The Ultimate W-Engine Guide for Every Agent in Zenless Zone Zero

In Zenless Zone Zero, an Agent's true potential is never fully realized until they are equipped with the perfect W-Engine. A mismatched or suboptimal choice can turn a once-dominant Hollow clearer into a lackluster liability, dragging down entire squad rotations. As the Proxy navigates the ever-expanding Hollows in 2026, understanding the nuances of W-Engine selection becomes as vital as mastering dodge counters and chain attacks. Why settle for mediocre performance when the right gear can elevate an Agent from good to godlike?

Selecting the ideal W-Engine is rarely a one-size-fits-all decision. While each S-Rank Agent typically arrives with a signature Engine that perfectly complements their kit, the availability of duplicates — or lack thereof — reshapes the entire landscape. This guide assumes a baseline that mirrors the most common scenario faced by dedicated players: all 5-star W-Engines are evaluated at S1 (no extra copies), while 4-star alternatives are examined at their maximum potential, S5 (fully refined with five duplicates). This framework ensures that comparisons remain both fair and practical, revealing when a high-refine common Engine can actually outperform a low-refine premium one.

But what about team compositions? Doesn't a support Agent behave differently depending on whether they are buffing an Electric DPS or enabling a Physical Stunner? Absolutely. Certain W-Engines skyrocket in value when paired with specific faction synergies or elemental resonance. However, the chart below focuses on a character's primary listed role — be it Attack, Stun, Anomaly, Support, or Defense — to provide the most consistent recommendation across all team setups. Players who love to experiment and push their Agents into hybrid roles (such as utilizing Caesar's natural disruption to double as a Stun unit) may discover that an off-role Engine yields surprising results, but for the average Proxy, sticking to the role-synergistic pick is the safest path to hollow-clearing dominance.

How does one decide between the absolute best-in-slot and its most competitive alternative? This is where refinement ranks, resource economy, and personal playstyle collide. An S-Rank signature Engine at S1 often carries a unique passive that cannot be replicated elsewhere — think of Ellen Joe's Deep Sea Visitor, which provides massive Crit Rate and Ice DMG bonuses that directly feed into her high-speed Charged Attack loops. Its effect reads almost like a mini kit expansion. Yet, for the Proxy who hasn't been blessed by the gacha gods, the S5 Cannon Rotor offers a shockingly close damage profile thanks to its ramping Crit Rate and Attack buff, all while being far easier to obtain and max out. The question becomes: is the 5–8% theoretical damage gain from the signature Engine worth delaying other character upgrades? In many cases, the answer is a resounding "no."

Similarly, Zhu Yuan's Riot Suppressor V turns her Ether attacks into a relentless barrage, but a fully refined Street Superstar can mimic a portion of that power, especially in prolonged fights where its stacking mechanic can be maintained. The beauty of Zenless Zone Zero's gearing system lies in these alternatives — they are not mere consolation prizes but legitimate pathways to high-level play. The Pro Game Guides team's extensive testing has confirmed that a well-built Agent with a max-refine 4-star Engine can easily clear Shiyu Defense 17 and even contribute meaningfully in Hollow Zero expeditions.

Support-oriented Agents present their own conundrum. Should you chase the raw healing boost of a signature Engine, or opt for a utility-focused 4-star that provides team-wide Energy Regen? Rina's Drill Rig - Red Axis significantly amplifies PEN Ratio for the entire squad, but the S5 Bashful Demon grants a near-constant ATK% buff that benefits virtually every DPS. The latter offers such universal value that many theorycrafters jokingly call it the "true 5-star support Engine." This phenomenon repeats across the roster: Nicole's Box Cutter is technically her peak, but a maxed Slapstick inflicts additional Physical DMG that synergizes beautifully with the current Corrupted Complex anomaly meta.

Did you know that some 4-star W-Engines actually scale better with specific future content? As the game evolves through version 2.0 and beyond, certain modifiers like increased Ether DMG or enhanced Dodge Counter effects have become more prominent in boss design. An Engine that seemed mediocre in 2025 might suddenly become top-tier when a new Hollow opens with enemies that require constant perfect dodges. Staying updated with the latest Zenless Zone Zero patches is essential, and the community has been buzzing about the recent rise of Starlight Engine as a budget option for anomaly Agents who previously had no strong accessible choice.

Below is a consolidated reference for every Agent currently available (as of the 2026 post-launch roster), listing the definitive best W-Engine and its strongest alternative. The recommendations account for the S1/S5 assumptions and have been stress-tested across multiple Shiyu Defense cycles. Agents are grouped by their primary role for quick scanning.

Attack Agents

Agent	Best W-Engine (S1)	Best Alternative (S5)
Ellen Joe	Deep Sea Visitor	Cannon Rotor
Zhu Yuan	Riot Suppressor V	Street Superstar
Soldier 11	Fusion Compiler	Starlight Engine
Nekomiya Mana	Steel Cushion	Precious Fossil
Billy	The Restrained	Violin of the Night

Stun Agents

Agent	Best W-Engine (S1)	Best Alternative (S5)
Lycaon	The Restrained	Six-Shooter
Caesar	Tusk of Fury	Demara Battery
Koleda	Blazing Laurel	Hellfire Gears
Anby	Demara Battery	Six-Shooter

Anomaly Agents

Agent	Best W-Engine (S1)	Best Alternative (S5)
Grace	Fusion Compiler	Weeping Gemini
Piper	Roaring Element	Precious Fossil

Support Agents

Agent	Best W-Engine (S1)	Best Alternative (S5)
Rina	Drill Rig - Red Axis	Bashful Demon
Nicole	Box Cutter	Slapstick
Lucy	Slice of Time	Bashful Demon

Defense Agents

Agent	Best W-Engine (S1)	Best Alternative (S5)
Ben	Spring Embrace	Battering Blow

Of course, raw numbers and tier lists only tell part of the story. How does one actually secure these Engines without breaking the Polychrome bank? A disciplined pulling strategy is key. While the exclusive channel tempts with rate-up S-Rank Engines, it's often wiser to let the standard banner and eventual W-Engine selectors fill in signature gaps. Four-star Engines naturally reach S5 through normal gameplay, making them the true backbone of any free-to-play Proxy's arsenal. Remember: in the late game, a single 10-pull worth of materials can yield a significant refinement jump on a 4-star Engine, which might close the gap on an S1 5-star permanently.

Would it be possible for a completely free-to-play Proxy to clear every piece of content using only refined 4-star W-Engines? Absolutely, and countless members of the community have done just that. The flexibility offered by Zenless Zone Zero's design means that skill expression, optimal team synergies, and proper rotation mastery often outweigh minor gear advantages. Still, there is a certain satisfaction in watching Ellen's Ice damage soar to staggering heights with her signature Engine glowing behind her. That feeling is worth chasing, but never at the cost of enjoying the game itself. Stay tuned to community resources for the latest ZZZ codes and livestream news, as a well-timed reward can sometimes be the push needed to finally snag that elusive best-in-slot.

Data referenced from HowLongToBeat helps contextualize W-Engine decisions in Zenless Zone Zero by tying power spikes to real-world time investment: if a max-refine 4-star option lets you clear core modes faster and more consistently, it can be a better “value per hour” than chasing an S1 signature that delays leveling, discs, and core skills. Framing builds around completion efficiency reinforces the guide’s point that practical clears—like stable Shiyu Defense rotations and repeatable Hollow Zero runs—often matter more than small theoretical DPS gaps.