Overview: The F2P Landscape in ZZZ Patch 2.3 & 2.4
Here's the thing about patches 2.3-2.4 – they've completely flipped the script on what F2P players can achieve. The meta's gone full rupture-crazy, and honestly? That's fantastic news for anyone running budget builds.
We're looking at a fundamental shift toward 1 DPS + 2 Support setups. Maximum amplification, better energy efficiency – it just makes sense. And here's what surprised me most: Billy/Anby/Piper isn't just viable anymore. It's genuinely competitive in endgame content. Who saw that coming?
Patch 2.4 threw us another curveball with resistance buffs favoring Electric and Rupture damage. Freeze mechanics? Not so much. The beauty of rupture damage lies in its Sheer Force mechanics – it completely ignores enemy defenses. High-DEF bosses that used to wall F2P teams? They're suddenly manageable.
The 300-pull S-Rank guarantee system is a game-changer. Period. F2P access to top-tier agents just got significantly more realistic.
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Changes in the Meta
Teams now prioritize faction bonuses and attribute synergies over raw individual power. It's a smarter approach, really. Cunning Hare compositions get those juicy Physical CRIT damage bonuses, while mixed factions trade pure synergy for flexibility.
Resource investment has evolved too – and this is crucial for F2P players. Skills now provide 18% better scaling efficiency compared to just pumping levels. That's not a small difference.
Polychrome Economy for the New Banners
Let's talk numbers. Lucia's banner runs October 15-29, 2025, with Yidhari following in version 2.4. You'll need roughly 14,400 Polychromes (90 pulls) for a 50% shot at featured agents, or 28,800 Polychromes (180 pulls) to guarantee them.
Monthly F2P income? We're looking at 8,000-10,000 Polychromes through dailies, events, and Shiyu Defense. It's tight, but manageable with proper planning.
Deep Dive: Lucia – The New F2P Powerhouse?
Lucia's an interesting case – an S-Rank Ether Support from Spook Shack who walks the line between damage dealer and team enhancer. Her AoE performance against resistant enemies is genuinely impressive, thanks to 25% Ether damage bonuses and those Aftershock mechanics.
When Lucia hits 100 Dream Value, she enters Dream state and activates Ether Veil. This provides +5% squad maximum HP for 30 seconds. Not flashy, but surprisingly effective in practice.
Lucia's Role and Attribute Analysis
Here's where Lucia gets interesting – she's both damage dealer and force multiplier. Her EX Special can apply up to +900 Sheer Force based on maximum HP exceeding 10,000 (gaining +10 per 200 excess HP), lasting 20 seconds.
Pair her with Rupture or Stun squad members? Her Additional Ability grants Sheer Force an extra +30% CRIT DMG bonus. That's substantial.
Why She Fits Into F2P Rosters
Lucia's integration requires minimal roster disruption – a huge plus for F2P players who can't afford complete team overhauls. Her Ether focus complements Electric anomaly builds beautifully. Grace's 8 Zap stacks provide +130% Buildup and +18% Shock damage enhancement, creating natural synergy.
Her M1 constellation ignores 18% enemy All-Attribute RES and provides +5% Decibel Generation Rate during Dream state. Not essential, but nice if you get lucky.
Best F2P Teams for Lucia
The Standard Stun Team (Lucia + Anby + Nicole)
This is your bread-and-butter composition. Anby provides reliable stun application, creating damage windows for Lucia's enhanced strikes. Nicole brings Ether Vortex effects that reduce enemy DEF by 40% – that's massive.
Rotation priority? Quick Assists for energy restoration and state transitions, followed by Chain Attacks during stun windows. Simple, effective, reliable.
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The Anomaly Disorder Team
Grace/Piper/Lucia creates an Electric anomaly powerhouse that absolutely shreds multi-enemy scenarios. Grace builds Zap stacks for substantial buildup bonuses, while Piper's Power stacks provide +18% team damage enhancement. Lucia adds AoE suppression and resistance penetration.
