Zenless Zone Zero Manato Guide: Optimal Build, Best Weapons,
Learn how to maximize Manato in Zenless Zone Zero with the right weapons, Drive Discs, and materials checklist, plus F2P advice.
Alex Rodriguez Zenless Zone Zero Manato Guide: Build, Weapons & Materials (Patch 1.0)
Zenless Zone Zero's Manato debuts as a flexible A-rank Fire Rupture Agent in the global 1.0 launch (2024-07-04 UTC+0), shaking up DPS team building for both new and veteran players. With the competitive banner landscape in Patch 1.0, knowing how to fully optimize Manato—including efficient material farming and synergetic loadouts—is crucial for anyone investing in this agent, whether you’re F2P or aiming to min-max completion.
At a Glance
- Release: Global launch (2024-07-04 UTC+0) on PC, PS5, iOS, Android
- Role: Fire Rupture, DPS carry with scaling on HP and Crit
- Best Weapons (W-Engines): Grill O'Wisp (A), Qingming Birdcage (S), Radiowave Journey, Puzzle Sphere
- Best Drive Discs: 4pc Yunkui Tales (HP/Sheer Force), 2pc Woodpecker Electro (Crit Rate)
- Materials Needed: Rupture/Arbiter Seals, Burn Chips, Corrupted Dreamsteel, Crimson Miasma Spike
Manato Build Overview: Key Stats & Playstyle
Manato excels as a main damage dealer by combining Fire DMG with Rupture scaling, making him exceptionally reliant on two stats: HP% and Crit. Unlike most DPS, Manato’s performance pivots on having higher HP as well as Crit Rate and Crit DMG, alongside supplementary Fire DMG bonuses.
Prioritize the following for his gear:
– Drive Disc Main Stats:
– 4-slot: Crit Rate
– 5-slot: Fire DMG Bonus
– 6-slot: HP%
– Substats Priority:
– Crit DMG > Crit Rate > HP% > ATK%
Drive Discs should center around a 4pc Yunkui Tales set for bulk and Sheer Force, or 2pc Woodpecker Electro (Crit Rate) with a flexible secondary set. If your gear already hits high Crit Rate, consider supplementing with Inferno Metal for a Fire DMG uptick.
(Suggested visual: Matrix grid showing slot stats; alt text: "Drive Disc main and substat priority for Manato in ZZZ, highlighting Crit, Fire DMG, HP%.")
Best Weapons (W-Engines) for Manato
Manato is highly gear-dependent due to his HP scaling and DPS focus. Here’s how his top W-Engines stack up:
| W-Engine | Type | Tier | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grill O'Wisp | A | Best | HP% Substat, Fire DMG, Crit Rate boosts Rupture |
| Qingming Birdcage | S | Good* | High stats, but Ether DMG niche goes unused |
| Radiowave Journey | A | Solid | Sheer Force and HP%; bolsters DPS, good F2P |
| Puzzle Sphere | B | Budget | Crit DMG, EX Special Attack DMG; F2P fallback |
-Note: Qingming Birdcage's full effect isn't available without Ether DMG. For pure Fire, Grill O'Wisp outperforms for Manato.
F2P / Low-Spend Notes: Puzzle Sphere and Radiowave Journey are accessible and serviceable, especially early in progression. Grill O'Wisp is typically farmable for dedicated Rupture builds.
(Suggested visual: Four-weapon comparison image; alt text: "Manato’s top W-Engine weapons side-by-side with summarized effects.")
Drive Discs: Core Sets for Reliable DPS
Yunkui Tales defines the meta for HP-scaling DPS like Manato, but flexible slots allow for player choice depending on your Crit Rate and what’s available early game:
| Drive Disc Set | Pieces | Bonus & Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Yunkui Tales | 4pc | HP%, Sheer Force, Crit Rate: ideal for sturdy DPS |
| Woodpecker Electro | 2pc | Crit Rate: raises consistency for main DPS builds |
| Inferno Metal | 2/4pc | Fire DMG, minor Crit Rate: best if already Crit capped |
| Branch & Blade Song | 2pc | Crit DMG: powerful if Crit Rate is stacked elsewhere |
Key Advice: If your rolls are lacking Crit, always pick Woodpecker Electro. If you’re swimming in Crit, experiment with Inferno Metal for direct Fire DMG increases.
