Why Rush Zhao Prep for ZZZ 2.5?
Ever wonder why some agents stick around meta forever while others fade? Zhao's looking like the former.
His Kit in a Nutshell
S-tier Ice/HP Defense Zhao brings Ether Veil for buffs, heals, and full invuln. Think 4-hit Basic with i-frames, a 4s EX dumping multi-hits, heals, and invuln, plus an Ultimate cranking 4234.7% Ice DMG over 12s Veil—boosts +40% CRIT DMG, +650 Sheer Force, +30% squad DMG, total invuln. Module 1 ignores 12% RES off-field (+0.05 ATK/HP). That 12s Veil keeps Ice pressure rolling in Hollow Zero. Stock up on Ether Battery (60 Backup +1 Prepaid). Test those Basic i-frames on Shiyu stage 5. Prioritize HP body/ATK% main stats.
Kit Changes? Not a Total Wipe
HP and Veil stay rock-solid core. Build HP/ATK/RES Pen for Daze/Stun flexibility—it flips Defense into team RES Pen and amps Stun. HP scaling locks in tankiness, heals, buffs. Get it done in 2.4 with Ellen/Lycaon for seamless carryover. Farm before December 30. Double-check Veil post-launch.
The Payoff for Smart Spending
Nail Hollow Zero 100+, Shiyu Defense 120+ (90k S+ Poly at 720-780 scores). Zhao's sustain crushes Miyabi/Yixuan's medium/low setups. Zhao hits Ice 120+ on Shiyu; Miyabi caps at 100+. Stash 28.8k Poly, team with Ellen's +100% CRIT Flash Freeze (37.5% boss daze), smash 2.4 content.
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Gear That Holds Up: W-Engines and Drive Discs
My Top 3 No-Regret Picks
HP-scaling W-Engines (sword/axe/ice sword)—F2P grabs characters first. HP body/ATK% mains, RES Pen/Stun subs. Sig's fine, but dodge the 12.8k Poly soft pity grind at 60-70 pulls. Chase HP% for Veil/CRIT DMG synergy. Farm 2.4 modes. Slot 'em in post-launch.
Drive Discs Built to Last
Sets juicing Veil via HP%/CRIT DMG. HP body/ATK%, RES Pen/Stun subs to pierce high-DEF Ice foes. Hit those 90k S+ Shiyu marks. Boost Freeze AoE teamplay. Run Hollow Zero tests. Tweak for 25% Ice RES shred.
Where and How Much to Farm
Arcade/Notorious Hunt dailies: 300 Poly a day. Characters over engines/Bangboo. Soukaku pumps +1000 ATK at 3 Vortex stacks; Ye surges >3000 ATK on Hormone Punk. Daily 300 Poly grind, bank 14.4k for Phase 1 (90 pulls, soft pity 70-80). Track that 50/50 (1% S-Rank, 50% featured).
Bangboo That Click with Zhao
Butler juices Ellen's energy, cuts 80 Boopon waste. Hoard 12.8k Poly for F2P Ellen/Lycaon/Soukaku/Butler Hollow Zero 100+. +80% Daze mult in Co-Op with Lycaon. Pull Butler after Zhao. Ice teams love the energy funnel. Test stage 5 Co-Op heals. F2P pecking order: Lycaon/Qingyi/Jane/Soukaku over Billy/Anby/Piper. Faction/element sync delivers 25% shred/+100% CRIT.
Killer Early Teams for Zhao
F2P Stun Squad: Dirt Cheap Power
Ellen/Lycaon/Soukaku/Butler. AoE freeze lockdown, 25% shred/+100% CRIT, 80 Boopon saved. Clears Hollow Zero 100+ easy. Lycaon piles +80% Daze mult. Rotation? Soukaku stacks pre-Zhao Ult, quick-swap Ellen. Farm Lycaon in 2.4. Basic (0-4s i-frames) > EX (4s) > Ult (12s) > swap. Shatters Shiyu 120+.
Hypercarry Twist
Zhao/Ellen/Ye. Veil + summons + Daze (+40% CRIT DMG/30% vuln). Zhao EX/Ult into Ye Chain/Ellen Freeze. 3s stagger, 2000% Chain mult. Prep that 12s Veil. Lean on Basic i-frames/EX heals. Hollow Zero Ice pen optimized.
