As a dedicated Proxie, I can't help but feel a surge of excitement looking back at the evolution of Zenless Zone Zero since its launch. The year 2026 marks a significant point in the game's lifecycle, with the V2.0 update standing out as a monumental shift, especially for us long-time players who have been with our agents from the very beginning. One of the most anticipated and impactful changes was the comprehensive power-up for Ellen Joe, the game's inaugural limited S-rank agent from Victoria Housekeeping Agency. I remember summoning her back in V1.0, drawn to her elegant yet fierce ice-based combat style. Now, with her latent potential fully unlocked, she has transformed from a powerful cornerstone into an absolute powerhouse, redefining the meta and her role within my squad.

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The core of Ellen's transformation lies in the activation of her Shark Frenzy potential. For any Proxy who owns her, accessing this upgrade was a straightforward yet thrilling process. Simply navigating to the new event tab and clicking the "Activate Potential" button instantly unlocked a new era of combat for her. What I found most ingenious was the addition of a simple toggle switch on her Skills interface post-activation. This feature gave me complete control, allowing me to switch between her classic and enhanced states depending on the challenge at hand, adding a wonderful layer of strategic depth to her kit.

Her offensive capabilities received a monumental overhaul with the introduction of two new fundamental skills:

  • Basic Attack: Icy Blade 🗡️: This isn't just a simple damage increase. The animations became crisper, with each slash leaving a lingering frostbite effect that subtly chips away at enemy health, perfect for wearing down tougher foes.

  • Basic Attack: Glacial Blade Wave 🌊: This was the real game-changer. It transformed her basic combo finisher into a small area-of-effect burst, sending out a wave of piercing ice. Suddenly, she became exceptional at handling groups of smaller enemies, a role she previously struggled with compared to dedicated AoE agents.

These new skills synergized perfectly with her existing kit, making her combat flow feel more fluid and devastatingly potent. The passive mechanics surrounding her signature ability, Rising Storm, underwent the most strategically significant revision. Previously, activating this powerful buff required another character from either the Ice element or the Victoria Housekeeping Agency faction. This restriction often forced somewhat rigid team compositions.

The V2.0 enhancement brilliantly expanded this condition. Now, Rising Storm can also be triggered by having a Stun-type agent in the squad. This single change shattered previous team-building constraints and opened up a universe of new, synergistic possibilities. I was finally free to experiment with compositions I had always dreamed of.

My New Favorite Team Synergies with Enhanced Ellen:

Team Role Agent Example Synergy Benefit
Stun Enabler Lighter Provides consistent Stun application for Ellen's buff while offering shield support.
Assault Partner Trigger A Stun agent who can quickly capitalize on openings Ellen creates with her high damage.
Flex Support Astra Yao Her kit offers both utility and damage, fitting perfectly into the new flexible team requirement.

This newfound flexibility meant I could finally pair Ellen with Lighter for robust survivability, unleash devastating wombo-combos with Trigger, or utilize Astra Yao's unique support capabilities—all without sacrificing the critical damage bonus from Rising Storm. Her role evolved from a damage dealer who needed specific support to a versatile core that could anchor a wide variety of team archetypes, from quick-swap stun teams to more traditional mono-element setups.

From a pure numbers perspective, the boost to her damage output was "significant" as promised, but it was the qualitative changes to her gameplay that truly impressed me. Her DPS (Damage Per Second) windows became more forgiving and potent, and her overall contribution to any team's success skyrocketed. She felt less like a piece of a puzzle that needed specific other pieces and more like a central engine that could power many different machines.

Reflecting on this update from my perspective in 2026, Ellen's enhancement in Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 stands as a masterclass in how to meaningfully revitalize a legacy character. It wasn't just about adding bigger numbers; it was about expanding her mechanical identity, liberating her from restrictive team-building rules, and empowering players with more choice. For me, it rekindled my love for the game and for this character specifically. Unleashing Ellen's inner shark didn't just make her stronger—it made the entire strategic landscape of New Eridu feel fresher, more dynamic, and infinitely more fun to explore. She is no longer just a relic of version 1.0; she is a testament to the game's evolving design, proving that even the first heroes can learn devastating new tricks.