Zenless Zone Zero Perpetrator Battle Guide - Theria Games

Introduction to Zenless Zone Zero Perpetrator Battle Guide

Perpetrator Battle is a unique combat mode within Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ), categorized under the Hollow Zero investigations found in the Lost Void. Unlike other modes, Perpetrator Battle challenges players—referred to as Proxies—to complete a sequence of combat tasks using only a single Trial Agent. These Trial Agents are provided specifically for the challenge, and players must meet various performance objectives to secure valuable rewards. The mode emphasizes individual Agent strength and strategic decision-making, standing apart from team-based combat scenarios commonly found elsewhere in the game.

To unlock access to Perpetrator Battle, players must first complete at least one Battlefront Purge investigation. This serves as an introduction to essential Lost Void mechanics, including the use of Trial Agents and the management of various Gear types. Once unlocked, Perpetrator Battle becomes one of the main investigation types in the Lost Void, accompanying other formats like Special Operations and Battlefront Purge. It becomes available after progressing through the Agent Story mission “Mole in the Hole (I)”, which unlocks the broader Hollow Zero system.

Perpetrator Battle also frequently appears as part of limited-time events, featuring exclusive rewards and progressive unlocks. These events usually span a 14-day period. At the beginning of the event, players can only access the challenge for one Agent, with a new Agent unlocking every 24 hours. Players must complete the available stages within this timeframe to receive event-specific rewards; otherwise, only First-Clear bonuses and base Challenge rewards remain available once the event ends.

Notable events that have included Perpetrator Battle are “Cleanse Calamity” (Version 1.5) and “Shattered Edge” (Version 1.6). The latter expanded the available Trial Agents by introducing Astra, Evelyn, Jane, and Corin to the roster. These events often feature themed battle sets, such as “Annihilation Ops,” “Guest Tour,” “Cat & Mouse,” and “Cleanup Order,” each offering layered objectives and high-level challenges.

In terms of rewards, Perpetrator Battle provides a variety of incentives for completion. Players can earn First-Clear bonuses and additional Challenge rewards, which may include Polychromes, Noise Reduction Master Copies, Senior Investigator Logs, W-Engine Energy Modules, Bangboo System Widgets, and Dennies. Achieving an S-Rank in both Low and High Activity stages grants further rewards, encouraging players to master the mechanics and Trial Agents provided. Completing all stages within a given battle set, such as “Slumber Hunt,” unlocks bonus rewards tied to full event participation and performance.

Key Features and Mechanics

In Perpetrator Battle, players must rely on a designated Trial Agent for each challenge. These pre-selected characters are the only Agents allowed in the squad, creating a focused and skill-based battle experience. Each stage is designed around the strengths and mechanics of its assigned Agent, and players are encouraged to adapt to their unique playstyles. Alongside the Trial Agent, players may choose one Bangboo to accompany them into battle. If a suitable Bangboo is not available in the player’s own roster, a Trial Bangboo will be provided for both Low Activity and High Activity stages. These Trial Bangboos are specifically selected to complement the Trial Agent’s abilities and the stage mechanics.

Examples of Trial Agents featured in past Perpetrator Battles include Ellen for Slumber Hunt, Yanagi for Lunar Flare, Miyabi for Disaster Purge, Billy for Starlight Flash, Evelyn for Annihilation Ops, Astra for Guest Tour, Jane for Cat & Mouse, and Corin for Cleanup Order. The pairing of Agent and stage is intentional, highlighting the Agent’s abilities under specific tactical scenarios.

In some cases, players who have recruited the Trial Agent into their own roster may be allowed to use their personal version of that Agent instead of the pre-built trial version. This allows for more flexibility and the chance to leverage enhanced stats or custom builds if desired.

Each stage also includes Tactical Instructions and Tactical Enhancements. Tactical Instructions offer strategic advice on how to effectively utilize the Trial Agent’s abilities within the context of that stage. Meanwhile, Tactical Enhancements provide temporary buffs tailored to the stage’s requirements. For instance, in the Slumber Hunt stage with Ellen, players benefit from increased Icy Blade DMG, reinforcing her core combat strengths.

