Introduction to Zenless Zone Zero Withering Garden Guide

Let’s dive into the complexities of the Withering Garden in Zenless Zone Zero with a detailed and practical guide. As the formidable fifth zone of Hollow Zero, the Withering Garden represents a noticeable spike in difficulty compared to previous areas, testing your loadouts, synergy, and tactical efficiency. Mastering this zone is not only critical for progressing deeper into Operation Reaper, but also for obtaining powerful materials and rewards that elevate your overall combat potential.

Accessing the Withering Garden requires reaching Inter-Knot Level 45 and successfully completing the ‘Core’ difficulty of the first three Hollow Zero zones: Old Capital Metro, Construction Ruins, and Abandoned Skyscraper. Once these conditions are fulfilled, the Commission titled “Enchanting and Stunning, Withering Away” will unlock, officially opening the gates to this high-stakes area.

Your initial clear of the Withering Garden will net you a range of valuable resources, including Inter-Knot Credit, Polychrome, Investigation Points, and Withered Crystals, all crucial for Agent development and account progression. For those aiming to push their limits, taking on the zone with higher Ether Activity Levels provides an opportunity to earn rarer, high-tier materials like Hi-Fi Master Copies and Ether Plating Agents. These advanced rewards are key for fine-tuning builds and maximizing Agent efficiency for endgame content.

The Withering Garden isn’t just another zone—it’s a pivotal milestone in your Hollow Zero journey. Proper preparation, strategic Agent selection, and optimal loadouts will be crucial for overcoming its layered mechanics and enemy encounters.

Understanding Withering Garden Mechanics

As you prepare to take on the Withering Garden in Zenless Zone Zero, understanding its layered mechanics and strategic choices is essential. This advanced stage, recommended for players at Level 50, is structured across three distinct floors, each designed to test your adaptability and mastery of previously learned mechanics. What sets the Withering Garden apart is its clever integration of gimmicks from the prior Hollow Zero zones—making it feel like a culmination of everything you’ve encountered so far.

The first floor mirrors the Abandoned Skyscraper, featuring branching pathways and a choice-driven structure. You’ll often need to pick one route over another, navigating through combat encounters until you reach the exit. Expect at least two boss fights before progressing to the next floor. The second floor reintroduces the conveyor belt mechanics from the Old Capital Metro, influencing movement and enemy engagement. It begins in a safe zone where the familiar Trio appear, offering a choice of buffs in exchange for a “Risk Factor.”

After a series of combat encounters and Resonia rewards, this floor concludes with a Gatekeeper battle, which can be either an Expert Challenge or a Notorious Hunt boss fight. The third floor takes cues from the Construction Ruins, starting again with a safe area and concluding in a gauntlet of challenging fights that culminate in a final boss battle against Nineveh, a high-level Hollow entity that demands well-synergized tactics and precise execution.

A core system of the Withering Garden is Ether Activity, a set of difficulty modifiers that enhance enemy strength and environmental hazards in exchange for higher-tier rewards. There are up to 11 Ether Activity conditions available, and unlocking all of them requires clearing the Withering Garden with 9 conditions enabled in a single run. Activating more conditions not only tests your strategic build composition and reaction time but also drastically improves the quality of rewards you earn, including advanced materials for Agent progression.

Upon entering Exploration Mode, your first decision will be to select from three Research Resonia, each granting a unique buff for the duration of your run. These include:

[Research] Trigger Instinct: Increases your damage as your HP decreases.

[Research] Overload Distribution: Heals and boosts your damage when reaching Pressure Overload.

[Research] Resource Conversion: Boosts damage based on the number of Gear Coins used.

Many players favor Resource Conversion for its reliable scaling over the course of a run. After selecting your Resonia, you’ll meet suspicious individuals, known from earlier Hollow Zero runs, who present a permanent buff and debuff choice. Commonly effective combinations include increasing Gear Coin acquisition by 20% while capping max HP at 80%—a trade-off that often pays dividends when managed carefully.

