Banyue is an S-Rank Fire Rupture agent from the Krampus Compliance Authority in Zenless Zone Zero. His damage comes primarily from Sheer Force, which is affected by both HP and ATK, rather than conventional ATK scaling alone. Released in Version 2.4, Banyue remains a combo-focused damage dealer in Version 3.2, with most of his damage coming from EX Special Attacks and powerful finishers during Visage of Wrath.
The main build decision is how to balance HP%, CRIT stats, and Fire DMG Bonus without wasting resources on weaker bonuses. His Core Passive converts every point of Max HP into 0.1 Sheer Force, while the Rupture mechanic also converts 30% of current ATK into Sheer Force. That makes ATK% a secondary damage stat, not a completely useless one. His best setup combines those scaling rules with enough Wrathful Fires to enter Visage of Wrath and enough time to execute his finishing combo.
How Do Banyue's Skills Work?
Banyue uses three connected resources: Adrenaline, Wrathful Fires, and Mountain's Might. Understanding how they interact is more useful than memorizing every attack animation immediately. Adrenaline fuels his regular EX Special Attacks, those actions help generate Wrathful Fires, and reaching 120 Wrathful Fires unlocks the enhanced Visage of Wrath state.
- Wrathful Fires: Banyue can hold up to 150 Wrathful Fires and needs at least 120 to enter Visage of Wrath through Basic Attack: Immolate. He gains 0.5 Wrathful Fires for every point of Adrenaline consumed, 4 from a Defensive Assist, 4 from a successful parry or Perfect Dodge, and 6 instead of 4 from a Perfect Block. The defensive triggers have their own cooldown conditions.
- Basic Attack: Inflame: Outside combat, Banyue can hold Basic Attack while above 50% HP to consume health and generate Wrathful Fires. Reaching 120 immediately activates Visage of Wrath. His HP cannot be reduced below 50% by this action. It is a pre-combat preparation tool, not an attack that can be repeatedly used during an active fight.
- Visage of Wrath: Entering this state grants four Mountain's Might stacks. Each stack allows Banyue to perform an EX Special Attack without spending Adrenaline, consumes one Mountain's Might, and restores 10 Adrenaline. Banyue cannot gain additional Wrathful Fires while the state is active.
- Crushing Peaks and Toppling Mountain: After executing two different EX Special Attacks through Basic Attack branches or quick inputs during Visage of Wrath, holding Basic Attack triggers Crushing Peaks, which automatically leads into Toppling Mountain. Without meeting the Crushing Peaks requirement, holding Basic Attack triggers Toppling Mountain directly. The finisher consumes 120 Wrathful Fires and ends Visage of Wrath.
At Lv.12, Basic Attack: Crushing Peaks has a 756.7% DMG multiplier, while Toppling Mountain reaches 1,739.9%. Landing both attacks creates a combined listed multiplier of 2,496.6%, before considering the separate damage effects and bonuses. For comparison, EX Special Attack: Earth Shaker has a 510% multiplier, while Ultimate: The World Trembles reaches 3,197.8% at Lv.12. These percentages describe different attacks and do not mean that every move contributes the same share of damage in a real rotation.
How his damage scales: Banyue's Core Passive, One With the Mountains, converts his Fire attacks into Sheer DMG. Sheer Force determines the main damage-scaling stat, with the attack's skill multiplier applied to it. Sheer DMG ignores the enemy's DEF, but Fire RES, CRIT, applicable damage bonuses, and Stun-related damage modifiers still matter. This is why HP%, CRIT, Fire DMG Bonus, and Sheer DMG Bonus are valuable, while PEN-oriented effects are much less useful against damage that already ignores DEF.
At maximum Core Skill investment, Banyue also gains 300 Sheer Force, 36% Fire DMG Bonus, and 36% CRIT DMG for 30 seconds after using an EX Special Attack or Assist Follow-Up. Repeated activations refresh the duration. His Additional Ability, Mountain's Zenith, activates when the squad includes another Support or Stun agent. During Visage of Wrath, EX Special Attacks that consume Mountain's Might through the required inputs grant Vidyaraja, providing 5% Fire DMG per stack, up to three stacks. These bonuses directly support his enhanced combo rather than changing his primary stat from Sheer Force back to ATK.
