In Zenless Zone Zero, many players race through early missions, enjoy its flashy combat, and then hit a wall when the Hollow Deep Dive (HDD) loop unlocks. This system is the beating heart of the game’s late progression — it’s where you’ll test your mechanical skills, resource efficiency, and team synergy.

This article dives deeply into how to master the Hollow Deep Dive, from unlocking it to refining your squads and strategies for the toughest content. The goal here isn’t to offer “tips and tricks” — it’s to show how you can build a sustainable, skill-based loop that maximises both performance and enjoyment.

1. Unlocking and Understanding the Hollow Deep Dive

The Hollow Deep Dive (HDD) becomes available as you advance through the main story and unlock Sixth Street’s mission hub. At first glance, it seems like a simple grind mode — but in reality, it’s the backbone of character progression and resource acquisition.

Once unlocked, you’ll notice three key commission types: Story, Combat, and Exploration. Each serves a purpose — Story Commissions push narrative and unlock new tiers, Combat Commissions drop upgrade materials, and Exploration Commissions yield W-Engine parts and Drive Discs. The interplay between these missions defines your loop efficiency.

The HDD loop consumes a stamina-like system called “Battery.” Using Battery intelligently is crucial. Don’t let it cap out or waste it on low-tier nodes — every charge should bring tangible progress toward strengthening your agents.

2. Building Your Core Team for HDD

Team Composition and Role Synergy

Every agent in Zenless Zone Zero fits into a combat role: Attack, Stun, Support, Defense, or Anomaly. Your HDD success depends on balancing these roles effectively. A well-built team ensures continuous damage flow, controlled daze timing, and consistent survivability.

A typical strong team layout includes one main DPS (your resource focus), a Stunner or Anomaly agent (to trigger Daze and Chain Attacks), and a Support or Sub-DPS to enhance energy recovery or damage output.

Checklist for Team Setup

  • Choose one main DPS and focus all upgrades on them first.
  • Include a Stun/Anomaly agent who can quickly fill enemy Daze bars.
  • Add a Support who either restores EX energy or boosts team damage.
  • Prioritise agents with shared attributes or faction synergy for passive bonuses.
  • Avoid spreading upgrade materials across too many agents early.

A well-synergised team ensures your Battery translates into faster clears and higher-quality loot drops.

3. Prioritising Upgrades: Agents, W-Engines, and Drive Discs

Upgrade Hierarchy

One of the most common mistakes new players make is upgrading everything they own. Instead, follow a strict upgrade order:

  1. Level your main DPS to the current cap and unlock all key skills.
  2. Upgrade their W-Engine first — matching it to their attribute and role.
  3. Equip 2-set or 4-set Drive Discs with relevant bonuses for your DPS.
  4. Once your DPS is maxed, start investing in your support and stunner units.

Resource Efficiency

  • Don’t waste materials on low-tier W-Engines — save for high-rarity ones.
  • Dismantle unused items to recycle upgrade materials.
  • Plan around limited ascension resources by focusing on one core team.

Mastering this upgrade structure ensures steady progress without hitting resource walls later.

4. Mastering Combat Mechanics for Maximum Efficiency

Combat in Zenless Zone Zero is deceptively simple — until you try tackling late-game content. Mastery of dodges, perfect assists, and chain attacks will determine whether you dominate or struggle.

Perfect Dodges and Counterplay

Timing is everything. A perfectly timed dodge grants invincibility and triggers counterattacks. Learn enemy telegraphs — bright flashes or glowing weapon swings — and react just as the attack connects.

Chain Attacks and Agent Switching

The combat system rewards precision and rhythm. Chain Attacks trigger when enemies are dazed; switch agents mid-combo for Perfect Assists to maintain your momentum. Using Chain Attacks and EX Specials in sync maximises total output and reduces time wasted between phases.

High-level HDD play isn’t about stats — it’s about clean execution. Perfect dodges, switch timing, and Chain coordination separate average players from experts.

5. Exploiting the Daze System

Enemies in HDD battles have a hidden Daze meter that fills when they take certain types of damage. Once full, the enemy becomes stunned, opening a brief window for massive damage.

How to Fill the Daze Meter

  • Use agents with skills that inflict high-impact or stun damage.
  • Maintain continuous combos — interruptions slow Daze buildup.
  • Switch strategically between agents to chain stuns faster.

