Aria Banner Guide: 28,800 Polychromes Needed (ZZZ 2.6)

ZZZ Banner System & Polychrome Requirements

Polychromes are ZZZ's premium currency. 160 Polychromes = 1 Encrypted Master Tape = 1 pull on Exclusive Channel banners.

Polychromes and Master Tapes Explained

• Fixed rate: 160 Polychromes per pull
• Encrypted Master Tapes work only on character banners
• No discount for 10-pulls
• Buy Zenless Zone Zero polychromes cheap via BitTopup for instant delivery

Exclusive Channel Banner Mechanics

• Base S-Rank rate: 0.6% per pull
• Dual pity system: 90-pull hard pity + 180-pull featured guarantee
• Aria banner: March 4-24, 2026 (verify your server)
• Pity carries between Exclusive Channel banners

Key Calculations

• 90 pulls (hard pity) = 14,400 Polychromes
• 180 pulls (guaranteed featured) = 28,800 Polychromes
• Average cost: ~100-110 pulls (16,000-17,600 Polychromes)

Aria Banner Timeline

Version 2.6 launches February 6, 2026, 11:00 AM UTC+8.

Phase 1: Sunna (February 6 - March 4) Phase 2: Aria (March 4 - March 24)

Total Farming Window

• 46 days total (Feb 6 - Mar 24)
• Phase 2 only: 20 days
• Daily commissions alone: 6,440 Polychromes (40 pulls) across 46 days

Server Time Conversions

11:00 AM UTC+8 = 10:00 PM EST (previous day) = 7:00 PM PST (previous day)

Complete pulls 6+ hours before deadline to avoid maintenance issues.

Complete Pity System Breakdown

Soft Pity (Pull 75+)

• Activates at pull 75
• S-Rank rate increases to ~6-8% by pull 80
• Escalates to ~20-25% by pull 85-89
• Median S-Rank acquisition: pulls 78-80

Hard Pity (Pull 90)

Guarantees S-Rank at pull 90, but NOT necessarily the featured agent.

50/50 System

• First S-Rank: 50% chance for Aria vs. 50% standard S-Rank
• Losing 50/50 guarantees next S-Rank is featured
• Worst case: 90 pulls + lose 50/50 + 90 more pulls = 180 total

Top up ZZZ encrypted master tapes fast when guarantee activates.

Pity Carryover

✅ Carries between Exclusive Channel banners ❌ Does NOT carry between banner types (Standard/W-Engine separate)

Worst-Case Scenario: 28,800 Polychromes

180 pulls × 160 = 28,800 Polychromes maximum

This assumes:

• Zero starting pity
• No guarantee status
• Occurs in ~0.36% of cases

Always plan for worst case. Surplus redirects to future banners.

Polychrome Calculator by Scenario

Scenario 1: Existing Pity

Formula: (90 - current pity) × 160 = Polychromes to hard pity If no guarantee: double this amount

Example: 45 pity, no guarantee

• To hard pity: 45 × 160 = 7,200
• Worst case: 135 pulls = 21,600 Polychromes

Scenario 2: Guaranteed Pull

Maximum: 14,400 Polychromes (90 pulls) Realistic: 12,000-13,600 (soft pity at 75-85)

Scenario 3: F2P from Zero

Total resources: 26,390 + (16 × 160) = 28,950 Polychromes (181 pulls) Margin: Just 150 Polychromes above guarantee

Scenario 4: Monthly Card

Proxy Subscription adds 4,380 Polychromes = 208 total pulls Battle Pass adds another 780 + 4 tapes = 217 total pulls

Complete F2P Polychrome Sources (Version 2.6)

Total: 26,390 Polychromes + 16 Encrypted Master Tapes

Daily Sources

• Daily Activity: 2,820 Polychromes (60/day × 46 days + bonuses)
• Inter-Knot Scratch Cards: 3,300 Polychromes

Weekly Sources

• Shiyu Defense: 3,120 Polychromes
• Hollow Zero: 1,120 Polychromes (280/week)
• Deadly Assault: 900 Polychromes

Limited Events

• Auspicious Golden Carrot: 1,600 Polychromes
• A Harmony of Delusions: 1,200-1,590 Polychromes
• Gilded Surprise: 220 Polychromes + 25 free draws (Feb 14-23)
• Event total: 7,920-8,310 Polychromes

One-Time Rewards

• Story Clear: 100 Polychromes
• Map Exploration: 200 Polychromes
• Achievements: 210 Polychromes
• Agent Trust: 260 Polychromes
• Training: 60 Polychromes
• Total: 830 Polychromes

Encrypted Master Tapes (16 total)

• Battle Pass free track: 5
• Events: 6
• Monthly login: 5

F2P Pull Count Reality

26,390 ÷ 160 = 164.9 pulls 16 tapes = 16 pulls Total: 181 pulls

Can F2P Guarantee Aria?

