Zenless Zone Zero tier list – best characters in January 2024

Who is at the top of the Zenless Zone Zero tier list? Any gacha game worth its salt comes with a plethora of characters to pull from banners. So, it should come as no surprise that HoYoverse’s latest offering comes with a full roster of playable agents that sport unique abilities, attributes, and combat specialties. With so much on offer, it can be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. However, we’ve tested every character to come up with a complete and reliable tier list that ensures you’re investing in the right characters.

Our ZZZ tier list is based on the current stats and performance of the agents that appear in the Zenless Zone Zero beta, so it stands to reason that these rankings may be subject to change. Equally, the ranking of Zenless Zone Zero characters can also be affected by new units introduced in premium Zenless Zone Zero banners. However, we plan to regularly review this tier list following the Zenless Zone Zero release date, so be sure to check back following the Zenless Zone Zero 1.0 update and beyond. Without further ado, here’s our complete ZZZ tier list.

Zenless Zone Zero tier list

Here’s the latest Zenless Zone Zero tier list for December 2023:

S-Tier

Ellen

Ellen is the headline S-Rank character for the first round of banners in the beta and 1.0 update, so it should come as no great surprise that she’s flown straight to the top of our ZZZ tier list. Ellen’s high PEN (Penetration) Ratio allows her to disregard the DEF (Defense) stat of her foes, allowing her to shred them to pieces with a barrage of multi-attack slashes built into her basic and dodge attacks. As an Ice character, she can also inflict Freeze and Shatter effects to completely incapacitate enemies.

Grace

Grace has already established herself as a fan favorite, and her Shock-heavy kit is just as good as her character design. If you’re looking for an alternative to Billy, then Grace is the ideal candidate. Her high PEN ratio and Attribute Mastery mean that her Electric-based attacks can bypass the enemy’s DEF, leaving them vulnerable to recurring Shock effects that immobilize them entirely. Grace operates at medium range, flinging her grenades to inflict AoE (area-of-effect) damage to foes directly ahead of her. She’s also very nimble, and many of her attack animations incorporate leaps and somersaults to keep space between her and hostile mobs.

Lycaon

Lycaon has the highest base HP stat of any character in the anime game thus far, so while he can’t soak up hits like Ben, he’s still an incredibly robust unit. He’s also tied with Anby with the highest Impact stat, granting him exceptional Daze application that makes him the ideal frontrunner of any team comp. He pairs well with characters that share his Ice attribute, especially if he’s got an Anomaly Rate Bonus from Zenless Zone Zero Disk Drives to help inflict Freeze. Lycaon is a close-range melee fighter, though he’s nimble enough to dash between enemies on the field – just be careful of your positioning when executing his ultimate.

Nekomata

If you’re looking for good old-fashioned damage per second without worrying about attributes or PEN ratios, then Nekomata is the one for you. This feisty feline has the highest base ATK (Attack) stat of anyone in the roster thus far, making her more than capable of slashing through entire waves of enemies before you even factor in the crit rate and damage buffs bundled into her talents. If you’d rather not rely on pulling duplicates, you can tap into Nekomata’s crit potential with Zenless Zone Zero Bangboos and Disk Drives. She’s also devastatingly fast, capable of racking up damage buffs with every successful dodge counter.

Rina

While the vast majority of ZZZ characters demand you to get up close and personal with enemies, Rina can stay at a distance and use her two Bangboo companions to do the dirty work for her. She’s a highly mobile unit, able to reposition and establish distance if enemies come near. Rina employs both Strike and Pierce damage, and she has plenty of AoE and single-target attacks bundled into her kit that makes her incredibly versatile and able to respond to foes at all ranges. As an Electric character, we recommend taking advantage of her extraordinarily high Attribute Mastery and investing in Disk Drives or accompanying Electric units that can help her trigger Shock as often as possible.

Soldier 11

Soldier 11 is a model soldier in many respects – not only is she an incredible damage dealer, but she’s also a robust unit in her own right. Her large health pool makes her capable of assuming the role of pseudo-tank against heavy hitters. Soldier 11 is also a great character to place in second position on your team comp thanks to her powerful chain attack, which inflicts a burst of significant Fire damage to all enemies in the immediate vicinity. Her high base ATK compliments a corresponding high crit rate, and you can push this impressive damage output even further by investing in equipment that bolsters her Anomaly Rate Bonus, allowing her to inflict Burn. All in all, Soldier 11 is an excellent choice for anyone who favors dodge counters and chain attacks – just don’t expect her to function as a Daze applicator any time soon.

A-Tier

Anton

Anton is an excellent option if you’re looking for a chain attacker that deals close-range AoE damage. He can effectively pin down enemies clustered together using his Special, which boosts his Anti-Interrupt level high enough for a barrage of follow-up basic attacks. However, it’s worth holding out for his EX Special to activate Burst Mode, which applies a damage buff at the expense of his energy. Anton has a decent health pool, though it’s best to rely upon his basic attacks outside of Burst Mode; instead, keep him in second or third position in your team, so you can chain into an EX Special that can clear the field in one burst. Anton also boasts a very high base crit rate, so be sure to take advantage of that with complimentary Disk Drives.

