Ellen Joe Guide and Best Builds for Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ)
Introduction - Ellen Joe
Ellen Joe is an S-Rank Ice DPS Agent in Zenless Zone Zero. She specializes in dealing Ice Slash damage, alongside managing Flash Freeze Charges to deal massive damage. Ellen Joe belongs to the Victoria Housekeeping Co. Faction alongside other characters such as Corin Wickes and Von Lycaon.
"Ah, another annoying commission... I should've taken a different shift." —Ellen Joe
"Let's end it here. I'm tired."
"Just a moment, let me check... there's still... two questions left!"
"...zzz..."
"Miss Ellen? Miss Ellen? She's already asleep..."
Ellen Character Demo - "Uniform, Shark Tail, Scissors"
How to Pull Ellen Joe
Ellen Joe was last available as a rate-up character on the first Exclusive Channel of patch 1.0 but is currently unavailable on any banner.
Ellen Joe Strengths and Weaknesses
- Powerful Ice DPS having great Synergy with Lycaon and Soukaku.
- Roaming state can easily allow for repositioning around larger bosses as well as higher mobility making it harder for her to take damage.
- Increased mobility and dodge actions built-in to her kit making it easier to avoid attacks.
- Combos can easily be interrupted when Ellen is hit.
- Stacks of Flash Freeze charges are lost when attacking even if an enemy is not hit.
Ellen Joe's Skills, Mindscapes, and Promotions
Ellen Joe's Skills, Mindscapes, and Promotions
Skill | Description |
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Basic Attack: Saw Teeth Trimming | Press Basic Attack to activate. Unleashes up to 3 attacks, dealing Physical DMG. Hold or repeatedly press Basic Attack during the 3rd attack to extend the attack duration. |
Basic Attack: Flash Freeze Trimming | While Flash Freeze is in effect, press Basic Attack to activate. Launch up to 3 attacks at enemies in front, dealing Ice DMG. Each attack consumes 1 point of Flash Freeze Charge. Hold or continuously tap Basic Attack during the 3rd attack to extend the attack duration. |
Skill | Description |
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Dodge: Vortex | Press Dodge to activate. A rapid dash dodge. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. When Perfect Dodge is triggered, Ellen gains the Quick Charge effect, reducing the charge time of Dash Attack: Arctic Ambush, lasting up to 5 seconds or until it triggers. |
Dodge: Roaming Hunt | Hold or double-press Dodge to activate. Enter the Roaming state, allowing dash movement. In the Roaming state, use the joystick to control Ellen's direction, and release to stop. Ellen is invulnerable for a brief time after activation. |
Flash Freeze | When Ellen has Flash Freeze Charges, the Flash Freeze effect is activated. Once Flash Freeze activates, Basic Attacks and Dash Attacks expend Flash Freeze Charges dealing massive Ice DMG. Ellen can have up to a maximum of 6 Flash Freeze Charges. |
Dodge: Arctic Ambush | While in the Roaming state, press to activate. Delivers a spinning slash to enemies before opening her scissors for a swift scissor attack, dealing Ice DMG. Gain 1 point of Flash Freeze Charge when the swift scissor attack hits. While in the Roaming state, hold to activate. Perform a spinning slash against the enemy, then pull apart the scissors to unleash a charged scissor strike, dealing massive Ice DMG. Gain 3 points of Flash Freeze Charge when the charged scissor attack hits. If the enemy is Frozen, it always triggers Shatter. Anti-Interrupt level is increased while charging the skill, and DMG taken is reduced by 40%. Ellen becomes briefly invulnerable during the skill. |
Dash Attack: Monstrous Wave | Press during a dodge to activate. Launches a dashing slash attack at enemies in front, dealing Physical DMG. |
Dash Attack: Cold Snap | While Flash Freeze is in effect, press during a dodge to activate. Launches a dashing slash attack at enemies in front, dealing Ice DMG. Consumes 1 point of Flash Freeze Charge. |
Dodge Counter: Reef Rock | Press during a Perfect Dodge to activate. Rapidly move through enemies with open scissors for a cutting strike, dealing Ice DMG. Character is invulnerable during the attack. |
Skill | Description |
---|---|
Quick Assist: Shark Sentinel | When the character on the field is knocked back, press to activate. Speedily move through the enemy with open scissors for a cutting strike, dealing Ice DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. When the character on the field is launched, move the joystick and press to activate. Enter the Roaming state, enabling dashing movement. While roaming, use the joystick to change directions and release to stop. Character is invulnerable briefly when triggering the skill. Upon triggering a Quick Assist, Ellen gains the Quick Charge effect, shortening the charging time of Dash Attack: Arctic Ambush, lasting up to 5s or until it triggers once. |
Defensive Assist: Wavefront Impact | When the character on field is about to be attacked, press to activate. Carries the enemy's attack, dealing massive Daze. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
