Billy is one of the starting A-rank characters in Zenless Zone Zero and here is a detailed guide covering his best W-Engines, Disc Drives, and team comp.
Zenless Zone Zero provides you with three characters when you start, namely Nicole, Billy, and Anby. While Billy is not the best unit in the tier list, he comes in handy in the early stages of the game.
The fact that he can attack from a distance makes it easier for you to take down enemies during the early-game when your health and damage are quite low.
If you enjoy playing with Billy and are looking for a guide that will make him perform better, we have you covered.
Best Billy build in Zenless Zone Zero
| W-Engine | Drive Disc | Stats | Team comp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starlight Engine Replica | Puffer Electro (4-pc)Woodpecker Electro (2-pc) | Slot 4: Crit Rate or Crit DMGSlot 5: Physical DMGSlot 6: ATKSubstats: Crit Rate, Crit DMG, ATK% | Billy, Nicole, Lycaon |
While this is the best build for Billy, if you are looking to learn more about the respective components in the setup, we have all the details covered below.
Best W-Engine for Billy
Starlight Engine Replica
This is the best W-Engine for Billy as it increases the Physical DMG of the wearer by 36% upon hitting an enemy while maintaining at least a 6-meter distance. The passive is very easy to trigger since Billy is a ranged character.
The Brimstone
The Brimstone is a powerful S-rank W-Engine that increases the ATK of the wearer by 3.5% for 8 seconds upon using a Basic ATK, Dodge Counter, or Dash Attack. This W-Engine is a bit harder to get, but if you lack Starlight Engine Replica, The Brimstone can be a good substitute.
Best Drive Disc for Billy
The best Drive Disc for Billy in Zenless Zone Zero is Puffer Electro. The set bonus for this Drive Disc is as follows:
| Set Piece | Set Bonus |
|---|---|
| 2-pc | Increases PEN Ratio by 8%. |
| 4-pc | Ultimate DMG increases by 20%. Launching an Ultimate increases the equipper’s ATK by 15% for 12s. |
For the remaining 2 slots, you can go with Woodpecker Electro Drive Disc. The set bonus for this one is as follows:
| Set Piece | Set Bonus |
|---|---|
| 2-pc | Increases CRIT Rate by 8%. |
This combination of Woodpecker Electro and Puffer Electro is quite balanced as it provides damage and consistency. The CRIT Rate boost will make it easier to build Billy, while the PEN Ratio and Ultimate DMG boosts will enhance his damage significantly.
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Billy Promotion and Skill Enhancement materials
Promotion
Since Billy is an Attack unit, you’ll need to farm Basic Offense Certification Seal, Advanced Offense Certification Seal, and Pioneer’s Certification Seal. The exact number of materials you need are as follows:
- Basic Offense Certification Seal x4
- Advanced Offense Certification Seal x32
- Pioneer’s Certification Seal x30
Skill Enhancement
Billy’s skills in Zenless Zone Zero need Basic Physical Chip, Advanced Physical Chip, Specialized Physical Chip, Hamster Cage Pass, Ferocious Grip, and Higher Dimension Data-Ethereal Pursuit. The exact number of materials you need are as follows:
- Basic Physical Chip x5
- Advanced Physical Chip x15
- Specialized Physical Chip x50
- Hamster Cage Pass x1
- Ferocious Grip x9
- Higher Dimensional Data-Ethereal Pursuit x60
Best Billy team comp
Billy is an Attack character which means he needs a debuffer and crowd control in the team. The best units to pair alongside Billy are Lycaon and Nicole. In this team, Lycaon is the Stun unit that creates openings for Billy, while Nicole ensures that smaller mobs are grouped in one place.
If you do not have Lycaon, you can go with a team of Billy, Anby, and Nicole. This is your starting roster and all the characters are free in this team.