Best Combat Rotation:
Banyue's rotation works best when his resources are prepared before the enemy enters Stun. Spending time generating Wrathful Fires after the Stun window begins reduces the time available for his stronger attacks. The following sequence uses his quick-input system and works as a repeatable framework, although the exact timing of support skills and Ultimate depends on the enemy and available resources.
- Prepare Wrathful Fires. Before combat, use Inflame if Banyue has more than 50% HP and the ability is available. This generates 120 Wrathful Fires and places him into Visage of Wrath. During longer encounters, rebuild the resource through Adrenaline-consuming EX Special Attacks, Defensive Assists, Perfect Dodges, and parries before the next major Stun window.
- Apply support effects and create a damage window. Use Lucia's buffs or Pan Yinhu's Sheer Force support before Banyue begins his main sequence. Have your Stun agent build Daze while preserving enough time and resources for Banyue's attacks. If you are entering Visage through Immolate during combat, hold Basic Attack once the Wrathful Fires requirement is met.
- Start with Earth Shaker. During a compatible animation, input Basic → Special → Basic (BSB) to perform EX Special Attack: Earth Shaker. Then input Special → Special → Basic (SSB) for Mountain Tremor - Wrath. This enhanced attack follows Earth Shaker and benefits from Mountain's Might while Visage of Wrath is active.
- Continue with One's Path and Lion's Roar - Wrath. Input Special → Basic → Special (SBS) for One's Path, followed by Basic → Basic → Special (BBS) for Lion's Roar - Wrath. These attacks form the second pair of EX Special Attacks and complete a four-attack burst sequence while consuming Mountain's Might.
- Finish with Crushing Peaks and Toppling Mountain. After executing at least two different qualifying EX Special Attacks, hold Basic Attack. Banyue performs Crushing Peaks and automatically follows with Toppling Mountain, dealing two powerful Fire Sheer DMG attacks before leaving Visage of Wrath.
- Use Ultimate when available and begin rebuilding. If Decibel Rating is at Maximum, Ultimate: The World Trembles can extend the damage sequence. Its timing should account for the remaining Stun window and any available Chain Attacks. After the finisher, rebuild Wrathful Fires for the next transformation rather than trying to repeat the enhanced combo without sufficient resources.
The BSB → SSB → SBS → BBS sequence gives you a concrete set of inputs to practice. More advanced execution involves Perfect Cancels, which interrupt an EX Special Attack after its effective hit window while preserving the attack's result. Canceling too early can lose damage, so the timing matters. During Visage of Wrath, Mountain's Might makes these cancels easier to execute.
For a simpler approach, holding Special Attack while Banyue has Mountain's Might in Visage of Wrath launches a fixed sequence of four different EX Special Attacks followed by Toppling Mountain. This avoids the individual quick inputs but does not provide the same control over Perfect Cancels or the Crushing Peaks setup. Use it when consistent execution matters more than fitting every possible attack into a short Stun window.
What is the Best Weapon for Banyue?
Banyue benefits most from W-Engines that improve HP, CRIT, Fire DMG, or Sheer DMG. ATK-based W-Engines are not automatically unusable because Rupture agents receive some Sheer Force from ATK, but they generally provide less efficient stat value for Banyue than engines built around his stronger HP conversion and damage bonuses.
- Signature W-Engine: Wrathful Vajra (S-Rank). At Lv.60, it provides 713 Base ATK and 30% HP. At R1, its passive increases CRIT Rate by 20%. Each EX Special Attack grants 9% Fire Sheer DMG for 20 seconds, stacking up to twice for a total of 18%. The two stack durations are tracked separately. Its HP stat improves Sheer Force, the CRIT Rate makes balancing Drive Discs easier, and its Fire Sheer DMG bonus applies directly to Banyue's main damage type. The Base ATK still contributes through the standard Rupture conversion, but it is not the primary reason to equip this engine.
- Premium Alternative: Qingming Birdcage (S-Rank). Yixuan's signature W-Engine provides 743 Base ATK and 30% HP at Lv.60, along with an unconditional 20% CRIT Rate bonus at R1. Its additional effects focus on Ether DMG and Ether Sheer DMG, which do not benefit Banyue's Fire attacks. If you already own it, the HP and CRIT Rate make it a useful alternative. Pulling it specifically for Banyue is harder to justify because much of the passive remains unused.