Assist Follow-Up: Shark Cruiser | Press Special Attack after a Defensive Assist to activate. Charge and slash enemies in front, dealing Ice DMG. Repeatedly press or hold Basic Attack during the attack to extend the duration of the skill. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
Skill | Description |
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Special Attack: Drift | Press to activate. Use a quick tail sweep attack in front, dealing Ice DMG. Anti-Interrupt level is increased while using this skill. |
EX Special Attack: Tail Swipe | When Ellen has enough Energy, press to activate. Perform a forceful tail whip attack that deals massive Ice DMG. Gain 1 Flash Freeze Charge upon striking an enemy. After executing the move, you can directly follow up with the 3rd-hit of a Basic Attack. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
EX Special Attack: Sharknami | After activating EX Special Attack: Tail Swipe, press when Ellen has enough Energy to activate a series of powerful slashes forward, dealing massive Ice DMG. Gain 1 Flash Freeze Charge upon hitting an enemy. After executing the move, you can directly follow up with the 3rd-hit of a Basic Attack. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
Skill | Description |
---|---|
Chain Attack: Avalanche | When a Chain Attack is triggered, press the character icon to activate. Crash down from above and unleash an ice storm, dealing massive Ice DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
Ultimate: Endless Winter | When Decibel Rating is at Maximum, press to activate. Crash down from above and unleash an ice storm before a powerful scissor strike, dealing massive Ice DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
Skill | Description |
---|---|
Core Passive: Sharp-Toothed | When Ellen launches a charged scissor strike during Dash Attack: Arctic Ambush, or consumes a Flash Freeze Charge to activate Basic Attack: Flash Freeze Trimming, the skill's CRIT DMG is increased by 50%(Lv.1). |
Additional Ability: Rising Storm | When another character in your squad shares the same Attribute or Faction: When Ellen deals Ice DMG, subsequent Ice DMG increases by 3% for 10s. This effect can stack up to 10 times, and repeated triggers reset the duration. |
Ellen Joe's Best Mindscapes
Ellen Joe's most impactful Mindscapes are Glacial Omen (M1) and Arctic Ocean Predator (M2). With Glacial Omen being incredibly important to generate additional Freeze Charge stacks as well as increasing CRIT Rate while Arctic Ocean Predator is a significant boost to Ellen's EX Special Attack DMG. Later Mindscapes are also still useful if you plan to pull further with The Feast Begins (M6) providing PEN Ratio buffs, and huge DMG increases.
# | Mindscape | Description |
---|---|---|
M1 | Glacial Omen | Upon hitting an enemy with a quick scissor strike during Dash Attack: Arctic Ambush, the obtained Flash Freeze Charges is increased to 3. Upon hitting an enemy with a Charged Scissor Strike during Dash Attack: Arctic Ambush, the obtained Flash Freeze Charges are increased to 6. For each point of Flash Freeze Charge consumed, Ellen's CRIT Rate is increased by 2% for 15s, stacking up to 6 times. The duration of each stack is calculated separately. |
M2 | Arctic Ocean Predator | The 3rd hit of Basic Attack: Flash Freeze Trimming can be directly followed up with EX Special Attack: Sharknami. When using an EX Special Attack, each Flash Freeze Charge increases the current attack's CRIT DMG by 20%, up to a max of 60%. |
M3 | Overtime-Intolerant | Basic Attack, Dodge, Assist, Special Attack, and Chain Attack Lv. +2. |
M4 | Endless Hoarfrost | Whenever a squad member Freezes or Stuns an enemy, Ellen gains 6 Flash Freeze Charges and the Quick Charge effect, and recovers 4 Energy. The Energy recovery effect can trigger once per 10s. |
M5 | Adequate Sleep | Basic Attack, Dodge, Assist, Special Attack, and Chain Attack Lv. +2. |
M6 | The Feast Begins | When Ellen uses an EX Special Attack, Chain Attack, or gains Quick Charge, her PEN Ratio increases by 20% for 6s. She also gains 1 stack of The Feast Begins, up to a maximum of 3 stacks. With 3 stacks of The Feast Begins, using a Charge Scissor Strike during Dash Attack: Arctic Ambush consumes all stacks, increasing the DMG of the current attack by 250%. |
Ellen Joe's Promotion Passives
Skill | Description |
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Core Skill Enhancement A |
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Core Skill Enhancement B |
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Core Skill Enhancement C |
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Core Skill Enhancement D |
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Core Skill Enhancement E |
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Core Skill Enhancement F |
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How to Play Ellen Joe
Ellen's gameplay revolves around her Roaming state as well as her ability to gain and use Flash Freeze Charges.
