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 emphasize Physical Agents and Rupture Agents, as well as Ice teams as every stage has at least one section that is vulnerable to Ice damage. Naturally Starlight - Billy Kid excels in this reset, as the Agent just launched recently alongside the Shiyu reset. Teams built around Promeia, Hoshimi Miyabi, or any team that is fielding some kind of Ice DPS will be doing well in this reset.

The final node includes fights with the following bonuses:

• Room 1: Sheer DMG increased by 35%, Physical DMG increased by 10%. Basic Attack, EX Special Attack, and Ultimate ignore 10% Physical RES.
• Room 2: Ice DMG increased by 10%, Anomaly Proficiency increased by 40%. Abloom DMG increased by 30% and ignores 20% Ice RES.
• Room 3: Electric DMG increased by 20%. Basic Attack, Special Attack, and EX Special Attack deal 40% increased DMG and ignore 15% DEF.

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 Sheer DMG increases by 35%, and their Physical DMG increases by 10%. Agent Basic Attack, EX Special Attack, and Ultimate ignore 10% of enemy Physical RES on hit.	Team 1 Ice, Physical Team 2 Ice, Ether	Team 1 None Team 2 None

5.1.

Recommended Teams for First Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun/Support	Support
Team 1
Starlight - Billy Kid	Dialyn Ju Fufu Pulchra	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Sunna
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Sunna Tsukishiro Yanagi	Nangong Yu Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Ye Shunguang	Sunna Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Team 2
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Sunna Tsukishiro Yanagi	Nangong Yu Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Yixuan	Dialyn Ju Fufu	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Yidhari	Dialyn	Lucia Pan Yinhu Zhao
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Sunna

6.

Critical Node: Second Frontier

Stage 1 of the Node has Boss XYZ, so make sure to parry 3 times to break the armor of the hound.

Time Limit	Bonus Effects	Weakness	Resistance
S-Rank: >300s remaining A-Rank: >180s remaining B-Rank: Defeat All Enemies	Agent Sheer DMG increases by 35%, and their Physical DMG increases by 10%. Agent Basic Attack, EX Special Attack, and Ultimate ignore 10% of enemy Physical RES on hit.	Team 1 Fire, Physical Team 2 Ice, Physical	Team 1 Ether Team 2 None

6.1.

Recommended Teams for Second Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Starlight - Billy Kid	Dialyn Ju Fufu Pulchra	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Ye Shunguang	Sunna Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Evelyn Chevalier	Dialyn Seed	Astra Yao Sunna Zhao
Banyue	Dialyn Ju Fufu	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Team 2
Starlight - Billy Kid	Dialyn Ju Fufu Pulchra	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Sunna
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Sunna Tsukishiro Yanagi	Nangong Yu Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Ye Shunguang	Sunna Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao

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 Sheer DMG increases by 35%, and their Physical DMG increases by 10%. Agent Basic Attack, EX Special Attack, and Ultimate ignore 10% of enemy Physical RES on hit.	Team 1 Fire, Physical Team 2 Ice, Ether	Team 1 Ice Team 2 None

7.1.

Recommended Teams for Third Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Starlight - Billy Kid	Dialyn Ju Fufu Pulchra	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Ye Shunguang	Sunna Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Evelyn Chevalier	Dialyn Seed	Astra Yao Sunna Zhao
Banyue	Dialyn Ju Fufu	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Team 2
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Sunna Tsukishiro Yanagi	Nangong Yu Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Yixuan	Dialyn Ju Fufu	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Yidhari	Dialyn	Lucia Pan Yinhu Zhao
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Sunna

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 Sheer DMG increases by 35%, and their Physical DMG increases by 10%. Agent Basic Attack, EX Special Attack, and Ultimate ignore 10% of enemy Physical RES on hit.	Team 1 Fire, Physical Team 2 Ice, Ether	Team 1 Ice Team 2 None

8.1.

Recommended Teams for Fourth Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Starlight - Billy Kid	Dialyn Ju Fufu Pulchra	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Ye Shunguang	Sunna Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Evelyn Chevalier	Dialyn Seed	Astra Yao Sunna Zhao
Banyue	Dialyn Ju Fufu	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Team 2
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Sunna Tsukishiro Yanagi	Nangong Yu Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Yixuan	Dialyn Ju Fufu	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Yidhari	Dialyn	Lucia Pan Yinhu Zhao
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Sunna

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: Sheer DMG increased by 35%, Physical DMG increased by 10%. Basic Attack, EX Special Attack, and Ultimate ignore 10% Physical RES. Room 2: Ice DMG increased by 10%, Anomaly Proficiency increased by 40%. Abloom DMG increased by 30% and ignores 20% Ice RES. Room 3: Electric DMG increased by 20%. Basic Attack, Special Attack, and EX Special Attack deal 40% increased DMG and ignore 15% DEF.	Team 1 Fire, Physical Team 2 Ice Team 3 Electric, Physical	Team 1 Ether Team 2 Physical Team 3 Ether

9.1.

Recommended Teams for Fifth Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Starlight - Billy Kid	Dialyn Ju Fufu Pulchra	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Banyue	Dialyn Ju Fufu	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Team 2
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Sunna Tsukishiro Yanagi	Nangong Yu Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Sunna
Alice Thymefield	Sunna Zhao	Nangong Yu Dialyn
Team 3
Ye Shunguang	Sunna Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Cissia	Trigger Dialyn	Sunna Astra Yao
Soldier 0 - Anby	Orphie & Magus Seed	Trigger Astra Yao Sunna