Anby

Anby might be the ‘starter’ Zenless Zone Zero character, but don’t be fooled. This highly capable fighter can go up with the very best of them – she’s even tied with Lycaon for the highest Impact stat, making her the go-to character for Daze application in any team comp. She’s also a great option to pair alongside other Electric and Slash agents when built thanks to her talents and additional abilities, which grant energy regeneration and attack bonuses depending on her allies. Anby’s kit is very beginner-friendly, and overwhelmingly hinges upon her Basic Attack. If you’re still trying to wrap your head around ZZZ’s fast-paced combat, Anby can steer you to victory.

Billy

Billy joins Anby and Nicole as a starter character that’s as useful as he is easy to use. This is largely thanks to his sheer versatility. With his twin revolvers, Billy fits into any team comp that demands a dedicated long-range AoE damage dealer. While Billy is a purely Physical character, his ultimate compliments elemental attributes by boosting Anomaly Buildup by 10%. His chain attack is the focal point of his kit, allowing him to deal damage to a sizeable chunk of the battlefield in one fell swoop thanks to his high crit rate, which is second only to Corin. However, like Corin, Billy is also incredibly fragile, and his low HP (Health Points) and DEF make him vulnerable when left on the field, and his damage output is outclassed by characters in higher tiers. Billy might not be a bona fide Starlight Knight, but all that being said, he’s still the cyborg in shining armor for almost any beginner’s team comp.

Koleda

This pint-sized firebomb doubles as a tank and Daze applicator, and is perfect to pair with units that benefit from chain attacks. She’s a force to be reckoned with at close range thanks to her massive hammer, which she wields to devastating effect for both single-target and AoE damage. Her EX Special, chain, and ultimate imbue her with the Furnace Fire effect, and we recommend triggering it as early as possible to enhance her Fire-based basic attacks and apply DoT (damage-over-time) via Burn application. Finally, Koleda has a wealth of unique synergy with Ben hardwired into her kit, and you can expect damage and Daze buffs while performing Koleda’s basic, chain, and ultimate attacks while her fellow Belobogian is on the team.

Nicole

Nicole might not top the damage-dealing charts, but she’s more than worthwhile thanks to her unique ability to displace enemies by pulling them into a black hole, leaving them vulnerable to close-range AoE attacks from the likes of Soukaku, Anton, or Grace. Enemies caught in her energy fields also take continuous damage for the duration they’re trapped, which quickly stacks up – especially given Nicole’s capacity to ignore the DEF stat of her foes. However, her middling-to-low DEF and HP make her a glass cannon who we wouldn’t recommend leaving on the field for long. Nicole is currently the only character with the Ether attribute in Zenless Zone Zero, and while we do expect that to change, that does make her the only character capable of inflicting Corruption on enemies – be sure to pair her with Devilboo for some assistance in that department.

Soukaku

Soukaku’s Special Attack is the jewel of her kit thanks to her Fly the Flag ability. The efficacy of Fly the Flag depends on the stacks of Vortex she’s accumulated from her special, chain, or ultimate attacks – with three stacks, she enters the Frosted Banner state, allowing her to inflict Ice damage using a flurry of basic attacks. This sequence of conditional damage is a bit more complicated than other units in ZZZ, but it’s more than worthwhile. However, her flat damage output /is/ fairly underwhelming, so don’t expect to get far wailing on enemies with her bog-standard basic attack. Soukaku can’t reach the upper echelons of our tier list based on her kit alone, but she makes an incredible synergy unit for Ice or high-Impact characters, such as Lycaon or Anby.

B-Tier

Ben

Ben is proof positive that size really does matter, for better and for worse. This ursine tank boasts the highest DEF stat in the action-adventure game, making him a boon on any team populated by glass cannons – and if you’re lucky enough to pull the right Zenless Zone Zero weapons, you can convert a portion of that DEF into raw damage. However, his comparatively slow movement demands high-speed teammates outfitted with powerful chain attacks to avoid a stall in combat. Ben’s shielding capabilities can stop a boss rampage in its tracks with ease, and he’s a great unit to keep you alive when plumbing the depths of the Infinite Abyss or testing your luck against the roguelike game variables of Hollow Zero. However, he comes with too many caveats to reach the top of our tier list.

Corin

Corin is a close-range fighter, concentrating on the enemies directly ahead of her with some close-range AoE at her disposal. Corin funnels her damage through a high crit rate, which can be improved further with Disk Drives, and many of her attacks bolster her Anti-Interrupt level or grant her temporary invulnerability. Unfortunately, Corin is fairly one-note in terms of her kit. True to her character, she’s also unbelievably fragile, so we don’t recommend leaving her on the field for long. As a Physical damage dealer, Corin can inflict status conditions that interrupt enemies and break down their resistance to her attribute, leaving them vulnerable to her follow-up attacks. However, she requires Disk Drives to support her Attribute Mastery to make that happen. Again, while Corin is by no means a bad character, her overall lack of versatility is stark when compared to the rest of the Zenless Zone Zero roster.

Now that you’re all set with our ZZZ tier list, take a look at all the easy ways to grab free Zenless Zone Zero Film and increase your chances of pulling an S-tier character. You can also pick up gacha currency in limited-time Zenless Zone Zero events, as well as the latest Zenless Zone Zero codes released by HoYoverse. In the meantime, check out some of the best RPGs to tide you over until the 1.0 update.