Common Sorrowful Godfather Attack 1 50% Damage × 4, 6 Agony
Common Winged Humanoid Beast Attack 1 50% Damage × 5
Common Wolves Bane Attack 1 Deal 120% damage to all enemies, 2 Weaken, 2 Impair
Common Dark Grip Attack 1 120% Damage × 2, Defeat: Deal 120% × 2 damage to random enemies
Common Rotten Ripper Attack 1 [Haste] 160% Damage, increase Action Count by 1
Common Seraphim of Pain Attack 2 250% Damage. If this is the only card in hand, decrease Cost by 2
Common Beam Shooter Attack 3 350% Damage. If the target has Shield, +50% Damage Amount
Rare Automata Cavalry Attack 1 Deal 150% damage, 4 Vulnerable
Rare Soldier Prime Attack 2 300% Damage. When Ravaged, gain 2 AP
Legendary Seven Arms Attack 1 [Haste] 120% Damage. If target’s Action Count is 5 or more, gain 2 AP
Common Abyssal Bug Skill 0 [Exhaust] Reduce 1 Morale, reduce 3 Resolve
Common Chilling Godfather Skill 0 Activate the bottom 1 card of the Draw Pile. Choose 1 card in hand and move it to the bottom of the Draw Pile.
Common Trapper Skill 1 120% Shield, 1 Vulnerable. If the target did not act, +120% Shield Gain, add 1 Vulnerable.
Common Cultist Arbiter Skill 1 140% Shield. At the start of the next turn, increase Action Count of all enemies by 2
Common Slaughter Skill 2 [Exhaust] 200% Shield, Damage to all enemies by the amount of Shield gained
Rare Hunger of the Void Skill 0 [Exhaust] 2 Morale Leech
Rare Evil Spirit Salamander Skill 1 [Exhaust 2] Draw 4
Rare Hunger of Loss Skill 1 [Exhaust] Draw 1. If there are no cards in hand, Draw 4 extra
Rare Elemental Phoenix Skill 1 [Exhaust] 2 Resolve, gain Shield equal to the amount of lost HP
Rare Spirit Kefox Skill 1 [Exhaust] From the Draw Pile, choose 1 card to Draw, apply Retrieve to that card
Rare Arbitum Upgrade 0 -15% Damage taken (1 time per turn)
Rare Gloomy Godmother Upgrade 1 At the end of the turn, 200% Damage to a random enemy
Rare Shell Bug Upgrade 1 5 Crystallization
Legendary Evil Spirit Dullahan Upgrade 1 When using a Targeting Attack Card, inflict 1 Agony
Legendary Dominion Upgrade 2 At the start of turn, 1 Morale

Balance Change Release Date

Releases on February 4, 2025

Chaos Zero Nightmare Maintenance Countdown

The balance change will release together with the season 2 update on February 4 2026.

Season 2 Content and Release Date

Chaos Zero Nightmare (CZN) Related News

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Preload Guide and Time Release Time and Countdown
Available Platforms and System Requirements Will Chaos Zero Nightmare Have PvP?
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