No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you – that is a grizzly bear wearing a gold chain and holding a cement block. He’s Zenless Zone Zero’s Ben, an accountant at Belobog’s Heavy Industries, and a playable character in Hoyoverse’s latest game. He’s not grumpy, he’s just short-sighted, and is a loveable lad at heart. Let’s see what we know about this fuzzy guy including how to build him.
Check out Belobog’s other members – Zenless Zone Zero’s Koleda, Zenless Zone Zero’s Anton, and Zenless Zone Zero’s Grace – right here, then grab the new Zenless Zone Zero codes to get some more master tapes. If you’re wondering where Ben and his friends rank, check our Zenless Zone Zero tier list here.
Here’s everything you need to know about Zenless Zone Zero’s Ben.
What is the best Ben build?
Ben is an A-tier character, dealing fire and strike damage to enemies – but his specialty is as a shielder. He has great defensive capabilities and can reduce incoming damage with a defense stance while granting a shield to himself and your entire squad in certain moments.
Ben’s attacks scale off his defense, as does his shield from his EX special attack, so drive discs with defense stats, like Soul Rock, are key. You can give Ben a fire damage-boosting piece, too, but you’re better off building him for support, rather than damage. The best W-Engine to give Ben is the Big Cylinder as it’s tailored to his kit, and reduces the damage he takes in combat.
| Best W-Engine | Big Cylinder |
| Best drive discs | Four-piece – Soul Rock Two-piece – Shockstar Disco |
| Main stats | Defense > HP > energy regeneration |
| Sub-stats | Defense > HP |
In terms of teams, if you pair Ben with another fire agent and/or another Belobog Industries agent – for instance, if you have Zenless Zone Zero’s Koleda – Ben will grant a significant crit rate buff to the active character while under his shield. Also, fun fact, if you use him and Koleda in the same team, you get a fun ultimate move cutscene featuring the two of them.
What are Ben’s best W-Engines?
The best W-Engines for Ben are the Big Cylinder and Spring Embrace, as they both fit his kit perfectly by increasing his damage. The Bunny Band engine also works with Ben’s kit as it increases his HP, which is always a plus.
| W Engine | Effect |
| Big Cylinder | Reduces the damage taken by Ben. After getting attacked, the next attack to hit an enemy triggers a critical hit and deals a multiplier of Ben’s defense as extra damage. This can trigger every 7.5 seconds |
| Spring Embrace | Reduces the damage taken by Ben. After getting attacked, his energy regeneration increases for 12 seconds. When he switches off the field, the buff transfers to the new character, with a refreshed duration |
| Bunny Band | Increases Ben’s maximum HP, and his attack when he has a shield |
| Original Transmorpher | Increases Ben’s maximum HP. Increases his impact when attacked for 12 seconds |
What are the best drive discs for Ben?
The best drive disc sets to equip Ben with are a four-piece set of Soul Rock, and then a two-piece set of either Shockstar Disco or Swing Jazz, depending on which stats you wish to buff. Really, you can mix and match these three sets with four- and two-piece options to round out Ben’s stats overall, but we highly recommend Soul Rock as your priority.
If you’re going for a four-piece set of Swing Jazz, note that only one person in your squad should have it equipped as the buff does not stack.
As for stats on your drive discs, defense is key. His attack and shield strength both scale off it, so you need to stack it up as best you can. HP is your second-best stat as the shield he gets with his skill scales off that.
| Drive disc set | Effect |
| Soul Rock | Two-piece set: Increases defense by 16% Four-piece set: When getting attacked and losing HP, Ben takes 40% less damage for 2.5 seconds. This can trigger once every 15 seconds |
| Swing Jazz | Two-piece set: Increases energy regeneration by 20% Four-piece set: Launching a chain attack or ultimate increases all squad member’s damage by 15% for 12 seconds |
| Shockstar Disco | Two-piece set: Increases impact by 6% Four-piece set: Basic attacks, dash attacks, and dodge counters inflict 20% more daze on the main target |
Ben stat recommendations
Here are the best main and sub-stats to look for when choosing which drive discs to put on Ben.
Main stats
- Defense / defense %
- HP / HP %
- Energy regeneration
- Impact
Sub-stats
- Defense / defense %
- HP / HP %
What are Ben’s skills?
Here’s Ben’s full kit, including which skills provide a shield for your team, and how his attacks work on field. When upgrading his skills, you should focus on upgrading his special attack first.
