Introduction — Zhao
Zhao is an S-Rank Ice Stun Agent in Zenless Zone Zero. Our Zhao guide covers everything you need to know about Zhao's best builds, including skills, drive discs, team compositions, and more. To learn more about Zhao, use the tabs above to switch to our build information for Zhao or her team compositions.
Zhao is a member of the Krampus faction alongside Dialyn and Banyue.
"Since you're here, how about we cut a deal?"
"You're calling these shady Dennies of unknown origins a 'gift of destiny'?"
"How romantic, but destiny ain't some poor fool you can push around and take what you want from."
"It only gazes upon worthy souls to bestow its rewards. On the contrary, it will also reclaim everything from the unworthy."
"Do you think you have enough chips to face judgment?"
Banner Availability & How to Pull Zhao
Zhao is currently available as a Rate-Up S-Rank Agent on the Current Exclusive Channel Banner.
Zhao's Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
Free powerful support Agent- Provides universal buffs that can benefit a lot of teams
- Easy to play
Weaknesses
Requires a ton of HP to maximize her support potential- Requires you to regularly refresh her buffs before they expire
- Needs a specific timing to be swapped in and out
Zhao's Core Passives
Zhao gains bonus CRIT Rate based on her initial Max HP, gaining 1.4% CRIT Rate for every 1,000 initial Max HP.
Upon entering the battlefield, Zhao gains 100 Frostbite Points. This effect can trigger once every 180s in Investigation Zone mode. The maximum amount of Frostbite Points is 100.
When the currently active character's attacks hit an enemy, Zhao gains 6 Frostbite Points. This can be triggered once every 3s.
When Frostbite Points are maxed out, switching Zhao to the field while in combat will activate her Entry Skill.
When Zhao activates her Entry Skill, all Frostbite Points are consumed to activate Ether Veil: Wellspring.
While Ether Veil: Wellspring is active, all squad members gain 5% Max HP for 40s. Re-activating Ether Veil: Wellspring ends the existing instance before applying a new Ether Veil: Wellspring.
When Zhao activates Ether Veil: Wellspring, all squad members' ATK increase by 1000 for 50s. Repeated triggers reset the duration.
When another character in your squad is an Attack, Anomaly, or Support character:
When Zhao is within any Ether Veil, the whole squad's DMG increases by 10%. If Zhao's initial Max HP exceeds 15,000, every additional 400 initial Max HP increases this DMG bonus by an additional 1%, up to a total maximum increase of 40%. This bonus reaches its maximum when Zhao's initial Max HP reaches 27,000.
Zhao's Skills
Basic Attacks
Press 
to activate:
Launches up to five slashes forward, the first dealing Physical DMG, and the following four Ice DMG.
Hold to activate:
After getting ready, Zhao starts charging up, then launches a forward slash on release, dealing massive Ice DMG.
While charging, Zhao accumulates up to 5s of charge time. When the Finishing Move of Basic Attack: Final Verdict, Chain Attack, or Assist Follow-Up hits, the stored charge time is consumed to deal additional DMG. For every 1 second of charge time, Zhao deals 24.00% of Max HP as additional DMG.
When Zhao is in any Ether Veil, if she gets switched out while charging, the charge can continue.
If Frostbite Points are maxed out when the skill activates, all Frostbite Points are consumed to trigger Ether Veil: Wellspring and a Quick Assist. If a squadmate is then switched in via Quick Assist, Zhao automatically follows up with Basic Attack: Final Verdict and begins charging.
During skill activation, Anti-Interrupt level increases, and DMG taken is reduced by 40%.
While not the currently controlled character, the character is invulnerable while using this skill.
Dodge Attacks
Press 
to activate:
A quick dash dodge.
Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
Press during a dodge to activate:
Slashes forward, dealing Physical DMG and Ice DMG.
Press during a Perfect Dodge to activate:
Performs a falling slash ahead, dealing Ice DMG.
Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
Assist
When Zhao has maximum Frostbite Points, and is in combat, press 
to activate:
Launches consecutive attacks forward, followed by a slash, dealing massive Ice DMG.
Upon activating this skill, all Frostbite Points are consumed to activate Ether Veil: Wellspring.
Upon activating this skill, a Quick Assist is triggered. If a squadmate is then switched in via Quick Assist, Zhao automatically follows up with Basic Attack: Final Verdict and begins charging.
