In Zenless Zone Zero, the right W-Engine takes an already well-built character, completes their kit, and elevates them far beyond where they would be without it. Many of the best W-Engines in the game are “signature” versions, designed with that character’s unique abilities in mind. That doesn’t mean you can’t use them elsewhere, and plenty of W-Engines work with multiple characters. That adaptability is a godsend for free-to-play or low-spending players.
Related
This list catalogs the W-Engines you can equip based on two factors: their overall power level and, if they’re a signature, the amount of utility they offer outside their linked character.
S-Rank W-Engines
W-Engine |
Rank |
Role |
Signature Character |
Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tusks of Fury |
S-Rank |
Defense |
Caesar King |
Caesar is one of the most powerful characters in Zenless Zone Zero, and her W-Engine is almost as good as she is. Even if a character can’t benefit from the 30% Shield buff, it can still grant a base 18% damage and 12 Daze increase after an Interrupt or Perfect Dodge. |
The Restrained |
S-Rank |
Stun |
Von Lycaon |
Lycaon is probably the best standard banner character in the game, and like Caesar’s W-Engine, his is just as adaptable, conferring up to a 30% damage and Daze bonus so long as the user continues attacking. |
Timeweaver |
S-Rank |
Anomaly |
Tsukishiro Yanagi |
Yanagi took the already dominating Anomaly meta and cracked it wide open. For any future Electric Anomaly character, her W-Engine will be just as worthwhile, offering a 30% increase to Electric Anomaly Buildup Rate, a bonus of 75 Anomaly Proficiency when using an EX Special on an enemy with an Anomaly, and increasing Disorder damage. |
Deep Sea Visitor |
S-Rank |
Attack |
Ellen Joe |
Even as the first limited character, Ellen’s value, and that of her W-Engine, are still sky high. It increases all Ice damage by 25% and provides a 10% CRIT Rate buff, refreshing with each Basic Attack hit and an additional 10% bonus for Dash Attacks. |
Flamemaker Shaker |
S-Rank |
Anomaly |
Burnice White |
Burnice was the first real indication of how powerful Anomaly damage could be. Her W-Engine, offering Energy regen, gives up to a 35% damage bonus on EX Special or Assist, and 50 Anomaly Proficiency points at higher damage bonus stacks. |
A-Rank W-Engines
W-Engine |
Rank |
Role |
Signature Character |
Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Brimstone |
S-Rank |
Attack |
Soldier 11 |
Like its signature character, Soldier 11, The Brimstone is straightforward, uncomplicated, and strong. Hit your enemy with a Basic, Dash, or Dodge Counter Attack, and the equipper’s attack increases up to 23%. |
Hellfire Gears |
S-Rank |
Stun |
Koleda Belobog |
Another uncomplicated option, Koleda’s Hellfire Gears gives a nominal Energy regen buff and increases the Impact of EX Special Attacks up to 20%. |
Sharpened Stinger |
S-Rank |
Anomaly |
Jane Doe |
Jane’s W-Engine is more specialized than some others, but any Anomaly DPS who relies even a little on Dash Attacks can make use of its up to 36% Physical damage bonus, and the 40% Anomaly Buildup Rate is incredibly useful if you can activate it. |
Fusion Compiler |
S-Rank |
Anomaly |
Grace Howard |
Need a slightly more accessible Electric Anomaly W-Engine? Grace’s Fusion Compiler is here, increasing ATK by 12% and providing up to 75 Anomaly Proficiency so long as you’re using Special and EX Special Attacks. |
Riot Suppressor Mark VI |
S-Rank |
Attack |
Zhu Yuan |
The Riot Suppressor Mark VI gets a good ranking for its flat 15% CRIT Rate bonus, but makes it to A-Tier for its usability with fast-attacking Ether Attack units. |
Bashful Demon |
A-Rank |
Support |
Soukaku |
Soukaku’s W-Engine is fantastic for any Ice-element Support, especially if their team can benefit from up to the extra 8% ATK per EX Special the Support uses. |
Demara Battery Mark II |
A-Rank |
Stun |
Anby Demara |
A flat bonus to your Stun unit’s Electric damage is always welcome, but add solid Energy regen on Dodge Counters and Assist Attacks, and you’ve got yourself a real winner. |
Starlight Engine |
A-Rank |
Attack |
N/A |
As one of the best A-Rank W-Engines, the Starlight Engine is as simple as it is effective. Use a Dodge Counter or Quick Assist and get a 12% base ATK buff. |
Slice of Time |
A-Rank |
Stun |
N/A |
If you don’t have any S-Rank Support W-Engines, Slice of Time is a solid choice, as your main DPS will want as much access to their Ultimate as possible, and they’ll get it here. |
Weeping Gemini |
A-Rank |
Anomaly |
N/A |
Another free-to-play friendly Anomaly W-Engine, with Weeping Gemini, it’s pretty easy to keep up to 120 Anomaly Proficiency buff active. |
Electro-Lip Gloss |
A-Rank |
Anomaly |
N/A |
If you’ve invested in the New Eridu City Fund season pass and enjoy Anomaly setups, Electro-Lip Gloss is the go-to A-Rank W-Engine, adding a 10% ATK bonus and 15% flat damage bonus so long the target is affected by an Anomaly. |
Peacekeeper – Specialized |
A-Rank |
Defense |
Seth Lowell |
Seth’s W-Engine is a passable stand-in for Caesar’s, with passive energy regen and increasing the wielder’s Anomaly Buildup by 36% so long as they use their EX Special and Assist Follow-Ups. |
Precious Fossilized Core |
A-Rank |
Stun |
N/A |
A flat 10% Daze buildup buff is amazing, but the fact it increases to 20% when the enemy is below 50% health takes this W-Engine above some of its fellows. |
Related
Zenless Zone Zero: All S-Rank Agents, Ranked
Naturally, the S-Rank Agents are the most useful and powerful characters in ZZZ. But which one is the best?
