ZZZ Shiyu Defense Node 7 No Ice Guide (1.6 Complete)

Understanding Critical Node 7 in Version 1.6

Critical Node 7 is ZZZ's pinnacle endgame content, resetting every other Friday (recent resets: December 19, November 21, November 7, 2025).

Reward Structure:

• Rank 1 (0 defeats): Polychrome x80, Denny x20,000
• Rank 2 (≤2 defeats): Polychrome x60, W-Engine Chip x2, Denny x15,000
• Rank 3 (≤6 defeats): Polychrome x60, Noise Reduction Master Copy x10, Denny x10,000

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Enemy Composition and Weaknesses

First Half: Notorious Dullahan x1, Thanatos x1 (weak to Ice/Ether), plus Harrier Jaeger, 2x Scout Jaeger, Heavy Gunner, Guardian MK II

Second Half: Typhon Slugger x1, Heavy Gunner x1 (weak to Fire/Physical), plus Ionized Nassellaria x1, 2x Ionized Cyrtoidea, Ionized Farbauti, Ionized Thanatos

Node Buffs

• Defensive Assist Daze: +100%
• Assist Follow-Up DMG: +150%
• Chain Attacks grant additional Assist Point
• Elite shields: 30% max HP
• Boss shields: 15% max HP
• Weakness hits on shields: +100% damage, clears anomalies

Why Ice DPS Isn't Mandatory

First half enemies share Ether weakness alongside Ice. Second half completely excludes Ice from optimal strategies (Fire/Physical weaknesses). Non-Ice teams often outperform through better second-half damage.

Proven Non-Ice Team Compositions

Ether Burst: Zhu Yuan Core

Team: Zhu Yuan, Qingyi, Nicole + Resonaboo
Stats: 11.54% usage, 2:14 average clear
Strategy: Qingyi stuns → Nicole defense shred → Zhu Yuan burst during stun windows. Use Perfect Assists on Thanatos.

Electric Anomaly: Grace and Rina

Team: Anton, Grace, Rina + Plugboo
Stats: 2.11% usage, 2:24 average clear
Strategy: Grace builds anomaly stacks, Rina amplifies damage. Focus Heavy Gunner then Typhon Slugger in second half.

Physical Damage: Caesar and Jane

Team: Caesar, Jane, Seth + Officer Cui
Strategy: Dominates second half through Physical weakness. Prioritize Heavy Gunner elimination, dodge floor bombs. Perfect Assist on Typhon Slugger.

Fire Specialist: Soldier 11

Team: Soldier 11, Koleda, Lucy + Rocketboo
Stats: 2.68% usage, 2:26 average clear
Strategy: Conserve burst for second half Fire weakness. First half focuses on stun cycling and Chain Attack timing.

Budget Physical Team

Team: Corin, Billy, Ben + Luckyboo
Strategy: F2P-friendly option. Maximize Perfect Dodge for +10% Agent DMG/-10% DMG received buff (stacks 3x, 10s duration).

Step-by-Step Combat Strategy

First Half Execution

1. Wave 1: Target 2x Scout Jaeger immediately—they enable dangerous combos
2. Thanatos: Execute Perfect Assists (100% Daze buff makes stun cycling effective)
3. Dullahan: Perfect Dodge charged attacks for damage buff
4. Guardian MK II: Dodge unparriable laser (can't counter with Defensive Assist)

Second Half Execution

1. Heavy Gunner Priority: Eliminate first—floor bombs/traps restrict movement
2. Typhon Slugger: Use Perfect Assist to exploit 100% Daze increase
3. Ionized Farbauti: Dodge charged stomp laterally or Perfect Dodge
4. Ionized Thanatos: Parry third hit of 3-hit combo with Defensive Assist

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Perfect Dodge Mastery

Perfect Dodge grants +10% Agent DMG and -10% DMG received for 10s, stacking 3x. Maintaining max stacks significantly boosts effective DPS while reducing healing needs. Invincibility frames during dodge animations allow continued damage output.

