Zhu Yuan doesn't knock on doors—she dissolves them. The Criminal Investigation Special Response Team leader is an S-rank Ether Attack Agent who treats the battlefield like a crime scene: precise, explosive, and over before the paperwork starts. Even in 2026, with a roster full of shiny new agents, she remains the gold standard for burst DPS in Zenless Zone Zero. She swaps between Assault and Suppressive modes, hurls Enhanced Shotshells at anything that twitches, and absolutely refuses to share the spotlight with a stun unit. Let's be real: if you want a DPS who works from a safe distance and hits like a freight train full of Ether, Zhu Yuan is your girl.

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Kit Overview: Shotshells and Sass

Zhu Yuan's core loop is simple. Her 4th and 5th basic attacks in Assault mode grant Enhanced Shotshells. Her EX Special, Chain Attack, and Ultimate also hand them out like party favors. These shells boost her damage, especially against stunned enemies. Her Additional Ability gives her a free 30% CRIT Rate for 10 seconds after an EX Special, Chain, or Ultimate. Translation: build CRIT Damage, not CRIT Rate. She's not here to make friends—she's here to make craters.

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Best W-Engines: Pick Your Poison

W-Engine Why it works
Riot Suppressor Mark VI Her signature. +15% CRIT Rate, and EX Special grants 8 Charge stacks that boost Ether basic attack DMG by 35%. Perfect fit.
The Brimstone Basic/Dash/Dodge hits stack ATK up to 8 times. She attacks fast, so she keeps it maxed.
Cannon Rotor +ATK, and CRIT hits deal extra 200% ATK DMG every 6-8s. Great if you're skipping CRIT Rate on discs.
Starlight Engine Dodge Counter or Quick Assist gives +19.2% ATK for 12s. She dodge-counters a lot, so it's almost always on.
Street Superstar Chain Attacks grant Charge stacks; Ultimate consumes them for up to 72% more DMG. Solid budget burst option.

Disc Drives: Two Flavors of Overkill

4-Piece Chaotic Metal + 2-Piece Woodpecker Electro

  • 2pc Chaotic Metal: +10% Ether DMG.

  • 4pc Chaotic Metal: +20% CRIT DMG. When Corruption triggers, further +5.5% CRIT DMG for 8s, stacking up to 6 times.

  • 2pc Woodpecker: +8% CRIT Rate.

Main Stats: IV – CRIT DMG | V – Ether DMG | VI – ATK

Sub Stats Priority: CRIT DMG > ATK% > CRIT Rate > Anomaly Proficiency

4-Piece Puffer Electro + 2-Piece Chaotic Metal

  • 2pc Puffer: +8% PEN Ratio.

  • 4pc Puffer: +20% Ultimate DMG, and Ultimate grants +15% ATK for 12s.

  • 2pc Chaotic Metal: +10% Ether DMG.

Main Stats: Same as above.

Sub Stats Priority: CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG > ATK% > PEN (if using PEN Ratio) > Anomaly Proficiency

Honestly, just give her CRIT Damage and watch the fireworks. She's a burst DPS, not a babysitter—she pops in, unloads, and leaves before the enemy can file a complaint.

Skill Priority: Core First, Always

  1. Core Skill – Non-negotiable. It boosts her Enhanced Shotshell damage and stunned enemy damage.

  2. Basic Attack – Most of her damage comes from Suppressive mode basics.

  3. Dodge – She spends Enhanced Shotshells with dash attacks, so level this.

  4. Special / Ultimate – Her Ultimate hits like a truck. Upgrade equally with Special.

  5. Chain Attack – Level alongside Ultimate for maximum burst.

  6. Assist – Last priority. It does some Daze, but you have a stun unit for that.

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Bangboo: Your Little Ether Buddy

  • Resonaboo – Best for Ether teams. With 2+ Ether characters, Chain Attack inflicts 100% more Anomaly Buildup.

  • Butler – For Victoria Housekeeping premium teams (Rina + Lycaon). Generates extra Energy for more EX Specials.

  • Devilboo – Weaker Resonaboo, but still boosts Corruption application.

  • Sumoboo – Great general pick if you have a stun unit. +18% Daze to enemies above 50% Daze.

Team Compositions: The Ether Dream and the Premium Nightmare

Ether Team: Zhu Yuan + Nicole + Anby

This is your budget-friendly, all-requirements-met squad. Nicole provides Ether support and DEF shred, Anby stuns like a champ, and Zhu Yuan gets her 30% CRIT Rate bonus. It's the only full Ether team as of version 1.0, and it still slaps in 2026.

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Premium Team: Zhu Yuan + Lycaon + Rina

All S-rank, all business. Lycaon is the best stun unit in the game, Rina gives PEN Ratio and meets Zhu Yuan's Additional Ability requirement, and the two Victoria Housekeeping members activate Butler's passive. This team deletes bosses before they finish their intro animation.

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Final Verdict: Still the Burst Queen

Zhu Yuan is a limited S-rank who does one thing exceptionally well: burst down stunned enemies from a safe distance. Her Additional Ability is flexible—just bring another Ether agent or any support—and her damage ceiling is absurd once you master her shotshell management. She relies on stun and timing, but once you get the hang of her kit, she remains a top contender for best DPS. In 2026, with new agents flooding the meta, Zhu Yuan still holds her own. So go ahead, build her. Your enemies won't know what hit them. And neither will your CRIT Damage stats.