Trial squads in Perpetrator Battle are outfitted with a preset selection of Agent-Exclusive and general Gears or Resonia. These items are carefully curated to support the Agent’s performance and align with the challenge’s objectives. For example, Ellen’s trial loadout in Slumber Hunt includes Resonia such as Blade of Frost, Dangerous Bearings, and Hunter’s Fin, all of which emphasize her Cryo and Blade-focused capabilities.

Perpetrator Battle stages are divided into two difficulty levels: Low Activity and High Activity. Players must first complete the Low Activity version to unlock the corresponding High Activity stage. As the difficulty increases, so do the combat challenges, with stronger enemies and more demanding mission objectives introduced at the High Activity level. This structure encourages players to master the Agent’s kit before taking on tougher scenarios.

Each Perpetrator Battle event operates under a 14-day time limit. While the overall event duration is fixed, individual stages may also feature time-based objectives, rewarding faster completions or flawless runs with additional rewards. This layered challenge design not only tests combat skill but also strategic planning and efficient execution.

Individual Perpetrator Battle Stage Guides

Each Perpetrator Battle stage in Zenless Zone Zero features a single Trial Agent, specially designed loadouts, and curated challenges. The format includes tactical instructions, stage-specific buffs, unique enemy compositions, and both Low and High Activity levels. Below is a detailed overview of each featured Trial Agent and their respective stages, highlighting key strategies and reward structures.

Ellen – Slumber Hunt

In Slumber Hunt, Ellen takes the spotlight as the Trial Agent. Her exclusive Resonia includes Blade of Frost, Dangerous Bearings, and Hunter’s Fin, which emphasize her powerful Cryo Blade skills. Trial Bangboos vary between Low and High Activity, each tailored to support her icy assault style.

This stage rewards aggressive play and well-timed Dodge Counters. Players should prioritize Dangerous Bearings, which amplifies counterattack damage. Tactical Enhancements increase Icy Blade DMG, synergizing with Ellen’s skillset. The enemy lineup challenges players to exploit Cryo weaknesses and navigate resistances strategically.

Challenges often include defeating enemies within a time limit or triggering a set number of Dodge Counters. First Clear Rewards include items like Polychromes, Noise Reduction Master Copies, and gear materials.

Yanagi – Lunar Flare

Lunar Flare features Yanagi, armed with her exclusive Resonia set: Soaring Moonlight, Moon Across the Sky, Flowing Charge, and Moonlight Illusion. These items focus on fluid movement and rapid Normal Attack finishers.

The stage promotes chaining Normal Attack finishers into EX Special Attacks. Tactical Instructions guide players toward using rhythm-based combos to maximize damage. Buffs in this stage favor skill chaining and recovery.

Enemy setups in both activity levels are weak to Physical and Ether attacks, and Trial Bangboos assist in maintaining combo uptime. Players must adapt to increased enemy aggression in High Activity while focusing on rapid execution.

Miyabi – Disaster Purge

In Disaster Purge, Miyabi excels with Unbreakable Ice and Snow Debris Resonia, reinforcing her Ice-type control abilities. This stage leans into her strengths in freezing and controlling the battlefield.

Tactical Enhancements in this stage support Endless Blizzard effects, slowing enemies and creating openings. Players should use Miyabi’s abilities to control enemy positioning and set up high-damage follow-ups.

Both Low and High Activity levels require careful resource use, especially with the increasing threat density. The enemy lineup is tailored to resist sustained damage, encouraging burst rotations and freeze setups.

Billy – Starlight Flash

Billy Kid takes center stage in Starlight Flash, equipped with a diverse set of Resonia: Explosive Bullets, Rotating Drivetrain, Mysterious Transmorpher, Overwhelming Firepower, Gunslinger Time, and Judgement by Eradication.

