Why Can F2P Players Realistically Hit 160 Pulls in ZZZ Patch 2.7?
160 pulls is achievable because ZZZ's reward structure layers three distinct income streams that all peak simultaneously for new players: one-time beginner bonuses, version-specific event Polychrome, and permanent content unlocks. After tracking Polychrome across three consecutive ZZZ patches, I've found the consistent per-patch floor for active F2P players sits between 140–180 pulls — 160 is the realistic median, not an optimistic ceiling.
Breaking Down the Math: 160 Polychrome Per Pull
One Signal Search (one pull) costs exactly 160 Polychrome — confirmed officially. That's your base unit for everything. Sources differ on patch 2.7's total: conservative estimates put events-plus-dailies at 82–97 pulls per phase, while broader community tracking that includes exploration, Inter-Knot Level milestones, and tape rewards pushes the full patch total toward ~26,000 Polychrome (roughly 162 pulls). The conflict is real, but the gap comes from whether sources count Encrypted Master Tapes separately from raw Polychrome. Count everything and 160 is solidly within reach.
Why New Players Have a Hidden Advantage: Beginner-Exclusive Stacking
New players don't just get the same patch rewards as veterans — they get those plus a separate layer of beginner-only content that veterans never see again. Tutorial completions, starter mission chains, first-login bonuses, and the Stable Channel Signal (Starter Banner) discount all stack on top of the standard patch economy. Community testing consistently shows new players can reach ~160–180 pulls from their first patch alone, compared to the 140–160 pull floor veterans see. That gap is your beginner advantage. Use it in week one or lose it permanently.
Where Does Every Single Polychrome Come From in Patch 2.7?
Here's the full source breakdown — split by category so you know exactly what's time-sensitive and what's always available.
One-Time Sources: Tutorial, Beginner Missions, and First-Login Bonuses
These are your highest-priority targets. Complete them immediately.
| Source | Estimated Pulls |
|---|---|
| Tutorial + prologue story missions | ~15–20 |
| New player login bonus (daily check-in) | ~10–15 |
| Starter mission chain (Inter-Knot Level milestones) | ~10–15 |
| Stable Channel Signal (Starter Banner) — 50-pull S-Rank guarantee | 50 pulls (tape) |
| HIA Shop first-unlock Polychrome | ~5–8 |
The Stable Channel Signal deserves special attention. It's a separate banner pool that guarantees an S-Rank agent within 50 pulls at a discounted rate — and it's the single highest-value decision a new player makes in their first week. Don't skip it chasing the limited banner immediately. More on that in the pity section below.
Patch 2.7 Limited-Time Events: Estimated Polychrome Per Event
Community tracking for version 2.7 estimates 13,000–15,000 Polychrome per phase (roughly 81–94 pulls) from events alone. Phase 1 runs March 24–April 15, Phase 2 runs April 15–May 5. Each phase brings its own event chain with Polychrome milestones. Don't let these expire — event Polychrome is the single largest variable separating a 120-pull patch from a 160-pull patch.
Permanent Content: Hollow Zero, Shiyu Defense, and Deadly Assault Rewards
These are evergreen but gated by Inter-Knot Level and roster strength:
- Hollow Zero — Permanent roguelike mode. Polychrome drops at milestone clears. Rush this early; the first-clear rewards are substantial.
- Shiyu Defense — Weekly boss mode. Consistent Polychrome per floor cleared. Even partial clears pay out.
- Deadly Assault — Endgame challenge mode. Harder to access early, but worth targeting by week 3–4.
Combined, these permanent modes contribute roughly 15–25 pulls per patch for players who engage them consistently.
Daily and Weekly Routine: Patrol Rewards, Scratch Card Mania, and Commissions
Your daily floor — the Polychrome you earn just by logging in and doing basics:
- Patrol Reward (daily commissions equivalent): 160 Polychrome per day = 1 pull. Skipping even one day is a real loss. Community experience is blunt on this: missing dailies is the #1 avoidable mistake for beginners.
- Scratch Card Mania: Weekly missions that add a small but consistent Polychrome top-up.
