Getting Your Head Around ZZZ"s Currency Dance
Look, I"ve been covering gacha economics for years now, and ZZZ"s setup isn"t revolutionary—but it"s got some quirks worth understanding before you start throwing money around.
Monochrome: The “Real Money” Currency
Think of Monochrome as your conversion layer between actual dollars and gacha pulls. It"s basically Genesis Crystals wearing a different outfit (if you"ve played Genshin, you know the drill). You buy it, it sits there looking pretty, then you convert it to Polychrome when you"re ready to chase that S-rank agent who"s been taunting you from the banner.
The Monochrome Market has six tiers from $0.99 to $99.99. Pretty standard stuff.
Polychrome: Where the Magic Happens
This is your actual pulling currency. 160 Polychromes = one pull, whether that"s a Master Tape for the standard banner or an Encrypted Master Tape for limited banners.
Here"s where it gets interesting—you can earn Polychrome through gameplay too. Not tons of it, mind you, but enough to keep F2P players engaged. Daily Errands drop 60 per day (that"s about 11 pulls monthly just from logging in), and events can be surprisingly generous.
The One-Way Street
Monochrome converts to Polychrome at 1:1, but there"s no going back. Once it"s Polychrome, it"s Polychrome forever. Simple enough, but worth remembering when you"re doing mental math on your spending.
The Real Talk: Value Comparison
After crunching the numbers across multiple accounts and spending patterns, here"s your hierarchy for getting the most bang for your buck:
The Champions:
Inter-Knot Membership ($4.99) - This is where smart money goes first. 19 pulls for five bucks? That"s $0.266 per pull, and frankly, nothing else comes close.
Battle Pass ($9.99) - Eight pulls plus a mountain of upgrade materials. At $1.126 per pull (not counting the extras), it"s your second-best option.
The “Okay, If You Must” Category:
First-time Monochrome bundles - With the 2x bonus, you"re looking at $1.21-$1.34 per pull. Not terrible, but not great.
Regular Monochrome purchases - After bonuses are gone, you"re staring down $1.50-$2.00 per pull. Ouch.
Free-to-Play: It"s Possible, But Patience Required
Let me be straight with you—ZZZ isn"t particularly generous with free premium currency compared to some other gachas I"ve covered. But it"s not impossible to build a solid roster without spending.
Your daily 60 Polychromes add up to about 11 pulls monthly. Throw in Inter-Knot level rewards (200 Polychromes at levels 3, 13, 33, 43, 53), event rewards (usually 500-1500 per major update), and those livestream codes (300 per version, but watch those 24-hour expiration timers), and you"re looking at maybe 15-20 pulls per month as a dedicated F2P player.
Is that enough for the pity system? Well, with S-rank guarantee at 90 pulls and worst-case scenario needing 180 pulls for a specific featured character… you"re looking at saving for 4-6 months per guaranteed target. Doable, but requires serious discipline.
The Smart Shopper"s Monochrome Guide
Package Breakdown (With Those Sweet First-Time Bonuses)
$0.99 tier: 60 Monochrome (120 with bonus)
$4.99 tier: 300 Monochrome (600 with bonus)
$14.99 tier: 980 Monochrome (1,960 with bonus)
$99.99 tier: 6,480 Monochrome (12,960 with bonus)
Regional Pricing Reality Check
Here"s something that caught my attention while researching—there are some significant regional differences. That $99.99 US bundle? It"s £79.99 in the UK, €99.99 in Europe, and ₽8,990.00 in Russia. Worth noting if you"re traveling or have friends in different regions.
The Version 2.2 Reset Opportunity
Mark your calendars: September 4, 2025. That’s when Version 2.1 drops, and rumor has it (based on patterns from other HoYoverse games) that first-time bonuses will reset. If you’ve already blown through your bonuses, this could be your second chance at those doubled rates.
For the actual purchasing process, I"ve had good experiences with Zenless Zone Zero Top Up through BitTopup. Competitive pricing, fast delivery, and their customer support actually responds—which is more than I can say for some platforms I"ve tested.
