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Best Zenless Zone Zero Nekomata build

Before equipping Bangboos and W-Engines she’s one of the best DPS characters, so imagine what you can do with the best Nekomata ZZZ build.

Best ZZZ Nekomata build: Nekomata poses with her hands, or paws, clawed.

What is the best ZZZ Nekomata build? Nekomata comes into the Zenless Zone Zero story fairly early on as one of the first characters you meet outside of the original Cunning Hares. If you want to put the cute catgirl straight into your squad from there, here’s what you need to know.

As you can see from our ZZZ tier list, Nekomata is one of the best DPS characters to get into your Zenless Zone Zero squad as early as possible. Of course, this still requires pulling her from the current ZZZ banners, but you can also try her out in some early-game story commissions. Do make the most of this kitten in your ZZZ team comp, consider the best Nekomata build we’ve listed below.

The best ZZZ Nekomata build

The best Nekomata build in Zenless Zone Zero focuses on the feline’s best trait: her attack. By further improving the amount of damage she does, and using Drive Disks to slightly buff her weaker stats, Nekomata becomes one super-strong kitten.

The best Nekomata build is:

  • W-Engine:
    • Steel Cushion (S-Tier) or Cannon Rotor (A-Tier)
  • Drive Disks:
    • Soul Rock (two-piece set)
    • Woodpecker Electro (four-piece set)

Steel Cushion, the W-Engine required for the best ZZZ Nekomata build.

Best ZZZ Nekomata W-Engine

W-Engine Effects
Steel Cushion Physical damage is increased by 20%. This effect is increased by an additional 25% when attacking an enemy from behind.
Cannon Rotor Increases attack by 7.5%. Attacks that land a critical hit deal an additional 200% of attack and damage, with a cooldown of eight seconds.

The Steel Cushion W-Engine is a fantastic choice for Nekomata as both a base option and to compliment her skills once you’ve unlocked them. Simply, this powerful S-Rank weapon increases an Agent’s Physical damage by 20%, and delivers a 25% increase in damage when attacking from behind. Given that Nekomata already has super powerful damage stats, this increase is considerable. What’s more, Nekomata’s skills increase her damage when dodging, which might leave her attacking from behind more often, and when being switched in. These skills combined with the Steel Cushion give her an all-round damage buff, no matter the circumstances.

The Cannon Rotor is a fantastic A-Rank alternative. As standard, this W-Engine increases Nekomata’s attack by 7%. However, critical hits inflict an additional 200% attack. Given Nekomata’s impressive attack, this is great by itself, but if you improve her crit rate by unlocking her skills the odds of this triggering are increased.

Woodpecker Electro, one of the Drive Disks in the best ZZZ Nekomata build.

Best ZZZ Nekomata Drive Disks

Drive Disks Effects
Soul Rock (Two-piece set) +16% defense
Woodpecker Electro (Four-piece set) +8% critical rate. Plus, when a basic attack, EX special attack, or dodge counter triggers a critical hit, gain a 9% increase to attack for six seconds.

Since we’ve concentrated on Nekomata’s best stats with the W-Engines above, we think it’s best to use Drive Disks to buff the areas in which she is slightly lacking, namely HP and defense. That said, if you have a choice, try to pick Drive Disks with base stats that focus on these areas.

That’s also why we’ve gone for the Soul Rock two-piece Drive Disk set, as this buffs Nekomata’s defense – even better if you can increase her base stats with those base Drive Disk stats. We have gone back to focus on her strengths with the Woodpecker Electro four-piece set, though. This set increases Nekomata’s critical rate, which can also be increased via her skills, and then increases attack with successful critical hits from basic attacks, special attacks, or doge counters, again leaning into the feline’s skills.

To get everything you need for the best Nekomata build, use Signal Searches to unlock W-Engines, buy Drive Disks from the Bardic Needle store on Sixth Street, and participate in ZZZ events. You might need some ZZZ Polychrome for those Signal Searches though, so you should also check out the latest ZZZ codes before the next ZZZ update to get as much as possible.