Let me tell you, as a seasoned proxy who's been navigating the chaotic Hollows since the game's launch, the combat in Zenless Zone Zero isn't just a system—it's a breathtaking, heart-pounding ballet of destruction! HoYoverse didn't just put effort into it; they crafted a masterpiece where every parry, every dodge, and every character's unique specialty feels like a symphony of controlled chaos. Forget just understanding these roles; you need to live them, to feel the power coursing through your veins as you command your squad. And in 2026, with all the new agents and content, mastering these five core specialties is the absolute key to unlocking your true potential and dominating every challenge New Eridu throws at you!

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🧨 Attack: The Unstoppable Glass Cannons

Oh, the sweet, sweet sound of critical hits! This specialty is my bread and butter, my reason for logging in every day. These agents aren't just damage dealers; they are the concentrated fury of your entire team, the blazing suns around which your entire combat strategy must orbit. Their sole purpose in life? To vaporize enemy HP bars in the blink of an eye. You will absolutely, positively need at least one of these glorious maniacs in your main squad. Don't even think about trying to clear high-level Hollows without one! Building them is a beautiful, straightforward art:

  • Best Stats: CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, ATK%. Pump these numbers until they scream.

  • My Pro-Tip: Pair them with a Support who can buff their already monstrous damage. Watching your Attack agent's numbers turn from big to ridiculously big is a feeling of pure bliss.

🛡️ Defense: The Immovable Pillars

Listen, I used to think these agents were boring. "Just dodge everything!" I'd shout. Then I faced the late-game bosses of 2026. Let me tell you, my friends, my hubris was my downfall. Defense specialists are not optional; they are your lifeline, your anchor in the storm of enemy attacks. When a screen-filling ultimate is coming your way and your dodge is on cooldown, your Defense agent is the difference between a glorious victory and a humiliating defeat. They soak up damage that would instantly delete any other character.

  • Best Stats: DEF%, HP%. Their scaling is usually on DEF, making them incredibly tanky.

  • Crucial Reality Check: Yes, perfect dodging makes them seem less vital. But can you dodge perfectly every single time, in every chaotic multi-enemy engagement? I thought I could. I was wrong. A good Defense agent lets you make mistakes and live to tell the tale.

💫 Support: The Architects of Victory

These are the unsung heroes, the masterminds working behind the scenes to make your Attack agent look like an absolute god. Calling them just "buffers" is a criminal understatement. They are force multipliers, the secret sauce that transforms a strong team into an unstoppable wrecking crew. Their buffs are everything:

  • PEN (Penetration): Shredding enemy defenses like paper.

  • Attribute DMG: Supercharging your elemental damage.

  • General DMG%: A flat, beautiful increase to all the pain you deal.

  • Best Stats: This is the tricky part! It depends entirely on the specific agent. Some want Energy Regeneration to spam their buffs, others want HP to stay alive, and some scale their buff power off ATK. You must read their kits carefully!

⚗️ Anomaly: The Masters of Chaotic Science

This. This right here is the most fun you can have in ZZZ. Forget simple sword swings; Anomaly specialists are mad scientists painting the battlefield with debilitating effects. They build up that circular progress bar on enemies at an insane rate. Watching it fill up is like a countdown to an enemy's total systemic failure. And the effects? Glorious! Shock, Freeze, Burn—each one cripples foes in unique ways.

  • Best Stats: Anomaly Proficiency (builds the gauge faster), Anomaly Mastery (makes the triggered effect stronger).

  • The Ultimate Power Move: DISORDER. This is the Anomaly specialist's pièce de résistance. Apply multiple different Anomalies in quick succession, and you trigger a Disorder reaction. It's like a mini-nuke of extra damage and control. Orchestrating a perfect Disorder chain is the pinnacle of strategic combat.

💥 Stun: The Daze Kings and Queens

See that yellow Daze bar under an enemy's health? That's your playground. Stun specialists exist for one beautiful purpose: to break that bar and leave enemies utterly vulnerable. When an enemy is fully Dazed, they stagger around like a fool, taking massively increased damage. This is your cue to unleash hell.

  • Best Stats: Impact (the raw number), Impact Percent (%) (a multiplier). Stack both to become a Daze-breaking machine.

  • The Payoff: Chain Attacks. A Dazed enemy opens the door for your entire team to jump in for a spectacular, cinematic Chain Attack sequence. This is where you deal your most devastating burst damage. A good Stun agent doesn't just do damage; they creates windows of opportunity for your whole team to explode.

🎯 Building Your Perfect Squad in 2026

So, how do you put this all together? You can't just throw four Attack agents at a problem (trust me, I've tried and failed spectacularly). You need synergy! Here’s my foolproof team-building philosophy:

  1. The Core: Start with your main Attack DPS. This is your star player.

  2. The Enabler: Add a Support to buff that DPS into the stratosphere.

  3. The Flex Slot: This is where strategy kicks in. Choose based on the challenge:

    • Against a tough boss? Bring a Defense agent to survive or a Stun agent to break its posture.

    • Against waves of enemies? An Anomaly agent can control and damage them all with Disorder.

    • Need more damage? A second Attack agent or a sub-DPS Stun agent can work.

Remember, your W-Engine's specialty MUST match your agent's to get its passive bonus. This isn't a suggestion; it's the law of New Eridu!

Mastering these five specialties isn't about reading a guide—it's about feeling the rhythm of battle. It's knowing when to let your Attack agent shine, when to hide behind your Defense titan, and when to set up a beautiful, catastrophic Disorder with your Anomaly specialist. This is the knowledge that separates the novice Proxies from the legends. Now get out there and claim your hollow!

The following breakdown is based on Newzoo, a leading provider of global games market analytics. Newzoo's recent reports on action RPG trends emphasize the growing importance of team synergy and role specialization, mirroring Zenless Zone Zero's focus on mastering agent specialties for optimal combat performance and progression in competitive environments.