What Version 2.6 Changes and Why It Matters
Version 2.6 launches February 6, 2026 at 11 AM UTC+8, adding the Sixth Street Area expansion inside New Eridu. New Hollow Zero nodes, updated Shiyu Defense rotations, and enemy compositions that punish mono-element teams without dedicated support buffers define this patch.
Enemy design specifically rewards Anomaly-based damage loops. Teams that stack Ether Anomaly Buildup efficiently and sustain it through multi-wave encounters gain a measurable edge in both Hollow Zero and Deadly Assault.
Why the Support Meta Shifts
The Angels of Delusion faction duo — Sunna (Phase 1, Feb 6–27) and Aria (Phase 2, Mar 4–23) — is a designed synergy pair, not incidental overlap. Sunna's Ether Veil buffs grant +50 ATK for 30 seconds and a +30% Stun DMG Multiplier for 40 seconds, directly amplifying Aria's Ether Anomaly output. It's a faction-level mechanical loop baked into 2.6's content design.
Aria's Kit: What She Does and How She Scales
Aria is an S-Rank Ether Anomaly DPS — not a pure support, but a force multiplier for Ether compositions. Her Abloom scaling mechanic delivers 7.7% additional DMG per 10 Anomaly Proficiency, so her damage ceiling scales directly with how well her team feeds her stat thresholds.
Her signature W-Engine, Angel in the Shell, provides:
- 713.8 Base ATK
- +30% Anomaly Mastery
- +40% Ether Anomaly Buildup
It's best-in-slot, but not mandatory for viability.
Anomaly Proficiency Thresholds
Full damage potential requires 400+ Anomaly Proficiency, achievable through Drive Discs providing 30+ per slot. Non-trivial farming investment, but doable without signature gear.
Sunna's role is critical here. Her EX Special grants a 12.5% Physical DMG buff for 40 seconds (max 2 stacks). Her signature Thoughtbop provides 713 Base ATK, +60% Energy Regen, and +0.4 Energy/second off-field. She needs a 140% Energy Regen breakpoint with 25%+ substats from Drive Discs to maintain buff uptime consistently.
Optimal Rotation
- Sunna EX Special activation
- Stunner applies Stun to target
- Aria executes 4-hit Basic Attack chain
- Aria EX Special
- Aria Charge Attack
- Full cycle repeats every 18–22 seconds
This maximizes Ether Veil buff windows and aligns Aria's Abloom procs with Stun multiplier uptime.
Pity System: Exact Costs to Guarantee Aria
Each pull costs 160 Polychrome. Here's how pity works:
- Base S-Rank rate: 0.6% per pull
- Soft pity activates at pulls 75–80, raising rates to ~6–8% per pull
- Hard pity guarantees S-Rank at 90 pulls = 14,400 Polychrome
- Guaranteed featured S-Rank at 180 pulls (accounting for 50/50) = 28,800 Polychrome
Pity carries over between banners within the same patch cycle — pulls spent on Sunna's Phase 1 banner count toward your Phase 2 counter.
Cost Breakdown
- Best case (win 50/50 at soft pity ~75 pulls): ~12,000 Polychrome
- Average case (win 50/50 at ~80 pulls): ~12,800 Polychrome
- Worst case (lose 50/50, then hard pity): 28,800 Polychrome
- Three copies (Mindscape Cinema upgrades): 86,400 Polychrome
Budget for 28,800 Polychrome if you want a guaranteed outcome.
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Is Recharging Worth It? The Honest Verdict
Pull If You're:
- Pushing endgame Shiyu Defense and need consistent Ether Anomaly output for Version 2.6 rotations
- Already running Sunna — Aria with Sunna is genuinely exceptional, not just good
- Farming Hollow Zero New Eridu nodes where Ether Veil buff uptime directly translates to faster clears and higher scores
- 5,000–15,000 Polychrome short and already past soft pity — most cost-efficient recharge window
Skip If You're:
- F2P with no saved pity facing a worst-case 28,800 Polychrome guarantee
- Casual players not engaging with Shiyu Defense or Deadly Assault where Aria's ceiling matters
- Saving for confirmed mid-2026 banners — spending now kills future flexibility
- Roster-complete with a functional Ether DPS already
Subscription and Battle Pass Stacking
- Inter-Knot Membership ($4.99): 3,000 Polychrome over 30 days — best value-per-dollar for consistent players
- Growth Plan ($9.99) / Premium Plan ($19.99): Each provides 10 Battle Pass Levels, 200 Polychrome, 5 Ether Batteries
Stacking the Membership with a Battle Pass tier covers ~3,200 Polychrome for ~$15, bridging most mid-range shortfalls.
F2P Reality Check: Can You Pull Aria Without Spending?
