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Billy build | Zenless Zone Zero

Zenless Zone Zero’s Billy is one of the first characters we meet in New Eridu, so let’s look at what he can do and how to build him.

Zenless Zone Zero's Billy pointing a gun towards you next to text that says "ZZZ BILLY"

Zenless Zone Zero’s Billy casts a striking figure with spiky white hair, robotic features, and a stunning red leather jacket. But what do we know about this gun-wielding guy? Read on to find out how to build your free copy of Billy Kid with the best W-Engines and drive discs, and see how he slots into a team.

Don’t forget to grab all the Zenless Zone Zero codes for free tapes and denny, then see which characters we recommend pulling from the next Zenless Zone Zero banner in our Zenless Zone Zero codes. Plus, see what’s coming up in the next Zenless Zone Zero update and Zenless Zone Zero events.

Here’s everything in our ZZZ Billy guide:

What is the best ZZZ Billy build?

Billy is an A-rank attack specialty agent that deals pierce damage with the physical element. He excels in ranged combat and is capable of hitting multiple targets at a time, honing in on one enemy, or dealing continuous damage with his pistols.

Here’s a brief overview of our ZZZ Billy build:

Rank A
Attribute Physical
Specialty Attack
Attack type Pierce
Best W-engine Starlight Engine Replica
Best drive discs 4pc Fanged Metal, 2pc Woodpecker Electro
Main stats Disc 4: Crit rate/damage
Disc 5: Physical damage%
Disc 6: Attack
Sub-stats Defense > HP

We recommend equipping Billy with his signature A-rank W-Engine, Starlight Engine Replica, or the Gilded Blossom to boost his attack stat. As for drive discs, we suggest going with a four-piece set of Woodpecker Electro and a two-piece set of Fanged Metal to boost his crit and physical damage in battle.

You can unleash some hefty showers of bullets upon enemies when his Decibel Rating is high enough, and Billy can provide some good attacks when swapped in to cover other squad members with an evasive assist. Billy gets some extra buffs if you have him in a squad with another physical damage dealer or member of the Cunning Hares, so keep that in mind when selecting your team – Zenless Zone Zero’s Nicole and Zenless Zone Zero’s Nekomata work very well with him.

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What are Billy’s best W-Engines?

In true Billy Kid fashion, the best W-Engine for him is his signature A-rank, Starlight Engine Replica. This boosts his physical damage by a hefty percentage and doesn’t require you to be up close to enemies, so you can hit them from far away.

However – if you have Billy’s fourth mindscape cinema, the Starlight Engine Replica may not be the best choice as the buff triggers when Billy is close to an enemy, not over six meters away. You can use both of these buffs, but it may be hard to trigger the w-engine buff and then get close enough to trigger the mindscape buff, too.

You can easily use the Gilded Blossom or Starlight Engine on Billy, too. Alternatively, if you find yourself with a spare Steel Cushion – Nekomata’s signature engine – you can equip this on Billy, but this requires you to be behind the target to get extra damage. The best choice of engine really depends on how you wish to play him – and what you have at your disposal.

Starlight Engine Replica Stat: Attack
Effect: Increases Billy’s physical damage for eight seconds after hitting an enemy that is at least six meters away, with a basic or dash attack
All banners
The Brimstone Stat: Attack
Effect: When hitting an enemy with a basic or dash attack, or a dodge counter, Billy’s attack increases for eight seconds, stacking up to eight times. This can trigger once every 0.5 seconds
Standard and w-engine banner
Gilded Blossom Stat: Attack
Effect:
Increases Billy’s attack by 6%, and the damage dealt by his EX special attack by 15 %
Camellia Golden Week event reward
Starlight Engine Stat: Attack
Effect: Launching a dodge counter or quick assist increases Billy’s attack for 12 seconds
All banners
Steel Cushion Stat: Crit rate
Effect: Increases Billy’s physical damage by 20%. His damage increases a further 35% when attacking enemies from behind
Standard and w-engine banner
Street Superstar Stat: Attack
Effect: When a squad member launches a chain attack, Billy gains a stack of Charge, which can stack three times. When activating his ultimate, he consumes all three stacks – each stack increases his ultimate’s damage by 15%
All banners

What are the best drive discs for Billy?