- Accessible Alternatives: Cauldron of Clarity and Puzzle Sphere (A-Rank). Cauldron of Clarity provides 25% HP at Lv.60 and gains stacking DMG bonuses from EX Special Attacks, with an additional CRIT Rate bonus after reaching three stacks. It fits Banyue's frequent EX Special usage well if you already have it. Puzzle Sphere is a craftable Rupture option that grants 16% CRIT DMG for 12 seconds after an EX Special Attack at R1, plus additional EX Special Attack damage against enemies below 50% HP. Its ATK% secondary stat is less valuable than HP%, so it is a budget compromise rather than an equal replacement for Wrathful Vajra.
Radiowave Journey also provides HP and temporary Sheer Force from Chain Attacks or Ultimates, but it is a Battle Pass W-Engine rather than a free option. Its buff timing is less consistent with a rotation that deals substantial damage through EX Special Attacks between Chain Attacks and Ultimates. If you already have Cauldron of Clarity or a suitable alternative, there is little reason to acquire Radiowave Journey specifically for Banyue.
Which Gear and Stats Maximize Banyue's Damage?
Banyue's Drive Discs should strengthen the stats that actually feed his Fire Sheer DMG: CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, Max HP, and applicable damage bonuses. ATK% remains a lower-priority contributor through the standard Rupture conversion, not a dead stat. The distinction matters when choosing between two pieces with similar CRIT rolls: HP% generally provides more Sheer Force for Banyue than an equal percentage of ATK.
Recommended Drive Disc Sets:
- 4-Piece Yunkui Tales: The two-piece bonus gives 10% HP. Its four-piece effect grants 4% CRIT Rate after using an EX Special Attack, Chain Attack, or Ultimate, stacking up to three times for 12% CRIT Rate. At three stacks, Banyue also gains 10% Sheer DMG. These bonuses match his HP conversion and EX-heavy rotation without asking him to use attacks outside his normal kit.
- 2-Piece Woodpecker Electro: Adds 8% CRIT Rate. This is useful if your current gear lacks enough CRIT Rate to make Banyue's major attacks consistently crit. The two-piece effect is the reason to use this set; its four-piece ATK-stacking effect is a lower-value alternative to Yunkui Tales for his damage formula.
- 2-Piece Branch & Blade Song: Provides 16% CRIT DMG. Consider it when your CRIT Rate is already well covered by Wrathful Vajra, Yunkui Tales, and substats. You do not need to satisfy the separate four-piece Anomaly Mastery conditions to benefit from this two-piece bonus.
For most builds, start with 4-piece Yunkui Tales + 2-piece Woodpecker Electro or Branch & Blade Song. Which two-piece set is better depends on your in-combat CRIT Rate. If you are already close to 100% after buffs, adding more CRIT Rate has limited value, and CRIT DMG becomes more attractive. A well-rolled existing set can still be worth using while farming Yunkui Tales, but replacing it with pieces that have much worse substats is not automatically an upgrade.
Main Stat Priorities:
Slot 4 — CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG: CRIT Rate is the safer choice when your weapon and substats do not provide enough. With Wrathful Vajra's 20% CRIT Rate and Yunkui Tales' potential 12%, a CRIT DMG main stat may be more efficient. Judge the final choice from in-combat CRIT Rate rather than assuming one main stat works for every account.
Slot 5 — Fire DMG Bonus, with HP% as an alternative: Fire DMG Bonus increases Banyue's Fire Sheer DMG directly, while HP% adds Sheer Force through his Core Passive. Fire DMG Bonus is a strong default when substats are comparable, but a better-rolled HP% disc can compete, particularly when the team already supplies substantial Fire DMG bonuses.
Slot 6 — HP%: This is the most consistent choice for his main scaling. Each additional point of Max HP contributes 0.1 Sheer Force through One With the Mountains. ATK% should not replace HP% here merely because ATK also has a smaller conversion into Sheer Force.