B-Rank W- Engines
W-Engine |
Rank |
Role |
Signature Character |
Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Steel Cushion |
S-Rank |
Attack |
Nekomiya Mana |
Nekomata’s W-Engine is good, but its requirement of hitting the enemy from behind to get the larger of its two buffs is too much of a hindrance. |
Ice-Jade Teapot |
S-Rank |
Stun |
Qingyi |
Like Nekomata’s W-Engine, Qingyi’s is really good, but only for her or other Stun characters who can land an absurd number of hits in a short span. |
Weeping Cradle |
S-Rank |
Support |
Alexandrina Sebastiane |
Rina’s W-Engine has one major problem: timing. Its buffs only last a maximum of three seconds, and when there are so many other options with much more generous buff timers, it’s tougher to recommend. |
Housekeeper |
A-Rank |
Attack |
Corin Wickes |
Corin’s W-Engine suffers from timing issues as well, exactly because it’s designed for her and her ability to get dozens of hits every second. Most other Physical Attack units wish they could hit that much. |
Big Cylinder |
A-Rank |
Defense |
Ben Bigger |
Ben’s Big W-Engine has a massive 600% damage rebound effect, but that’s about it, and it provides no additional utility to the rest of the team. |
Roaring Ride |
A-Rank |
Anomaly |
Piper Wheeler |
The biggest problem Piper’s W-Engine has is the random nature of its buffs. She can safely make use of it because her EX Special hits so many times for so long, but other characters would struggle to keep the effects going. |
Drill Rig – Red Axis |
A-Rank |
Attack |
Anton Ivanov |
Anton’s W-Engine is really good once every five seconds, as the 50% Electric DMG boost is significant. But when there are so many more consistent options, his signature sits here. |
The Vault |
A-Rank |
Support |
Nicole Demara |
Timing strikes again, with Nicole’s W-Engine only granting a two-second buff. The effects, including a 15% damage increase on targets affected by her EX Special, are good but hard to capitalize on. |
Starlight Engine Replica |
A-Rank |
Attack |
Billy Kid |
In a game with more gun users, Billy’s W-Engine could be worthwhile, but because so few characters use ranged attacks, and fewer are Physical Attack units, whatever damage it could buff, it doesn’t. |
Cannon Rotor |
A-Rank |
Attack |
N/A |
If there were an S-Rank version of the Cannon Rotor, it would probably crack the game wide open, as the A-Rank version increases critical damage by 200%, but only once every eight seconds, which is just too long for anything but B-tier. |
Six Shooter |
A-Rank |
Stun |
N/A |
24% extra Daze buildup sounds nice, but when you have to spend nine seconds reaching a single instance of it, like with Six Shooter, it’s not really worth the trying. |
Gilded Blossom |
A-Rank |
Attack |
N/A |
This W-Engine is actually really good, but it was locked behind a limited-time event, and by its rarity is a lower tier. |
Spring Embrace |
A-Rank |
Attack |
N/A |
The only reason Spring Embrace isn’t a higher tier is that the other Defense options are so good. Damage mitigation and strong Energy regen are amazing, but they cannot compete with higher-power options. |
Street Superstar |
A-Rank |
Attack |
N/A |
Relying on Chain Attacks is not a good way to increase damage, especially against bosses. Street Superstar’s effect revolves around them, and while a 45% Ultimate damage buff sounds nice, it can take a bit too long to get there. |
Rainforest Gourmet |
A-Rank |
Anomaly |
N/A |
A 25% increased ATK per 100 Energy used is a solid trade-off, but so few characters can put out that amount of Energy, barring a few like Piper and Burnice. |
Original Transmorpher |
A-Rank |
Defense |
N/A |
The buffs this W-Engine provides are nice, but HP% is rarely at issue in endgame content, and the Engine’s effect relies on taking damage, something antithetical to the toughest content in the game. |
Steam Oven |
A-Rank |
Stun |
N/A |
Steam Oven is a fine W-Engine if you have nothing else, as it offers up to a 16% Daze buff so long as your stunner is using Energy. There are just so many better choices. |
C-Tier W-Engines
W-Engine |
Rank |
Role |
Signature Character |
Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
[Reverb] Mark I |
B-Rank |
Support |
N/A |
As B-Rank W-Engines, their effects either take too long to recharge, are too weak, or are otherwise underwhelming compared to better choices. |
[Reverb] Mark II |
B-Rank |
Support |
N/A |
|
[Reverb] Mark III |
B-Rank |
Support |
N/A |
|
[Lunar] Decrescent |
B-Rank |
Attack |
N/A |
|
[Lunar] Noviluna |
B-Rank |
Attack |
N/A |
|
[Lunar] Pleniluna |
B-Rank |
Attack |
N/A |
|
[Vortex] Revolver |
B-Rank |
Stun |
N/A |
|
[Vortex] Hatchet |
B-Rank |
Stun |
N/A |
|
[Vortex] Arrow |
B-Rank |
Stun |
N/A |
|
[Magnetic Storm] Alpha |
B-Rank |
Anomaly |
N/A |
|
Magnetic Storm] Bravo |
B-Rank |
Anomaly |
N/A |
|
[Identity] Base |
B-Rank |
Defense |
N/A |
|
[Identity] Inflection |
B-Rank |
Defense |
N/A |
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