How to Build and Enhance Characters (Agents)

Here's how to build characters in Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ). Check out which part of the building process should you invest in first to to level up your characters and optimize them to be as strong as possible!

How to Build Characters in ZZZ

List of Things to Do and Priorities

Task	Priority Status
Leveling Up	Priority: ★★★★★ ・Increases Base Stats ・Promotion Breaks Level Cap ・Essential to Improve Other Parts
Skill Enhancement	Priority: ★★★★☆ ・Increases effect rate per Skill Level ・Needs specific materials to increase ・Becomes more expensive the higher the level
W-Engine	Priority: ★★★★☆ ・Increases stats of an Agent while equipped ・Passive triggers when equipped to correct Agent type ・Has the same Level Cap break mechanic as Agents
Drive Disc	Priority: ★★★☆☆ ・Increases stats of an Agent while equipped ・"Set Skills" active when certain no. of them from same set are equipped ・Main stats can be different from one another ・Can be transferred to other characters
Core Skill	Priority: ★★☆☆☆ ・Each Agent has their own Core Skill ・Materials from high difficulty challenges eventually required ・Said challenges are limited per week
Mindscape Cinema	Priority: ★☆☆☆☆ ・ZZZ's character duplicate system ・Skills and stats strengthened upon increasing ・Earned from Signal Search gachas

Leveling and Promoting Agents

Level Up and Promote to Increase Stat Numbers

Leveling Agents	Promoting Agents

Leveling up your Agents is the best way to improve them. To do that, you need to have Official Investigator Logs on hand, as they serve as EXP material.

Likewise, to make them even stronger they have to be Promoted as well by using Certification Seals, increasing their level cap by 10.

Prioritize DPS Agents

Suggested Early Game DPS Agents
Anby	Soukaku	Corin

For the most part, Attack Specialty Agents almost always serve as the main DPS, as with the case with Corin. However, some Agents deal quite a lot of damage despite following a different Specialty.

For example, Anby is a great early Stun Specialty investment as she's the first free character you get in the game. Meahwhile, Soukaku is one of the best damage dealers in the game despite being an A-Rank Support, buffing not only herself but also her teammates.

1.0 Tier List and Best Characters

Enhance Their Skills

Skills to Prioritize

Skill	Enhancement Priority
Special Attack	★★★★★
Basic Attack	★★★★☆
Chain Attack	★★★★☆
Assist	★★★☆☆
Dodge	★★☆☆☆

Note: Skill Enhancement priority may vary depending on how the Agent plays. Make sure to preview and test out the character first!

Five Different Skills To Consider

There are 5 different Skills to be improved upon for each Agent: Basic Attack, Dodge, Assist, Special Attack and Chain Attack. Each one can be leveled separately, and the higher the level the stronger the values of the Skills, leading to higher overall damage.

Go All In On Strongest Agent

If there is a certain Agent that is carrying you through mutliple fights and bosses, like say they are a few levels ahead of everyone or have a couple of Cinema levels already, go all in on them and prioritize leveling their skills first.

Equip W-Engine

Equip To Agents for Stat Boost

W-Engines serve as the weapon of an Agent, further increasing their stats. Equipping one on your characters increases their stat values, leading to better overall performance.

Match the Specialty to Enable Passive

Each W-Engine has a special passive that only triggers when it is equipped to an Agent of the same Specialty. The game will warn you if you try to equip a W-Engine that does not match the Specialty requirement.

Must Be Leveled Up and Promoted

Much like the Agents, W-Engines also have to be Leveled Up using W-Engine Batteries, and then Modified to break the level cap using special Components specified for the weapon's Specialty.

Duplicates Can Be Used to Upgrade

If you happen to have copies of W-Engines of the same model, you can use them to upgrade one of them and increase their effect's efficiency. A maximum of 4 duplicates can be used to fully Limit Break a W-Engine.

Drive Discs

Stat Boosting Items for Agents

Drive Discs are equipment that act as additional stat boosts. They have a main base stat, and then a number of random stats that increases in number or value as the Drive Disc is leveled up.

Can Be Farmed Via VR Device

Drive Discs can be farmed for using the VR Device, and participating in Routine Cleanup. Players can earn different kinds of Drive Discs there, with each challenge being having two different sets up for grabs.

Must have 2 or 4 of Same Series to Trigger Set Effect

Similar to the Relics system in Honkai Star Rail or the Artifact system in Genshin Impact, the Drive Discs have special passives that trigger if the Agent is equipped with 2 or 4 Discs from the same set.

There are six slots available for Drive Discs, meaning players can opt to do a 2-2-2 combination with three different sets, or using a set of 4-2 with one of the sets having their second passive enabled.

