Zenless Zone Zero Game Guide: Basics and Anomalous Effects

Learn the basics and anomalous effects in Zenless Zone Zero to elevate your gameplay. Master the game with expert tips and strategies.

Zenless Zone Zero is an urban fantasy action RPG that takes players to a post-apocalyptic world devastated by supernatural disasters. Players take on the role of a Proxy whose job it is to explore anomalous zones and solve mysteries, which often leads to difficult encounters. To make your battles easier, here is a guide to the attribute system.

The anomaly attribute and effect system in Zenless Zone Zero offers unique mechanics that significantly affect gameplay. Each character belongs to one of five attribute types: Physical, Fire, Ice, Electro, and Ether. Depending on the attribute type dealt by damage, enemies fill an anomaly meter, which affects their condition and behavior in battle. Below, you will learn how this system works.

Anomaly mechanics in Zenless Zone Zero and how attributes work

Zenless Zone Zero’s gameplay combines real-time action with roguelike mechanics, which significantly distinguishes it from previous games by HoYoverse. Particular attention is paid to the assembly of characters and the management of a squad of heroes. You will have to control a party of three playable characters, who actively change in battle. Each character can use basic attacks, special moves, chain attacks (triggered by hitting a stunned enemy with a special attack), as well as dash attacks (a combination of dodging and attacking at the same time) and powerful ultimate attacks.

Each agent in Zenless Zone Zero belongs to one of five attribute types. Each enemy has an anomaly gauge that fills when they take damage of a certain type, depending on the attribute:

  • Physical: Interrupts the enemy’s action and deals large physical damage, increasing the filling of the stun gauge.
  • Fire: Deals periodic fire damage over time. Only interrupts organic enemies.
  • Ice: Stuns an enemy, dealing damage when the stun ends and temporarily increasing critical damage.
  • Electro: Deals electrical damage over time. Only interrupts mechanical enemies.
  • Ether: Deals Ether damage over time. Only interrupts Energy-type enemies.

If an enemy is already in the Anomaly state, applying another attribute will activate the Chaos effect, dealing additional damage and filling the stun gauge. Agents with the Anomaly specialization accumulate the Anomaly state faster, making them especially effective in battles with anomalous enemies.