Ice
Defense
Zhao
The Judge of "Value"
Zhao is an Ice Defense Agent who works as a universal buffer for Attack and Anomaly teams. Her Ether Veil: Wellspring gives the whole squad +1,000 ATK, and while she stands in any Ether Veil her Additional Ability adds up to +40% DMG, scaling with her Max HP. She was handed out for free to every player in 2.5, and she's now Ye Shunguang's go-to partner in both Shiyu Defense and Deadly Assault.
HP Support
W-Engines
Drive Discs
Set effects
Set effects
Set effects
Main stats
Substat priority
Stat targets
- Initial Max HP 27,000 (caps her Additional Ability at +40% DMG)
- Enough Energy Regen to re-activate Ether Veil: Wellspring every 40s
- CRIT Rate around 35–40% comes on its own from her Core Passive (1.4% per 1,000 initial HP)
- ATK 1,900+, DEF 800+ for comfort
Talent priority
"Initial" HP is the value on her stat sheet outside combat: combat buffs don't count. Once you hit 27,000, extra HP only adds a little CRIT Rate and Final Verdict damage.
Recommended teams
Meta: Ye Shunguang & Sunna
The most used team in the current Shiyu Defense and Deadly Assault (Prydwen). Zhao's Veils feed Ye's Qingming Sword Force and Sunna stacks more buffs on top. Bangboo: Sprout, which gets stronger with Ye Shunguang in the squad.
Krampus: Ye Shunguang & Dialyn
Dialyn turns Ye's Chain Attacks into Ultimates and adds +40% DMG, while Zhao keeps the ATK and DMG buffs up. Bangboo: Sprout, or Birkblick with two Krampus Agents.
How to play
Frostbite Points and Ether Veil
The gauge under her portrait tracks Frostbite Points (max 100). She starts every fight full, then gains:
- 6 whenever the active character hits an enemy (once every 3s);
- 20 per EX Special Attack and 20 per Ultimate;
- 5 per Chain Attack.
At 100 points, swapping her in during combat triggers her Entry Skill: Burst of Frost. It consumes the gauge to activate Ether Veil: Wellspring and immediately triggers a Quick Assist. The same happens if the gauge fills up during her EX Special, Ultimate, Chain Attack, Assist Follow-Up or charged Basic Attack.
Each activation gives the squad +1,000 ATK for 50s and +5% Max HP for 40s. Re-activating it ends the current Veil and starts a new one: its 40s duration never stacks.
Her Additional Ability
With another Attack, Anomaly or Support Agent in the team, the squad deals +10% DMG while Zhao is in any Ether Veil (it doesn't have to be hers). Above 15,000 initial Max HP, every 400 HP adds 1%, up to +40% at 27,000 initial HP. That's why she stacks HP% on every disc.
Final Verdict
After her Entry Skill, EX Special, Chain Attack, Ultimate or Assist Follow-Up, the next character comes in via Quick Assist while Zhao automatically charges Basic Attack: Final Verdict off-field. Each second of charge (up to 5s) adds a slice of her Max HP to the hit. It's free damage and Daze: you never need to charge it yourself.
In practice
- Minimum field time: come in for an EX Special when you have the Energy, for an Ultimate (20 points) or when the gauge is full, then leave right away through the Quick Assist.
- Refresh the Veil every 40s so her DMG bonus never drops; aim to have it up for every burst window.
- Her Chain Attack is slow and hits weakly: it's often better to skip it (or pick another character in the Chain window). Her Ultimate is worth using for its 20 points.
- Her Defensive Assist only costs 1 Assist Point, handy against aggressive bosses.
With Ye Shunguang, every Ether Veil Zhao activates gives Ye 3 Qingming Sword Force points: that's why they're paired so often.
Strengths
- Universal buffs (+1,000 ATK and up to +40% DMG) that work with almost any Attack or Anomaly DPS.
- Very low field time, and simple to play.
- Handed out for free to every player in 2.5.
- Part of the most used team in the current Shiyu Defense and Deadly Assault (with Ye Shunguang and Sunna).
Weaknesses
- Needs 27,000 initial HP to max out her DMG bonus, which locks her discs into HP%.
- A large part of her power sits in her signature W-Engine.
- Her buffs are made for Attack and Anomaly teams rather than Rupture, and Defense Agents have few Drive Disc options.
- Only best-in-slot for Ye Shunguang: elsewhere she's a strong generalist rather than an irreplaceable pick.
Notable dupes · Mindscape Cinema
Whenever she switches out, the whole squad ignores 15% of the target's All-Attribute RES for 50s. Game8's best stopping point for spenders.
Recovering HP gives her ATK +20% and the rest of the squad ATK +15% for 50s.
Core Passive CRIT Rate ×1.25, and Final Verdict hits 40% harder without consuming its charge time.
Player builds for Zhao
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