What's Coming in Version 1.4
December 18 can't come fast enough. We're getting Hoshimi Miyabi as our new limited S-rank ice DPS – and she's bringing some seriously unique frost mechanics to the table. The banner follows the standard 21-day rotation, which gives you plenty of time to make your decision.
But here's the kicker: Asaba Harumasa becomes available as a completely free S-rank electric agent through login events. Two S-ranks in one update cycle? That's what I call value.
Limited characters typically vanish for months after their banner ends. Miss Miyabi now, and you might be waiting until summer 2025 for another shot. If you're planning to top up your polychrome reserves, Zenless Zone Zero top up through BitTopup offers competitive rates with fast delivery – something worth considering if you're cutting it close on resources.
Claiming Your Free Harumasa
This part's straightforward, but don't sleep on the requirements.
What you need: Inter-Knot Level 5, active login during the event window, and Chapter 1 completion. Pretty basic stuff.
The process: Head to Events menu → Free Agent Acquisition tab → complete 7 consecutive daily logins → grab those intermediate rewards → confirm character addition. The event runs 2-3 weeks beyond launch, but there's a hard deadline. Miss it, and Harumasa's gone.
What makes this particularly smart is that Harumasa's electric element and support capabilities let you focus your gacha resources on Miyabi while still expanding your roster quality. It's efficient planning at its finest.
Banner Mechanics Breakdown
Let's talk numbers – because understanding the system saves you from nasty surprises.
The Limited Banner works like this:
- Hard pity kicks in at 90 pulls (guaranteed S-rank)
- Soft pity starts ramping up rates from pull 75
- 50/50 system means your first S-rank has 50% chance of being featured
- Guarantee system ensures your second S-rank is 100% featured if the first was off-banner
Base S-rank rate sits at 1.6%. In the absolute worst case scenario, you're looking at 180 pulls (28,800 polychromes) for a guarantee. The good news? Pity carries between same-type banners, and you'll need Master Tapes for character banners at 160 polychromes per tape.
Your Polychrome Farming Strategy
Time to get serious about resource accumulation.
Daily income (130-230 total):
- Commissions: 60 polychromes (non-negotiable daily habit)
- Login rewards: 20-100 polychromes
- Routine cleanup: 20-40 polychromes
- Video store: 30 polychromes
Weekly powerhouses: Shiyu Defense delivers 800-1,200 polychromes, while Hollow Zero adds another 400-600. These are your bread and butter for serious farming.
Version 1.4 events should drop 2,000-3,000 bonus polychromes through various activities and celebration rewards. Don't skip these – event polychromes often come with better time-to-reward ratios than regular content.
One-time sources include story chapters (300-500 each), exploration zones (100-200 each), and achievements (50-300 each). The Battle Pass premium tier adds 1,600 polychromes if you're willing to invest.
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Hoshimi Miyabi: What You're Actually Getting
Miyabi's an ice element DPS with frost anomaly mechanics that feel genuinely different from existing characters. Her basic attacks build frost, special attacks trigger frost explosions, and her ultimate creates this damage-enhancing frost field that changes how you approach encounters.
Stat priorities run Frost DMG > Anomaly DMG > CRIT Rate/DMG > Anomaly Proficiency. Pretty standard DPS scaling, but the frost focus makes her unique.
W-Engine optimization: Her signature provides 24% CRIT Rate plus frost bonuses – it's designed specifically for her kit. Alternatives include Fusion Compiler (12% CRIT Rate, 25% Anomaly Proficiency) and Weeping Gemini (25% ATK, 48% Anomaly Proficiency). The signature's worth it if you can afford the extra pulls.
Meta-wise, she's positioning as top-tier DPS for sustained damage content with solid crowd control utility. That's a combination that stays relevant.
