You fight a lot of bosses in Zenless Zone Zero, and while some have a smaller amount of story significance, others exist as part of a new game mode or activity and live nowhere else. Thankfully, you can still experience most of these less narratively significant fights as part of the Expert Challenge.
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You’ll want to fight them, too, because you’ll need the upgrade materials they provide. Expert Challenge fights aren’t particularly difficult but are a key part of character progression. In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know about the Expert Challenge.
How To Unlock Expert Challenges
There are two requirements to unlock all Expert Challenges:
- Complete the Chapter 2 commissions ‘Let’s Go Bro!’ and ‘Mechanical Love.’ This unlocks access to the first four challenges.
- Complete the Soldier 11 Agent Story ‘Mole in the Hole’ to unlock all additional challenges.
You probably won’t be able to access Expert Challenges for a few days after starting a fresh account, as you need to be at least Inter-Knot level 22. That level is experience-gated for most players, especially if you’re free-to-play. The main hangup is a lack of Battery Charge to speed up leveling.
Once both commissions are complete, you’ll get a text message from the HIA inviting you to participate in the Expert Challenge VR mode. Visit them and speak to Lyla on the right side of the front desk to try out the mode for the first time.
All Expert Challenge Bosses And Rewards
There are eight Expert Challenge bosses, and each fight has four difficulties: levels 25, 35, 45, and 55. All the fights share the same rewards, save for that boss’s specific skill upgrade material and the amount of rewards you receive.
Each boss also has their own set of weaknesses and resistances, and encounters apply one buff and one debuff to the enemies, particularly the boss. And while you don’t need to make bespoke teams for Expert Challenges, having several adequately built ones does make farming easier.
|
Boss |
Weakness |
Resistance |
Buff/Debuff |
Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Notorious – Dullahan |
Ice, Ether |
None |
Before being Stunned, takes 15 percent less damage. Daze increased by 20 percent. Daze recovery rate reduced by 15 percent. If all initial enemies are defeated when Dullahan takes the field, it enters with 20 percent Daze buildup. |
Inter-Knot Credit: 400 Higher Dimensional Data: 2-5 Murderous Obituary Audio Booster Master Copy: 4-6 (levels 25 and 35) Noise Reduction Master Copy: 3-5 (levels 45 and 55) Dennies: 1,500-2,500 |
|
Troublemaker – Wanted Enforcer |
Fire, Physical |
Ice |
Each attack increases his damage up to 20 percent. The damage bonus resets when he’s stunned, and his Stun damage multiplier increases by 20 percent. |
Inter-Knot Credit: 400 Higher Dimensional Data: 2-5 Crimson Awe Audio Booster Master Copy: 4-6 (levels 25 and 35) Noise Reduction Master Copy: 3-5 (levels 45 and 55) Dennies: 1,500-2,500 |
|
Notorious – Armored Hati |
Ice, Ether |
None |
Agent Attribute Anomaly buildup reduced by 10 percent. Defensive Assist and Assist Follow-up Daze buildup increased by 10 percent. Stun recovery speed reduced by 20 percent. |
Inter-Knot Credit: 400 Higher Dimensional Data: 2-5 Ethereal Pursuit Audio Booster Master Copy: 4-6 (levels 25 and 35) Noise Reduction Master Copy: 3-5 (levels 45 and 55) Dennies: 1,500-2,500 |
|
Hans – Enegized |
Fire |
Physical |
Daze inflicted by your agents reduced by 20 percent. When a weak spot like its legs is destroyed, immediately gains 20 percent Daze buildup. |
Inter-Knot Credit: 400 Higher Dimensional Data: 2-5 Steel Malice Audio Booster Master Copy: 4-6 (levels 25 and 35) Noise Reduction Master Copy: 3-5 (levels 45 and 55) Dennies: 1,500-2,500 |
|
Typhon Slugger |
Electric |
Fire |
Daze inflicted by your agents reduced by 20 percent. Your agents’ Attribute Anomaly buildup is increased by 20 percent. |
Inter-Knot Credit: 400 Higher Dimensional Data: 2-5 Destructive Advance Audio Booster Master Copy: 4-6 (levels 25 and 35) Noise Reduction Master Copy: 3-5 (levels 45 and 55) Dennies: 1,500-2,500 |
|
Rampant Brute |
Fire, Physical |
Ice |
While in the charging state, his damage is increased by 20 percent, but Anomaly buildup also increases by 15 percent. When afflicted by an Attribute Anomaly, it immediately loses five percent HP. |
Inter-Knot Credit: 400 Higher Dimensional Data: 2-5 Falling Fist Audio Booster Master Copy: 4-6 (levels 25 and 35) Noise Reduction Master Copy: 3-5 (levels 45 and 55) Dennies: 1,500-2,500 |
|
Doppelganger – Jane |
Physical |
Ice |
Boss damage taken from Dodge Counters and Assist Follow-up attacks increased by 40 percent. Every time the boss dodges or blocks an agent’s attack, its damage increases by six percent, up to 30 percent. |
Inter-Knot Credit: 400 Higher Dimensional Data: 2-5 Stealth Phantom Audio Booster Master Copy: 4-6 (levels 25 and 35) Noise Reduction Master Copy: 3-5 (levels 45 and 55) Dennies: 1,500-2,500 |
|
Thracian |
Ice, Ether |
Non |
While in its charged state, increases damage dealt by 20 percent, but Anomaly buildup increased by 15 percent. |
Inter-Knot Credit: 400 Higher Dimensional Data: 2-5 Thunderous Dragon Audio Booster Master Copy: 4-6 (levels 25 and 35) Noise Reduction Master Copy: 3-5 (levels 45 and 55) Dennies: 1,500-2,500 |
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Best Teams For Each Expert Challenge
Again, using optimal teams isn’t necessary to easily beat an Expert Challenge, especially once you can take your characters to level 60. However, using the proper setups while you’re leveling your account can make the process easier.