It's beautiful when it all comes together.
Rotation Strategy & Chain Attack Order
Start with Grace's Zap stack buildup, transition to Piper's Power stack activation for team damage bonuses. Chain Attack sequencing: Grace → Piper → Lucia for maximum anomaly trigger frequency.
Phase Canceling techniques interrupt enemy attacks for 0.2-second vulnerability windows with +15% mobility bonuses. Takes practice, but worth mastering.
Deep Dive: Yidhari – Worth the Save?
Yidhari's an S-Rank Ice Rupture agent from Spook Shack who embodies the hypercarry philosophy. Her skills deal progressively more damage as HP decreases – up to 80% increased attack damage and 25% reduced incoming damage below 40% HP thresholds.
High-risk, high-reward gameplay at its finest. Her off-field HP restoration below 30% HP provides sustainability for this dangerous dance.
Yidhari's Kit Breakdown
Yidhari's Core Passive generates Sheer Force from maximum HP at 0.1 per point, with damage multipliers reaching +100% below 50% HP. Her freeze capabilities provide crowd control, while her Rupture focus excels against high-DEF bosses.
Versatile performance across diverse endgame content? Check.
Synergy with Starter Characters
Yidhari's hypercarry design pairs effectively with accessible supports like Pan Yinhu (A-Rank Support) and Pulchra (A-Rank Stun). Pan Yinhu provides +18% ATK and Sheer Force layered buffs that amplify Yidhari's HP-scaling damage. Pulchra's stun application creates safe windows for low-HP positioning.
Best F2P Teams for Yidhari
The Mono-Attribute Budget Team
Yidhari/Pan Yinhu/Pulchra – pure F2P composition using only A-Rank supports. Pan Yinhu's ATK buffs stack multiplicatively with Yidhari's HP-scaling damage. Pulchra's stun application provides safe positioning for low-HP damage windows.
Excels in single-target scenarios where Yidhari can maintain optimal HP ranges through careful positioning.
Yidhari + Soukaku + Corin (Ice/Physical Mix)
Mixed attribute compositions trade pure synergy for role optimization. Yidhari's Ice Rupture combines with Soukaku's support capabilities and Corin's Physical damage. Soukaku's energy generation supports Yidhari's Decibel requirements, while Corin provides backup damage during HP recovery phases.
Optimal Bangboo Pairings
Amillion Bangboo provides CRIT support that enhances Yidhari's damage scaling without premium investment. Support Bangboo selection should prioritize energy generation and survivability over pure damage enhancement.
Essential Gear: F2P W-Engines & Drive Discs
Craftable W-Engines vs Gacha A-Ranks
For Yidhari, Radiowave Journey (A-Rank) offers Base ATK 594 with HP +25% and Sheer Force +128 per stack (maximum 3 stacks, 12-second duration) on Chain Attack or Ultimate activation. Solid choice.
Puzzle Sphere (A-Rank) serves as an alternative – Base ATK 594, ATK +25%, and CRIT DMG +25.6% for 12 seconds on EX Special activation.
Here's the performance breakdown: Qingming Birdcage (87%), Grill O'Wisp (83%), Radiowave Journey (78%), and Puzzle Sphere (76%) of S-Rank effectiveness. Not bad at all for F2P options.
For Lucia? Kaboom the Cannon (A-Rank) provides off-field buffs that enhance her support role. Hormone Punk offers energy regeneration crucial for maintaining Dream state uptime.
Farming the Right Drive Disc Sets in 2.4
Yidhari's optimal configuration uses 4-piece Yunkui Tales for HP +10% (2-piece bonus) and CRIT Rate +4% per EX Special, Chain Attack, or Ultimate (maximum 3 stacks, 15-second duration), plus +10% Sheer DMG at 3 stacks.
Pair with Woodpecker Electro (CRIT Rate +8%) or Branch and Blade Song (CRIT DMG +16%) for 2-piece bonuses.
