In Zenless Zone Zero, Nicole Demara is an A-rank character with a strike attack style who harnesses the ether element, meaning she can dish out some truly devastating hits with her briefcase-gun hybrid weapon. Nicole is also a member of the Cunning Hares faction along with Anby, Billy, and Nekomataa.
If you’re taking part in the beta, we recommend you check out our Zenless Zone Zero tier list to find out which Zenless Zone Zero character we think is best, our Zenless Zone Zero codes, and Zenless Zone Zero release date page to learn when you might get your hands on the full game.
Here’s everything you need to know about Zenless Zone Zero’s Nicole.
What is the best Nicole build?
Nicole dishes out strike damage and her element is ether. Dealing ether damage accumulates the ether attribute anomaly, causing the corruption effect. Corruption causes additional ether damage when you attack the enemy and corrupted enemies also attack both friends and foes.
Nicole’s special attack deals ranged ether damage to foes and her EX special can draw enemies together in a damaging energy field. you can also get amongst the action with her basic attack as she strikes enemies with her briefcase to deal physical damage.
We recommend you pair Nicole up with one strike and one pierce character to trigger her additional ability that makes assist follow-ups deal 20% more daze, Zenless Zone Zero’s Ben and Zenless Zone Zero’s Billy fit the bill here.
What is Nicole’s best W-Engine?
Nicole’s best W-Engine is The Vault, it’s an A-rank item that reduces the target’s defense by 30% for two seconds when she uses an EX special or chain attack. Our B-rank recommendation is [Reverb] Mark III to increase her attack damage and crit rate.
| W-Engine | Effect |
| The Vault | Bonus stat: attack Effect: Nicloe’s EX special and chain attacks reduce the target’s defense by 30% for two seconds. This effect does not stack |
| [Reverb] Mark III | Bonus stat: crit rate Effect: Increases damage dealt by basic and special attacks by 16% |
What are the best disc drives for Nicole?
In Zenless Zone Zero, disc drives are similar to Genshin Impact’s artifacts or Honkai Star Rail’s relics. You can equip each Zenless Zone Zero character with six disc drives, with each set offering a two- and four-piece set bonus.
As of the second closed beta, we recommend equipping Nicole with a four-piece set of Assassin’s Ballad and a two-piece set of Noisy Pop to boost her attack.
This information is subject to change, and as we play more and try out different combinations we’ll update this guide.
| Disc drive | Effect |
| Assassin’s Ballad | Two equipped: increases attack by 10% Four equipped: basic attacks deal 20% more damage and an additional 12% upon defeating an enemy. This effect can stack up to three times and lasts for 15 seconds. Repeated triggers reset the duration |
| Noisy Pop | Two equipped: increases attack by 10% Four equipped: increases damage dealt by basic attacks by 15% |
What are Nicole’s abilities?
These are each of Nicole’s skills that are available in the second closed beta, these are subject to change on the full release of the game.
