Which Zenless Zone Zero Free 5-Star Character You Should Pick (& Why) (2024)

Following the example set by HoYoverse's previous game, Zenless Zone Zero allows players to select one free S-rank agent of their choice to receive for free from the standard banner - but only once, and only after 300 standard pulls, making it potentially a tough decision to make. And, while many players will tend to gravitate towards their personal favorites, some agents may be better than others when considered purely from an optimization standpoint.

Like other HoYoverse games, Zenless Zone Zero has a distinct divide between its standard and limited S-rank (equivalent to 5-stars in other games) characters, with limited agents being available only from their exclusive banner. Despite the exclusivity of limited characters, however, standard S-rank agents can actually be harder to get, as the standard banner doesn't have the same guarantees that are baked into the limited banners. So far, the only way to guarantee a specific standard S-rank agent is to choose one from the selector provided after putting 300 pulls into the standard banner.

The Pros & Cons Of ZZZ's Standard S-Rank Agents

ZZZ Has Six Standard S-Rank Agents, Each With Strengths & Weaknesses

As of the game's launch, there are six available standard S-rank agents - Grace, Rina, Koleda, Nekomata, Soldier 11, and Lycaon, any of which can be claimed for free from the 300 pull selector. In the game's current state, the launch patch, each of these characters has their place in the game's meta, but some may prove to be more future-proof as later patches add new characters. Soldier 11 and Nekomata, for example, are currently powerful options as two of the only S-rank Attack agents, but have the greatest chance of being power crept by later Attack characters.

Soldier 11 and Nekomata do have distinct positives as well, though - both are generally more powerful than their A-rank Attack counterparts, and Nekomata in particular can be paired with the freely-provided Cunning Hairs for low-investment teambuilding options. Soldier 11 pairs well with several other characters too, including Koleda, Piper, and Lucy, so players who randomly pull any of those may want to consider Soldier 11 as an attacking option. Additionally, Soldier 11 is currently the only agent of her faction in Zenless Zone Zero - so as more Obol Squad agents are added, she'll receive more teambuilding support.

Grace and Rina, Anomaly and Support agents, respectively, pair well with each other, so any player who randomly pulls one of them can consider the other as an option for selector. Specifically, Grace excels in Disorder teams, which involve stacking multiple status conditions on enemies, while Rina can serve as a support for those teams, or more generally for any team using Electric or Victoria Housekeeping agents. While both are relatively niche currently, future Anomaly or Electric agents may expand their teambuilding options and increase their value.

Finally, Koleda and Lycaon are both particularly high-value picks - the only other Stun character currently in the game is Anby, and the archetype is vital to have for most teams in harder content. Of the two, Koleda has slightly wider teambuilding options, as she can be paired with other Belobog Construction characters (Grace, Anton, Ben), or other Fire characters (Soldier 11, Lucy, Ben again) - but, for players who've pulled on the game's first limited banner, Lycaon is probably the single best option.

Lycaon Is (Generally) The Best Choice In Zenless Zone Zero

Lycaon Is A Vital Part Of ZZZ's Current Best Team

Which character a player should pick from their selector depends heavily on which characters they've already obtained, but Lycaon can generally be considered as the best choice, especially for players who have Ellen Joe, the game's first limited S-rank. While Lycaon is a very good Stun character in isolation, he can be paired with Ellen and Soukaku for what is currently the game's most powerful team composition, and one that should stay relatively strong even as the game receives further updates.

By the time a player has reached 300 pulls on the standard banner, they'll have at least one S-rank agent, and most likely at least two. For players who don't have a specific favorite, picking a character that pairs well with the other characters they have is a good option, but Lycaon currently stands out as the character with the highest teambuilding potential. While future limited banners may change priorities, Lycaon is currently a generally good option in Zenless Zone Zero.

Zenless Zone Zero

Platform(s)

PlayStation 5 , PC , Android , iOS

Released

July 4, 2024

Developer(s)

HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo)

Publisher(s)

HoYoverse

Genre(s)

Action RPG

Engine

Unity

ESRB

T (Teen) - Suggestive Themes & Violence