The combat system and its elements in Zenless Zone Zero explained.
Combat System
Before battle you must assemble a team of up to 3 Agents. You can only control one Agent at a time but you can freely swap between them to access each of their abilities and combine them.
Combat UI Elements
HP
When all your Agents HP is depleted you will be evacuated from the current combat zone or hollow.
Energy
Agents gain energy over time when they are on the field based on their Energy Regen stat.
Basic attacks, dodge counters, and dash attacks also generate energy for agents.
Breaking supply chests and picking up energy matter dropped by defeated enemies increases energy for the entire squad.
Each Agent has their own energy bar, cycling between each of them to ensure you make use of each of their energy is advised.
Daze
When enemies are hit, they accumulate Daze. When Daze reaches 100%, enemies become stunned, rendering them unable to move and more susceptible to damage.
While enemies are dazed they can be inflicted with your team's powerful chain attacks you’ll learn about below.
Combat Actions
Basic Attack
Press, tap and hold the appropriate key or button to launch a basic attack consisting of a number of strikes (usually 3-5). Some agents unleash alternative moves by holding the basic attack during a basic attack combo.
The Basic attack is your primary means of consistent damage on most characters and executing full basic attack chains will yield the most energy recharge and damage in most cases.
Special Attack
Special attacks are normally the defining feature of an Agent and can be used at any time without any cooldown but can be used in a special enhanced state (EX Skill Variant) after accumulating enough energy. Special attacks have a heavy attack effect which when used on a fully dazed enemy will allow for a chain attack.
Normal special attacks are very rarely worth using, they do low damage and do not regenerate energy and can mostly be ignored. The empowered EX Special attack is always worth using and should be prioritized as soon as it’s available but can be saved in preparation for stronger enemies or for specific character synergies.
Chain Attack
If there are two or more Agents in your squad, hitting a stunned enemy after their daze reaches 100% with a heavy attack will trigger a chain attack.
Pressing an Agent’s avatar on the left or right before the countdown at the bottom of the screen ends will trigger the Agent’s Chain Attack.
These attacks do tremendous damage and can be used in quick succession while an enemy is stunned combining them is advised.
Ultimate
Hitting enemies, using chain attacks, dodge Counters, and triggering Assist Follow-Ups builds up Decibel Rating gauge.
When your Decibel Rating reaches 3,000, the Ultimate button will light up, signaling you may press the Ultimate key to clear the decibel rating and unleash an ultimate.
You can check how close to the Ultimate using the tracker that has 3 stages, once it says “Maximum” it’s ready:
Your entire team seems to share the Decibel Rating Gauge so be sure to use the ultimate on the character that will have the most impact in combat!
Dodge
Press the appropriate key or button to Dodge.
Using a Basic Attack while dodging will launch a Dash Attack.
Dodging when your Agent is about to be hit can trigger a “Perfect Dodge”.
Quickly using a Basic Attack right after a Perfect Dodge will launch a Dodge Counter with a Heavy Attack effect.
Switching Agents
When there are 2 or more Agents in the squad, pressing the agent switch key will replace the agent on the field with the next Agent to its right on the Agent bar in the top-left corner.
Assist Attack
When the Agent on the field is knocked back, another Agent’s Assist Attack window will trigger. Switch Agents during this window trigger a reactive assist.
Reactive Assists have a Heavy Attack effect and can quickly turn the tides of battle back in your favour.
Special: Perfect Assist
If you switch Agents right before some enemy attacks (those that flash gold) hit, the Agent switching in will consume an Assist Point to active a Defensive Assist or Evasive Assist.
You can activate up to 3 Perfect Assists in a row within a certain period.
You can trigger Chain Attacks to regenerate Assist Points.
When you do not have Assist Points, the Agent Switching in will automatically Perfect Dodge instead.
Pressing the Basic Attack or Special Attack button when a Perfect Assist is triggered will launch an Assist Follow-Up.
Gameplay
For more information, combined with actual footage, check this video:
