How to play Zhu Yuan in Zenless Zone Zero

The release of Zhu Yuan in Zenless Zone Zero marks the release of the second Ether character in the game. The leader of PubSec's Criminal Investigation Squad brings a unique new playstyle to the table, which comprises both ranged and close-quarters combat. Knowing how to play her is a big part of getting the most out of her kit and devastating your enemies with Ether Anomaly damage.

While all the characters in the game have distinct playstyles, HoYoverse has ensured that limited S-Ranks will have some gameplay gimmick that will make them stand out. Just like Ellen Joe, Zhu Yuan in Zenless Zone Zero has a few tricks up her sleeve that make her quite fun, and a bit complex to play.

This article will teach you how to play Zhu Yuan in Zenless Zone Zero so that you can get the most out of her damage.

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Understanding Zhu Yuan's kit in Zenless Zone Zero

Core - Shotshells

The Shotshells are bread and butter for Zhu Yuan's Kit (Image via Hoyoverse)

You will be able to spot a small counter consisting of 10 dots at the left corner of your screen, right under the Character HP bar when Zhu Yuan is on the field. These are called Shotshells, and you gain them by performing various actions during the battle.

Basic Attacks

The leader of PubSec's Criminal Investigation Squad has two modes in her Basic Attack.

• Assault Mode (Tapping): Performs a five-hit combo mixed with Ether and Physical damage. Your fifth hit will give you one charge of Shotshell.
• Suppressive Mode (Holding): Holding down Zhu Yuan's basic attack will allow her to enter Suppressive mode, where she will consume the shotshell charges to deal Ether damage.

Dodge and Parry

Triggering a Perfect Dodge and counter-attacking will give you one charge of Shotshell. You can get up to three charges by triggering Perfect Assist/parrying enemy attacks.

Ex-Skill, Ultimate, and Chain Attack

If you use your Ex-Skil, Chain Attack, or Ultimate with Zhu Yuan in Zenless Zone Zero, you can dish out massive Ether Damage to enemies while recovering three charges of Shotshells.

The rest of her kit is quite simple, as they will function as any other character in Zenless Zone Zero.

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A guide to playing Zhu Yuan in Zenless Zone Zero

Zhu Yuan is one of the best DPS units in ZZZ (Image via Hoyoverse)

Here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind while playing Zhu Yuan in Zenless Zone Zero.

• Have Nicole on the team. She is the only other Ether character in the game as of version 1.0 and is a great pairing for Zhu Yuan in Zenless Zone Zero due to her ability to crowd control and group mobs of enemies.
• The Suppressive Mode is a three-hit combo with the last hit having the highest multiplier. You will be able to dodge incoming enemy hits while in your Suppressive Mode state but keep in mind that this won't trigger the third hit of the combo, which is essentially a big nuke. This makes Zhu Yuan extremely risky to play, so ensure there's a gap between you and the enemies.
• While against bosses, stun them before entering the Suppressive Mode to reduce the risk factor of getting hit and dying. This will also allow you to deal more damage to the boss.
• Do not ultimate or use Ex-Skill if you have a full charge or close to a full charge of Shotshells. This will lead to your charges getting wasted and can become a bit of a pickle in combat, especially if there is a timer. Burn three charges and then use your Ultimate/ Ex-Skill.
• Zhu Yuan can gain Shotshells easily, which may lead to overstacking and getting wasted. Shoot a few shots at times so that the Shotshells you gain don't go to waste.
• Zhu Yuan is heavily reliant on her Shotshell charges so make sure you trigger Chain Attacks with her as often as you can.

Zhu Yuan brings a unique playstyle of Gun Fu, a combination of Kung Fu and Gunfighting, allowing you to shred the Etherals with style. But she also comes with a complex kit, making her a bit challenging to get the hang of. But once you master her playstyle, she will undoubtedly be your go-to DPS for various challenging content like Hollow Zero endgame content in ZZZ.