Claret Best Build In ZZZ (Guide)

Claret is the newest Armorer Agent arriving in Zenless Zone Zero version 3.2, and she brings a unique twist to the roster: her damage scales off DEF instead of ATK, and she relies on a special Laceration mechanic that rewards stacking Crit Rate well beyond the usual 100% cap. If you're planning to pull for her or already have her, this guide covers the best build, team synergies, and Mindscape Cinema priorities to get the most out of her kit.

For more on the latest updates and character guides, check out our Zenless Zone Zero guides hub.

Claret Build At a Glance

• Best W-Engine: Crimson Thirst (signature)
• Best Drive Discs: 4pc Thorned Rose + 2pc Puffer Electro
• Main Stats: Disc 4 – Crit Rate / DEF; Disc 5 – PEN Ratio / Electric DMG / DEF; Disc 6 – DEF
• Substats: Crit Rate > DEF% > Crit DMG > PEN+ > DEF+
• Team Role: On-field DPS (Armorer)
• Additional Ability: Requires a Stun or Armorer teammate

Claret Skill Overview

Claret is an Armorer Agent, a new specialty introduced in version 3.2. Her kit revolves around building Gash stacks on enemies, then consuming them to trigger Maim, which deals bonus damage. Here's a quick breakdown of her core mechanics:

• Maim: Hitting enemies builds up to 3 Gash stacks. Certain skills consume Gash to trigger Maim, dealing extra damage. For Claret, press Special Attack to consume one stack, or hold it to consume multiple.
• Laceration DMG: When Claret crits, she deals Laceration DMG instead of the usual Crit DMG. This damage scales off her DEF.
• Crit Rate Conversion: Claret's Crit Rate increases by 0.35% for every 1% Crit DMG she has. This means you'll want to stack Crit DMG to push her Crit Rate past 100%.
• Over-100% Crit Rate: Thanks to her Core Skill, any Crit Rate above 100% triggers an additional Laceration check when she crits. So aim for over 100% Crit Rate to maximize her damage.

Claret Rotation

1. Use EX Special Attack to enter her special state.
2. Attack enemies to build Gash stacks.
3. Hold Special Attack to consume Gash and trigger Maim.
4. Press Basic Attack to perform a downward smash.
5. Press Basic Attack again to follow up with the third hit of Basic Attack.

Claret Best Team Synergy

Claret's Additional Ability activates when she has a Stun or Armorer teammate. Her best partners are:

• Norma – Easy to use, quickly stuns enemies.
• Koleda – Her Potential Vision buffs Laceration DMG for Armorer characters.
• Trigger – Off-field Stunner who synergizes with Claret's Electric attribute.

For support, Rina boosts PEN Ratio, and Nicole reduces enemy DEF. Most other supports focus on ATK or HP buffs, which don't help Claret since she scales off DEF.

Claret Best W-Engines In ZZZ

As of version 3.2, Armorer is a new specialty, so W-Engine options are limited. Here are the best choices:

W-Engine	Details
Crimson Thirst	Claret's signature W-Engine. Provides DEF substat, Crit Rate from passive, and boosts Electric DMG and Electric Sharp DMG. Far outperforms other options.
Bloodmarrow Coffer	Battle Pass weapon. Grants 20% Crit Rate and increases DMG by 0.48% for every 1% Crit Rate above 100%, up to 24% (needs 150% Crit Rate to cap).
Catty Luck	F2P option. Increases DEF by 40% (substat) and up to 24% more DEF from passive. Harder to reach Crit Rate thresholds.

If you lack these, any W-Engine with a high Crit Rate substat can work, but you'll lose significant damage compared to her signature.

Claret Best Drive Discs In ZZZ

Claret needs over 100% Crit Rate, so Crit Rate is the priority on Disc 4. If you somehow get enough Crit Rate from substats, a DEF piece is viable, but that requires godly rolls. For Disc 5, PEN Ratio is best for endgame bosses, though Electric DMG Bonus and DEF are also viable. Disc 6 should always be DEF.

On substats, prioritize Crit Rate above all, then DEF%, Crit DMG, flat PEN, and flat DEF.

Drive Disc Set	Details
4pc Thorned Rose	Increases DEF and Crit Rate based on DEF. Total: 16% DEF, 15% DMG, and up to 16% Crit Rate at 1800 DEF.
2pc Puffer Electro	Provides PEN Ratio, which is rare and valuable for endgame. Better than Woodpecker Electro if substats are similar.
2pc Woodpecker Electro	Grants 8% Crit Rate. Use if your pieces have far better substats than Puffer Electro.

Claret Mindscape Cinema In ZZZ

Claret's Mindscape Cinema (constellations) offers several upgrades. Here's the priority order: M1 > M2 > M6 > M4. M1 and M2 are both strong, so aim for one of them if you have enough Polychromes. If you can't reach M6, stop at M2 for the best value.

M1 – Bloodstained Chronicle

• Effect: Increases Gash Buildup Rate by 20% when Laceration triggers. Maim DMG multiplier increases to 130%.
• Value: High

M2 – Crown of Inherited Flame

• Effect: Extends Crimson Inscription duration by 2s. While active, attacks ignore 18% of target's Electric RES.
• Value: High

M4 – Crimson Moon Wanderer

• Effect: Increases DMG of certain attacks by 20%.
• Value: Low

M6 – Warm Night's Dream

• Effect: Heavy attacks from Chain Attack and Ultimate directly trigger a single-target Maim without consuming Gash.
• Value: High

Final Thoughts

Claret is a powerful DEF-scaling DPS who rewards careful stat investment. Her signature W-Engine is almost mandatory for top performance, but F2P players can still make her work with Catty Luck and a good Thorned Rose set. Focus on pushing her Crit Rate past 100% and pairing her with the right Stun or Armorer teammates to unlock her full potential.

For more character guides and team compositions, stay tuned to our Zenless Zone Zero coverage.