Nicole’s attacks:
| Skill | Effect |
| Basic attack – Cunning Combo | Press the basic attack button to perform up to five strikes, dealing physical damage |
| Sub-basic attack – Do As I Please | When Nicole’s weapon has ammo, press the basic attack button to fire bullets, to deal increased AoE damage |
| Special attack – Sugarcoated Bullet | Press the special attack button to unleash a ranged attack against enemies in front, dealing physical damage. Increases Nicole’s anti-interrupt level while in use |
| EX special attack – Stuffed Sugarcoated Bullet | When Nicole has enough energy, press the special attack to launch a powerful ranged attack that generates an energy field that pulls enemies toward its center to deal physical damage. Hold special attack down to charge up, during which period a small energy field is generated, dealing bonus damage to nearby enemies. Nicole is invulnerable while using this skill |
Nicole’s dodges:
| Skill | Effect |
| Dodge – Speed Demon | Press the dodge button to rapidly avoid an enemy’s attack. Nicole is invulnerable while using this skill. Hold the dodge button to leap into mid-air after the dodge |
| Dash attack – Jack in the Box | When moving during a dodge press basic attack to dash at the target location and strike nearby enemies, dealing physical damage. When her weapon has ammo, this attack also fires bullets. When not moving during a dodge, press basic attack to vault backward and launch a ranged attack against enemies in front, dealing physical damage. Nicole reloads her weapon after the attack to enhance her basic and dash attacks up to eight times |
| Dodge counter – Diverted Bombard | Press dodge during a perfect dodge to vault backward and launch a ranged attack against enemies in front, dealing physical damage. Nicole reloads her weapon after the attack to enhance her basic and dash attacks up to eight times and is invulnerable while using this skill |
Nicole’s combo attacks:
| Skill | Effect |
| Combo attack – Ether Shellacking | When you trigger a combo attack, change to Nicole to unleash a powerful ranged attack that damages enemies in a small AoE and creates a field that draws foes in and deals physical damage. Nicole is invulnerable while using this skill |
| Ultimate – Ether Grenade | When Nicole’s decibel rating is at maximum, press the ultimate button to unleash a powerful ranged attack that damages enemies in a small AoE and creates a field that draws foes in and deals physical damage. Nicole is invulnerable while using this skill |
Nicole’s core skills:
| Skill | Effect |
| Core passive – Mechanical Case (reach level 15 to unlock) | After Nicole uses a special attack, EX special attack, chain attack, or ultimate, she reloads her weapon to enhance her basic and dash attacks, increasing their damage by 8% and generating an additional 0.04 energy whenever an enemy is hit |
| Additional ability – Hare of Many Burrows (reach level 15 to unlock) | When you have at least two ether characters in your squad:
When there’s at least one strike and one pierce character on your squad:
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| Reactive assist – Emergency Bombard | When the character in combat is knocked back, press the swap character button to launch this attack. Nicole dodges backward and unleashes a ranged strike, dealing ether damage. Nicole reloads her weapon after the attack to enhance her basic and dash attacks up to eight times and is invulnerable while using this skill |
| Evasive assist – Lucky Rabbit’s Foot | When the character in combat is about to get attacked, press the swap character button to launch this attack. Nicole dodges the enemy’s attack and triggers ‘Vital View’. She’s invulnerable while using this skill |
| Assist follow-up – Window of Opportunity | Press the special attack button after an evasive assist to activate this attack. Nicole charges forward and deals ether damage. She’s invulnerable while using this skill |
What are Nicole’s talents?
If we had to compare talents to something, we think they’re similar to Genshin Impact’s constellations and Honkai Star Rail’s eidolons. You can unlock a new talent every time you receive a duplicate Nicole.
| Talent | Effect |
| Field Expansion | Increases the attack radius of the energy field generated near a target by three meters |
| Supercharged Bomb | Using Nicole’s EX special attack increases all team members’ penetration by 12% for eight seconds. Increases the duration by two seconds for every 0.5 seconds spent charging |
| Concentrated Extension | Extends the energy field generated by Nicole’s combo and ultimate attacks by 1.5 seconds |
| Armor Piercer | Every enemy hit by Nicole’s sub-attack has their defense reduced by 2%, stacking up to ten times. This effect wears off if the enemy goes 12 seconds without being hit by another sub-attack |
Who is Zenless Zone Zero’s Nicole?
Nicole is the leader of the Cunning Hares, AKA Gentle House, a faction that deals with commissions relating to Hollows. According to her introduction from Hoyolab, she’s said to be both cunning and crafty and has a reputation for loving money, but almost constantly being near bankruptcy.
Other members of Cunning Hares include Zenless Zone Zero’s Anby, Zenless Zone Zero’s Billy, and Nekomiya.
Who are Nicole’s voice actors?
Tingting Chen voices Nicole in Chinese, you may recognize her as Honkai Star Rail’s Trailblazer and Honkai Star Rail’s Sushang. Serizawa Yu is Nicole’s Japanese VA, she plays Liliya Olenyeva in Honkai Impact 3rd.
That’s all we have for you on Zenless Zone Zero’s Nicole at the moment. If you need some Hoyoverse action right now, head over to our Honkai Star Rail codes and Genshin Impact codes lists to pick up some freebies.