Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) Shiyu Defense Guide and Overview for Critical Nodes

The Critical Node is comprised of stages that rotate on a twice monthly basis. Critical Node stages focus on killing enemies within a certain amount of time, and meeting certain thresholds will grant you the maximum rewards. You will be able to gain up to 720 Polychrome from this content, provided you manage to clear all five stages on S-Rank. Each stage has 3 sets of rewards that you can gain at B, A and S-Grades respectively.

Clearing any stage at any grade will unlock the next one for you, so don't fret if you do not manage to get an S-Grade immediately. Depending on how many stages you have cleared in the previous cycle, you may be able to skip some stages. S-ranking all 5 Critical Node stages will allow you to skip the first 3 stages in the upcoming cycle.

In this guide we will provide detailed information on each of the 5 stages, highlighting the weaknesses of the enemies in each stage, as well as potential team recommendations that might make your life a little easier in order to claim the mode's rewards.

Keep in mind that a well built character may perform better than others, even if it does not match the enemies weakness. Just make sure to not pit them against enemies that are resistant to their damage type.

There are 5 stages in the Critical Node section of the Shiyu Defense. Each stage has its own set of enemies, buffs and effects that boost your characters, as well as their own Challenge Target time-limits. In each stage you will have to field 2 teams, requiring 6 Agents and 2 Bangboos total. You cannot use the same Agent or Bangboo twice. The final stage requires 3 teams instead.

Disclaimer: Depending on your account, you may only have a handful of characters leveled and equipped. While this guide will recommend different teams for different stages, you are more likely to succeed by playing your highest level characters that you have the most practice with, instead of the ones that match the stage's bonuses and vulnerabilities. Simply make sure to not field a team that the enemy units have resistances against, and try to take advantage of the bonuses granted each cycle.

Use the Stage-Slider to select the stage you would like more information on.

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The first 4 nodes of this rotation of Critical Nodes heavily emphasizes teams with Attack Agents, and also boosts the Stun multiplier on enemies slightly. Agents like Ye Shunguang, Hoshimi Miyabi, Evelyn Chevalier, or Soldier 0 - Anby will all do very well this time around.

The final node includes fights with the following bonuses:

• Room 1: 30% ATK, 15% Crit DMG, and 20% Stun DMG multiplier.
• Room 2: 20% Electric DMG, 40% DMG boosts to Basic, Special, and EX Special Attacks, and 15% PEN.
• Room 3:20% Ice DMG and 40% Basic Attack DMG. Also grants 20% additional Ice DMG after using EX Special Attack.

5.

Critical Node: First Frontier

Time Limit	Bonus Effects	Weakness	Resistance
S-Rank: >300s remaining A-Rank: >180s remaining B-Rank: Defeat All Enemies	Agent ATK increases by 30%, CRIT DMG increases by 15%. Enemy Stun DMG multiplier increases by 20%.	Team 1 Ice, Physical Team 2 Electric	Team 1 None Team 2 Fire

5.1.

Recommended Teams for First Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Zhao
Ye Shunguang	Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Hugo Vlad	Dialyn	Lighter
Ellen Joe	Lighter Dialyn	Astra Yao Soukaku Zhao
Team 2
Soldier 0 - Anby	Orphie & Magus Seed	Trigger Astra Yao Zhao
Seed	Nekomata Soldier 11 Billy Kid	Astra Yao Zhao

6.

Critical Node: Second Frontier

Time Limit	Bonus Effects	Weakness	Resistance
S-Rank: >300s remaining A-Rank: >180s remaining B-Rank: Defeat All Enemies	Agent ATK increases by 30%, CRIT DMG increases by 15%. Enemy Stun DMG multiplier increases by 20%.	Team 1 Ice, Physical Team 2 Electric	Team 1 None Team 2 Fire, Physical

6.1.

Recommended Teams for Second Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Zhao
Ye Shunguang	Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Hugo Vlad	Dialyn	Lighter
Ellen Joe	Lighter Dialyn	Astra Yao Soukaku Zhao
Team 2
Soldier 0 - Anby	Orphie & Magus Seed	Trigger Astra Yao Zhao
Seed	Nekomata Soldier 11 Billy Kid	Astra Yao Zhao

7.

Critical Node: Third Frontier

Time Limit	Bonus Effects	Weakness	Resistance
S-Rank: >300s remaining A-Rank: >180s remaining B-Rank: Defeat All Enemies	Agent ATK increases by 30%, CRIT DMG increases by 15%. Enemy Stun DMG multiplier increases by 20%.	Team 1 Fire, Physical Team 2 Electric	Team 1 Ice Team 2 Fire

7.1.

Recommended Teams for Third Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Ye Shunguang	Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Evelyn Chevalier	Dialyn Seed	Astra Yao Zhao
Soldier 11	Lighter Dialyn Ju Fufu	Astra Yao Zhao Lucy
Team 2
Soldier 0 - Anby	Orphie & Magus Seed	Trigger Astra Yao Zhao
Seed	Nekomata Soldier 11 Billy Kid	Astra Yao Zhao

8.

Critical Node: Fourth Frontier

Time Limit	Bonus Effects	Weakness	Resistance
S-Rank: >300s remaining A-Rank: >180s remaining B-Rank: Defeat All Enemies	Agent ATK increases by 30%, CRIT DMG increases by 15%. Enemy Stun DMG multiplier increases by 20%.	Team 1 Electric Team 2 Fire, Physical	Team 1 Ice Team 2 Ether

8.1.

Recommended Teams for Fourth Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Soldier 0 - Anby	Orphie & Magus Seed	Trigger Astra Yao Zhao
Seed	Nekomata Soldier 11 Billy Kid	Astra Yao Zhao
Team 2
Ye Shunguang	Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Evelyn Chevalier	Dialyn Seed	Astra Yao Zhao
Soldier 11	Lighter Dialyn Ju Fufu	Astra Yao Zhao Lucy

9.

Critical Node: Fifth Frontier

Time Limit	Bonus Effects	Weakness	Resistance
S-Rank: >25,000 Score in all 3 Rooms A-Rank: >16,000 Score in all 3 Rooms B-Rank: >8,000 Score in all 3 Rooms	Room 1: 30% ATK, 15% Crit DMG, and 20% Stun DMG multiplier. Room 2: 20% Electric DMG, 40% DMG boosts to Basic, Special, and EX Special Attacks, and 15% PEN. Room 3:20% Ice DMG and 40% Basic Attack DMG. Also grants 20% additional Ice DMG after using EX Special Attack.	Team 1 Fire, Physical Team 2 Electric, Physical Team 3 Ice	Team 1 Electric, Ice Team 2 Ether, Fire Team 2 Physical

9.1.

Recommended Teams for Fifth Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Ye Shunguang	Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Evelyn Chevalier	Dialyn Seed	Astra Yao Zhao
Team 2
Soldier 0 - Anby	Orphie & Magus Seed	Trigger Astra Yao Zhao
Seed	Nekomata Soldier 11 Billy Kid	Astra Yao Zhao
Tsukishiro Yanagi	Vivian Burnice White	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao Caesar King
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Burnice White Tsukishiro Yanagi	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Team 3
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Zhao
Yidhari	Dialyn	Lucia Pan Yinhu Zhao
Hugo Vlad	Dialyn	Lighter
Ellen Joe	Lighter Dialyn	Astra Yao Soukaku Zhao