Here’s how to maximise Vivian, Zenless Zone Zero’s most devoted Lord Phaethon fangirl, so she can dazzle, disrupt, and deliver the best damage in your teams.
The first Ether Anomaly agent in Zenless Zone Zero is here! Arriving alongside Version 1.7, Vivian from the Mockingbird faction brings an elegant spin to combat in the game. If you are one of the lucky ones to pull Vivian, you’ve probably invested in Anomaly teams and want to continue strengthening them!
Here’s a quick guide on how to play her, plus the best builds, teams, and tips to get the most out of Lord Phaethon’s number one fan.
Understanding Vivian’s kit
Vivian is a semi-off-field Anomaly support who builds and transforms feathers to deal damage and help her team trigger effects. Her gameplay focuses on setting up from the field and then letting her teammates carry the rest while she supports from the background.
The Noblewoman State
Vivian can enter the Noblewoman State in a few ways—after a Perfect Dodge, the final hit of her basic combo, or a Quick Assist. While in this state, she gets access to Noblewoman - Waltz, which gives her Flight Feathers and lets her enter her next phase, Fluttering Frock, more smoothly. This state also improves her dodging and gives her better mobility while setting her up for damage.
Fluttering Frock–her Flying phase
Fluttering Frock is Vivian’s damage phase. She enters it by spending Flight Feathers, often after using Noblewoman–Waltz. In this flying state, she deals strong Ether damage and can use a special move called Suspension, which consumes all her Flight Feathers and turns them into Guard Feathers.
She can also enter this state through her Ultimate, EX Special Attack, or an Assist Follow-Up. One of her best tricks is being able to activate Suspension even when she’s not on the field, giving her off-field presence a big boost.
Flight and Guard Feathers
- Flight Feathers are what you collect first–they let Vivian enter Fluttering Frock.
- Once in that state, using Suspension converts them into Guard Feathers.
She can hold up to five Guard Feathers at once, but you don’t need to spend them all in one go.
Off-field power: Featherbloom and Abloom
Guard Feathers are what fuel Vivian’s off-field damage. When your teammates trigger an Anomaly or use their EX Special Attacks, Vivian fires off a Featherbloom: a bonus attack that uses one of her Guard Feathers.
If that Featherbloom hits an enemy already under an Anomaly effect (like Ether, Electric, Fire, etc.), it triggers Abloom, adding even more Attribute Anomaly damage. This makes Vivian especially strong with other Anomaly or Ether characters.
She also increases the team's Corruption and Disorder damage when Featherbloom hits, boosting overall team output.
Her Ultimate: Reset and Recycle
Vivian’s Ultimate deals heavy Ether damage and instantly gives her more Flight Feathers, which means that she can quickly re-enter Fluttering Frock. This makes her Ultimate a great way to reset her cycle, and stay useful even when her other moves are on cooldown.
Here’s what Vivian’s combat loop is all about:
- Entering Noblewoman to build Flight Feathers
- Switching into Fluttering Frock to deal damage and create Guard Feathers
- Letting teammates trigger Featherbloom, which turns into Abloom for extra damage
- Using her Ultimate to reset and repeat
She fits best with teams that can consistently apply Anomalies, letting her support and deal damage from off-field without missing a beat.
Skill priority
Core Skill–Highest priority
- Vivian’s Core Skill boosts her Anomaly and Disorder damage. Since a big part of her kit revolves around triggering these effects, this should be your top upgrade.
Basic Attack–Highest priority
- After her Core Skill, the next should be her Basic Attack. Her Basic Attacks help her enter the Noblewoman state, which is key to generating feathers and starting her damage loop. Upgrade this alongside her Special Attack for smoother combos.
Special Attack–High priority
- This is essential for activating Noblewoman and gaining feathers. It’s a vital part of her rotation and damage cycle.
Chain Attack–High priority
- Vivian’s Chain Attack offers strong Ether damage and adds value even while she’s off-field. Worth investing in for overall team output.
Assist–Medium priority
- While not her main source of impact, upgrading her Assist can help in certain moments. Still, it's okay to leave this for later.
Dodge–Low priority
- Vivian doesn’t rely much on dodging since she isn’t on-field for long. This can safely be skipped or upgraded last.
Best W-Engine
Flight of Fancy–best option
This is Vivian’s signature W-Engine and the best choice for her. It boosts Anomaly Buildup Rate and grants stacks of Anomaly Proficiency whenever she deals Ether damage, with fast stacking and consistent uptime. It directly enhances every part of her kit and rotation, from building Disorder to boosting her burst damage.