Billy abilities
Basic Attack
| Ability Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Full Firepower | Press to Basic Attack to activate. Unleashes a piercing attack, dealing Physical DMG. Repeatedly press or hold to enter Crouching Shot to extend the attack duration. Move the joystick during Crouching Shot to launch Rolling Shot and adjust the character’s position, dealing Physical DMG. Stop pressing or holding during Crouching Shot to launch Finishing Shot at enemies in front, dealing Physical DMG. |
Dodge
| Ability Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Quick Assist – Power of Teamwork | When the on-field character is launched, press Assist to activate. Launches a piercing attack at enemies in front, dealing Physical DMG. Character is invulnerable during the attack. |
| Defensive Assist – Flash Spin | When the character on field is about to be attacked, press Assist to activate. Dodges the enemy’s attack and activates Vital View. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
| Assist Follow-Up – Fatal Shot | Press Basic Attack after an Evasive Assist to activate. Pierces enemies in a large area in front, dealing Physical DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
Special Attack
| Ability Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Special Attack – Stand Still | With enough Energy, press EX Special Attack to activate. Launches a powerful piercing attack in a line, dealing massive Physical DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
| EX Special Attack – Clearance Time | When a Chain Attack is triggered, select the character to activate. Launches a powerful piercing attack in a line, dealing massive Physical DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
Chain Attack
| Ability Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Chain Attack – Starlight Mirage | When a Chain Attack is triggered, select the character to activate. Unleashes a powerful piercing attack at surrounding enemies in a large area, dealing massive Physical DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
| Ultimate – Starlight Sparkle | When Decibel Rating is at Maximum, press Chain Attack to activate. Unleashes a powerful piercing attack at surrounding enemies in a large area, dealing massive Physical DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. |
Core Skill
| Ability Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Core Passive – Steady Shot | Billy’s DMG increases by 25% when he enters Crouching Shot during his Basic Attack. The effect ends if he moves, returns to standby, or is knocked back or launched by an attack. |
| Additional Ability – Team Starlight | When another character in your squad shares the same Attribute or Faction: After Billy uses a Chain Attack, the DMG of his next Ultimate is increased by 50%, stacking up to 2 times. This effect resets whenever an Ultimate is activated. |
Core Skill Enhancements
| Ability Name | Description |
|---|---|
| A | CRIT Rate increases by 4.8%Core Passive: Steady Shot Skill Lv. +1 |
| B | Base ATK increases by 25Core Passive: Steady Shot Skill Lv. +1 |
| C | CRIT Rate increases by 4.8%Core Passive: Steady Shot Skill Lv. +1 |
| D | Base ATK increases by 25Core Passive: Steady Shot Skill Lv. +1 |
| E | CRIT Rate increases by 4.8%Core Passive: Steady Shot Skill Lv. +1 |
| F | Base ATK increases by 25Core Passive: Steady Shot Skill Lv. +1 |
Mindscape Cinema for Billy
Here are all the upgrades you will receive from duplicate copies of Billy:
- Level 1- Dazzling Entrance: When Billy hits an enemy with a Dash Attack or Dodge Counter, he gains an additional 2.7 Energy. Can trigger once every 5s.
- Level 2- Roaming Gunslinger: Billy’s Dodge Counter DMG increases by 25%. Rolling Shots during his Basic Attacks are counted as dodges, making Billy invulnerable during skill activation and able to trigger Perfect Dodges. When a Rolling Shot triggers a Perfect Dodge, it will automatically become a Dodge Counter.
- Level 3- Teachings of the Starlight Knights: Basic Attack, Dodge, Special Attack, and Chain Attack Lv. +2
- Level 4- Starlight Ballistics: When Billy hits an enemy with his EX Special Attack, the skill’s CRIT Rate is increased based on the distance from the enemy. The closer he is to the target, the greater the effect, up to a maximum increase of 32%.
- Level 5- Lost Technological Construct: Basic Attack, Dodge, Special Attack, and Chain Attack Lv. +2
- Level 6- Starlight Hero: When Billy accumulates 10 hits on enemies or triggers a Perfect Dodge, his DMG increases by 6%, stacking up to 5 times. The effect resets if he is knocked back or launched by an enemy.
Billy pros and cons
Billy being a starter unit means he suffers from quite a few problems in the game. Here are his various pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free-to-play unit | Sub-par damage beyond the early game |
| Ranged attacks make it easier to play | Moving causes damage loss |
| Lack of Physical support hurts his performance |
Trailer for Billy
On November 18, 2024, HoYoverse released the official trailer for Billy on their YouTube channel. If you have not checked it out yet, you can do so from the link provided below:
Now that you know the best Billy build, check out our Polychromes guide and learn how many you can save for the best units. If you want to learn more, here’s a breakdown of the latest codes and Twitch drops on offer, as well as if controller support is available for the game.