For a more streamlined and combat-intensive alternative, the Withering Garden offers Blitz Mode (Seedbed). This mode becomes available once you’ve cleared a standard Withering Garden run with all three challenge options selected. Blitz Mode skips the exploratory TV-based navigation and instead focuses purely on rapid combat. You’ll choose a single squad and collect catalysed Resonia after each fight, which carry over to future runs and can also be used in Inferno Reap. Blitz Mode raises the maximum Activity Level to 60, compared to the cap of 50 in Exploration Mode, allowing players to push their limits for even more rewarding challenge results.

Whether you’re tackling the Withering Garden for progression or refining your mastery through high-risk runs, success lies in understanding its evolving mechanics, making calculated risk-reward choices, and staying flexible in your team compositions.

Strategies and Tips for Conquering Withering Garden

To successfully overcome the formidable trials of the Withering Garden in Zenless Zone Zero, thorough preparation and adaptive gameplay are essential. This high-difficulty zone puts both your mechanical skills and strategic planning to the test, so it’s important to enter with a focused approach. Begin by optimizing your combat configuration via the main screen—ensure all Agents are properly equipped with synergistic Drive Discs, and prioritize leveling up your main DPS to at least Level 60 for maximum damage potential, especially when attempting higher Intensity levels. Increasing your main DPS’s Bond Level also provides useful passive effects and can be steadily raised through daily dates and open-world interactions.

When assembling your squad, consider specializing in one primary element—or at most two—to take full advantage of Resonia synergy. This allows for more consistent damage bonuses and easier Resonia selection throughout the run. In combat, mastering perfect dodging is critical. Many encounters, especially on higher difficulties, leave little room for error. Carefully watch enemy animations, learn their attack timings, and use perfect dodges, quick assists, and EX Specials to capitalize on invincibility frames and counterattacks. Don’t hesitate to retry individual battles as needed—each attempt builds muscle memory and allows you to refine your execution. Including defensive Agents like Ben or Seth can also greatly improve your survivability, particularly when pushing higher Ether Activity levels.

The Resonia system plays a massive role in determining the flow and outcome of your run. For defense-oriented builds, Dodge Resonia are especially valuable. S-Rank Shuttlecock is among the most powerful, granting extended duration to the invincibility window after a perfect dodge. B-Rank Resonia such as Sneakers and Skis also offer solid support by enhancing dodge effectiveness and energy generation.

Shield Resonia are another strong choice for sustainability—Technical Mask grants a shield after a perfect dodge, Elastic Kneecap provides a shield following any special ability, and Core Boss rewards shield generation upon enemy defeat. If you collect four Shield-type Resonia, you can unlock Technical Rucksack, a powerful synergy that boosts damage when shielded and limits enemy burst damage once every 12 seconds.


Orange God
Sharp Smile

To bolster your offensive output, Energy Resonia like A-Rank Orange God and B-Rank Sharp Smile help charge EX Special Attacks more frequently, creating more damage windows and stagger opportunities.

When approaching the final boss, Nineveh, consider equipping Freeze, Electric, or Ether Resonia, as her mechanics tend to leave her vulnerable to these effects. Critical and Duel Resonia also shine during her stun phases, where burst damage can quickly shift the battle in your favor. In Blitz Mode, the Resonia offered often aligns with your team’s traits, so tailor your squad to take full advantage of this synergy. All Resonia acquired during a run can be saved as part of a custom loadout, usable in Operation Reaper, offering long-term utility beyond a single expedition.

The boss encounters in the Withering Garden are built around pattern recognition and precise execution. Understanding enemy behaviors, particularly stagger windows and attack tells, is key. Nineveh, the final boss, is especially dangerous. She features multi-directional charging attacks, wide AOE projectile bursts, and mob summons that can disrupt targeting. Always clear adds quickly to prevent interference during key damage phases. At one point, Nineveh moves to the center and begins charging a lethal area-wide attack—hide behind the designated barrier to survive this phase. Toward the end, she unleashes a chaotic sequence involving tentacles and projectile waves. Use all available invincibility tools—perfect dodges, EX Specials, and quick assists—to weather this barrage and close out the fight.

