The highly anticipated Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.4 update commenced its first phase banners on November 26th, 2025, introducing a fresh wave of powerful Agents and strategic possibilities for players. This phase, concluding on December 17th, 2025, features two headline S-Rank Agents: the brand-new Physical Stun specialist Dialyn and the returning Ice Attack powerhouse Hugo. Their unique kits and signature W-Engines promise to reshape the meta, offering both new playstyles and enhanced capabilities for veteran teams. As the game progresses into 2026, these characters remain pivotal figures in the evolving combat landscape of New Eridu.
Phase 1 Spotlight: Dialyn, The Universal Stun Enabler
Dialyn emerges as a revolutionary S-Rank Stun Agent, wielding Physical damage to pressure enemy Daze gauges. Her design, however, transcends the typical stunner archetype, functioning more as a potent support catalyst. Her core mechanic revolves around building a Positive Feedback gauge through combat. Once filled to a threshold, she enters the unique “Get Lost” status. In this state, initiating a Chain Attack after stunning an enemy triggers a game-changing effect: the ally following Dialyn in the chain sequence automatically unleashes their Ultimate ability without consuming any Decibel gauge.
This ability to grant free Ultimates, combined with her capacity to extend enemy stun duration and boost the damage of allied Attack or Rupture Agents, solidifies her as a top-tier universal support. Her value is immense for any team looking to maximize damage during vulnerability windows.
Pull Rating: 9/10 – A Very Valuable Agent To Have
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Pros: Universally powerful support, enables free Ultimate casts, enhances team damage, extends stun duration.
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Cons: Her effectiveness can be mitigated by the game’s Miasma mechanic, which erases enemy stun gauges. However, her supportive nature for multiple damage types helps teams adapt.
Phase 1 Spotlight: Hugo, The Ice Nuke Specialist
Hugo returns as an S-Rank Ice Attacker with a devastatingly simple yet powerful gimmick: Totalize. Unlike other attackers who barrage stunned foes, Hugo’s Totalize effect converts the entire remaining enemy Stun gauge into a single, massive instance of Ice damage, effectively nuking their health bar at a low action cost.
His gameplay is straightforward: pair him with effective Stunners (like Dialyn, Lighter, or Lycaon) to inflict Daze and stun enemies. Once the target is vulnerable, switch to Hugo and use his EX Special Attack or Ultimate to trigger Totalize. The damage scales directly with the remaining stun duration, rewarding well-timed setups.
Pull Rating: 8/10 – A Powerful Ice DPS Character
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Pros: Exceptional burst damage from a single hit, requires minimal field time, currently the second-best Ice DPS after Miyabi.
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Cons: His damage is reliant on that one Totalize hit critting; a non-crit significantly reduces output. Furthermore, the Miasma status can completely nullify his kit by preventing stun gauge accumulation.
Signature W-Engines Analysis: Phase 1
Dialyn’s Signature W-Engine
- Effect: Boosts off-field Energy Regen. When the equipper deals Physical DMG with an EX Special Attack, their Daze dealt increases (up to 3 stacks). At max stacks, the entire squad gains bonus CRIT DMG.
- Pull Rating: 10/10 for Dialyn, 5/10 for others. It is tailor-made for her, offering critical stats and team-wide buffs. For other Stunners, the Physical EX Attack requirement renders its passive nearly useless, making it merely a stat stick.
Hugo’s Signature W-Engine
- Effect: Increases CRIT DMG by 45%. Using an EX Special Attack, Chain Attack, or Ultimate to deal Ice DMG grants the Absolute Zero Death Sentence effect for 3s, allowing hits to ignore 25% of enemy DEF.
- Pull Rating: 10/10 for Hugo, 8/10 for others. It is a phenomenal weapon that skyrockets his damage through crit stats and defense shred. For other Ice Attack Agents, it serves as an exceptional and future-proof stat stick due to the universally powerful ignore defense effect.
Phase 2 Preview: Banyue and Ellen (Dec 17 – Dec 29, 2025)
Following the first phase, Version 2.4’s second wave begins on December 17th, featuring the new S-Rank Fire Rupture Agent Banyue and the returning buffed S-Rank Ice Attacker Ellen.
Banyue: The High-Skill Fire DPS
Banyue is a Rupture Agent who deals Fire damage by consuming his own HP to accumulate Wrathful Fires. This resource enhances his basic and special attacks, enabling powerful combo sequences when special attacks are weaved into his chains.
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Gameplay: Demands high player skill to manage HP, resources, and execute combos for maximum damage.
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Pull Rating: 7/10 – A Good Fire DPS Character. He offers top-tier theoretical damage but requires significant investment and mastery. A solid choice for players lacking a Fire DPS who enjoy technical playstyles.
Ellen: The Dodge-Counter Ice Specialist
Ellen, one of the game’s original characters, has received buffs to her kit. She specializes in dealing Ice damage through Dodge Attacks, building special stacks that infuse her attacks with elemental power.
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Gameplay: Revolves around well-timed dodges and stack management to maintain her Ice infusion.
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Pull Rating: 7/10 – A Good Ice DPS Character. While a decent on-field carry, she generally falls behind top-tier options like Miyabi and Hugo in overall damage output. Recommended primarily for players without a strong Ice DPS.
Signature W-Engines Analysis: Phase 2
Banyue’s Signature W-Engine
- Effect: Increases CRIT Rate by 20%. Using an EX Special Attack or Assist Follow-Up boosts Fire Sheer DMG by 9% (2 stacks max).
- Pull Rating: 10/10 for Banyue, 5/10 for others. It perfectly complements his crit-focused, combo-heavy style. Only Manato can utilize it effectively besides Banyue; for others, it’s just a stat stick.
Ellen’s Signature W-Engine
- Effect: Increases Ice DMG by 25%. Basic Attacks grant 10% CRIT Rate for 8s. Dash Attacks dealing Ice DMG grant an additional 10% CRIT Rate for 15s.
- Pull Rating: 9/10 for Ellen, 7/10 for others. It massively supplements her crit stats, allowing for greater investment in CRIT DMG. For other Ice Attackers, it’s a strong universal option, but its effects are useless for non-Ice Agents.
Final Verdict and Strategic Summary
As Zenless Zone Zero moves forward, the Version 2.4 banners present clear strategic priorities for resource allocation in 2026:
| Agent/W-Engine | Primary Role | Pull Priority | Key Consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dialyn | Universal Stun Support | High (9/10) | Best-in-class support enabling free Ultimates. |
| Dialyn’s W-Engine | Support Buff Stick | High for her only (10/10) | Near-mandatory for maximizing her potential. |
| Hugo | Ice Burst DPS | Medium-High (8/10) | Exceptional damage paired with Stunners; crit-reliant. |
| Hugo’s W-Engine | Ice DPS Stat Stick | High for him, Med for others (10/8) | Top-tier weapon for him and future Ice Attackers. |
| Banyue | Technical Fire DPS | Medium (7/10) | High damage ceiling demands high skill floor. |
| Ellen | Ice Dodge DPS | Medium (7/10) | Solid option, but outclassed by premium Ice DPS. |
Conclusion: For players looking to strengthen their roster with long-term value, Dialyn and her signature W-Engine stand out as the most impactful additions from Phase 1, offering unparalleled team support. Hugo remains a powerful, albeit specialized, damage dealer. Phase 2 offers niche but potent options for players seeking specific elemental coverage. Wise Proxies should plan their pulls accordingly to navigate the dynamic challenges of New Eridu.