Ellen Joe & Zhu Yuan's Availability In Zenless Zone Zero 1.0
Both Ellen Joe and Zhu Yuan are available in Zenless Zone Zero 1.0, but at different times. Ellen Joe is currently available on rate-up, having been on offer since launch (July 4) and until July 24, 2024. Zhu Yuan's banner will follow immediately after, running from July 25, 2024, until August 15, 2024 - assuming that Zenless Zone Zero update schedules adhere to the same cadence that is present in both Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. During their respective time periods, both Ellen Joe and Zhu Yuan's signature W-Engines will be available as part of a separate banner. Their respective W-Engines are Deep Sea Visitor and Riot Suppressor Mark VI.
Players can't be tempted into splitting their resources and going for both, since there is a gap between Ellen Joe and Zhu Yuan's respective banners. This means that those who are on the fence about whether to pull for Zenless Zone Zero's Ellen Joe are on the clock, with only a handful of days left to make up their minds. Following Ellen Joe's banner will be Zhu Yuan's for a similar amount of time, and then it will already be time for Zzz 1.1, which will include Qinyi, Jane Doe, and Seth.
Pros & Cons Of Pulling For Ellen Joe In Zenless Zone Zero 1.0
Ellen Joe is an elite damage dealer in Zenless Zone Zero at launch, and is likely the best DPS unit in the game when built competently. Her kit revolves around her extended dash ability, the Roaming State, which lets her sprint around the battlefield while dodging enemy attacks and finding an opening. Roaming State attacks generate Flash Freeze charges, which are then expended so that Ellen Joe's Basic Attack deals Ice DMG.
Ellen Joe's kit is generally built around just playing Zenless Zone Zero well. Her perfect dodges trigger an ability that makes her Roaming State charged attack shorter, so she can do more damage and be less vulnerable. Her passives are all oriented towards dealing even more damage - she stacks 50% Crit DMG when using Arctic Ambush or Flash Freeze Trimming, and if she's on a squad with another Ice attribute character or someone from her faction, Victoria Housekeeping Co., she buffs Ice DMG even more. Her Ultimate, Endless Winter, is an exceptionally strong attack that is capable of mowing down most stunned foes.
Pros & Cons of Pulling Zhu Yuan In Zenless Zone Zero 1.0
Zhu Yuan is the second S-rank Agent available to pull in Zenless Zone Zero's launch, and she will immediately take her place as the best Ether damage dealer in the game. One of her most appealing qualities is her attack style, which is a mixture of martial arts and gun-wielding that feels truly unique in Zzz 1.0. She's capable of outputting dramatic Ether damage thanks to her Enhanced Shotshells, which alter her basic attack DMG to Ether similarly to the way Ellen Joe's Flash Freeze stacks work.
Zhu Yuan might also be in contention for having the best signature W-Engine in Zenless Zone Zero with the Riot Suppressor Mark VI. The weapon increases her Ether damage by a staggering 50%, and grants charge stacks following a special attack that enhances basic and dash attack Ether damage by 90% of that skill's damage output. The burst in damage scaling the W-Engine provides obviously makes it her best in slot, but it also means that there aren't really any great alternatives to provide even close to the same effect.
Conclusion: Who To Pull For In Zenless Zone Zero 1.0
Overall, Ellen Joe is an excellent Agent who will likely get better over time as Zenless Zone Zero releases more Ether Agents into its available roster. That does mean, however, that Zhu Yuan is more of a long-term investment that might feel a little stale when trying to build flexible or varied team compositions over the next few patch releases. In terms of sheer ease-of-use and immediate impact on an account, Ellen Joe has a slight edge over Zhu Yuan and should be prioritized over her as a result - but the choice is completely up to the player, and there's really no wrong answer given how powerful both of these Agents are in Zenless Zone Zero.
