Zenless Zone Zero: What is the nature of Anomaly Dilution?

Regarding the Anomaly mechanics in Zenless Zone Zero, most videos or articles have already provided extensive explanations and expansions. This article builds upon our previous analysis of different damage mechanics, focusing specifically on how adding characters of various attributes to your team affects Anomaly damage. If you haven't read it yet, we recommend starting with our earlier piece: "What Are The Mechanics Of Different DMG In Zenless Zone Zero?" Today's discussion will delve into concepts like numerical diminishing returns that we often mention. Let's dive in!

1. Effect of Joining Agent of the Same Attribute on Anomaly DMG in ZZZ

1.1 Calculation formula in ZZZ

Let: Agent A has an anomaly buildup of "a", Agent B has an anomaly buildup of "b", and Bombu has an anomaly buildup of "c".

So "a+b+c=Z" is the total buildup value required to trigger anomaly DMG once .

The weighting coefficients for roles A and B are then "A=a/(Z-c), B=b/(Z-c)"

Construct a virtual Agent:

The virtual agent's ATK/DMG Increase/PEN Ratio/PEN/Anomaly Proficiency/Level

= corresponding value of A * weighting coefficient A + corresponding value of B * weighting coefficient B

The virtual agent's level is calculated and rounded down.

As you can also see from the formula, Bangboos will only help to accumulate anomaly buildup, and will not affect the weighting coefficient scaling relationship or anomaly DMG of each agent.

1.2 Effects of low-trained agents Joining Team in Zenless Zone Zero

The multiplier zones that are affected when below average strength are: ATK, DMG Boost zone, DEF zone, Anomaly Proficiency zone, and Level zone.

For the sake of modeling, we need to make a few simplifications and assumptions:

a. Ignore the growth of the enemies' Anomaly Buildup Bar.

b. Anomaly savings already accumulated can be withdrawn directly.

c. The ratio of below-average strength is "k", and the ATK, DMG Boost zone, and Anomaly Proficiency zone of low-trained agents are all "k" times that of a character with high strength agent.

Suppose we have a high-trained physical anomaly agent with a low-trained ice attribute agent. With the same operation, if the Ice attribute agent is replaced with a Physical attribute agent, it will inevitably bring about a change to the Physical Assault DMG. The change would be that the buildup would be faster, but the single Anomaly DMG would be lower. So does the total Anomaly DMG become higher or lower?

For ease of illustration, we will refer to the combination on the left as a "Different Attribute Combination" and the combination on the right as a "Same Attribute Combination".

"x" is the percentage of the total buildup value of the low-trained agent; "(1-x)" is the percentage of the buildup of the high-trained agent; "1" is the value of each of the multiplier zones for the high-trained agent; "k" is the value of each of the multiplier zones for the low-trained agent; and the cube is the product of the three multiplier zones.

In this model, the numerator is the total anomaly damage of the "Same Attribute Combination". The denominator is the anomaly damage of the physical agent alone in the "Different Attribute Combination". After doing the math, you may be surprised to learn that at 0.9 times the multiplier zones of low-trained agent, the overall damage is boosted by 7.5 times.

But actually this model explores the increased efficiency of physical anomaly damage itself. In fact, when the percentage of anomaly buildup by low-trained agent is so high, the ice anomaly damage generated by "Different Attribute Combination" cannot be ignored. Therefore, we need to focus on the times when the percentage of low-trained agent is relatively small, that is, when the ice anomaly value of the "Different Attribute Combination" cannot be accumulated to their full value. This is when the model will be more accurate. It can be noticed that the threshold value of "k" for splitting "Enhancement and Dilution" is about 0.6 to 0.7.

In the case of a low-trained agent who does not have a low percentage of anomaly buildup, I personally believe that the ice anomaly damage of "Different Attribute Combination" should be taken into account as well. Let's assume that both the ice anomaly multiplier and the anomaly buildup bar are the same, and disorders are not taken into account. Then in the denominator of the new formula, we need to add the anomaly damage of low-trained ice attribute agents. After calculating it can be found. At this point, regardless of the percentage, the total anomaly damage efficiency of the "Same Attribute combination" is indeed lower than the total anomaly damage efficiency of the "Different Attribute Combination".

1.3 Impact of non-anomaly Agents in Zenless Zone Zero

In this case we need to consider what consequences would result from agent lagging behind anomaly agent in only Anomaly Proficiency Zone.

After calculating this formula, the numerator and denominator are exactly the same, so the result is equal to 1. That is to say, in this case, the total anomaly damage efficiency of "Same Attribute Combination" and "Different Attribute Combination" are exactly the same. If the total anomaly damage efficiency is the same, then the physical anomaly damage efficiency of the "Same Attribute Combination" must be higher.

At this point we can come to the important conclusion that if a non-anomaly agent can equalize the four multiplier zones of an anomaly agent. Then it is never possible to dilute the anomaly agent's anomaly damage efficiency. And this is a sufficiently non-essential condition. Even if it doesn't equalize the four multiplication zones, it won't dilute the anomaly damage efficiency under some specific combination of values. However, it is worth noting that the damage efficiency of the "Different Attribute Combinations" is actually slightly higher if you take "Disorder" into account.

1.4 Instant DMG vs Dot DMG in ZZZ

For damage that cannot be triggered instantly, such as Fire, Electric, and Ether Dot DMG, the dot attribute is better suited for triggering disorders than single-attribute anomaly DMG because the frequency of the damage is less than instantaneous damage while remaining constant.

That's all there is to this article. There are still a lot of mechanics that we have not been able to explore for the damage setting of Anomaly. In the future, with the update of Zenless Zone Zero, we will explore and refine more about Anomaly DMG.