W-Engine and Drive Disc Optimization

W-Engine Selection

• Ether: Amplify Ether damage, crit rate/damage bonuses
• Electric: Enhance anomaly buildup, damage vs anomaly-affected enemies
• Physical: Raw ATK% or crit damage amplification
• Fire: Elemental damage or combat state bonuses

Drive Disc Priority

• Primary DPS: 4-piece damage type sets (Ether/Electric/Physical/Fire)
• Support: Team damage, defense reduction, energy generation sets
• Stat Targets: 50-70% crit rate, 120%+ crit damage, 2000+ ATK on DPS

Budget Approach

Focus DPS W-Engines and Drive Discs first. Supports function adequately with lower-rarity gear. Complete 4-piece sets before chasing perfect substats.

Advanced Combat Techniques

Stun Gauge Manipulation

100% Defensive Assist Daze increase makes stun strategies powerful. Coordinate rotations to maximize stun damage windows. Chain Attacks grant extra Assist Points—time them with vulnerability phases.

Energy Management

Track energy generation to ensure burst abilities activate during optimal windows. Stagger energy attacks across characters. Support abilities should enable DPS windows, not chase personal damage.

Shield Breaking

Weakness hits on shields deal 100% increased damage. Coordinate team attacks to break shields during prepared burst windows for maximum damage.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Neglecting Support Investment: Support characters enable DPS through buffs/debuffs. Balanced investment beats hyper-investing in one character.
2. Poor Target Priority: Scout Jaegers (wave 1) and Heavy Gunner (second half) must die first.
3. Bad Chain Attack Timing: Wait for vulnerability/stun states before committing high-cooldown abilities.
4. Ignoring Perfect Dodge: Missing the stackable damage buff wastes significant DPS potential.

DPS Benchmarks and Time Management

Performance Targets

• Top clears: 1:59
• Resonaboo teams: 2:14 average
• Plugboo teams: 2:24 average
• Rocketboo teams: 2:26 average

If attempts consistently exceed 3 minutes, improve team investment or execution.

When to Reset

• First half Agent loss: Reset immediately for Rank 1 eligibility
• Second half early losses: Fresh attempt beats struggling with reduced team

Resource Investment Guide

Character Leveling Priority

1. Primary DPS to max level
2. Stun characters (Qingyi, Koleda) for gauge damage
3. Supports 5-10 levels below max

Skill Upgrade Order

1. Primary DPS ultimate and basic attacks
2. Support team buffs/enemy debuffs
3. Defensive abilities and passives last

Long-Term Planning

Invest in versatile characters functioning across multiple teams. Shiyu Defense resets bi-weekly—flexible options maintain relevance across rotating enemy lineups.

Maximizing Rewards and Progression

Resource Farming Efficiency

• Rank 1: 80 Polychrome per reset = 160/month
• Denny: 20,000 per clear supports leveling, skills, Drive Discs
• Lower ranks still provide W-Engine Chips and Noise Reduction copies

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FAQ

Can you clear Critical Node 7 without Ice characters?
Yes. Ether, Electric, Physical, or Fire teams clear it completely. First half enemies share Ether weakness with Ice; second half is weak to Fire/Physical, making non-Ice teams equally viable.

What's the best non-Ice team for 1.6?
Zhu Yuan, Qingyi, Nicole + Resonaboo. Achieves 2:14 average clears with 11.54% usage. Exploits first-half Ether weakness while maintaining competitive second-half performance.

How much DPS is needed for Critical Node 7?
Top clears reach 1:59. Competitive non-Ice teams achieve 2:14-2:26. If attempts exceed 3 minutes, invest more in levels, W-Engines, Drive Discs, or skills.

What rewards does Critical Node 7 give?
Rank 1: Polychrome x80, Denny x20,000. Rank 2: Polychrome x60, W-Engine Chip x2, Denny x15,000. Rank 3: Polychrome x60, Noise Reduction Master Copy x10, Denny x10,000.

How often does Shiyu Defense reset?
Every other Friday. Recent resets: December 19, November 21, November 7, 2025. Bi-weekly opportunities for rewards and testing compositions.

Can F2P players clear Node 7 without Ice?
Absolutely. Budget teams like Corin, Billy, Ben + Luckyboo succeed through proper execution and strategic investment. Maximize Perfect Dodge timing, prioritize correct targets, and invest in primary DPS and supports.