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 Ether Agents and Anomaly Agents. Agents like Aria, Yixuan, or any team that is built around Anomaly Agents will do well in this reset.

The final node includes fights with the following bonuses:

• Room 1: ATK increased by 30%, Crit DMG increased by 15%, Stun DMG multiplier increased by 20%.
• Room 2: 20% Ether DMG, Attribute Anomaly restore 20 Energy (20s CD) and increase squad ATK by 35%.
• Room 3: Ice DMG and Ether DMG increased by 15%. Ether Veil increases Crit DMG by 40% and Sheer DMG by 20%.

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 Ether DMG increases by 20%. After inflicting Anomaly, restore 20 Energy and all squad members ATK increases by 35% for 15s.	Team 1 Ice, Physical Team 2 Electric, Ether	Team 1 None Team 2 None

5.1.

Recommended Teams for First Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Sunna
Ye Shunguang	Sunna Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Sunna Tsukishiro Yanagi	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Yidhari	Dialyn	Lucia Pan Yinhu Zhao
Team 2
Alice Thymefield	Sunna Zhao	Ukinami Yuzuha Dialyn
Yixuan	Dialyn Ju Fufu	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Soldier 0 - Anby	Orphie & Magus Seed	Trigger Astra Yao Sunna
Tsukishiro Yanagi	Vivian Burnice White	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao Caesar King

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 Ether DMG increases by 20%. After inflicting Anomaly, restore 20 Energy and all squad members ATK increases by 35% for 15s.	Team 1 Fire, Physical Team 2 Ice, Ether	Team 1 Ether Team 2 None

6.1.

Recommended Teams for Second Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Ye Shunguang	Sunna Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Sunna Tsukishiro Yanagi	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Evelyn Chevalier	Dialyn Seed	Astra Yao Sunna Zhao
Jane Doe	Vivian Sunna	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Team 2
Alice Thymefield	Sunna Zhao	Ukinami Yuzuha Dialyn
Yixuan	Dialyn Ju Fufu	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Sunna
Yidhari	Dialyn	Lucia Pan Yinhu 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 Ether DMG increases by 20%. After inflicting Anomaly, restore 20 Energy and all squad members ATK increases by 35% for 15s.	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
Ye Shunguang	Sunna Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Sunna Tsukishiro Yanagi	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Evelyn Chevalier	Dialyn Seed	Astra Yao Sunna Zhao
Jane Doe	Vivian Sunna	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Team 2
Alice Thymefield	Sunna Zhao	Ukinami Yuzuha Dialyn
Yixuan	Dialyn Ju Fufu	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Sunna
Yidhari	Dialyn	Lucia Pan Yinhu 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 Ether DMG increases by 20%. After inflicting Anomaly, restore 20 Energy and all squad members ATK increases by 35% for 15s.	Team 1 Fire, Physical Team 2 Fire, Ether	Team 1 Ice Team 2 Ice

8.1.

Recommended Teams for Fourth Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Ye Shunguang	Sunna Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Sunna Tsukishiro Yanagi	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Evelyn Chevalier	Dialyn Seed	Astra Yao Sunna Zhao
Jane Doe	Vivian Sunna	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Team 2
Alice Thymefield	Sunna Zhao	Ukinami Yuzuha Dialyn
Yixuan	Dialyn Ju Fufu	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Zhu Yuan	Dialyn Qingyi	Astra Yao Zhao Nicole Demara
Evelyn Chevalier	Dialyn Seed	Astra Yao Sunna Zhao

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: ATK increased by 30%, Crit DMG increased by 15%, Stun DMG multiplier increased by 20%. Room 2: 20% Ether DMG, Attribute Anomaly restore 20 Energy (20s CD) and increase squad ATK by 35%. Room 3: Ice DMG and Ether DMG increased by 15%. Ether Veil increases Crit DMG by 40% and Sheer DMG by 20%.	Team 1 Physical Team 2 Ether Team 3 Fire, Ice	Team 1 Ether Team 2 Electric Team 2 Electric

9.1.

Recommended Teams for Fifth Frontier

DPS	Sub DPS/Stun	Support
Team 1
Ye Shunguang	Sunna Zhao	Dialyn Astra Yao
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Sunna Tsukishiro Yanagi	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Jane Doe	Vivian Sunna	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Team 2
Alice Thymefield	Sunna Zhao	Ukinami Yuzuha Dialyn
Alice Thymefield	Vivian Sunna Tsukishiro Yanagi	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Jane Doe	Vivian Sunna	Ukinami Yuzuha Astra Yao
Team 3
Yidhari	Dialyn	Lucia Pan Yinhu Zhao
Yixuan	Dialyn Ju Fufu	Lucia Pan Yinhu
Hoshimi Miyabi	Dialyn Lighter Von Lycaon	Astra Yao Soukaku Sunna