Pre-Farming: Your Material Shopping List
Here's where preparation pays off. You'll need:
The complete breakdown:
- Senior Investigator Log: 300 units (farm Explosive Last Train commission)
- Freeze Chips: 350 total (Combat Simulation modes)
- Anomaly Certification Seals: 66 total (Combat Simulation)
- Sycophant's Refinement: 9 units (Weekly Sacrifice-Bringer boss)
- Higher Dimensional Data: 60 units (Expert Challenge: Thracian)
- Hamster Cage Pass: 5 units (Special events)
- Denny: 6,610,000 total
Timeline reality check: You're looking at 2-3 weeks of consistent farming. Prioritize weekly bosses first – they're reset-limited. Focus Expert Challenge runs for dimensional data since those can be the biggest bottleneck.
Team Compositions That Actually Work
Mono DPS setup: Miyabi + Soukaku + Lycaon. Drive Discs go 4-Piece Branch & Blade Song + 2-Piece Woodpecker Electro. This maximizes frost damage with proper synergy buffs – it's the straightforward approach that works.
Anomaly team: Miyabi + Yanagi + Support (Caesar/Nicole/Qingyi/Soukaku). Drive Discs shift to 4-Piece Polar Metal + 2-Piece Woodpecker Electro. This leverages elemental reactions for more complex but potentially higher damage output.
And here's where free Harumasa becomes interesting – he provides electric synergy for superconduct reactions without any gacha investment. That's smart resource management.
Strategic Pulling: The Real Talk
F2P perspective: This banner offers exceptional value. Meta positioning plus free Harumasa acquisition means you're getting two S-rank agents in a single banner cycle. That's efficiency you won't see often.
Investment analysis: 28,800 polychromes for guarantee, plus another 12,800 if you want the signature W-Engine. Miyabi's versatility and the 6-12 month rerun timeline strongly favor immediate acquisition over waiting.
Account impact: Early game story progression, mid-game endgame access, late-game competitive relevance. She's built for longevity.
Your Complete Preparation Checklist
Account milestones you need:
- Inter-Knot Level 40+ (for full content access)
- Chapter 4 completion (story requirements)
- All Combat Simulation modes unlocked
- Shiyu Defense Floor 7+ (weekly income optimization)
Resource targets:
- 28,800 polychromes (worst case guarantee)
- 180 Master Tapes equivalent
- 6,610,000 Denny
Timeline strategy: Weeks 1-2 focus on material accumulation, Week 3 handles final verification, then execute on launch day.
Critical path items: Start weekly boss farming immediately, maintain daily/weekly consistency without breaks, and claim Harumasa during the event window. Miss any of these, and your preparation falls apart.
Maximizing Version 1.4 Content
New content always brings bonus rewards. Story chapters should provide 1,500-2,000 polychromes through completion and exploration. Limited events offer exclusive sources with escalating rewards for consistent participation – these aren't optional if you're farming seriously.
Exploration bonuses from new areas contribute another 800-1,200 polychromes through first-clears and achievements.
Efficiency strategy: Coordinate your stamina usage with double reward events and bonus drop rates during the launch period. Version launches typically come with temporary bonuses that experienced players never miss.
Quick FAQ
When does Miyabi banner release? December 18, 2025 with version 1.4, running the standard 21-day rotation.
How many polychromes for guaranteed Miyabi? 28,800 polychromes (180 pulls) in the worst case, though 14,400 is closer to average thanks to pity mechanics.
How long does the Harumasa event run? 2-3 weeks beyond launch with a firm deadline. You need 7 consecutive logins – don't break the chain.
Can F2P players get both Miyabi and her signature W-Engine? Possible but challenging. You'd need 41,600 total polychromes, which requires either exceptional luck or additional spending.
Should I pull Miyabi or wait for version 1.5? Miyabi offers optimal value through meta positioning, versatility, and the concurrent free Harumasa acquisition. Waiting means missing this efficiency window.
The bottom line? Version 1.4 represents one of the best value propositions we've seen in ZZZ. Start your preparation now, and you'll be ready to maximize everything December 18 has to offer.