Attempting Withering Garden Intensity 11 is a significant leap in difficulty and demands well-thought-out preparation. Make sure your main DPS is at least Level 60 and outfitted with effective Drive Disc sets. Shield Resonia are often essential at this level to help absorb incoming damage and sustain through longer fights. Managing your Gear Coins is also critical—prioritize purchases that offer long-term value or defensive utility. When faced with chance encounters, selecting the Pressure Reduction Plan can give you more breathing room early on.

Opting for an HP cap debuff is usually less punishing than increased pressure buildup. Additionally, some players choose to reroll the first floor boss until they acquire Shuttlecock, giving them a strong foundation for the rest of the run. Always stay mindful of elemental resistances across the floors and adjust your strategy and team composition accordingly to maintain consistent pressure against enemies.

With the right preparation, sharp reflexes, and smart Resonia management, the Withering Garden becomes a rewarding and repeatable test of your skills—one that not only advances your Hollow Zero progression but also prepares you for the most intense challenges Zenless Zone Zero has to offer.

Withering Garden Details

Stage Info

Rec. LevelLevel 50Total No. of Floors3 FloorsBest ElementsElectric, Ether, FrostElements to AvoidFire, Physical

Best Characters

AttackAnton
ZZZ – Ellen Ellen
Zhu Yuan
HarumasaStunAnby
Lycaon
QingyiSupportNicole
Soukaku
RinaAnomalyMiyabi
Grace
Yanagi

Enemies

FloorFeatured Enemies#1Notorious Dullahan
Notorious – Thanatos Notorious – Thanatos
Hati Hati
Notorious – Armored Hati Notorious – Armored Hati
Goblin Goblin
Assault Gunner Assault Gunner#2Autonomous Support Unit – Lightfoot Rover MK II
Autonomous Support Unit – Guardian MK II
Autonomous Tactical Unit – Typhon Slugger
Thanatos
Notorious – Thanatos
Notorious Dullahan
Hati
Greta – Energized
Hans – Energized
Friday
Greta
Hans
Friday#3Nineveh

Ether Activity is a dynamic modifier system in the Withering Garden that increases both the difficulty of your run and the quality of the rewards you receive. By activating Ether Activity conditions, you enhance various aspects of enemy behavior or battlefield mechanics—such as increasing enemy health, boosting damage, or limiting your own recovery options. In return, you gain access to additional high-value rewards like Hi-Fi Master Copies, Ether Plating Agents, and Polychromes, making it a core feature for players seeking to maximize their resource gains.

Ether Activity is divided into a series of progressive conditions, which are not all available from the start. To unlock higher-tier conditions, you must first activate and complete runs using earlier sets of modifiers. Each successful run with a certain number of conditions enabled contributes toward unlocking the next tier of challenges. This progression encourages careful planning and steady improvement, rewarding consistent play and mastery of combat mechanics. Strategically choosing which conditions to enable—based on your team’s strengths and your familiarity with enemy patterns—can lead to a balanced and rewarding run that scales with your ability.

Exploration Mode

#Ether Activity1Normal and elite enemies’ ATK increased by 50%.2All items in the store become 50% more expensive.3Gain 50 Pressure upon entering a new floor.4Elite and boss enemies gain 30% additional Max HP and Anomaly Buildup RES.5Bosses gain increased ATK over time, up to 100%.6Reduces HP recovery and Pressure reduction by 35%.7Bosses have 50% higher max Daze and recover from Stun 100% faster.8[Chance Encounter] A series of events entailing unavoidable risks.9Agents take 50% more DMG when holding fewer than 1,500 Gear Coins.10Attacks from elite and boss enemies reduce characters’ Energy and Decibels11All enemies are enhanced in all aspects.

Blitz Mode

#Ether Activity1Increases ATK of all enemies by 50%.2Increases max Daze of all enemies by 30%.3Elites no longer display gold or red flash indicators when attacking.4Increases Anomaly RES of all enemies by 40%.5Energy generation rate for Agents on-field is reduced by 40%.6Agents consume one additional Assist Point when triggering Perfect Assists.7Bosses gain increased ATK over time, up to 200%.8Bosses have 30% higher max Daze and recover from Stun 50% faster.9Energy Regen of off-field Agents is reduced by 50%.10Normal and elite enemies will be upgraded to their elite forms.11All enemy stats have been enhanced.