Lucia benefits from Deep Sea Visitor Drive Disc sets providing +100% CRIT through Trimmings procs. F2P alternatives focus on Energy Recharge and HP% main stats to support Dream state mechanics and team utility.
Conquering Shiyu Defense 2.3 as F2P
Shiyu Defense phases in patches 2.3-2.4 follow predictable patterns – and that's exactly what F2P teams need to exploit. October 10-24, 2025 emphasizes burst damage, followed by sustained DPS requirements from October 24-November 7, and versatile compositions from November 7-21, 2025.
Enemy Weaknesses & Counters
Stable Nodes (Lv.25-50) remain accessible to F2P teams with optimized gear. Billy/Anby/Piper compositions excel here through Physical CRIT damage bonuses and reliable stun application.
Critical Nodes (Lv.50-70)? They require specialized approaches. Rupture damage proves superior against high-DEF bosses that resist traditional damage types.
Managing Decibels and Ultimates
Decibel generation optimization requires understanding each agent's energy requirements and generation patterns. Lucia's enhanced generation during Dream state should align with team burst windows. Yidhari's HP-based generation creates natural synergy with survival-focused rotations.
Ultimate timing should prioritize damage windows created by stun application rather than arbitrary rotation points. Timing is everything.
Common F2P Mistakes to Avoid in New Updates
Resource management errors represent the biggest threat to F2P progression. Uneven resource distribution across multiple agents dilutes effectiveness. Ignoring faction bonuses wastes natural synergy opportunities.
Over-investment in niche agents without broader team synergy creates roster gaps that limit content accessibility.
Skill prioritization mistakes? Focusing on levels over skill upgrades, despite skills providing 18% better scaling efficiency. W-Engine and Drive Disc optimization errors include pursuing perfect sub-stats over functional main stats.
Rotation complexity is another pitfall – elaborate sequences often prove less effective than simple, consistent patterns.
Verdict: Should You Pull Lucia or Yidhari?
The decision depends on current roster gaps and preferred playstyle. Lucia offers versatile Ether support that enhances existing F2P teams without requiring complete reconstruction – ideal for immediate improvement.
Yidhari provides specialized Ice Rupture performance that excels against high-DEF content but requires dedicated team building around her hypercarry mechanics.
Long-term investment considerations favor Lucia's support versatility over Yidhari's specialized damage. Both agents offer SS-Tier performance with moderate resource investment, but for F2P players with limited pulls, Lucia represents the safer choice due to her integration flexibility and immediate team enhancement.
FAQ
Is Zenless Zone Zero F2P friendly in patches 2.3-2.4? Absolutely. The meta shift toward rupture mechanics and 1 DPS + 2 Support compositions makes F2P teams like Billy/Anby/Piper highly viable for endgame content. The 300-pull guarantee system also improves S-Rank accessibility significantly.
What's the best F2P team for Lucia? Lucia/Anby/Nicole provides optimal stun synergy with Ether Vortex DEF reduction, while Grace/Piper/Lucia excels in multi-enemy scenarios through Electric anomaly buildup and team damage bonuses.
Can you beat Shiyu Defense without S-Rank agents? Stable Nodes (Lv.25-50) are consistently clearable with optimized A-Rank teams. Critical Nodes (Lv.50-70) require either S-Rank agents or perfect execution with specialized F2P compositions.
How many Polychromes are needed to guarantee Lucia or Yidhari? The pity system guarantees featured agents within 180 pulls (28,800 Polychromes), with 50% chance at 90 pulls (14,400 Polychromes). F2P monthly income averages 8,000-10,000 Polychromes.
What are the best A-Rank W-Engines for these agents? Radiowave Journey and Puzzle Sphere work excellently for Yidhari (78% and 76% of S-Rank performance respectively), while Kaboom the Cannon and Hormone Punk support Lucia's utility role effectively.
Should F2P players focus on Lucia or Yidhari first? Lucia offers better versatility and immediate team enhancement, making her the safer choice for most F2P players. Yidhari suits those committed to hypercarry strategies and specialized team building.