Sub-Stat Priority:
CRIT Rate / CRIT DMG > HP% > ATK% > Flat HP is a useful general order before accounting for your existing CRIT balance. Raise CRIT Rate toward a reliable in-combat level, then put more weight on CRIT DMG and HP%. The exact balance changes with W-Engine choice, Yunkui Tales stacks, and teammate buffs.
The reason ATK% appears below HP% rather than being removed entirely is the Rupture mechanic. Rupture agents gain Sheer Force equal to 30% of their current ATK, and Banyue gains additional Sheer Force equal to 10% of his Max HP. A gain of 100 ATK therefore contributes 30 Sheer Force, while a gain of 100 Max HP contributes 10. However, equal ATK% and HP% rolls do not add equal flat stats: Banyue has a much larger HP pool than ATK pool. That is why HP% usually wins when comparing equivalent percentage bonuses, even though ATK% is not worthless.
His Fire attacks use Sheer Force and their listed skill multipliers to determine damage. CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG affect critical hits, Fire DMG Bonus improves his Fire damage, and Sheer DMG bonuses improve the corresponding damage type. Enemy DEF is already ignored by Sheer DMG, but Fire RES and applicable damage-taken effects still apply. Building PEN Ratio to bypass DEF is therefore not a priority, and Anomaly Proficiency should not replace his main damage stats unless you are deliberately pursuing a different team objective.
What Are the Best Team Comps for Banyue?
Banyue wants enough field time to generate resources and perform his EX Special Attacks, but he also benefits from a Stun window long enough to finish Crushing Peaks and Toppling Mountain. His Additional Ability requires another Support or Stun agent, so both teams below activate Mountain's Zenith. The remaining decision is whether your account needs stronger off-field support, more reliable Stun control, or a lower-cost substitute.
Team 1: The Premium Fire Nuke (Banyue + Ju Fufu + Lucia)
- Ju Fufu (Fire Stun): Ju Fufu can contribute Daze while Banyue remains active. Her Tiger's Roar buff provides CRIT DMG and increases Chain Attack and Ultimate damage, with its CRIT DMG value depending on her own ATK investment. Her additional Decibel-related effects also support teams that want to use more Ultimates during an encounter. This makes her useful without requiring Banyue to give up extended field time.
- Lucia (Ether Support): Lucia provides Sheer Force-oriented support and healing, fitting Banyue's HP-based damage scaling and his occasional HP consumption. Her buffs are more directly aligned with his damage formula than ordinary ATK-focused support alone. Apply the relevant effects before Banyue begins his enhanced sequence, and use her healing when his HP has been reduced by Inflame or incoming attacks.
This team suits accounts that already own both premium supports and prefer a rotation built around Banyue staying on the field. Ju Fufu helps create damage opportunities while Lucia strengthens the damage dealt inside them. The limiting factor remains execution: an early Stun with insufficient Wrathful Fires can leave Banyue unable to use his complete burst sequence, regardless of how strong the team buffs are.
Team 2: The Stun & Shred Comp (Banyue + Dialyn + Pan Yinhu)
Dialyn (Physical Stun) offers Stun control and Ultimate-related utility that can improve Banyue's opportunities to finish his burst. Her ability to extend Stun windows is particularly relevant because Banyue needs time to execute multiple EX Special Attacks before his finisher. The team benefits from planning those windows rather than simply stunning the enemy as quickly as possible.
Pan Yinhu (Physical Defense) supports Rupture damage through Meridian Flow, which grants Sheer Force to the agent entering through the appropriate Quick Assist or Chain Attack. His Depleted Qi effect also increases damage taken by affected enemies by 20% for 10 seconds when the Additional Ability conditions are met. Unlike a conventional ATK buffer, Pan Yinhu supplies a direct Sheer Force contribution and a separate damage-taken debuff, both of which are relevant to Banyue's damage formula.
Compared with the Ju Fufu and Lucia combination, this team focuses more on arranging Stun windows and using Pan Yinhu's targeted Sheer Force support. It is a reasonable alternative when Lucia is unavailable or already committed to another squad. Apply Meridian Flow to Banyue and make sure the relevant enemy debuff is active before spending his strongest attacks.
What Materials Are Needed to Upgrade Banyue?