Executing the Chain Window

When enemies enter Daze, immediately launch Chain Attacks and EX Specials. This burst phase is where your DPS deals 80% of total encounter damage. Timing these correctly can halve your clear times and improve overall Battery efficiency.

6. Navigating Exploration Maps

The Hollow Deep Dive map system operates like a grid, where each node presents a choice — battles, items, or events. Understanding how to navigate this map efficiently is key to long-term farming.

Node Prioritisation

  • Target nodes that yield ascension or upgrade materials.
  • Skip low-value or elite nodes if the risk outweighs the reward.
  • Plot paths that minimise backtracking to save time and Battery.

Reward vs Time Logic

Some elite nodes offer high-tier drops but take much longer to clear. It’s often more efficient to clear two mid-tier nodes quickly than one elite node slowly. Over time, optimising node choice drastically boosts your overall farming yield.

7. Battery Management and Routine Planning

Battery is your lifeblood in Zenless Zone Zero. Every Hollow Dive consumes it, so efficient use is critical to progress.

Smart Battery Usage

  • Always spend Battery before it caps to prevent waste.
  • Focus on nodes that yield character and gear ascension materials.
  • Avoid wasting Battery on low-level content once your team outgrows it.

Integrating Daily and Weekly Tasks

  • Complete daily commissions for account EXP and key resources.
  • Participate in weekly events like Reckless Challenges to collect rare items.
  • Treat these missions as part of your loop — they feed into your HDD upgrades.

A structured daily routine ensures continuous advancement without burnout.

8. Handling the Gacha and Resource Economy

Since Zenless Zone Zero uses a gacha system, your pulls will shape your long-term performance. Smart resource management can make or break your progression.

When to Pull

  • Wait for limited banners featuring top-tier agents or W-Engines.
  • Avoid standard banners unless you’re missing general units.
  • Save premium currency (Polychromes) for future updates or reruns.

Managing Resources

  • Don’t overinvest in multiple teams at once.
  • Keep a savings buffer for meta-changing agents or events.
  • Balance between power and versatility — one strong team beats three average ones.

By keeping your pulls strategic, you maintain control over your build and minimise regret from early-game spending.

9. Conquering Boss Fights and Hard Modes

As you progress through HDD, bosses evolve into complex, multi-phase enemies. Beating them efficiently requires a combination of preparation, execution, and adaptability.

Pre-Battle Setup

  • Use optimal W-Engine and Drive Disc combinations before entering.
  • Bring agents whose EX skills align with enemy weaknesses.
  • Have one agent dedicated to Daze generation.

In-Battle Execution

  • Memorise boss patterns and dodge accordingly.
  • Chain Attacks during openings rather than spamming EX skills randomly.
  • Track your clear times — a 5-minute run is more efficient than a slower clear with wasted Battery.

Mastering boss encounters ensures higher-tier material drops and speeds up your HDD farming loop.

10. Continuous Improvement and Loop Refinement

Zenless Zone Zero’s Hollow Deep Dive isn’t a fixed formula — it’s a living loop that rewards analysis and adaptation.

Self-Evaluation

After every major run, ask yourself:

  • Did I manage Daze effectively?
  • Were my Chain Attacks timed perfectly?
  • Was my Battery used efficiently?

Tracking these metrics helps you refine your approach and prevent resource waste.

Upgrade Cycles

Once your core team reaches their peak, shift focus to secondary teams or alternative agents to prepare for new content. Keep an eye on version updates — new regions, enemies, and agents can redefine the optimal loop at any moment.

Regular reflection and adaptation turn the HDD system from a grind into a rewarding long-term progression path.

Conclusion

The Hollow Deep Dive is the ultimate test of player mastery in Zenless Zone Zero. It challenges your mechanical skills, your understanding of synergy, and your strategic thinking around resource management.

By following a structured approach — unlocking HDD, refining your core team, upgrading wisely, mastering combat, exploiting Daze, planning routes, managing Battery, optimising gacha spending, and continuously evaluating your progress — you’ll evolve from a casual player into a true expert.

This is not a grind; it’s a rhythm — a loop of learning, execution, and reward that defines the essence of Zenless Zone Zero.