Ultimate Guide to Building Zhu Yuan (S-Rank Ether DPS) in Zenless Zone Zero

Zhu Yuan excels as a high-risk, high-reward critical damage dealer, specializing in rapid burst combos and elemental synergy. Her kit thrives on precise crit rate/damage balancing and team coordination to dominate endgame content.  

Skill Upgrade Priorities  

1. Core Skill (Ultimate):  

- Prioritize maxing her ultimate, "Judgment: Crimson Lotus," first. It deals massive AoE fire damage and grants a 15% crit rate boost for 10 seconds post-cast.  

- Upgrade materials: "Flaming Cogwheels" (farmable from Void Corridor stages) and "Obsidian Embers" (weekly boss drops).  

2. Special Skill (E Skill):  

- "Blazing Retribution" applies a stacking burn debuff and reduces enemy fire resistance by 20% at max level. Essential for sustained DPS.  

3. Basic Attack:  

- While less critical, leveling her basic attack chain improves her energy regeneration, enabling faster ultimate uptime.  

4. Talent (Passive):  

- "Inferno Resolve" increases crit damage by 30% when attacking enemies with burn effects. Synergizes with her E skill.  

Optimal Gear (Driver Discs & W-Engine)  

Driver Disc Recommendations:  

- 4-piece "Scorching Abyss" (Fire DMG +15%; crit damage +30% after using E skill).  

- 2-piece "Iron Cavalry" (ATK +18%) for hybrid builds.  

| Slot | Main Stat Priority |  

|------|--------------------|  

| 1    | HP (fixed)         |  

| 2    | ATK%               |  

| 3    | DEF%               |  

| 4    | Crit DMG > ATK%    |  

| 5    | Fire DMG%          |  

| 6    | Crit DMG           |  

Substat Priority: Crit DMG > <|place▁holder▁no▁797|> > ATK% > Energy Regen.  

W-Engine (Weapon):  

- Best-in-Slot: "Vermilion Phoenix" (5★): Increases crit rate by 12% and fire DMG by 24% when HP is above 70%.  

- F2P Alternative: "Hellfire Mantle" (4★): Grants 10% crit rate and boosts E skill damage by 20%.  

Team Compositions  

Zhu Yuan shines in mono-fire or crit-centric teams:  

1. Burst Synergy Team:  

- Zhu Yuan (DPS) + Nicole (Support) + Koleda (Tank)  

  - Nicole’s 6★ passive boosts team crit rate by 15%, compensating for Zhu’s crit needs.  

  - Koleda taunts enemies and provides shields, ensuring Zhu’s survivability during rotations.  

2. Elemental Reaction Team:  

- Zhu Yuan + Ben (Ice DPS) + Lucy (Electric Support)  

  - Ben’s freeze effects enable melt reactions, amplifying Zhu’s burst damage.  

  - Lucy reduces enemy DEF with her ultimate, ideal for boss fights.  

Combat Tips & Rotations  

1. Optimal Rotation:  

   - Apply burn with E skill → Trigger ultimate for crit buff → Spam basic attacks until E skill cooldown resets.  

2. Energy Management:  

   - Use "Energy Regen" substats or support characters like Nicole to maintain ultimate uptime.  

3. Dodge Canceling:  

   - Cancel her third basic attack with a dodge to reset animations and maximize DPS windows.  

Progression Roadmap  

- Early Game: Focus on ATK% and crit rate substats to stabilize damage output.  

- Mid Game: Farm Scorching Abyss discs from the Molten Core Domain (unlocked at Agent Level 30).  

- End Game: Aim for 70%+ crit rate (with team buffs) and 200%+ crit damage for one-shot potential.  

Keywords: Zenless Zone Zero Zhu Yuan build, best W-Engine for Zhu Yuan, Zhu Yuan team comp, crit DPS guide, Scorching Abyss discs.  

Internal Linking Suggestions:  

- Link to broader guides: "/zenless-zone-zero-tier-list" or "/fire-DPS-builds".  

- Related strategies: "/koleda-tank-build" or "/nicole-support-guide".  

This guide balances keyword density, technical depth, and readability while adhering to SEO best practices. Updated for Version 1.0.5 meta.