F2P players can earn ~26,390 Polychrome across the full Version 2.6 patch — roughly 181 pulls. Technically enough for worst-case guarantee, but only if you haven't spent on Phase 1 Sunna pulls or other banners.
Free Polychrome Sources in Version 2.6
- Daily missions: 60/day (~2,640 over the patch)
- Weekly missions: 300/week (~1,800 over six weeks)
- Commissions: 20–40 each
- Shiyu Defense monthly rewards: 800–1,200
- Events: 800–1,500 per event
- Story missions: 300–500 total
The math works for players hoarding since Version 2.5 who skipped Sunna's banner. Pull on Phase 1? You'll likely fall short of worst-case guarantee without supplemental recharging.
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Ascension and Skill Costs: Budget This Before You Pull
Pulling Aria is only the first expense.
Agent Ascension (Level 0–60):
- Basic Certification Seals x4, Advanced x32, Superior x30
- 800,000 Dennies
W-Engine (Level 60):
- Basic x4, Reinforced x32, Specialized x30
- 400,000 Dennies
Full Skill Upgrades:
- Basic Attribute Chips x25, Advanced x75, Specialized x250
- Hamster Cage Passes x5 (Version 2.5 provides 30–40 as carryover)
- 2,905,000 Dennies total
Dennies farming benchmarks:
- Daily commissions: 30,000–50,000/day
- Hollow Zero weekly reset: 100,000–200,000
- Shiyu Defense weekly: 80,000–120,000
Budget at least two weeks of active farming to fully ascend and skill Aria without spending on Dennies directly.
Best Teams for Aria in Version 2.6
Core Angels of Delusion Trio (Recommended):
- Aria (Ether Anomaly DPS) + Sunna (Physical Support) + Nangong Yu (Physical Stunner)
- Maximizes Ether Veil uptime, Stun windows, and Abloom proc frequency
Alternative:
- Aria + any A-Rank Stunner + Ether-attribute buffer (for players missing Sunna)
- Without Sunna, expect ~20–30% effective output loss from missing Energy Regen and ATK buffs
Does Aria Carry Endgame Content?
In Shiyu Defense, her Abloom scaling makes her one of the strongest Ether DPS options for Version 2.6 rotations — especially in chambers with Stun-vulnerable elites. In Deadly Assault, sustained Anomaly Buildup outperforms burst-oriented DPS in multi-phase boss encounters. Hollow Zero New Eridu nodes specifically reward Ether Anomaly loops, making her kit directly relevant to the expansion's endgame design.
Will Aria Stay Relevant Beyond 2.6?
Her Abloom scaling is built around Anomaly Proficiency stacking — a stat that becomes more accessible as Drive Disc farming matures. Her ceiling increases over time, unlike burst DPS characters whose value is front-loaded.
The Angels of Delusion faction synergy with Sunna also suggests future faction-specific content will keep rewarding this pairing. Rerun probability for limited S-Ranks historically occurs every 4–6 versions — skip now and you're likely waiting until late 2026 or early 2027.
Final recommendation by player type:
- Endgame + Sunna: Pull and recharge if short — high long-term value
- Endgame, no Sunna: Pull Aria, evaluate Sunna on rerun
- Mid-game: Farm F2P Polychrome first; recharge only if within 20 pulls of guarantee
- Casual/F2P saving for 2.7+: Skip and preserve resources
FAQ: ZZZ Version 2.6 Ether Support Recharging
Q: How much Polychrome guarantees Aria? Worst-case: 28,800 Polychrome (180 pulls × 160 each), accounting for losing the 50/50 and hitting hard pity. Average cost for 50/50 winners: ~12,000–12,800 Polychrome.
Q: Can F2P players get Aria without spending? Yes — but only if saving since Version 2.5 and skipping Phase 1 Sunna. The full 2.6 patch provides ~26,390 F2P Polychrome, enough for worst-case guarantee with no margin for error.
Q: Does pity carry over from Sunna's banner to Aria's? Yes. Pity from Phase 1's Exclusive Channel Tape carries into Phase 2 within the same version cycle.
Q: Is Aria's signature W-Engine mandatory? No. Angel in the Shell adds meaningful stats (+30% Anomaly Mastery, +40% Ether Anomaly Buildup), but Aria's Abloom scaling works on any high-ATK W-Engine. Fully viable without it.
Q: When does soft pity activate? Pulls 75–80. S-Rank rate jumps from 0.6% to ~6–8% per pull. Most players reaching soft pity pull their S-Rank within 5–10 additional pulls.
Q: Should I pull the W-Engine banner too? Only with surplus Polychrome after securing Aria. It runs on a separate pity track — another 14,400–28,800 Polychrome investment. Casual and mid-spenders should skip it and save for Version 2.7.