Yes, but requires:

• 100% reward collection
• All daily commissions (46 days)
• Maximum Shiyu Defense stars
• All event completions
• Full story/exploration

Missing 200 Polychromes risks falling short.

Maximizing Polychrome Acquisition

Priority Ranking

Tier 1 (Daily):

1. Daily commissions (60 Polychromes, 15 min)
2. Scratch cards (2 min)
3. Active events (10-30 min)

Tier 2 (Weekly):

1. Shiyu Defense (800/cycle, 30-60 min)
2. Hollow Zero (280/week, 45-90 min)
3. Deadly Assault (900 total)

Tier 3 (One-Time):

1. Story (100 Polychromes, 2-4 hrs)
2. Exploration (200 Polychromes, 1-2 hrs)
3. Achievements (210 Polychromes)

Critical Events

Gilded Surprise (Feb 14-23): 4,220 value (26 pulls) - only 10 days Auspicious Golden Carrot: 1,600 Polychromes A Harmony of Delusions: 1,200-1,590 Polychromes

Missing Gilded Surprise drops F2P below guarantee.

Common Mistakes

❌ Spending Polychromes on Standard Banner ❌ Skipping Shiyu Defense entirely ❌ Inconsistent logins (loses scratch card progress) ❌ Delaying story completion ❌ Converting to Standard Tapes

Skip Standard Banner completely unless 5-10 pulls from pity with surplus resources.

Handling Polychrome Shortfalls

Calculate Your Deficit

1. Current resources (Polychromes + tapes + pity)
2. Worst-case need: (90 - pity) + 90 if no guarantee
3. Projected F2P income remaining
4. Deficit = needed - (current + projected)

Purchase Value Analysis

Cost per pull:

• Monthly card: $0.27/pull (3,000 Polychromes for ~$5)
• Battle Pass: $1.11/pull (1,420 value for ~$10)
• Direct purchase: $1.50-3.00/pull

Priority: Monthly card → Battle Pass → direct packages

BitTopup Advantages

• Discounted vs. official rates
• Instant delivery
• Buyer protection
• 24/7 support
• First-time bonuses double amounts

Calculate exact deficit before purchasing to avoid over-buying.

Common Misconceptions

Myth: Always Need 180 Pulls

Reality: 180 is worst-case maximum

• 38% get S-Rank within 75 pulls
• 32% need 76-90 pulls
• 30% need 91-180 pulls
• Average: 100-110 pulls

But plan for 180 to guarantee success.

Myth: Soft Pity Doesn't Help

Reality: Rates jump dramatically at pull 75+

• Pull 75-79: ~6-8% per pull
• Pull 80-84: ~12-15% per pull
• Pull 85-89: ~20-25% per pull
• <15% reach pull 90

Myth: Pity Resets Between Phases

Reality: Pity persists across ALL Exclusive Channel banners. Only resets when you pull an S-Rank.

Is Aria Worth It?

Aria's Role

• S-Rank Ether Anomaly DPS
• Angels of Delusion faction
• Fills underserved Ether damage niche
• Future faction synergy potential

Pull Decision Factors

Pull if:

• Need Ether Anomaly DPS
• Building Angels of Delusion team
• Have surplus for 2.7 banners

Skip if:

• Satisfied with current Ether options
• Limited resources
• Prefer support over DPS
• Awaiting 2.7 leaks

Wait until final banner days for community testing results.

FAQ

How many Polychromes guarantee Aria?

28,800 Polychromes (180 pulls) worst-case from zero. With existing pity/guarantee: as low as 14,400 (90 pulls).

When does Aria banner end?

March 24, 2026 (some sources say March 23). Verify in-game. Pull 6+ hours before deadline.

Does pity carry over?

Yes, between all Exclusive Channel banners. No, between different banner types (Standard/W-Engine separate).

How many free Polychromes in 2.6?

26,390 Polychromes + 16 tapes = 181 pulls total. Requires claiming all rewards.

What is soft pity?

Starts pull 75. S-Rank rates increase dramatically each pull. Most get S-Rank by pulls 76-84.

Can F2P get Aria?

Yes. 181 pulls available = 1 above guarantee. Must claim 100% of rewards. Missing events risks shortfall.