Character promotion, standard skills, Core Skill upgrades, and W-Engine promotion have separate material requirements. The previous version of this article counted the Rupture Certification Seals twice and added the 800,000-Denny promotion cost to a character total that already included it. The figures below separate the categories so the final totals can be checked without double counting.
Character Leveling & Skill Materials:
- Character EXP: 300 Senior Investigator Logs to reach Lv.60. These can be farmed through Combat Simulation's Investigator Log stages.
- Promotion: 4 Basic Rupture Certification Seals, 32 Advanced Rupture Certification Seals, and 30 Arbiter Certification Seals, plus 800,000 Dennies. Farm the seals through the Rupture promotion challenge in Combat Simulation.
- Five Standard Skills to Lv.12: 25 Basic Burn Chips, 75 Advanced Burn Chips, 250 Specialized Burn Chips, 5 Hamster Cage Passes, and 2,500,000 Dennies. Burn Chips come from Fire skill-material Combat Simulation challenges; Hamster Cage Passes come from sources such as New Eridu City Fund and eligible events.
- Core Skill A-F: 9 Crimson Miasma Spikes, 60 Higher Dimensional Data: Miasmic Elytron, and 405,000 Dennies. Crimson Miasma Spike drops from Notorious Hunt: Wandering Hunter. Miasmic Elytron is obtained from Expert Challenge: Miasma Ravager - Avarus.
- Total Character Investment: 3,705,000 Dennies for promotion, all five standard skills at Lv.12, and Core Skill A-F. This total excludes separate W-Engine upgrades and Drive Disc investment.
The Denny calculation is 800,000 for promotion + 2,500,000 for standard skills + 405,000 for Core Skill upgrades = 3,705,000 Dennies. The certification seals total 4 Basic, 32 Advanced, and 30 Arbiter; they should not be added again because the same promotion materials appear in both the individual promotion and full-build records.
Weapon Materials (Wrathful Vajra):
Wrathful Vajra requires 400,000 Dennies for its five W-Engine promotion stages, along with 4 Rupture Components, 32 Reinforced Rupture Components, and 30 Specialized Rupture Components. These are W-Engine components, not the Rupture Certification Seals used for Banyue's character promotion. The components can be obtained through the corresponding W-Engine Modification challenges in Combat Simulation.
Reaching Lv.60 also requires W-Engine EXP. An S-Rank W-Engine needs 600,000 EXP for the full leveling path, equivalent to 200 W-Engine Energy Modules if using only that material type. The 400,000-Denny figure refers to W-Engine promotion and should not be mistaken for every possible enhancement expense. Keep weapon costs separate from Banyue's 3,705,000-Denny character build budget.
Which Constellations (Cinema) Are Worth Getting?
Banyue's Mindscape Cinema upgrades improve his Fire Sheer DMG, resource management, and finishing attacks. M1 provides a mix of resistance reduction and additional damage against affected targets, while M2 strengthens the buffs already built into his Core Passive. Later Mindscapes improve specific parts of his combo, but they do not remove the need to build Wrathful Fires and execute his attacks correctly.