|
Boss |
Team |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Notorious – Dullahan |
Main DPS: Ellen Joe Sub-DPS: Lycaon Support: Soukaku |
Ellen Joe is a solid Ice DPS who’s straightforward to play, easy to build, and can dish out respectable damage. Lycaon is a fantastic Ice Stun unit who increases the Stun window damage bonus and decreases enemy Ice resistance. Soukaku rounds out the 1.0 DPS meta team with an easy-to-apply Attack bonus and surprisingly good Ice Anomaly and Stun buildup. |
|
Troublemaker – Wanted Enforcer |
Main DPS: Soldier 11 Sub-DPS: Grace Support: Lucy |
Soldier 11 is a serviceable Fire DPS who’s not too technical to use and, built well, can do workable damage. Grace is part of this team primarily for her Shock Anomaly buildup and the Disorder activations, but she’s a fine Anomaly character on her own. Lucy is a great Support who enables quick swapping and damage buffs with her Skill, plus a fair bit of additional Fire Anomaly buildup. |
|
Notorious – Armored Hati |
Main DPS: Zhu Yuan Sub-DPS: Anby Support: Seth |
Zhu Yuan is a very fun to play Ether DPS with a bit of technicality to her kit and who has some of the best Stun window damage in the game. Anby might not quite be on the level of S-Rank Stun units, but her mobility and Stun buildup are more than usable. Seth provides a shield, the faction and attribute bonus, and some buffs to Zhu Yuan’s Anomaly damage. |
|
Hans – Enegized |
Main DPS: Soldier 11 Sub-DPS: Burnice Support: Soukaku |
Soldier 11 is here to take advantage of Hans’s Fire weakness. Burnice is the preeminent Fire Anomaly applier, and between her and Soldier 11, your enemies will always be Burning. Soukaku‘s buffs aside, her Ice Anomaly buildup is extremely helpful here for Disorder activations. |
|
Typhon Slugger |
Main DPS: Harumasa Sub-DPS: Qingyi Support: Rina |
Harumasa is absurdly strong for being completely free, and his ability to swap between long and short-range combat means he’s just a bit easier to keep alive. Qingyi‘s greatest asset to the team is her ability to greatly increase the Stun window damage bonus, which lets Harumasa deal even more damage. Rina‘s Shock damage bonus and PEN Ratio reduction both synergize well with Harumasa and Qingyi, plus her own damage isn’t terrible for a Support, either. |
|
Rampant Brute |
Main DPS: Piper Sub-DPS: Burnice Support: Lucy |
Piper’s damage output for an A-Rank unit is pretty wild, and though she requires a lot of field time to put up numbers, it’s well worth the effort. Burnice‘s flames ensure Piper will always have a consistent source of Fire Anomaly to activate Disorders from. Plus, Burnice’s supplemental damage is pretty good. Lucy’s buffs give Piper a bit of extra raw damage on top of her Anomaly buildup, as well as rounding out the Sons of Calydon squad. |
|
Doppelganger – Jane |
Main DPS: Jane Sub-DPS: Burnice Support: Caesar |
Fighting Jane with Jane is more than just fun metagaming. Real Jane will cut deep into the Doppelganger’s Physical Weakness and apply tons of Physical Anomaly buildup. Burnice gives Jane the ability to comfortably activate Disorders and provide some solid damage of her own. Caesar’s shields are the strongest in the game, and provide the active character with some solid damage buffs, as well. |
|
Thracian |
Main DPS: Miyabi Sub-DPS: Yanagi Support: Astra Yao |
Miyabi takes full advantage of Thracian’s Ice weakness, and combined with her out-of-this world damage potential, the boss won’t know what hit it. Yanagi enables Miyabi‘s kit via additional Disorder activations, and her Electric damage is definitely substantial. Astra Yao not only provides huge buffs to Miyabi and Yanagi’s Attack, she lets them quick swap with ease, can heal with her Ultimate, and is very easy to use. |
All Characters And Their Linked Expert Challenges
If you want to upgrade an Agent’s Skill all the way, you’ll need to complete the Expert Challenges that award their specific upgrade materials. All told, you’ll need 60 of their Higher Dimensional Data to unlock every Skill node. Specifically:
- Notorious Dullahan: Ellen Joe, Anby, Nicole, Soukaku
- Troublemaker – Wanted Enforcer: Lighter, Nekomata, Piper, Corin
- Notorious – Armored Hati: Zhu Yuan, Qingyi, Lycaon, Billy
- Hans – Energized: Koleda, Lucy, Ben
- Typhon Slugger: Grace, Rina, Soldier 11, Yanagi, Anton
- Rampant Brute: Jane, Seth
- Doppelganger Jane: Burnice, Caesar
- Thracian: Astra Yao, Harumasa, Miyabi
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