Strategic Spending: What Actually Matters
Banner Priority (Or: How Not to Waste Everything)
Limited character banners first, always. I cannot stress this enough. These agents are exclusive, typically more powerful, and once they"re gone, you"re waiting months (or longer) for a rerun.
The pity system guarantees an S-rank within 90 pulls, but there"s that brutal 50/50 chance it won"t be the featured character. Worst case? You need 180 pulls (28,800 Polychromes) for your target. Plan accordingly.
W-Engines: Skip the Gacha
Here"s a tip that"ll save you heartache: don"t pull on W-Engine banners. The Signal Shop lets you exchange 600 Residual Signals for standard S-rank weapons. It"s slower but guaranteed, and in a game built on RNG, guaranteed is golden.
The Subscription Sweet Spot
If you"re going to spend regularly, the Inter-Knot Membership is your foundation. $4.99 monthly gets you 300 immediate Monochrome plus 90 daily Polychromes (3,000 total over the month). That"s 19 pulls for five bucks—math that actually makes sense.
The Battle Pass is situation-dependent. $9.99 for 780 Polychromes, 4 Encrypted Master Tapes, a selectable W-Engine certificate, and upgrade materials. Good value if you need the materials; skip it if you"re just chasing currency efficiency.
Mistakes I See Players Make (Don"t Be That Guy)
The Stamina Trap
Stop. Using. Polychromes. For. Battery. Charge. Refills.
I see this constantly, and it hurts my soul every time. You"re spending 50-200 premium currency daily for stamina that regenerates naturally at 1 per 6 minutes. That"s currency that could be going toward character pulls instead.
Pity Confusion
Limited banner pity carries between featured character banners but resets when you switch to W-Engine or standard banners. Don"t mess around—if you"re at 70+ pulls on a limited banner, finish that 90th pull before doing anything else.
The “Just One More Pull” Syndrome
Budget for 180 pulls before you start pulling on any limited banner. Yes, the average is closer to 130-140 pulls, but banking on average luck is how you end up with an empty wallet and no S-rank agent to show for it.
Advanced Tips for Currency Management
Understanding the Soft Pity
S-rank rates spike dramatically after pull 70. If you"re tracking your pulls (and you should be), this is where things get interesting. Most players hit their S-rank between pulls 75-85, but don"t count on it.
Monthly Income Planning
A dedicated player with Inter-Knot Membership can expect roughly 4,500-5,000 Polychromes monthly (combining daily errands, subscription, events, and story content). That"s about 28-31 pulls per month, or one guaranteed S-rank every 3-4 months if luck isn"t on your side.
Version Cycle Awareness
ZZZ follows 6-week update cycles with predictable patterns. Use this to plan your spending—if there"s a character you want coming in 2-3 versions, you can calculate exactly how much you"ll need to save or spend.
For secure, competitive-priced top-ups, Zenless Zone Zero Recharge through BitTopup remains my go-to recommendation. They"ve consistently delivered fast, secure service across multiple accounts I"ve tested.
Your Questions, Answered
What"s the actual difference between these currencies? Monochrome = what you buy with real money. Polychrome = what you spend on pulls. They convert 1:1, but only one direction.
How much for a guaranteed character? Worst case: 180 pulls = 28,800 Polychromes. With smart subscription usage, that"s about $76 spread over several months. Direct purchases with bonuses? You"re looking at $220-240.
Standard or limited banners? Limited, always. Standard banner characters join the permanent pool eventually, but limited characters are exclusive and typically stronger.
When should I use those first-time bonuses? Strategically, for specific targets. With the Version 2.2 reset coming September 4, 2025, consider your timing carefully—you might get a second shot at those doubled rates.
The Real Bottom Line
Understanding Monochrome vs. Polychrome isn"t rocket science, but optimizing your spending strategy? That takes some thought. Whether you"re F2P grinding it out or ready to invest in your roster, the key is maximizing every currency unit through smart prioritization and timing.
The gacha will always be there, tempting you with shiny new characters. But with a solid understanding of ZZZ"s currency systems and some disciplined spending habits, you can build the team you want without breaking the bank.
Now go forth and pull responsibly.
