Zenless Zone Zero 2.1: Agents, Banners & ‘Crash of Waves’ Un
Zenless Zone Zero 2.1 delivers new Agents, events, and regions. Full meta impact, banner analysis, and rewards explained for optimal pulls.
Max Johnson Zenless Zone Zero 2.1: Major Update Shakes Up the Agent Meta
Zenless Zone Zero launches into its 2.0 era with the comprehensive Version 2.1 update, marking a pivotal transition for competitive and casual players alike. This patch not only debuts two high-impact Agents from the new Spook Shack faction, but also anchors a fresh main storyline segment—"Impending Crash of Waves"—which expands the playable zones and introduces new reward tiers. For anyone tracking the meta or grinding Polychrome for limited banners, these changes establish new priorities for both resource allocation and team-building.
At a Glance: Core Details
- Version: 2.1 (First major update after 2.0)
- Agents: Ukinami Yuzuha and Alice Thymefield (S-Ranks, Physical)
- Story Update: "Impending Crash of Waves" (Weifei Peninsula focus)
- Banners: Structured over two phases
- New Areas: Sailume Bay, Fantasy Resort
- Livestream Code:
SPOOKSHACK(Polychrome & resources) - Event Duration: Dates not stated in official materials; check banner schedules below
Banner Schedule & Featured Agents
| Phase | Start (not stated) | End (not stated) | Featured S-Rank | Rerun Agent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Not stated | Not stated | Ukinami Yuzuha | Hoshimi Miyabi (rerun) |
| Phase 2 | Not stated | Not stated | Alice Thymefield | Tsukishiro Yanagi (rerun) |
Official banner times are not provided—verify in-game for time zone specifics.
Thesis on Meta Impact
Version 2.1’s double-physical S-Rank introduction propels a structural shift for many free-to-play and spending-light teams, substantially increasing flexibility around team physical supports and anomaly enablers. Polychrome currency access and event tickets also appear more attainable, impacting the rate at which F2P players can reach soft-pity for limited banners.
Testing Notes & Community Consensus
Development streams and publicly released patch notes confirm both Ukinami Yuzuha and Alice Thymefield are S-Rank Physical Agents with distinct utility profiles. Early access gameplay (as previewed on the official YouTube and Twitch channels) highlights a notable emphasis on area control and status triggers, especially through Yuzuha’s "Sweet Scare" and Alice’s Anomaly procs. No unannounced skills or banner surprises were demonstrated during the stream.
Teams & Synergy Analysis
Ukinami Yuzuha
Role: S-Rank Physical Support Agent
Signature: Fast candy bomb AOE with "Sweet Scare" for party-wide ATK and DMG boosts
Recommended Team Cores:
– Physical Main DPS (e.g., Billy, Anby, or Lycaon reruns) + Yuzuha + buffer/debuffer
– Budget route: 4-Star physical DPS with Yuzuha’s support substantially improves baseline team output, enabling lower-investment clears in physical-locked domains
– Rotation Caution: Sugar Point management determines optimal swap windows; missed timing reduces utility
Alice Thymefield
Role: S-Rank Physical Anomaly Agent
Signature: On-hit stacks (Blade Etiquette) fuel burst Physical Anomaly Damage
Optimal Comps:
– Alice + Anomaly support (e.g., Nicole or Koleda) + sustained DPS
– Low-cost alternative: Standard banner Anomaly agents paired with Alice to maximize proc rates
– Breakpoints: Prioritizing her Blade Etiquette rotation squeezes value versus slow boss cycles, but may require additional ER substats
Build & Preparation Notes
- Ukinami Yuzuha:
- Artifact set targeting ATK%, Physical DMG, and Energy Recharge substats
- Monitor for unique materials post-2.1; not fully detailed in official reveals
- Alice Thymefield:
- Focus on Physical DMG Bonus, Crit Rate/Crit DMG, stacking Energy Recharge as needed for sustained ultimates
- Trajectory resembles prior Anomaly agents; consult EarlyGG’s build guide section for evolving best-in-slot pieces
- Preparation Checklist:
- Farm daily/weekly material domains as usual ahead of unlock
- Complete event tasks for exclusive materials and Polychrome
Events & Polychrome Rewards
Impending Crash of Waves story: Relocates players to Weifei Peninsula and two new sub-areas—Sailume Bay and Fantasy Resort—featuring scenario combat and new mob types. Active event tasks (full details not provided) are expected to include:
– Daily/weekly challenge clear tasks
– Time-limited material stages
– Polychrome and growth resource bundles
Livestream code:
– SPOOKSHACK (single-use; includes Polychrome and possibly additional enhancement items)
– Full redemption steps: In-game > Settings > Account > Redeem Code.
– For all current codes and eligibility, reference EarlyGG’s redeem codes page.
Should You Pull? (F2P/Low-Spend/Optimized)
Pity Planning:
– Rates remain standard to previous banners (not changed in official notices)
– Banner reruns relatively frequent for prior physical supports; opportunity cost is moderate
Guidance:
– F2P—If short on Polychrome, prioritize Yuzuha only if running physical-centric teams without strong previous support units; otherwise, bank for future elemental diversity
– Low-spend/Optimal: Alice’s Anomaly kit opens unique comp potential but may face redundancy with current team meta unless targeting her for completion or synergy with existing Anomaly agents
– Competing banners (Miyabi, Yanagi reruns) useful for established team rounding but less critical for new clear speeds—rarity bias holds
Key Takeaways & What to Watch Next
Version 2.1 anchors Zenless Zone Zero’s meta with high-impact, physically-oriented S-Ranks and a substantial content drop in Weifei Peninsula. While both Ukinami Yuzuha and Alice Thymefield are valuable, team context and resource planning should drive pull decisions, not banner FOMO. With HoYoverse broadening event accessibility and Polychrome distribution, F2P and optimized spenders alike have new flexibility in comp construction and progression pacing.
Monitor EarlyGG for ongoing build optimizations, event calendar clarifications, and first-day damage benchmarks as 2.1 rolls out. For deeper dives on Agent builds and the latest codes, visit our Zenless Zone Zero news hub.
Media Suggestions:
– Use stream banner key-visuals for each Agent (alt text: "Ukinami Yuzuha official banner art, Spook Shack faction, Zenless Zone Zero 2.1")
– Region/gameplay map teasers for Weifei Peninsula and new areas (alt text: "In-game screenshot of Sailume Bay/Fantasy Resort, Zenless Zone Zero expanded zones")
– Direct screen from official stream for SPOOKSHACK code redemption instructions (alt text: "Screenshot showing Zenless Zone Zero 2.1 redeem code input screen, with 'SPOOKSHACK' highlighted")