Zhao/Ellen/Pan Yinhu Rotations
1 DPS + Stun + Buff. Veil/heals sustain like crazy—Pan tops stage 5 Co-Op heals. Grabs 90k S+ Poly. Rotation: Zhao Basic i-frames > EX heals > Ult Veil > swap to Ye/Ellen. Shiyu stage 5 test dummy. Toss in Lycaon/Soukaku for stun/buff. F2P-ready pre-launch.
(Quick editor note: Pan's underrated here—pairs weirdly well with Zhao's sustain in messy Co-Ops.)
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Kit Changes? Here's the Real Risk Talk
Beta Scoop
2.5 spans ~50 days to February 17, 2026. Phase 1 Zhao, Phase 2 Ye/Ellen. Pull order: Miyabi > Yixuan > Zhao (28.8k Poly locks 180 pulls). Save 14.4k from Phase 1 events+dailies. Skip standards. Low spenders? $222 nails single pity.
Meta Staples That Endure
Ice meta rolls on: Ellen S-tier +100% CRIT Flash Freeze, Lycaon A+ 25% shred, Soukaku +1000 ATK for Zhao. Shiyu scores—Zhao 120+, Miyabi 100+, Yixuan 110+. Hollow Zero: Zhao 100+, Miyabi 110+, Yixuan 105+. Sustain rankings: Zhao high, Miyabi medium, Yixuan low. (Data from beta clears—solid baselines.)
Pivot Plans
Daze covers his weak spots versatilely. Post-launch: Veil buffs/CRIT DMG/RES ignore shine. Hoard 28.8k Poly (14.4k Zhao, 12.8k Butler). HP > DEF priority. Test 2.4 rots.
Pitfalls I've Seen Newbies Trip On
Gear Tunnel Vision
Don't sleep on stun/buff (Lycaon 25% shred/Soukaku +1000 ATK). Zhao DEF over HP? Rookie move. Low Hormone Punk ATK tanks i-frames rots—fails Shiyu 120+. Characters beat engines. Stage 5 tests. Hoard Poly, skip W-Engines/Bangboo early.
One sentence warning: Standards are a trap.
Resource Black Holes
Ditch standards. Pity soft 70-80, hard 90 on 14.4k Poly. F2P hits 14.4k Phase 1; whales drop $800-1200. Events+dailies, first-buys/monthly pass. Steer clear of dud banners.
When to Pull
Zhao Phase 1 first—Ellen rerun synergy. Grind 2.4 Ice meta. Stock by Dec 30. Post-launch Hollow Zero 100+ locked in.
F2P Grind Maps and Deadlines
Daily/Weekly Musts
300 Poly from Arcade/Notorious Hunt dailies. Events snowball to 14.4k. Hammer dailies, weekly Hollow Zero. Prep 2.4 Ellen/Lycaon.
Hollow Zero Speedruns
Zhao squads conquer 100+ floors. Ellen CRIT Freeze anchors. 720-780 Poly S+ hauls. Ice rots: Veil > Chain/Freeze. F2P Lycaon/Qingyi, Butler energy.
Event Cash-Ins
Farm 2.4 heavy now. Pull Zhao Dec 30, bank Phase 2. 28.8k Poly goal. Skip non-Ice. Low spend $222-444 guarantees it.
FAQ
Best Zhao team for 2.5 Hollow Zero?
HP Zhao + Ellen Daze + Lycaon/Soukaku. Rot: Basic > EX > Ult > swap. 100+ floors.
Kit changes trash my prep?
Nah—HP/Veil core's bulletproof. HP/ATK/RES Pen nails Shiyu 120+.
F2P Poly goal for Zhao?
28.8k (14.4k Phase 1 = 90 pulls; 12.8k Butler). 300 daily + events.
Pre-2.5 farm priorities?
Ellen (S-tier Freeze), Lycaon (25% shred), Soukaku (+1000 ATK) for Ice synergy.
Zhao Shiyu Defense rotation?
Basic i-frames (0-4s) > EX heals (4s) > Ult Veil (12s) > swap. Stage 5 practice.
Bangboo picks for Zhao?
Butler—Ellen energy boost, 80 Boopon save for F2P squads.