Alternatives:
Weeping Gemini: strong alternative
A solid pick if you don't have Flight of Fancy. Weeping Gemini rewards team synergy by boosting Anomaly Proficiency whenever an ally inflicts an Attribute Anomaly. While it's more team-reliant, it still complements Vivian’s role as an off-field Disorder unit.
Electro-Lip Gloss: decent fallback
This gives Vivian a flat ATK bonus and increased damage against enemies already affected by an Attribute Anomaly. It’s simple and works well in basic setups, though it lacks the scaling and synergy of the top options.
Fusion Compiler: niche utility
It offers ATK and bonus Anomaly Proficiency on Special Attacks, which Vivian uses often. However, it builds stacks more slowly and lacks the off-field value that others provide. Best used if you need something early on.
Flamemaker Shaker: situational pick
The passive Energy Regen and DMG scaling make it appealing on paper, especially since the stack effect is doubled off-field. But the conditions for the Anomaly Proficiency buff are harder to maintain. Only consider this if nothing better is available.
Drive Disc recommendations
Phaethon’s Melody (4-piece) + Chaos Jazz or Freedom Blues (2-piece)–Best Set
Phaethon’s Melody fits Vivian perfectly, boosting both her Anomaly Proficiency and Ether damage–even when she's off-field. Pair it with either Chaos Jazz or Freedom Blues for an extra bump to her Anomaly scaling.
Phaethon’s Melody (4-piece) + Chaotic Metal (2-piece)–Second Best
If you’ve got stronger sub-stats on Chaotic Metal, this combo can offer more raw damage. It’s a good alternative if you're aiming for higher output from her burst windows.
Best teams for Vivian
Premium Anomaly team
- Yanagi/Miyabi (Main DPS)
- Vivian (Sub DPS)
- Astra (Support)
- Bangboo: Robin
- Alternative Bangboo: Devilboo, Sumoboo, Resonaboo, Knightboo, Brawlerboo
Vivian works best with another Anomaly agent of a different element. Her job is to apply Corruption, then swap out so the main DPS can apply a second Attribute Anomaly to trigger Disorder.
Miyabi benefits from having a sub-DPS like Vivian who can consistently deal damage off-field. This is a great setup for players who don't use Burnice in this team. With both Vivian and Astra using Ether, it’s easy to stack Ether and Ice Anomalies without worrying about internal cooldown issues.
Avoid pairing Vivian with Burnice, as both excel off-field and might overlap in roles. It’s usually better to split them into separate teams to maximise value.
Resonant Surge team
- Yanagi (Main DPS)
- Vivian (Sub DPS)
- Rina (Support)
- Bangboo: Robin
- Alternative Bangboo: Devilboo, Sumoboo, Resonaboo, Knightboo, Brawlerboo
Yanagi is another great match for Vivian. Her balance of on-field and off-field presence aligns well with Vivian’s playstyle, making for smooth rotations and strong damage consistency.
Rina replaces Astra as a support if Astra isn’t available. With her M1, Rina’s off-field buffs last longer, helping both Vivian and Yanagi. Her Pen Ratio boost also increases their damage while building Electric Anomaly. Rina needs to rotate in more often, but this works well with Vivian and Yanagi’s flexible kit.
F2P Anomaly Team
- Piper/Grace (Main DPS)
- Vivian (Sub DPS)
- Nicole (Support)
- Bangboo: Robin
- Alternative Bangboo: Devilboo, Sumoboo, Resonaboo, Knightboo, Brawlerboo
For free-to-play builds, Piper is the more accessible choice, while Grace can also sub in when her element fits. They don’t hit as hard as premium units, so expect to invest more into them.
Nicole is a strong support for Vivian, offering crowd control, defence shred, Ether build-up, and damage boosts. Lucy is another option, boosting ATK and building Fire Anomaly, with less need for micromanagement. Choose whichever fits your style or investment better.
F2P Generic Team
- Vivian (Anomaly)
- Billy (Attack)
- Nicole (Support)
- Bangboo: Devilboo
Alternative Bangboo: Sumoboo, Knightboo, Brawlerboo
Nicole is the only F2P unit who enables Vivian’s Additional Ability, helping her build Anomalies faster with DEF reduction. Billy is a solid main DPS and pairs well with Vivian, allowing her to shine off-field while he keeps the pressure on.
With the right setup, Vivian can slot seamlessly into a variety of Anomaly-focused teams, bringing both flair and disruption to any fight. Whether you're pairing her with Yanagi, running a budget-friendly comp, or experimenting with builds, there’s real charm in mastering her flow. Best of luck out there–and enjoy being on the good side of Lord Phaethon’s number one fan.
