Zenless Zone Zero: Should You Skip Banners for Sunbringer?

Skip intermediate banners before Sunbringer only if your account already maintains two functional teams for endgame combat. If your roster lacks core stun or support coverage, hoarding every pull across multiple patch cycles creates elemental and mechanical deficits that stall progress in high-tier modes like Shiyu Defense.

Instead of an absolute blackout, evaluate intermediate agents by their account role. Secure essential support anchors if needed, and skip luxury damage dealers to maintain your guarantee for Sunbringer.

Evaluating Intermediate Banners: Velina, Phoenix, Severian, and Norma

Zenless Zone Zero team building relies on daze buildup, anomaly triggers, and element matching rather than carrying encounters with a single unit. Each intermediate agent addresses a distinct operational requirement:

• Velina: Energy generation and fast-swap utility fit almost any burst team. Premium carries need field uptime and energy enablers to operate efficiently, making Velina a high-value pickup even when saving for future units.
• Phoenix: Provides dedicated Fire application and burst damage. If you already have stable damage carries across multiple elements, Phoenix is an easy skip.
• Severian: Solves stance-breaking bottlenecks by delivering consistent daze. If your account already runs built stun units like Lycaon or Qingyi, Severian is redundant.
• Norma: Functions as an off-field flex utility agent. Norma does not fix critical roster deficiencies, making her the safest skip candidate of the group.

When to Hoard vs. When to Pull

Your roster depth and current clearance rates determine your pull strategy:

• Safe to hoard: You already field two complete teams with dedicated stunners, supports, and carries. You consistently clear Shiyu Defense Critical Nodes with S-Ranks, meaning missed intermediate banners will not reduce your recurring Polychrome income.
• Pull intermediate anchors: Your account relies on unbuilt standard units, lacks stunners, or has no universal support. Skipping four consecutive banners causes roster stagnation. The Polychromes saved by hoarding will be partially offset by clearance rewards you fail to earn each rotation.

Resource Milestones and Pity Planning

To guarantee Sunbringer without jeopardizing your account's baseline progression, plan around fixed pity thresholds:

• Soft Pity Floor (75–80 Pulls): Expect an S-Rank signal within this range.
• Guaranteed S-Rank Ceiling (160–180 Pulls): You need up to 28,800 Polychromes (180 Encrypted Master Tapes) to guarantee a featured agent if you lose the 50/50 check.
• Signature W-Engine Buffer (65–80 Pulls): Budget an additional 10,000 to 12,800 Polychromes if you plan to pull Sunbringer's signature gear.

An active player participating in version events, daily commissions, Hollow Zero weeklies, and Shiyu Defense clears earns roughly 70 to 90 pulls per update cycle. This rate allows you to target one critical intermediate anchor while rebuilding a guarantee before Sunbringer's banner ends.

Pull Rules for Sunbringer Savers

1. Calculate your reserve floor: Determine the total pulls needed to secure Sunbringer by their expected release. Treat that reserve figure as zero and spend only the surplus.
2. Prioritize enablers over sidegrade carries: Universal supports retain value across multiple team compositions. Pure damage dealers rotate out quickly if your elemental coverage is already sufficient.
3. Never build pity: Do not pull on Severian or Norma's banners to collect A-Rank copies. Accidental early S-Rank pulls consume your guarantee and erase your savings buffer.