Zenless Zone Zero Characters Tier List — Who’s Carrying the Meta (v2.4, Dec 2025)

if you're grinding Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) lately, you know the character roster is growing fast and meta-shifts hit hard every update. With v2.4 dropping and a fresh wave of characters, I wanted to write up a current, honest, no-BS character tier list — from a player’s perspective, what works, what’s “ehh,” and who to pull or skip. This is meant to help you decide who to invest in (for endgame PvE like Deadly Assault or Shiyu Defense) and who works for early / mid-progression if you’re F2P or casual.

Important note: this doesn’t just reflect hype — I'm leaning on recent community data, meta consensus, and what actually performs in hardest content (or has wide utility).

I. Why We Need a Tier List (and How This One Works)

A. Game Overview: Action RPG with Agent System

Zenless Zone Zero combines fast action, anomaly/rupture/attack mechanics, and a growing list of “agents” (characters) each with specific strengths: DPS, Support, Stun, Anomaly focus, etc. Choosing the right agents for content makes or breaks harder modes.

B. Agent System & Character Classification Matters

Because agents vary wildly — some are anomaly-specialists, some are physical DPS, some focus on crowd control, others on supporting — you can’t treat “all agents equal.” Building a great squad requires knowing not just “who’s strong” but “who fits the role you need.”

C. Tier List Purpose & Methodology

I rank agents based on:

• Overall utility across content — bosses, waves, crowd control, anomaly/rupture/attack scaling.

• Meta relevance as of v2.4 (Dec 2025) — after recent buffs, new releases, and patch changes.

• Versatility — whether they shine in many team types or very few.

• Ease of use / investment cost vs payoff — especially important for F2P or lower-resource players.

Tiers: Tier 0 / SS (top-tier, almost must-pull/build), Tier 1+ / S+, Tier 1 / S, Tier 2 / A, Tier 3 / B and below (niche, early-game or low-priority).

D. v2.4 Meta Update (Dec 2025) as Baseline

This list reflects the current meta after v2.4, including new agents added like Dialyn, and balance shifts. Because ZZZ changes fast, treat this as snapshot-based — good now, may change later.

E. Focus on Endgame — Deadly Assault & Shiyu Defense in Mind

My priority is: if you want to clear hardest raids or tower floors, these are the agents that make it easiest. Casual players, don’t sweat — there are lower-tier picks that work fine too.

II. Tier Classification — Who’s Who in 2.4 Meta

  Tier 0 / SS — Game-Defining, Meta Must-Haves

These agents are top-tier for a reason: high damage or extremely strong support/buff/stun utility that works across many team comps and content types.

These are the characters I’d chase first if you want “top-tier” performance.

  Tier 1+ / S+ — Strong Picks Worth Investing In

These agents are excellent and can perform near-top given proper build and use. Maybe not as universally broken, but great value and flexibility.

• Evelyn — Strong attack-class agent, excels at chain attacks, clears groups of enemies and good boss damage.

• Vivian — Off-field ether-anomaly unit; if your team uses anomaly mechanics well, she buffs damage nicely.

• Soldier 0 - Anby — Solid attack agent, good aftershock damage potential — if you're early-game or balancing resource investment, she’s a decent pick.

• Yanagi — Anomaly-damage amplifier, works well when paired with other anomaly units.

• Orphie & Magus — Off-field fire DPS; good if you enjoy fire-based builds or need ranged support.

• Lighter — Stun / buffer hybrid; decent for Ice/Fire-theme teams or stun-heavy comps.

These are the “solid bet” agents — maybe not immediately broken, but strong enough to carry you far with decent investment.

  Tier 1 / S — Reliable, but Conditional or Requires Investment / Niche

These work — but performance depends a lot on your build, team synergy, or situation. Good for mid-game, or if you lack better pulls.

• Jane Doe — Anomaly unit with mobility; decent as DPS or anomaly-team contributor.

• Ellen — Attack-class DPS with okay mobility and good normal attack potential; fair option for physical DPS roles.

• Manato — Rupture-type DPS — trades some survivability for burst output; decent if you know what you’re doing.

These agents are “workable” — but you’ll often outclass them later, so use them as stepping-stones rather than long-term staples.

  Tier 2 & Lower — Niche, Situational, or Early-Game Use Only

If you don’t have better characters and just need something to push through starting chapters or build budget squads — fine. But I don’t expect them to carry harder content reliably.