This stage encourages players to maintain distance, leveraging Billy’s rapid-fire attacks and mobility. Tactical Enhancements boost bullet damage and ranged burst output. The Rotating Drivetrain Resonia is particularly vital, increasing damage with sustained attacks from a safe range.

Players must balance mobility with attack opportunities, especially in High Activity where enemies have increased mobility and stagger resistance.

Evelyn – Annihilation Ops

Annihilation Ops introduces Evelyn as the Trial Agent. Her loadout includes Ultimate Contingency Protocol, Sheathed Blade, Binding Arts, Special Energy Drink, Low-Combustion Coating, and Portable Detonator.

Tactical Instructions focus on Dodge Counters, Defensive Assists, and holding attack buttons to unleash charged slashes. Enhancements in this stage reward precision and patience, allowing Evelyn to dismantle enemies efficiently.

The challenge objectives include activating a Chain Attack and completing the stage within a time limit. Enemies in this stage feature varied resistances, requiring players to take full advantage of Evelyn’s versatile toolkit. First Clear Rewards include Inter-Knot Credit, Noise Reduction Master Copy, Senior Investigator Log, and Dennies.

Astra – Guest Tour

Astra Yao stars in Guest Tour, supported by her signature Resonia set: Aria of the Gentle Wind, Radiant Moment, Hollow Symphony, Harmonic Echo, Perfect Save, and Scattered Melody.

The focus in this stage is on Basic Attack: Radiant Moment, which Astra can trigger repeatedly through efficient skill cycling. Tactical Enhancements boost her supportive capabilities while maintaining offensive pressure.

Players should use Astra’s versatility to weave support and offense seamlessly. The Trial Bangboos here help extend her attack chains and crowd control. Challenges include activating specific skills and beating the clock. First Clear Rewards are consistent with other stages: Inter-Knot Credit, Noise Reduction Master Copy, Senior Investigator Log, and Dennies.

Jane – Cat & Mouse

In Cat & Mouse, Jane Doe takes the field with Resonia including Phantom Armor, Boiling Predatory Instinct, Relentless Pursuit, Venomous Edge, Gaming Time, and Combat Technique.

This stage highlights the use of Salchow Jump Dodge Counter Finishers, a unique mechanic requiring precise dodging followed by counterstrikes. Tactical Enhancements emphasize airborne control and finishing power.

Enemy formations focus on pressure tactics, testing the player’s reflexes and counter timing. Stage challenges include activating Salchow Jump – Airborne and clearing within a time limit. Rewards match standard Perpetrator Battle stage clears.

Corin – Cleanup Order

Cleanup Order features Corin with her Exclusive Resonia: Chainsaw Operation Manual, Overload Driver, and Blasting Blowers, alongside additional options like Maid’s Dainty Steps, Unfortunate Laceration, and Cursed Tetanus.

Players are encouraged to stay close to enemies, using Overload Driver to trigger enhanced chainsaw combos. Tactical Enhancements improve damage output during these sequences and reward aggressive melee engagement.

Challenges include activating Chainsaw Combo: Overclock and finishing within the set time. Low and High Activity levels scale with enemy durability and aggression. First-time clears yield the standard set of Inter-Knot Credit, Noise Reduction Master Copy, Senior Investigator Log, and Dennies.

Each Perpetrator Battle stage is designed to highlight a Trial Agent’s playstyle while testing the player’s ability to adapt and overcome enemy challenges using limited resources. Mastery of each Agent’s mechanics, combined with understanding stage-specific buffs and enemy resistances, is key to earning all available rewards.

General Tips and Strategies

To succeed in Perpetrator Battle in Zenless Zone Zero, players must learn to utilize Trial Agents and Bangboos with precision. Each stage provides Tactical Instructions tailored to the Agent’s specific combat style, highlighting ideal skill rotations and strategic priorities. Paying close attention to these instructions is crucial, as they often introduce key mechanics like Dodge Counters, EX Special Attacks, or unique combo chains that define the Agent’s role in the challenge. Trial Bangboos, which vary between Low and High Activity modes, offer complementary skills that should be tested and adapted to best support the Trial Agent’s capabilities. Experimenting with their abilities can reveal powerful synergies, such as crowd control setups or energy regeneration loops.

