ZZZ 3.0 Launch Checklist: What to Test, Farm and Avoid in Week One
Nina Forneloza
Season 3 is just around the corner, and if you want to prepare for the upcoming major update, this ZZZ 3.0 Launch Checklist will help you get ready for the first week of the patch.
Zenless Zone Zero 3.0 arrives with a fresh reset point for progression, and the first week often decides how smooth the rest of the patch will feel. New systems, banner rotations, resource shifts, and early event cycles tend to stack up quickly, making it easy to either snowball progress or waste stamina on low-value targets.
This ZZZ 3.0 checklist breaks down what to test, what to farm, and what to avoid so progression stays efficient from day one of the new season.
Quick answer: launch-week order
As soon as maintenance ends and the patch goes live, slow down for a moment before spending any polychromes. It usually helps to begin with these: do a test-trial and check team fit for your ZZZ first week guide.
Day 1-2: Agent Testing
Day 3-4: Pulling and materials farming
Day 4 onwards: Agent building and optimization
Test Trial First
When a new banner cycle goes live in Zenless Zone Zero, Test Trials become available, letting players try out featured Agents against multiple waves of enemies.
Check Team Fit
Before pulling or investing, check if the new Agent fits existing teams, focus on role synergy, rotation flow, and whether current units can enable their damage or utility windows.
Banner order for ZZZ 3.0 Launch
Find the new schedule for the upcoming patch and all the ZZZ 3.0 new agents.
In this ZZZ 3.0 Launch Checklist guide, we recommend doing the following before tapping that pull button.
Trial Mode
It can be useful to start here first, as it provides a direct feel of an Agent’s playstyle and team compatibility. This allows you to test their kit and its potential damage.
However, this step is a double-edged sword. A strong trial run can easily trigger impulse pulls, while a poor performance might discourage pulling altogether.
Account Role Gaps
If you’re already certain about the new character, what’s next? Some agents can be very versatile and can slot into various team compositions without any issues, but others are not. Before pulling, it’s worth checking whether there are suitable teammates for that specific unit, as otherwise the character could end up sitting on the bench for quite a while.
Check Future Banners
Saving pulls in Zenless Zone Zero is common, especially with the possibility that upcoming Agents may offer better value or better team synergy than the current banner. Looking ahead at announced or rumored rotations can help to avoid pulling into immediate regret.
Should you pull for version 3.0?
Now it’s time to decide whether to pull in version 3.0. Here’s a simple guide to help determine whether to skip or go for the new banner.
Pull if:
You like their playstyle
You need an Anomaly sub-DPS (Velina)
Need an Attacker DPS (Ye Shunguang)
Need a Fire Stunner (Norma)
Need a Physical Support (Sunna)
Skip if:
Characters will likely be benched
Pulling feels impulsive rather than planned
Already have too many built units
After Pulling
Now that you already got your character, here’s what you need to keep in mind.
Promotion
In most cases, leveling first provides strong early value. Early levels often provide some of the most noticeable early stat gains and unlock the core mechanics that define how the Agent plays, so this is the fastest way to make them usable.
Skill/core priority
The golden rule of gacha games, if you don’t want to waste resources, is to upgrade skills first before grinding for RNG-based materials such as Drive Discs.
Focus on what matters most in the Agent’s kit and prioritize those upgrades instead of spreading resources evenly across all skills without a clear plan.
Team Rotation Test
Once they’re at a decent baseline, throw them into real rotations. This can be Free Training, combat simulations, or even permanent endgame content. This is where it becomes clear how well they slot into stun or anomaly windows, and whether they still need some tweaking.
When Monochromes fall just short, a Zenless top up can round things out without breaking your plan.
Material and Battery plan
Building a character requires investments, so it’s best to plan ahead to make sure your time and battery are well-spent.
If you want to see the materials for the upcoming ZZZ 3.0 new agents, Velina and Norma, check out these guides:
This is one of the more common mistakes to avoid. It helps to plan before entering simulations and dungeons, since claiming their drops costs Battery. If you farm the wrong materials, it can easily waste a full day of progress that could’ve been spent on the right resources instead. It’s recommended to check the required materials first or refer to a materials guide online.
This also applies to promotion materials, skill chips, and Drive Discs as well.
Daily Routine
We recommend building a daily routine for your ZZZ 3.0 Launch Checklist. This should focus on making the fastest path towards fully upgrading a character in Zenless Zone Zero. Use this as your priority list:
Agents Promotion materials
W-engine promotion materials
Notorious Hunt boss (Free three runs per week)
Skill Chips
Drive Discs
Bangboo level-up materials
Event Rewards
Make sure to participate in any in-game or web events for an additional source of polychromes for your future pulls, and resources for your next teams. Also, do not forget to check the new ZZZ codes.
Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some potential mistakes that you can avoid for the upcoming ZZZ 3.0!
Day-one Overpull
Impulsive pulls can be one of the biggest risks to resource management in ZZZ. Seeing a new character on the banner can be very tempting, regardless of whether they fit your playstyle or actually add value to your account. Try to stay patient and decide carefully first before using your precious pulls.
Ignoring existing teams
Unless you have plenty of extra polychromes, try to stick with your current team unless they’re already out of meta or you simply don’t want them anymore. If you have limited funds, it may be more efficient to avoid overinvesting in collecting units and instead focus on strengthening your current teams.
Overbuilding multiple units
For many accounts, two to three teams are usually sufficient for endgame modes in Zenless Zone Zero. That means you’ll likely only need to build fewer than ten Agents. If you want to save resources and avoid running out of Dennies, focusing on fewer units is often more resource-efficient.
Frequently Asked Questions for ZZZ 3.0 Launch Checklist
How fast should you build a new Agent?
Building an Agent from scratch may take around three to six weeks. There is no fixed pace, as progress depends on available resources, battery usage, and the amount of daily farming time invested. Some builds can be completed faster with efficient planning, while others may take longer depending on material bottlenecks.
Should I pull on day one or wait?
It is generally better to wait and test the Agent through trial runs first. Early impressions can sometimes be misleading, and testing helps reduce the risk of impulsive pulls that may not fit existing teams or playstyles.
Is W-Engine mandatory?
W-Engines are not strictly mandatory, but they usually provide a significant boost in both damage and utility. The impact varies depending on the character, but in most cases, they are a strong upgrade to consider for optimal performance.
Is it okay to skip a banner?
Skipping a banner is completely valid and often the more strategic choice. It is usually better to skip if the Agent does not fit existing teams or if upcoming banners offer better long-term value.
Should I farm Drive Discs immediately?
It is generally not recommended to farm Drive Discs immediately. Prioritizing guaranteed upgrade materials first helps stabilize the build, after which Drive Disc farming becomes more efficient and meaningful.
This wraps up the ZZZ 3.0 Launch Checklist. Preparing a checklist before a new patch goes live is important, as it helps keep focus on what matters most and prevents making rushed or impulsive decisions. By planning ahead, progress becomes more efficient and less stressful throughout the whole process.
If a few Monochromes are still missing for that next pull, a quick Zenless top up can help close the gap and secure those last pulls before the banner changes.
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Nina Forneloza
Content Writer
Niña Forneloza is a gacha game guide writer for U7BUY with five years of experience covering character builds, exploration, farming guides, and major updates. She has a love-and-hate relationship with Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zero and Wuthering Waves since launch, but no matter how many banners ruin her plans or farming sessions test her patience, she cannot seem to stop playing or writing about them.