Rewards

The rewards for completing the Withering Garden in Zenless Zone Zero are both valuable and essential for progressing your account and strengthening your Agents. On your first clear, you will receive a selection of premium resources, including Inter-Knot Credit, Polychrome, Investigation Points, and Withered Crystals. These resources are crucial for leveling up characters, upgrading gear, and unlocking new content.

Once you’ve completed the initial run, the Withering Garden becomes a key area for farming advanced materials through Ether Activity. This system allows you to activate multiple difficulty modifiers, known as Activity Conditions, which in turn increases the reward multiplier for the run. The more modifiers you activate, the greater the difficulty—but the payoff is also significantly higher. As you raise the Intensity Level by enabling additional conditions, you’ll begin to earn higher quantities of rare resources such as Hi-Fi Master Copies and Ether Plating Agents. These materials are particularly valuable for crafting and enhancing Drive Discs and other high-tier gear components.

Reward details

First Clear Rewards

Inter-Knot Credit x600
Polychrome x80
Investigation Point x2000
Withered Crystal: Iron Red x400
Withered Crystal: Ink-Yellow x400
Withered Crystal: Heaven’s Azure x400
Boopon x1

Regular Rewards

Bangboo System Widget x15-18
Investigation Point x4000
Withered Crystal: Iron Red x200
Withered Crystal: Ink-Yellow x200
Withered Crystal: Heaven’s Azure x200
Denny x4500

Ether Activity Exploration Mode Rewards

Ether Activity 1Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 2Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 3Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 4Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 5Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 6Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 7Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 8Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 9Hi-Fi Master Copy x6
Ether Plating Agent x2Ether Activity 10Hi-Fi Master Copy x6
Ether Plating Agent x2Ether Activity 11Tuning Calibrator x1
Ether Plating Agent x2

Ether Activity Blitz Mode Rewards

Ether Activity 1Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 2Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 3Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 4Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 5Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 6Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 7Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 8Hi-Fi Master Copy x3
Polychrome x60Ether Activity 9Hi-Fi Master Copy x6
Ether Plating Agent x2Ether Activity 10Hi-Fi Master Copy x6
Ether Plating Agent x2Ether Activity 11Tuning Calibrator x1
Ether Plating Agent x2

Importantly, rewards in the Withering Garden scale with the total number of active conditions during a single run. Strategically planning your loadout and carefully selecting manageable yet rewarding conditions will allow you to maximize gains while maintaining a clear path to success. Whether you’re optimizing Resonia loadouts or gathering upgrade materials for future challenges, consistently farming the Withering Garden at higher intensity levels becomes a key part of your long-term progression in Hollow Zero.

Advanced Considerations

For those aiming to master the Withering Garden at higher levels, more advanced strategic considerations become vital. One of the most impactful ways to gain an advantage is by building teams that can exploit enemy elemental weaknesses. On the earlier floors, enemies frequently exhibit Ice and Ether vulnerabilities, making Agents who specialize in those elements particularly effective at clearing early encounters quickly and safely. However, as you progress, be prepared to face enemies with notable resistances to Physical and Fire damage. This shift in enemy composition means that relying too heavily on those elements without proper support may hinder your progress, especially in extended fights or boss battles.

To further optimize your run, take advantage of the additional squad member slots, which allow you to equip support Agents who contribute passive Resonia bonuses without actively participating in combat. This system is especially helpful for stacking beneficial effects such as Dodge, Shield, or Energy Resonia, boosting your team’s overall efficiency and survivability. Be strategic in your selections—passive buffs from the support lineup can make a significant difference in high-pressure encounters.

Lastly, remember that Resonia acquired during your Withering Garden runs can be saved into dedicated Resonia Loadouts. These saved sets are particularly valuable for use in Operation Reaper, where having pre-optimized builds can save time and provide a reliable edge in combat. Regularly updating and refining your Resonia configurations based on your team compositions and preferred playstyles will ensure you’re always ready to tackle Zenless Zone Zero’s most demanding content.