Ben’s attacks:
| Skill | Effect |
| Basic attack – Debt Reconciliation | Press the basic attack button to activate. Ben unleashes up to three strikes dealing physical damage. |
| Special attack – Fiscal Fist | Ben lifts his weapon, blocking the enemy’s attack before unleashing a forward strike, dealing physical damage. After a successful block, Ben increases the power of his skill and launches a Block Counter, dealing huge physical damage. Hold this skill to remain in the Blocking stance. While in this stance, Ben gains a shield that weakens over time. After leaving the stance, the shield disappears. The shield cannot exceed 16% of Ben’s maximum HP. Ben is invulnerable while blocking and his anti-interrupt level rises while launching strikes |
| EX special attack – Cashflow Counter | Ben lifts his weapon and blocks an enemy attack before unleashing a forward strike and dealing fire damage. After a successful block, Ben enhances his skill and triggers Block Counter, dealing massive physical damage. Hold this skill to remain in the blocking stance. While in it, Ben gains a shield that weakens over time. After leaving the stance, the shield disappears. The shield cannot exceed 16% of Ben’s maximum HP. When activating this skill, Ben’s shield restores to its maximum value, and he becomes invulnerable while launching strikes and activating block. After activating this skill, press the special attack button again to follow up with a powerful forward strike that deals massive fire damage |
Ben’s dodges:
| Skill | Effect |
| Dodge – Missing Invoice | Press the dodge button to perform a rapid evasive move. Ben is invulnerable while using this skill |
| Dash attack – Incoming Expense | Press the basic attack button during a dodge to activate. Strikes enemies in front, dealing physical damage |
| Dodge counter – Accounts Settled | Press the basic attack button during a perfect dodge to activate. Ben strikes enemies in front, dealing fire damage. Ben is invulnerable while using this skill |
Ben’s combo attacks:
| Skill | Effect |
| Reactive assist – Joint Account | When the character in combat gets launched, press the swap character button. Ben strikes enemies in front dealing fire damage. Ben is invulnerable while using this skill |
| Defensive assist – Risk Allocation | When the character in combat is about to be attacked, press the swap character button. Ben parries the enemy’s attack, inflicting massive daze. Ben is invulnerable while using this skill |
| Assist follow-up – Don’t Break Contract | Press the special attack button after a defensive assist to activate. Ben charges and strikes enemies in front, dealing fire damage. Ben is invulnerable while using this skill |
| Chain attack – Signed and Sealed | Ben unleashes a powerful forward strike at enemies in a large area in front of him, dealing massive fire damage. He’s invulnerable while using this skill |
| Chain attack ultimate – Complete Payback | Unleashes a powerful strike at enemies in a large area, dealing huge fire damage. When using this skill, Ben recovers three assist points. He’s invulnerable while using this skill |
Ben’s passives:
| Skill | Effect |
| Core passive – Guardian | Ben’s attack increases with his defense – he gains 40% of his defense as attack. When he launches a follow-up during his EX special attack, all squad members gain a shield of 15% of his defense plus 100 for 30 seconds |
| Additional ability – Contractual Agreement | When another member of Belobog Heavy Industries or another fire-using character is in the squad, the active character’s crit rate increases by 16% when under a shield from Ben’s Guardian passive |
What are Ben’s promotion materials?
Every ten levels you will need to promote Ben. To do this, you need defense certification seals to match his role and specialty – find these in the combat simulation – agent promotion challenges for each type.
Here are all of Ben’s promotion materials:
| Level | Denny and materials |
| 20 | 24k denny and four basic defense certification seals |
| 30 | 56k denny and 12 advanced defense certification seals |
| 40 | 120k denny and 20 advanced defense certification seals |
| 50 | 200k denny and ten defender certification seals |
| 60 | 400k denny and 20 defender certification seals |
What are Ben’s mindscape cinemas?
If you happen to get another copy of Ben while pulling on the Zenless Zone Zero banners, you can unlock his mindscape cinemas – these give him extra boosts in his kit and unlock more skills to use.
Here are all of Ben’s mindscape cinemas:
| Talent | Effect |
| Reacting Force | When successfully blocking an enemy with Ben’s special attack or EX special attack, the blocked enemy’s damage dealt gets reduced by 30% by 15 seconds |
| Offense Through Defense | When triggering a successful block counter during Ben’s special attack or EX special attack, he deals extra damage equal to 300% of his defense stat |
| Careful Accounting | Ben’s basic attack, dodge, assist, special attack, and chain attack levels increase by two |
| Agile Adaptation | When successfully blocking damage through Ben’s invulnerable effect (during his special and EX special attacks), the following counter deals 30% extra damage |
| Meticulous Detail | Ben’s basic attack, dodge, assist, special attack, and chain attack levels increase by two |
| Wild Spirit | After launching an attack or follow-up attack during Ben’s EX special attack, the daze inflicted by basic, dash, and dodge counterattacks increases by 20%, lasting for 12 seconds |
What are Ben’s core skill enhancement materials?
If you want to upgrade Ben’s core skills, you need to get your hands on some higher dimensional data: steel malice. These drop in the expert challenge mode. As for the living drives, you can farm them in the notorious hunt mode.
Here are the core skill enhancement materials you need for Ben:
| Required level | Denny and materials |
| 15 | 5k denny |
| 25 | 12k denny and two higher dimensional data: steel malice |
| 35 | 28k denny and four higher dimensional data: steel malice |
| 45 | 60k denny, nine higher dimensional data: steel malice, and two living drive |
| 55 | 100k denny, 15 higher dimensional data: steel malice, and three living drive |
| 60 | 200k denny, 30 higher dimensional data: steel malice, and four living drive |
What are Ben’s skill enhancement materials?
To enhance Ben’s skills, including his important shield, you need to get plenty of burn chips in all rarities. You can farm these in the combat simulation – agent skills challenges. When maxing out any of his skills, you need a hamster cage pass, available from the battle pass in-game.
Here are the materials you need to enhance Ben’s skill set:
| Required level | Denny and materials |
| 15 | 2k denny and two basic burn chips |
| 15 | 3k denny and two basic burn chips |
| 25 | 6k denny and two advanced burn chips |
| 25 | 9k denny and three advanced burn chips |
| 35 | 12k denny and four advanced burn chips |
| 35 | 18k denny and six advanced burn chips |
| 45 | 45k denny and five specialized burn chips |
| 45 | 67.5k denny and eight specialized burn chips |
| 55 | 90k denny and ten specialized burn chips |
| 55 | 112.5k denny and 12 specialized burn chips |
| 60 | 135k denny, 15 specialized burn chips, and one hamster cage pass |
We’ve got even more builds for key characters like Zenless Zone Zero’s Billy, Zenless Zone Zero’s Nicole, Zenless Zone Zero’s Anby, and Zenless Zone Zero’s Soukaku so you can have a well-rounded roster in no time.