Set Effects Optional During Early Game

During the early game where players are still learning how the game works, they do not have to prioritize the the Drive Disc set passives immediately. Just equip the best ones immediately for the instant stat boost to an Agent.

All Drive Discs and Guides

Intermediate Tuning

At some point during the late game, players will have access to Intermediate Tuning in Bardic Needle. Once unlocked, players will be able to buy higher-tier Drive Discs, up to S-Rank in rarity.

Core Skill Enhancement

Automatically Activated During Combat

Core Skills are immediately active as soon as the Agent is in the midst of battle. There are two parts to a Core Skill: a Core Passive that innately improves an Agent's abilities, and an Additional Ability that takes effect if that Agent has teammates with the same Attribute or from the same Faction.

Materials Obtained in Notorious Hunt

To level up an Agent's Core Skill, they must obtain certain materials from Expert Challenge and Notorious Hunt. This requires you to have your strongest team to participate, so be ready before deciding to farm for this specific item.

Mindscape Cinema

ZZZ's Character Duplicate System

Similar to the Eidolon system in Honkai Star Rail and Constellations in Genshin Impact, Mindscape Cinema is the game's take on pulling duplicate Agents while rolling on the Signal Search banners.

Each one unlocked makes the Agent stronger, making them very crucial to an Agent's playstyle. Players need six duplicates of an Agent to fully complete their Mindscape Cinema, and unlock their fullest potential.

Zenless Zone Zero Related Guides

Tips and Tricks Guide

All Zenless Zone Zero Tips and Tricks

Gameplay Guides
How to Level Up Characters	How to Build and Enhance Characters
How to Ascend (Promote) Characters	How to Recover Battery Charge
How to Raise Your Inter-Knot Level	All Inter-Knot Level Rewards
Daily and Weekly Server Reset Times	How to Change the Time
List of All Achievements	Trophy Guide
Missing Mini Cargo Truck Locations and Rewards	Reroll Guide
Microtransactions and Best In-App Purchases	How to Increase Agent Trust Level
Fast Travel Guide: How to Teleport	How to Modify and Upgrade W-Engines
How to Gain Energy	How to Heal Characters
Compendium Guide	List of Primer Trials and All Rewards
Best Standard Banner Character Guide	How to Get Promoters for Random Play
Exploration Elements	Workbench Guide
How to Level Up Drive Discs	How to Upgrade Core Skills
How to Pet Cats	Public Telephone Guide
How to Change Your Name	All Stats Explained
How to Raise Your Proxy Rank	Immersive Storytelling Mode Guide
How to Get and Change Namecards	Skill Enhancement Guide
How to Take Pictures	How to Level Up and Ascend Bangboos
Best Battery Priority Guide	Best A-Rank W-Engine to Get from the Bundle
San-Z Studio and Display Stand Guide	-
Combat Guides
Basic Combat Guide	How to Daze and Stun
Chain Attack Guide	Ultimate and Decibel Rating
Perfect Dodge and Counter	Perfect Assists and Parries
Attribute Anomaly	What are Additional Skills?
How to Destroy Enemy Parts	How to Do EX Special Attacks
How Do Shields Work?	-
Items and Collectibles
How to Farm Polychromes	How to Get and Use Residual Signal
How to Get and Use Fading Signal	How to Get and Use Encrypted Master Tape
Best Ways to Farm Denny (Money)	How to Get and Use HIA Commemorative Coin
How to Get and Use W-Engine Chip	How to Get and Use Ether Battery
How to Get and Use Boopon	How to Get and Use Bangbuck
How to Get and Use Monochrome	Exclusive Skins for W-Engines
How to Get Dynamic Wallpapers	How to Collect Observation Data
How to Use Photowall	How to Get Cat Food Cans
HIA Coins Sixth Street Locations	HIA Coins Brant Street Locations
HIA Coins Lumina Square Locations	HIA Coins Ballet Twins Road Locations
HIA Coins Blazewood Locations	-
Game Modes and Dailies
Dailies - Errands Guide	Hollow Deep Dive Explained
Officer Mewmew Medal Locations and Challenges	Notorious Hunt Guide
Routine Cleanup Guide	Casual vs Challenge Mode
Frequently Asked Questions
Should You Choose Belle or Wise?	Does Zenless Zone Zero Have Crossplay?
Are There Multiplayer Features?	How to Transfer Data
How to Exit the Game	How to Play With Controller on PC/Mobile
Birthday Guide: What Do You Get On Your Birthday	Which Server Should I Use?
New Eridu City Fund Battle Pass Guide	Can You Reset an Account?