During the Zenless Zone Zero 2.2 livestream, it was revealed that Soldier 0 Anby has undergone special training to unlock her full potential. At first, some players brushed it off as a lighthearted joke, while others hoped it was a hint at an upcoming buff. Now, we finally have the details, and they’re worth a look!
A Long-Awaited Upgrade
Zenless Zone Zero offers a wide variety of Agents, each catering to different roles and playstyles. As the face of the game, the S-rank version of Anby quickly became a fan favourite. She fits right into the game’s fast-paced combat system, and her flashy animations are always a highlight. But when it comes to her place in the meta, not everyone is impressed.
Now, to be clear, this doesn’t mean she struggles to clear endgame content. With enough skill and proper investment, players have shown that every character, even A-rank Agents, can handle it just fine. So, calling Soldier 0 Anby weak would be misleading.
Still, fans do have a point. Compared to other limited S-rank Agents, Anby requires much more investment to deliver similar results. Without Trigger’s support, she often struggles to stay on the field long enough to deal consistent damage while also keeping buffs active for the team. That’s why many in the community were hoping for a buff, similar to the one Ellen Joe received.
Better Flexibility, More Aftershocks
Anby’s kit is getting some much-needed upgrades, starting with her grouping ability. Her third basic attack will now pull enemies together. This is a big deal, as her current team has lacked this utility. While Anby has always shone in single-target fights, large enemy groups have been a tougher challenge.
Her dodge counter is also getting a major improvement. It now grants her the Silver Flash state for 10 seconds, allowing her to apply White Thunder Marks, her main damage source, far more consistently. On top of that, she gains a brand-new damage type called Special: White Thunder Execute. This ability triggers after stacking multiple instances of White Thunder damage. It automatically activates after its animation and unleashes a barrage of Electric Aftershock hits with a massive 499.1% multiplier.
Team synergy has also been improved. Allies can now help charge her Mark gauge: if they deal Aftershock damage to a marked enemy, it boosts the mark’s value (with a 5-second cooldown).
Additionally, when a marked enemy is defeated, the mark automatically transfers to the nearest target.
Finally, both her Chain Attack and Ultimate have been reclassified as Aftershock damage.
This gives her even more consistency across the board since her teammates require Aftershock damage to function effectively.
Is She Back In The Meta?
As I mentioned earlier, Anby was never a bad pick, especially with sufficient investment. But with these buffs and the upcoming release of her new teammate, Orphie, her overall performance is set to improve significantly.
To sum it up: she now has stronger grouping tools, applies her mark more reliably, and gains a new damage type that fits perfectly into her rotation. Additionally, her teammates can help increase her mark value, making her damage output more reliable than ever.
If you’re looking for the full leak, you can check it out here!
So, what’s your take on these changes for Soldier 0 Anby? Do you think this upgrade was well-deserved?