| Level | Effect | Investment Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| M1 | Greed Burns Like Fire: One's Path and Earth Shaker inflict Tremor, reducing enemy Fire RES by 10% for 30s. Several specified attacks deal 10% increased Sheer DMG against enemies with Tremor. Crushing Peaks can also extend the current Stun duration by 2s when it hits a Stunned enemy, once per Stun and without stacking with similar effects. | Useful for teams that can reliably apply Tremor before their main damage sequence. The Stun extension provides an additional execution window but is not a permanent extension on every attack. |
| M2 | Anger Cuts Like a Blade: The Core Passive's CRIT DMG and Fire DMG bonuses each increase by an additional 15%. During Visage of Wrath, consuming Mountain's Might with an EX Special Attack restores 5 additional Adrenaline. | Improves both damage bonuses and resource recovery. It is a direct enhancement to Banyue's existing rotation rather than a completely different playstyle. |
| M3 | Ignorance Binds Like Chains: Basic Attack, Dodge, Assist, Special Attack, and Chain Attack levels increase by 2. | Raises standard skill multipliers. It does not replace Core Skill investment or change how Wrathful Fires are generated. |
| M4 | Purge Unit - Type Zero: Increases damage from Lion's Roar - Wrath, Mountain Tremor - Wrath, Toppling Mountain, and Crushing Peaks by 30%. | Targets the attacks that contribute heavily to his enhanced sequence. Its value depends on consistently executing those attacks rather than ending Visage of Wrath prematurely. |
| M5 | Student: Basic Attack, Dodge, Assist, Special Attack, and Chain Attack levels increase by 2. | Another standard skill-level increase. The original article incorrectly described this as a Core Skill upgrade. |
| M6 | Descended Vidyaraja: EX Special Attacks can grant Vidyaraja at any time. The Fire DMG bonus per stack increases by an additional 8%, and the duration extends to 30s. Crushing Peaks also deals an additional area attack equal to 600% of Banyue's Sheer Force. Dodge: Battle Cry used immediately after an EX Special Attack can also grant Vidyaraja. | Expands buff access and adds damage to Crushing Peaks. It is a substantial high-investment upgrade, but the additional attack is tied to a specific move rather than every attack. |
For a player considering one extra copy, M1 has a clear practical benefit through Fire RES reduction and its conditional Stun extension. M2 improves the damage and resource economy of the normal combo. Neither upgrade is required to access Banyue's core mechanics at M0, so the decision depends on whether the account already has suitable supports and an effective W-Engine. Without a defined team and encounter, assigning universal percentage gains or fixed tier rankings to each Mindscape would be misleading.
Is Banyue Worth Pulling?
Banyue is worth considering if your account needs a Fire damage dealer and already has, or plans to build, teammates who can create reliable Stun windows and support Rupture damage. His kit rewards precise input sequences and resource planning, especially when Crushing Peaks and Toppling Mountain are used within the same enhanced rotation.
His main limitation is not simply survivability. Inflame can reduce his HP to 50%, but he also has defensive tools, invulnerable attack animations, and opportunities to recover through teammates. The bigger challenge is coordinating Wrathful Fires, Mountain's Might, support buffs, and enemy Stun duration. A strong support team cannot fully compensate for entering a burst window without the resources needed to finish the combo.
Players who already own Lucia, Dialyn, Ju Fufu, or suitable Rupture support options have more flexibility when building around him. For accounts with limited upgrade materials or Polychromes, it makes sense to evaluate existing Fire damage dealers and available W-Engines before committing to Banyue and his signature weapon together. He offers a distinctive combo-based playstyle, but his value is tied to the investment and execution your account can support.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Managing Banyue's HP Drain Without Dying
Inflame consumes HP only while Banyue is outside combat and above 50% HP, and the skill cannot reduce him below 50% Max HP. Avoid treating it as a repeatable in-combat resource generator. Before the next fight, make sure the team has enough healing or defensive support to handle the lower starting HP. Lucia can provide healing alongside damage-oriented support, while Banyue's parry and invulnerability windows help him avoid unnecessary damage once combat begins. More Max HP also increases his Sheer Force, so HP investment supports both damage and survival.
ATK% and Sheer Force on Banyue's Drive Discs
ATK% is not completely useless, but it is usually less valuable than HP% and well-balanced CRIT stats. Rupture agents convert 30% of current ATK into Sheer Force, and Banyue's Core Passive adds another 0.1 Sheer Force per point of Max HP. His Fire attacks then use Sheer Force for their damage scaling while ignoring enemy DEF. Prioritize CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, and HP%, with Fire DMG Bonus on Slot 5 when appropriate. ATK% can remain on otherwise strong pieces, but it should not be the stat you deliberately chase over those stronger options.
Building Wrathful Fires Consistently
The quickest pre-combat setup is Inflame, which converts HP into Wrathful Fires and enters Visage of Wrath once 120 is reached. In active combat, spend Adrenaline on EX Special Attacks and use Defensive Assists, successful parries, Perfect Blocks, and Perfect Dodges to build the gauge. Each point of Adrenaline consumed grants 0.5 Wrathful Fires, while defensive actions provide smaller fixed gains. Aim to have the 120-point requirement ready before the enemy's main Stun window so you can spend that window on EX Special Attacks, Crushing Peaks, and Toppling Mountain instead of resource generation.