Activating this skill is considered as activating a Quick Assist.
Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
When the active character is launched, press to activate:
Launches a falling slash in front, dealing Ice DMG.
Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
When the on-field character is about to be attacked, press to activate:
Parries the enemy's attack, dealing massive Daze.
This skill excels at parrying enemy attacks and reduces the consumption of Assist Points when the character is under intense attacks.
Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
Press after a Defensive Assist to activate:
Launch multiple slashes in front, dealing massive Ice DMG.
Upon activating this skill, if Frostbite Points are maxed out, all Frostbite Points are consumed to activate Ether Veil: Wellspring.
Upon activating this skill while in any Ether Veil, a Quick Assist is triggered. If a squadmate is then switched in via Quick Assist, Zhao automatically follows up with Basic Attack: Final Verdict and begins charging.
Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
Special Attacks
Press 
to activate:
Launches a forward slash, dealing Ice DMG.
Upon activating this skill, consumes 5% of current HP to grant all squad members HP regeneration equal to 1.72% of Zhao's Max HP per second for 5s. The HP-consuming effects of Special Attack: Shatterfrost Surge and EX Special Attack: Frostflow Tundra can trigger at most once every 30s.
With enough energy, press 
to activate:
Launches multiple forward slashes, dealing massive Ice DMG.
Upon activating this skill, consumes 5% of current HP to grant all squad members HP regeneration equal to 1.72% of Zhao's Max HP per second for 5s. The HP-consuming effects of Special Attack: Shatterfrost Surge and EX Special Attack: Frostflow Tundra can trigger at most once every 30s.
Upon activating this skill, gain 20 Frostbite Points. If Frostbite Points are maxed out, all Frostbite Points are consumed to activate Ether Veil: Wellspring.
Upon activating this skill while in any Ether Veil, a Quick Assist is triggered. If a squadmate is then switched in via Quick Assist, Zhao automatically follows up with Basic Attack: Final Verdict and begins charging.
Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
Chain Attacks
When a Chain Attack is triggered, select the character to activate:
Launches multiple slashes in front, dealing massive Ice DMG.
After using this skill, gains 5 Frostbite Points. If Frostbite Points are maxed out, all Frostbite Points are consumed to activate Ether Veil: Wellspring.
Upon activating this skill while in any Ether Veil, a Quick Assist is triggered. If a squadmate is then switched in via Quick Assist, Zhao automatically follows up with Basic Attack: Final Verdict and begins charging.
Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
When Decibel Rating is at Maximum, press 
to activate:
Launches consecutive attacks in front, followed by a falling slash, dealing massive Ice DMG.
After using this skill, gains 20 Frostbite Points. If Frostbite Points are maxed out, all Frostbite Points are consumed to activate Ether Veil: Wellspring.
Upon activating this skill while in any Ether Veil, a Quick Assist is triggered. If a squadmate is then switched in via Quick Assist, Zhao automatically follows up with Basic Attack: Final Verdict and begins charging.
Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
Zhao's Mindscapes
When Zhao switches out of being the active character, all squad members' DMG ignores 15% of the target's All-Attribute RES for 50s.
When Zhao recovers HP, her ATK increases by 20%, and other squad members' ATK increases by 15% for 50s. Repeated triggers reset the duration.
Basic Attack, Dodge, Assist, Special Attack, and Chain Attack Lv. +2
When Zhao activates an Ether Veil, she gains 250 Decibels. The CRIT DMG of her Ultimate, Chain Attack, and Basic Attack: Final Verdict increase by 40%.
Basic Attack, Dodge, Assist, Special Attack, and Chain Attack Lv. +2
The CRIT Rate buff from Core Passive: Ideal Colleague increases to 125% of the original value. The extra DMG gained from charging during Basic Attack: Final Verdict increases to 140% of the original value, and accumulated charge time is no longer consumed when attacking.
Changelog
- 26 Dec. 2025: Guide and build updated.
- 23 Nov. 2025: Guide updated.
- 18 Nov. 2025: Page Created.
Written by Jaymo, a longtime gamer who spends way too many hours exploring open worlds, grinding in MMOs, and pulling for his favorite gacha characters. He covers news and guides for all kinds of games, and just likes helping people enjoy them more. You can find him hanging out on Twitch or chatting in Discord (jaym0).
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