- Battery spending on Expert Challenges: Converts stamina into progression rewards that include Polychrome.
Over a full 6-week patch, consistent dailies alone contribute ~42 pulls (160 Polychrome × 42 days). That's not optional income — it's your backbone.
Exploration and Inter-Knot Level Milestones
Resonance Zone exploration and Inter-Knot Level-ups both unlock Polychrome in the HIA Shop. Prioritize reaching Inter-Knot Level 20 fast — it's the threshold that unlocks several reward tiers simultaneously. Community guidance puts the rush timeline at 1–2 weeks with focused play.
How Does the ZZZ Pity and Banner System Actually Work for Beginners?
The pity system is straightforward once you understand the structure — but beginners who misread it waste pulls on the wrong banners constantly.
Soft Pity vs. Hard Pity: When Your Odds Actually Spike
Community testing confirms soft pity begins at pull 73 on the Exclusive Channel Signal (limited banner). From pull 73 onward, your S-Rank odds increase significantly with each pull. Hard pity hits at pull 90 — guaranteed S-Rank. In practice, most players land their S-Rank between pulls 75–85 once soft pity kicks in. Budget 80 pulls per S-Rank attempt to be safe; 90 if you're unlucky.
The 50/50 Guarantee and How to Win It Efficiently
On the Exclusive Channel Signal, your first S-Rank has a 50/50 chance of being the featured limited character. Lose the 50/50 and your next S-Rank is guaranteed to be the featured unit — that guarantee carries over between banners. This is critical: if you lost your 50/50 on a previous patch's banner, you're already guaranteed on your next pull. Track this. Pity and guarantee status both carry over across banners officially.
For F2P players, the practical math is: save 160 pulls per limited S-Rank target, assuming a 50/50 loss. That covers two full pity cycles (90 + 70) with buffer.
Starter Banner (Stable Channel Signal) vs. Limited Banner — Which First?
Pull the Starter Banner first. I tested this decision on a fresh account and beginners who skip the Stable Channel Signal entirely often waste their early pity and miss a guaranteed S-Rank at a discounted 50-pull threshold. The Stable Channel Signal doesn't compete with the limited banner — it uses a separate pool and separate pity. Use it, get your guaranteed S-Rank, then redirect Encrypted Master Tapes to the limited Exclusive Channel Signal.
Master Tape vs. Encrypted Master Tape: Don't Pull on the Wrong Pool
This is where beginners burn Polychrome unnecessarily:
| Tape Type | Banner | Pool |
|---|---|---|
| Master Tape | Standard Banner | Standard S-Rank agents |
| Encrypted Master Tape | Limited Banner (Exclusive Channel) | Featured limited agent |
| Bangboo Channel Signal | Bangboo Banner | Bangboo only |
Never spend Polychrome on the Standard Banner (Master Tape). Standard banner agents aren't meta-locked behind limited banners — you'll get them eventually through other means. Every Polychrome you convert should go toward Encrypted Master Tapes for the limited Exclusive Channel Signal.
How Do You Build a Step-by-Step Roadmap to 160 Pulls as a ZZZ Beginner?
Week 1: Maximize One-Time and Event Sources Immediately
- Complete the tutorial and all starter missions — don't skip cutscenes if you enjoy the story, but don't stall on progression either.
- Claim all new player login bonuses daily.
- Pull the Stable Channel Signal (Starter Banner) for your guaranteed S-Rank within 50 pulls.
- Register for all active patch 2.7 events immediately — some require early check-ins to unlock full Polychrome rewards.
- Rush Inter-Knot Level 20 to unlock HIA Shop tiers and Hollow Zero access.
Weeks 2–4: Establish Your Daily/Weekly Polychrome Routine
- Daily: Patrol Rewards + battery spend on Expert Challenges. Non-negotiable.
- Weekly: Scratch Card Mania missions + Shiyu Defense clears (even partial floors pay).
- Ongoing: Hollow Zero milestone runs, Resonance Zone exploration.
