Critical Node is the second node of Shiyu Defense in Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) that consists of seven stages. Check out when it resets, all the frontier guides, the best characters for each stage, and all the rewards here!

Critical Node Reset Date and Countdown

Critical Node Resets on January 31, 2025

Critical Node Reset Date and Countdown
January 31, 2025

Critical Node resets every other Friday. This resets all your progress in Critical Node so that you will be able to collect rewards again upon completion.

This Phase of Critical Node will reset on January 31, 2025.

Shiyu Defense Guide and Reset

Critical Node Stage Effects

Current Stage Effect

Anomaly Impact
• Increases Agent Anomaly Buildup Rate by 25%. • When a Support Agent uses an EX Special Attack, Chain Attack, or Ultimate, increases all squad members' ATK by 15% and Anomaly Proficiency by 20 for 20s, stacking up to 2 times. The duration of each stack is calculated separately.
Next Reset	01/31/2025 - 04:00

In response to Critical Node's reset time, its Stage Effects also change in turn. This current Stage Effect for Critical Node is applied to all of its Frontiers.

How to Unlock Critical Node

Clear Stable Node: Tenth Frontier

Critical Node is unlocked after clearing Stable Node: Tenth Frontier in Shiyu Defense.

Stable Node Guide

Shiyu Defense 11

Critical Node First Frontier Details

Objectives	- More than 300s remaining - More than 180s remaining - Defeat all enemies
Recommended Attributes	1st Half: Physical Ice 2nd Half: Ether
Enemies	1st Half: Hollow Thug - Bulky Intimidator Hollow Thug - Bulky Enforcer Hollow Thug - Assaulter Hollow Thug - Pyromaniac 2nd Half: Ionized - Cyrtoidea Ionized - Nassellaria Ionized - Farbauti Ionized - Thanatos

Shiyu Defense 11 Critical Node Guide

Critical Node First Frontier Best Characters

	1st Half	2nd Half
DPS	Billy Nekomata Corin Miyabi Ellen Piper Jane	Anton Soldier 11 Grace Zhu Yuan Burnice Yanagi Harumasa
Stun	Lycaon Lighter	Anby Koleda Qingyi
Support	Soukaku Caesar	Nicole Rina Lucy Seth

Shiyu Defense 12

Critical Node Second Frontier Details

Objectives	- More than 300s remaining - More than 180s remaining - Defeat all enemies
Recommended Attributes	1st Half: Ether Ice 2nd Half: Electric
Enemies	1st Half: Tyrfing Armored Hati Farbauti 2nd Half: Autonomous Support Unit - Lightfoot Rover MK II Autonomous Support Unit - Heavy Striker MK II Private Jaeger Scout Jaeger

Shiyu Defense 12 Critical Node Guide

Critical Node Second Frontier Best Characters

	1st Half	2nd Half
DPS	Corin Miyabi Ellen Zhu Yuan Yanagi	Anton Grace Harumasa
Stun	Lycaon Qingyi Lighter	Anby
Support	Nicole Ben Soukaku Rina	Rina Lucy

Shiyu Defense 13

Critical Node Third Frontier Details

Objectives	- More than 300s remaining - More than 180s remaining - Defeat all enemies
Recommended Attributes	1st Half: Physical Ice 2nd Half: Physical Fire
Enemies	1st Half: Hollow Thug - Raider Hollow Thug - Poacher Hollow Thug - Bulky Intimidator Hollow Thug - Bulky Enforcer 2nd Half: Guard Jaeger Autonomous Support Unit - Lightfoot Rover Light Jaeger Autonomous Support Unit - Guardian

Shiyu Defense 13 Critical Node Guide

Critical Node Third Frontier Best Characters

	1st Half	2nd Half
DPS	Corin Miyabi Ellen Zhu Yuan Yanagi	Billy Nekomata Soldier 11 Grace Piper Jane Burnice Harumasa
Stun	Lycaon Qingyi	Anby Koleda Lighter
Support	Nicole Ben Soukaku Rina	Lucy Seth Caesar

Shiyu Defense 14

Critical Node Fourth Frontier Details

Objectives	- More than 300s remaining - More than 180s remaining - Defeat all enemies
Recommended Attributes	1st Half: Ether Ice 2nd Half: Electric
Enemies	1st Half: Sordidus Fossor Hati Thanatos Armored Hati 2nd Half: Autonomous Support Unit - Lightfoot Rover MK II Autonomous Support Unit - Heavy Striker MK II Autonomous Support Unit - Guardian MK II Private Jaeger Scout Jaeger

Shiyu Defense 14 Critical Node Guide

Critical Node Fourth Frontier Best Characters

	1st Half	2nd Half
DPS	Corin Miyabi Ellen Zhu Yuan Yanagi	Anton Grace Harumasa
Stun	Lycaon Qingyi Lighter	Anby
Support	Nicole Ben Soukaku Rina	Rina Lucy