Ellen can enter the Roaming state when holding/double pressing Dodge or when performing a Quick Assist. While in the Roaming state, Ellen can perform Artic Ambush as a Dash Attack. This allows her to deal Ice DMG and gain Flash Freeze Charges.
What are Flash Freeze Charges?
Flash Freeze Charges are a mechanic unique to Ellen. They are shown on the top left while Ellen is on-field and have a max stack of 6. These can be gained and spent in several ways:
Gained | Stacks | Spent | Stacks |
---|---|---|---|
Using a Basic Attack while Roaming. | +1 | Using a Basic Attack while Flash Freeze is in effect regardless of if an enemy is hit. | -1 |
Using a Charged Attack while Roaming. | +3 | Using Dash Attack outside of Arctic Ambush. | -1 |
Using EX Special Attack Tail Swipe or Sharknami. | +1 | — |
The Flash Freeze state is active whenever Ellen has Charges. This is also indicated by her weapon having an Ice effect.
Ellen Joe Build Guide
BiS W-Engine | Deep Sea Visitor |
Alternative W-Engines |
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Best Drive Discs | 4 Piece:
2 Piece:
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Main Stats |
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Substat Priority |
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Skill Priority |
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When building Ellen, her best W-Engine is the signature Deep Sea Visitor from the W-Engine banner and is a significant upgrade over other W-Engines making it an idea option in her Build. An alternative S-Rank option is The Brimstone which increases ATK. Steel Cushion is another option but hard to reliably use making if often worse than A-Rank options like Starlight Engine and Street Superstar.
Ellen's best Drive Discs are Puffer Electro and Woodpecker Electro with the other of the 2 sets being a great 2-piece option. Her best substats build Ellen Joe with are CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, ATK % and PEN.
Bangboo Information
Ellen's best Bangboo are Butler and Sharkboo which are great on her best Mono-Ice team composition.
Other alternatives include Bagboo and Penguinboo as A-Rank options.
Ellen Joe Team Comps and Synergy
DPS | Stun | Support | Bangboo |
---|---|---|---|
Ellen Joe | Soukaku |
This is Ellen Joe's best team using either Von Lycaon or Lighter as her best Stun options. In this team Soukaku provides significant DMG buffs to Ellen's overall DPS. Other Stun characters such as Anby Demara, Qingyi and Koleda Belobog can be used however you lose some of the benefits of Lighter/Lycaon such as the Ice RES Shred.
DPS | Stun | Support | Bangboo |
---|---|---|---|
Ellen Joe | Soukaku | Penguinboo | |
DPS | Support | Support | Bangboo |
Ellen Joe | Caesar King | Soukaku | Penguinboo |
Other good variations of Ellen Joe involve Stun characters such as Anby Demara and Qingyi or more supports such as Caesar King who provides more powerful ATK buffs like Soukaku.
Changelog
- 05 Dec. 2024: Reviewed and updated for 1.3.
- 12 Oct. 2024: Reviewed and updated for 1.2.
- 13 Aug. 2024: Reviewed and updated for 1.1.
- 05 Jul. 2024: Updated to release.
- 15 Jun. 2024: Page added.
This guide has been written by Shikhu (Discord - Shikhu). A long-time player for various Hoyoverse games such as Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail.
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