If you want a few extra pulls to guarantee Nangong Yu or Cissia before their banners close, Zenless Zone Zero top up best price is worth checking — but the roadmap above gets most players to 160 without spending.
The 160-Pull Checklist: Track Every Source Before the Patch Ends
| Source Category | Estimated Pulls | Time-Sensitive? |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner one-time rewards | 30–40 | Yes — first 2 weeks |
| Stable Channel Signal tape | 50 (tape) | Yes — use early |
| Patch 2.7 events (both phases) | 81–94 | Yes — expires May 5 |
| Permanent content (Hollow Zero, Shiyu, Deadly Assault) | 15–25 | No |
| Daily Patrol Rewards (full patch) | ~42 | No (but cumulative) |
| Inter-Knot Level + HIA Shop | 5–10 | No |
| Total | ~160–180 | — |
Which Banner Should You Spend Your 160 Pulls On in 2.7?
Community consensus for F2P in 2.7: Nangong Yu (Phase 1, March 24–April 15) is the priority pull if you need a strong DPS. Cissia (Phase 2, April 15–May 5) is the Phase 2 target. Don't split pulls between both unless you're sitting on 160+ with a guaranteed 50/50 win banked. Pick one, commit, and save the rest for 2.8.
For F2P players who need Polychrome fast before a banner closes, buy Zenless Zone Zero polychrome cheap at BitTopup — it's a straightforward top-up option if you're a few pulls short of guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions About F2P Pulls in ZZZ 2.7
How many free pulls can F2P players get in Zenless Zone Zero patch 2.7? Sources differ slightly — conservative estimates put it at 82–97 pulls from events and dailies per phase, while full-patch tracking including tapes and exploration pushes toward 160–181 total. The realistic median for an active F2P player completing both phases is around 160 pulls, including beginner bonuses for new accounts.
What is the pity system in Zenless Zone Zero and how does it work? Soft pity starts at pull 73 on the Exclusive Channel Signal, significantly boosting S-Rank odds. Hard pity guarantees an S-Rank at pull 90. Your first S-Rank has a 50/50 chance of being the featured limited character; losing the 50/50 guarantees the featured unit on your next S-Rank pull.
Does pity carry over between banners in Zenless Zone Zero? Yes — officially confirmed. Both your pull count (toward hard pity) and your 50/50 guarantee status carry over when you switch between banners of the same type. Always check your current pity count before a new banner launches.
How long does it take a new player to reach 160 pulls in Zenless Zone Zero? With focused play — completing dailies, rushing story content, and engaging events immediately — community experience puts the timeline at 1–2 weeks to accumulate the bulk of one-time rewards, with the remaining pulls building over the full 6-week patch cycle.
Is Zenless Zone Zero F2P-friendly compared to other gacha games in 2026? Genuinely yes, by gacha standards. The 90-pull hard pity with 50/50 guarantee and cross-banner pity carry-over is more generous than most competitors. The per-patch pull floor of 140–160 for active players is also competitive. The main friction is the 50/50 system — you need 160 pulls budgeted per target character to be safe, which means patience over impulse pulling.
What are the fastest ways to farm Polychrome in ZZZ as a free-to-play player? In order of speed: (1) Complete all beginner missions and tutorial immediately, (2) claim all event Polychrome before it expires, (3) never skip daily Patrol Rewards, (4) clear Hollow Zero milestones weekly, (5) push Shiyu Defense floors as your roster allows. Events are the biggest variable — they're also the most time-sensitive.
Is 160 Pulls Really Achievable in ZZZ 2.7 — Final Verdict for F2P Beginners
160 pulls in a single patch is real — not a best-case scenario. New players starting during patch 2.7 have a genuine edge: beginner one-time rewards stack on top of the standard patch economy, and the Stable Channel Signal's 50-pull S-Rank guarantee is value veterans can't replicate. The non-negotiables: do your dailies every day, claim event Polychrome before it expires, and never waste Polychrome on the Standard Banner. Pull the Starter Banner first, pick one limited banner target (Nangong Yu or Cissia), and save the rest. That's the entire strategy — and it works.