Agents here need either heavy investment, very specific team comps, or just perform significantly worse than higher tiers.

III. What Each Role & Character Type Means

To understand why I rank agents like this — here’s how they’re generally classified:

• Primary DPS (On-Field) — heavy hitters for anomaly, rupture, or attack damage. Example: Miyabi (anomaly), Yixuan (rupture), Ellen / Manato (attack).

• Off-Field DPS / Sub-DPS — deal damage without being active; often anomaly/ether/elemental. Example: Vivian, Orphie/Magus.

• Stun / CC / Crowd-Control Agents — manage daze/stun bars, control fights, set up chain attacks. Example: Trigger, Lighter, Ju Fufu, Dialyn.

• Support / Utility / Buff / Healer Agents — buff teammates, increase damage/healing, provide utility. Example: Astra Yao, Yuzuha, Lucia.

Depending on your team’s build (anomaly-heavy, balanced, rupture/attack hybrid), the value of each role shifts — a “lower-tier” agent in one context might perform above expectation in another.

IV. What v2.4 Update Changed — Meta Shifts & New Faces

• v2.4 added Dialyn — instantly recognized by community tier trackers as T0/SS-tier due to her stun & rupture buff utility.

• The update lists (Game8 / PCGamesN / other trackers) re-affirmed older top agents — Miyabi, Yixuan, Astra Yao, Yuzuha, Lucia — as meta anchors.

• Some mid-tier picks got promoted (due to buffs / community evaluation) — showing that even “not top-tier” agents can shine with right builds.

Bottom line: the meta remains dynamic — what’s top now may shift, but as of v2.4, the “big names” still hold strong.

V. What This Means for You — Who to Aim For Depending on Your Situation

  If You’re a New Player or F2P

• Try to pull and build Astra Yao, Miyabi, Yizuha, Trigger — they give top-tier value and flexibility.

• Use solid but easier-to-get agents like Ellen, Jane Doe, Manato as placeholders until you get better pulls.

• Don’t stress about “perfect roster” — even mid-tier comps can clear easier content, and you’ll climb as you pull better.

  If You’re Mid-Game & Building Toward Endgame

• Focus resources (W-Engine, drive discs, gear) on Tier 0 / SS and Tier 1+ / S+ agents first — these give the best long-term returns.

• Build a balanced team: main DPS + support + buff/stun + off-field DPS/sub-DPS — synergy matters more than raw star rarity.

• Keep an eye on newly released agents (like Dialyn) — upgrades or buffs can shake meta fast.

   If You’re After Endgame (Deadly Assault / Shiyu Defense / Leading Meta Teams)

• Core team likely includes: Miyabi or Yixuan (DPS) + Astra Yao or Yuzuha (support) + Trigger / Ju Fufu / Dialyn (stun/utility) + maybe Vivian / Orphie / Magus (off-field DPS).

• Invest heavily: W-Engines, drive-discs, upgrades — because performance scaling matters a lot in toughest modes.

• Diversify: have at least 1 stun, 1 healer/buffer, 1 anomaly/rupture DPS, and 1 flexible slot — gives you freedom for different encounters (boss, mob, mixed).

VI. Why Tier Lists Aren’t Gospel — Use with Context

• Meta changes: new releases, buffs/nerfs, new modes — shifts are real. What’s top today might be middle-tier later.

• Synergy matters: a so-called “middling” character can carry with good team composition.

• Player skill & investment: perfect builds (drive discs, W-Engines, upgrades) can elevate lower-tier agents.

• Fun and preference: sometimes you pull a character because you love them — and that's totally valid. Performance isn’t everything.

For me, starting out I’d aim for Miyabi + Astra Yao + Trigger, then build around supporting DPS/off-field anomaly characters like Vivian or Orphie/Magus. If I get lucky with pull or save long-term — a second Tier 0 like Yixuan or Yuzuha makes the squad very stable.

If you're mid-game and want a “budget but capable” squad — Ellen, Jane Doe, Manato + a good support or stun is workable till you get stronger pulls.

At the end of the day — tier lists help map the meta, but what matters is your enjoyment, resources, and playstyle. Use this as a reference, build something that works for you, and adapt when meta shifts.

If you want — I can help build 3 sample “meta team comps” for early-game / mid-game / end-game using only S-rank or easily accessible agents — to help you plan pulls or resources. Want me to sketch those for you now