(Suggested visual: Set icons overlaying Manato; alt text: "Yunkui Tales and Woodpecker Electro set bonuses highlighted for Manato in ZZZ.")
Mindscape Cinema: Constellations Priority
Manato’s Mindscape Cinema (akin to constellations or Eidolons in other gacha games) unlock valuable passive upgrades. Here’s what matters for practical pulls:
| Node | Effect Highlights | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| M1 | Fire DMG up based on HP lost; increases basic/assist attack | Medium |
| M2 | Fire RES ignored in Molten Edge; unlocks assist chain utility | Medium |
| M4 | Max HP boost, survive lethal hit during ult state (10s CD) | Medium |
| M6 | Gain Blazing Heart, boost Fire DMG after follow-up (stacks) | High |
M6 is his power spike, but F2P/early spenders should focus resources elsewhere as Manato works at M0 with the right gear. M2 and M4 are nice upgrades for bulk and resist shred.
Materials Table: Ascension, Skill, and Boss Drops
Efficient progression for Manato depends on stockpiling the following (Patch 1.0 rates, UTC+0 reset):
Ascension Materials
| Level Cap | Dennies | Material |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 24,000 | 4x Basic Rupture Certification Seal |
| 30 | 56,000 | 12x Advanced Rupture Cert. Seal |
| 40 | 120,000 | 20x Advanced Rupture Cert. Seal |
| 50 | 200,000 | 10x Arbiter Certification Seal |
| 60 | 400,000 | 20x Arbiter Certification Seal |
| Total | 800,000 | See checklist below |
Materials Checklist
- Seals: 4 Basic, 32 Advanced, 30 Arbiter (Rupture certs)
- Fire Material: Burn Chip series (Basic, Advanced, Specialized)
- Boss Drops: Corrupted Dreamsteel, Crimson Miasma Spike (check reset/day)
Weekly/Daily: Schedule bosses for Crimson Miasma, skill-up chips on reset; prioritize higher-level runs as soon as eligible.
(Suggested visual: Condensed table graphic of all mats; alt text: "Complete Manato ascension and skill-up materials table for ZZZ Patch 1.0.")
Should You Pull Manato? Banner Value & Team Fit
Banner Timings: Not explicitly stated in official materials for Manato’s rate-up; verify within in-game banner preview for server/region specifics (e.g. UTC+8/CN servers may differ).
For F2P and low-spend players, Manato fills a unique Fire Rupture DPS niche, and his gear flexibility gives more mileage out of early game drops compared to most A-Rank DPS. If the competitive S-Rank units are not on rate-up or you need a sturdy Fire carry, investing in Manato is efficient.
Team Synergies:
– Core partners: HP buffers, off-field damage dealers, and agents that scale with Fire boosts or can trigger his assist follow-ups
– Alternatives: When paired with budget units or low constellations, supplement with Crit Rate/HP% buffers rather than pure offense to maximize survivability and uptime
FAQ & Optimization Tips
Is Manato viable without signature W-Engine?
Yes; Grill O'Wisp is optimal, but Radiowave Journey and Puzzle Sphere both enable strong early DPS. Prioritize HP% and Crit stats regardless.
How time-gated is material farming?
– Ascension mats: Check weekly/daily rotation for Rupture bosses.
– Skill-up mats & boss drops: 3x-6x runs available weekly, UTC+0 reset.
– Dennies: Ensure to run high-level commissions daily for currency.
Dupes (Mindscape Cinemas):
Manato works well at base; chase M6 only if you want min-max completion or have W-Engine surplus. Each dupe is a power increase, but not essential for clearing content.
Summary & Next Steps
Manato remains one of the most F2P-friendly, high-utility Fire DPS picks in Zenless Zone Zero Patch 1.0, especially for players avoiding S-Rank banner overlaps or aiming to maximize Rupture team comps. Focus your farming on scalable HP and Crit gear, run weekly ascensions, and experiment with Drive Disc flexibility to adapt to your account’s pulls.
Future Guidance: Watch for official EarlyGG tier lists and banner updates as the meta evolves beyond 1.0 and as new W-Engines/Drive Discs arrive. Revisit material dailies weekly to keep Manato competitive well past launch.
(For everything Zenless Zone Zero, check EarlyGG’s Zenless Zone Zero hub.)