You can equip Billy with six drive discs, and we suggest you mix and match three two-piece sets of the Puffer Electro, Woodpecker Electro, and Fanged Metal sets to boost his stats. The four-piece bonuses of Puffer Electro and Fanged Metal are good, however, in our personal experience we find that stacking up Billy’s attack and crit stats with three different sets works better.

Puffer Electro Two pieces: Increases Billy’s PEN ratio
Four pieces:
 
Increases Billy’s ultimate damage by 20%. Using his ultimate increases his attack by 15% for 20 seconds
Woodpecker Electro Two pieces: Increases Billy’s crit rate by 8%
Four pieces: Triggering a crit hit with a basic attack, dodge counter, or EX special attack increases his damage by 9% for eight seconds. The buffs from the different skills are calculated separately
Fanged Metal Two pieces: Increases Billy’s physical damage by 10%
Four pieces: Whenever a squad member inflicts Assault on an enemy, Billy deals 35% more damage on the target for 12 seconds

Stat recommendations

Main stats

  • Crit rate / damage
  • Physical damage
  • Pen ratio

Sub-stats

  • Crit rate / damage > attack > pen ratio

What is the best Billy team comp?

It may feel like Billy is yet to really excel, and hopefully, with future characters coming out, there will be some good supports that can make him shine.

However, you can get good damage out of him in a Cunning Hares team comp, and we’ve had excellent fun pairing him with the Sons of Calydon members Piper and Lucy. These three together ensure everyone’s passives get activated, adding extra buffs.

You can also use Lycaon if you prefer him over Anby as a stunner, however, including him won’t activate his passive core skill.

Here are some examples of good Billy team comps:

DPS Sub/stun Support Bangboo

Billy

Anby

Nicole
Amillion icon
Amillion

Billy

Piper

Lucy

Bangvolver

Billy
lycaon icon
Lycaon

Nicole

Bagboo

Zenless Zone Zero Billy during his ultimate animation holding two guns

What are Billy’s skills?

Here are all of Billy’s skills in combat, including the passive bonuses he gets from certain types of teammates.

Attacks

Basic attack Full Firepower
Performs a piercing attack, dealing physical damage. Repeatedly pressing or holding the button enters Crouching Shot, which extends the attack duration.Drag the joystick during Crouching Shot to launch Rolling Shot and change Billy’s position, dealing physical damage.

Stop holding or pressing during Crouching Shot to launch Finishing Shot, dealing physical damage to enemies in front of Billy

Special attack Stand Still
Billy performs up to three piercing attacks in a line, dealing physical damage. His anti-interrupt level increases during this skill
EX special attack Clearance Time
When the EX attack is ready, release it to launch a powerful piercing attack in a line in front of Billy, dealing massive physical damage. He becomes invulnerable while using this skill

Dodges

Dodge Risky Business
Billy dodges an attack and becomes invulnerable temporarily
Dash attack Starlight Sanction
Drag the joystick during a dodge and press the basic attack button to launch a piercing attack at enemies within a large area, dealing physical damage. When not dragging the joystick, press the basic attack button to launch a piercing attack at enemies in a line
Dodge counter Fair Fight
Press the basic attack button during a perfect dodge to pierce and damage enemies in front, dealing physical damage. Billy is invulnerable during this attack

Combo attacks

Quick assist Power of Teamwork
When an on-field character launches, Billy can then unleash a piercing attack at enemies, dealing physical damage. Billy is invulnerable during this skill
Evasive assist Flash Spin
When the on-field character is about to get hit, swap to Billy to evade the attack and activate Vital View. Billy is invulnerable during this skill
Assist follow-up Fatal Shot
After an evasive assist, use a basic attack to activate Fatal Shot. This pierces enemies in a large area with physical damage. Billy is invulnerable during this skill
Chain attack Starlight Mirage
When a chain attack triggers, swap to Billy to unleash a powerful piercing attack at surrounding enemies in a large area, dealing heavy physical damage. Billy is invulnerable during this skill
Chain attack ultimate Starlight Sparkle
When his Decibel Rating is at maximum, use this skill to unleash a powerful piercing attack at enemies in a large area, dealing massive physical damage. Billy is invulnerable during this skill

Passive skills

Core passive Steady Shot
Billy’s damage increases by 25% when he enters Crouching Shot during a basic attack. If he moves or is hit, the effect ends
Additional ability Team Starlight
When another member of the squad is a physical damage dealer or member of the Cunning Hares, Billy’s ultimate damage (after using a chain attack) increases by 50%, which can stack twice. This resets after you use his ultimate

What are Billy’s mindscape cinemas?