Shiyu Defense 15

Critical Node Fifth Frontier Details

Objectives	- More than 300s remaining - More than 180s remaining - Defeat all enemies
Recommended Attributes	1st Half: Ether Ice 2nd Half: Physical Fire
Enemies	1st Half: Ahriman Specter Thanatos Goblin Arlaune 2nd Half: Ionized - Doppelganger - Bellum Ionized - Doppelganger - Pulchra Ionized - Doppelganger - Mors Hollow Thug - Looter Hollow Thug - Rustler

Shiyu Defense 15 Critical Node Guide

Critical Node Fifth Frontier Best Characters

	1st Half	2nd Half
DPS	Anton Miyabi Grace Ellen Zhu Yuan Yanagi Harumasa	Billy Nekomata Corin Soldier 11 Piper Jane Burnice
Stun	Anby Lycaon Qingyi Lighter	Koleda
Support	Nicole Soukaku Rina	Ben Lucy Seth Caesar

Shiyu Defense 16

Critical Node Sixth Frontier Details

Objectives	- More than 300s remaining - More than 180s remaining - Defeat all enemies
Recommended Attributes	1st Half: Ether Ice 2nd Half: Physical Fire
Enemies	1st Half: Ahriman Specter Notorious - Armored Hati 2nd Half: Hollow Thug - Rampant Brute Hollow Thug - Ambusher Hollow Thug - Arsonist

Shiyu Defense 16 Critical Node Guide

Critical Node Sixth Frontier Best Characters

	1st Half	2nd Half
DPS	Billy Miyabi Ellen Zhu Yuan Yanagi	Nekomata Corin Soldier 11 Piper Jane Burnice
Stun	Anby Lighter	Koleda
Support	Nicole Soukaku Rina	Ben Lucy Seth Caesar

Shiyu Defense 17

Critical Node Seventh Frontier Details

Objectives	- More than 300s remaining - More than 180s remaining - Defeat all enemies
Recommended Attributes	1st Half: Ether Ice 2nd Half: Electric
Enemies	1st Half: Thracian Fossor Sordidus 2nd Half: Harrier Jaeger Demolition Jaeger Autonomous Tactical Unit - Shielded Defender Omega

Shiyu Defense 17 Critical Node Guide

Critical Node Seventh Frontier Best Characters

	1st Half	2nd Half
DPS	Nekomata Corin Miyabi Ellen Zhu Yuan Burnice	Billy Anton Grace Piper Jane Yanagi Harumasa
Stun	Anby Lycaon Lighter	Qingyi
Support	Nicole Ben Soukaku Lucy Caesar	Soukaku Rina Seth

Critical Node Rewards

List of Critical Node Rewards

Frontiers	Rewards
1st	Polychrome x90 Denny x45,000 W-Engine Chip x1 Noise Reduction Master Copy x5
2nd	Polychrome x90 Denny x45,000 W-Engine Chip x1 Noise Reduction Master Copy x5
3rd	Polychrome x90 Denny x45,000 W-Engine Chip x1 Noise Reduction Master Copy x5
4th	Polychrome x90 Denny x45,000 W-Engine Chip x1 Noise Reduction Master Copy x5
5th	Polychrome x120 Denny x45,000
6th	Polychrome x120 Denny x45,000
7th	Polychrome x120 Denny x45,000
Total	Polychrome x720 Denny x315,000 W-Engine Chip x4 Noise Reduction Master Copy x20

What is Critical Node?

Shiyu Defense Stages

Critical Node is the second node you will play through in Shiyu Defense. These consist of seven stages that refresh on a regular basis, and you can challenge to collect up to 720 Polychromes.

Shiyu Defense Guide

Zenless Zone Zero Related Guides

Shiyu Defense Guide

Stable Node Guides

All Stable Node Stages
Frontier 1	Frontier 2	Frontier 3	Frontier 4	Frontier 5
Frontier 6	Frontier 7	Frontier 8	Frontier 9	Frontier 10

Stable Node Guide

Disputed Node Guides

All Disputed Node Stages
Frontier 1	Frontier 2	Frontier 3	Frontier 4
Frontier 5	Frontier 6	Frontier 7	Frontier 8

Disputed Node Guide

Critical Node Guides

All Critical Node Stages
Frontier 1	Frontier 2	Frontier 3	Frontier 4
Frontier 5	Frontier 6	Frontier 7

Critical Node Guide

Ambush Node Guides

All Ambush Node Stages
Frontier 1	Frontier 2	Frontier 3
Frontier 4	Frontier 5

Ambush Node Guide