Understanding enemy weaknesses and resistances is also essential. Each stage pits players against enemies with specific elemental affinities. By exploiting vulnerabilities—such as targeting foes weak to Fire, Electric, Physical, Ice, or Ether—players can dramatically shorten clear times. Equally important is recognizing resistances, which may reduce the effectiveness of certain attacks, prompting a shift in strategy or prioritization of alternate skill paths.

The provided Tactical Enhancements in each battle serve as powerful passive boosts that can significantly elevate the Agent’s performance. These enhancements are often tailored to amplify the Agent’s key attributes—such as increasing elemental damage or improving attack speed—and should be factored into every tactical decision. Coupled with the Tactical Instructions, these enhancements guide players toward optimal playstyles, ensuring each Agent is used to their fullest potential.

Gear and Resonia synergy plays a defining role in each stage. Every Trial Agent is equipped with a curated set of Agent-Exclusive Resonia and supplementary General or Type-based Gears. These items are designed to modify or boost the Agent’s core abilities, often introducing passive effects that trigger under specific conditions. Understanding how each piece of gear interacts with the Agent’s skillset is critical for maximizing damage output and survivability. Strategic use of these enhancements can shift a difficult encounter into a manageable skirmish.

Time management is another key factor, especially when pursuing event-exclusive rewards or time-sensitive challenge objectives. Efficient stage clears require mastery of enemy spawn patterns and awareness of high-priority targets. Delays from mismanaging enemy waves or misusing powerful skills can result in missed time thresholds and lost rewards. Learning optimal skill rotations, maintaining consistent pressure, and clearing waves quickly are all necessary to stay within time limits. Focusing on dangerous enemies first not only improves survivability but also preserves valuable seconds that contribute to successful runs.

Mastering each component—Trial Agent playstyle, Bangboo synergy, tactical enhancements, gear effects, and time management—ensures a smoother and more rewarding experience in Perpetrator Battle. By building your strategy around these fundamentals, each stage becomes an opportunity to refine your combat skills and maximize rewards.

Rewards

Completing Perpetrator Battle stages in Zenless Zone Zero offers a range of valuable rewards designed to support Agent progression, gear enhancement, and account development. Each stage, whether Low or High Activity, provides multiple reward tiers based on completion, ranking, and event participation.

For standard stage completions, players can earn rewards such as Polychromes, Noise Reduction Master Copies, Senior Investigator Logs, W-Engine Energy Modules, Bangboo System Widgets, and Dennies. These items contribute to character growth, gear upgrades, and resource accumulation, making each clear worthwhile even beyond the event-exclusive context.

Clearing all stages within a section—which may comprise several Trial Agent-specific challenges—unlocks additional milestone rewards. These include Inter-Knot Credits, Polychromes, Senior Investigator Logs, and Dennies, providing extra incentives for full participation and consistent performance across the event.

During limited-time events, players can also receive event-exclusive rewards for completing designated stages before the event timer expires. These may come in the form of unique enhancement materials, cosmetics, or other specialized items that are only available during that event window.

Each stage also features First-Clear Bonuses for both Low and High Activity levels. These include guaranteed drops of Inter-Knot Credits, Noise Reduction Master Copies, Senior Investigator Logs, and Dennies, offering a solid foundation of resources for simply completing a stage for the first time.

Players who aim for top performance can secure S-Rank Rewards in both Low and High Activity stages. These higher-tier rewards include Polychromes, W-Engine Energy Modules, Bangboo System Widgets, Specialized Chips, and additional Dennies. Achieving an S-Rank typically requires meeting specific criteria such as fast completion times, minimal damage taken, or triggering key Agent skills during combat.

By completing stages efficiently and aiming for full clears and high ranks, players can maximize the overall value gained from Perpetrator Battle while also advancing their Agents and expanding their resource pool.

Perpetrator Battle Rewards