If you get a second (or third, or fourth, etc) copy of Billy as you pull for characters, you can unlock his mindscape cinemas. If you’re familiar with Hoyoverse games, think of them as the Zenless Zone Zero version of Genshin Impact’s constellations or Honkai Star Rail’s eidolons.

01 Dazzling Entrance
When Billy hits an enemy with a dash attack or dodge counter, he gains an additional 2.7 energy. This can trigger once every five seconds
02 Roaming Gunslinger
Billy’s dodge counter damage increases by 25%. Rolling Shots during his basic attacks count as dodges, making him invulnerable during skill activation, and able to trigger perfect dodges. When a Rolling Shot triggers a perfect dodge, it automatically follows up with a dodge counter
03 Teachings of the Starlight Knights
Basic attack, dodge, assist, special attack, and chain attack levels increase by two
04 Starlight Ballistics
When Billy hits an enemy with an EX special attack, the skill’s crit rate increases based on how far he is from the enemy. The closer he is, the greater the effect, up to a maximum increase of 32%
05 Lost Technical Construct
Basic attack, dodge, assist, special attack, and chain attack levels increase by two
06 Starlight Hero
When Billy accumulates ten hits on enemies or triggers a perfect dodge, his damage increases by 6%. This can stack up to five times. The effect resets if an enemy knocks him back or launches him

What are Billy’s promotion materials?

As you build Billy, you’ll want to level him up to get his stats higher. Every ten levels, you need to promote him using the materials below. You can earn offense certification seals via the combat simulation – agent promotion combat challenges.

10➔20 24k denny
Four basic offense certification seals
20➔30 56k denny
12 advanced offense certification seals
30➔40 120k denny
20 advanced offense certification seals
40➔50 200k denny
Ten pioneer’s certification seals
50➔60 400k denny
20 pioneer’s certification seals

Here’s where to get Billy’s promotion materials:

  • Attack certification seals – obtain from the agent promotion combat simulation challenges

What are Billy’s core skill enhancement materials?

To get Billy’s core skills enhanced, you’ll need a few ferocious grips, plenty of higher dimensional data items, and a stack of denny. You can obtain higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit from the expert challenge game mode, while the ferocious grips come from the notorious hunt game mode.

A 5k denny
B 12k denny
Two higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit
C 28k denny
Four higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit
D 60k denny
Nine higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit
Two ferocious grips
E 100k denny
15 higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit
Three ferocious grips
F 200k denny
30 higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit
Four ferocious grips

Here’s where to obtain all of Ben’s core skill materials:

  • Higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit – obtain from Expert Challenge: Hans
  • Ferocious grips – obtain from the Notorious Hunt: Newborn Dead End Butcher weekly boss

An action shot of Zenless Zone Zero Billy drawn in a comic-book style

What are Billy’s skill enhancement materials?

You can also enhance Billy’s regular combat skills – a very important part of building him – using physical chips and denny. To cap out his skills, you also need a few hamster cage passes. You can get physical chips through the combat simulation – agent skills combat challenge, while hamster cage passes come from events or the New Eridu City Fund.

02 2k denny
Two basic physical chips
03 3k denny
Two basic physical chips
04 6k denny
Two advanced physical chips
05 9k denny
Three advanced physical chips
06 12k denny
Four advanced physical chips
07 18k denny
Six advanced physical chips
08 45k denny
Five specialized physical chips
09 67.5k denny
Eight specialized physical chips
10 90k denny
Ten specialized physical chips
11 112.5k denny
12 specialized physical chips
12 135k denny
15 specialized physical chips
One hamster cage pass

Here’s where to get all of Billy’s skill materials:

  • Physical chips – obtain from the agent skills combat simulation challenges
  • Hamster cage pass – obtain from events or the New Eridu City Fund (battle pass)

There you have it – how to build Billy in Zenless Zone Zero. Next, why not look at our other character builds like Zenless Zone Zero’s Anby, Zenless Zone Zero’s Nicole, Zenless Zone Zero’s Ben, and Zenless Zone Zero’s Anton?