Zenless Zone Zero: December’s Exclusive Banners & Rewards

Zenless Zone Zero December Event: Navigating Limited-Time Banners, Elite Agents, and Pull Strategies

As Version 1’s premier winter celebration begins, Zenless Zone Zero participants face pivotal choices regarding their gacha currency. The event introduces four distinct time-limited banners, each showcasing exceptional S-Rank Agents and specialized W-Engines, available exclusively from December 17, 2025, at 12:00 to December 29, 2025, at 14:59 (server time). For Proxies deliberating between acquiring fresh combatants and reserving resources for future updates, a thorough grasp of the event’s mechanics, pity systems, and optimal acquisition tactics is indispensable.

The Urgency of This Banner Period

This particular banner rotation is critical for cultivating a robust lineup and enhancing long-term account viability, given that both potent S-Rank characters and game-changing W-Engines are exclusively accessible within this brief timeframe. It is imperative to note that none of these spotlighted S-Rank Agents or W-Engines will transition into the standard Star-Studded Cast Stable Channel. Consequently, this period represents the only chance for the immediate future to obtain these powerful additions to your arsenal.

Essential Information: Overview & Schedule

Event Period: December 17, 2025, 12:00 PM to December 29, 2025, 2:59 PM (server time)
Featured S-Rank Characters: Banyue (Fire – Rupture), Ellen (Ice – Attack)
Featured S-Rank W-Engines: Wrathful Vajra (Rupture), Deep Sea Visitor (Attack)
Prominent A-Rank Characters: Soukaku (Ice – Support), Seth (Electric – Defense)
Trial Opportunities: Audition Stages offer a chance to try out the highlighted Agents.
Pity System: Accumulates within its specific banner type; applies exclusively to its banner grouping.

Banner Lineup & Associated Characters

Banner Title	Availability Start	Availability End	Exclusive S-Rank Character	Highlighted A-Rank Characters
Through Night's Inferno	2025-12-17 12:00	2025-12-29 14:59	Banyue (Fire – Rupture)	Soukaku (Ice – Support), Seth (Electric – Defense)
Mellow Waveride	2025-12-17 12:00	2025-12-29 14:59	Ellen (Ice – Attack)	Soukaku (Ice – Support), Seth (Electric – Defense)
Dazzling Choir (W-Engine)	2025-12-17 12:00	2025-12-29 14:59	Wrathful Vajra (Rupture)	Bashful Demon (Support), Peacekeeper – Specialized (Defense)
Dazzling Melody (W-Engine)	2025-12-17 12:00	2025-12-29 14:59	Deep Sea Visitor (Attack)	Bashful Demon (Support), Peacekeeper – Specialized (Defense)

Important: S-Rank character acquisition attempts are distinct from W-Engine acquisition attempts, with separate pity tallies for their respective “Exclusive Channels” (for Agents) and “W-Engine Channels.” Crucially, any accumulated pity does not transfer to the standard permanent banners.

Illustrative Content

Consider incorporating a visual graphic that concisely presents banner schedules and summon probabilities, alongside thumbnails of the characters and W-Engines for improved user experience.

Image Description: “Promotional artwork showcasing the highlight S-Rank Agents and W-Engines available during Zenless Zone Zero’s December 2025 event banners.”

Understanding Event Dynamics & Systems

Decoding Banners & The Pity System

The character banners, Through Night’s Inferno and Mellow Waveride, operate under Exclusive Channels for S-Rank Agents. Pity accumulated here is specific to, and shared among, only these Exclusive Channels.
Conversely, Dazzling Choir and Dazzling Melody are part of the shared W-Engine Channels, meaning pity accumulates across both W-Engine banners.
It’s vital to remember that summon progress towards a guaranteed item does not transfer to the persistent Star-Studded Cast Stable Channel, nor is it interchangeable between character-focused and W-Engine-focused banners.

Key Implication: Engaging with one event Agent banner contributes to your pity for all active event Agents, and similarly for W-Engine banners. However, progress is isolated, with no transfer between Agent and W-Engine groups or to the regular banner.

Trial Stages & Audition Opportunities

Proxies who have reached Inter-Knot Level 8 and initiated the event by completing the Main Story Prologue – Intermission are eligible to experience Banyue, Ellen, Soukaku, and Seth within dedicated trial stages. These limited audition opportunities provide rewards upon first completion. Furthermore, players who have previously finished training stages for the mentioned A-Rank Agents will automatically receive the equivalent event rewards.

Reward Breakdown

Initial completion resources from trial stages.
Access to experiment with featured S-Rank and A-Rank characters.
Improved drop and reward percentages relative to regular operations.
Official announcements do not indicate any unique event currencies or dedicated store for exchanges.

Pulling Decisions: Advice for Free-to-Play & Budget-Conscious Players

Given the simultaneous availability of four distinct banners, astute management of your in-game resources is paramount. Keep these points in mind:

The featured S-Rank Agents are obtainable only for a limited duration, and no future reruns have been announced. Neglecting to acquire them now could result in a prolonged wait or forfeiture of the opportunity entirely.
While W-Engines can significantly amplify a character’s capabilities, free-to-play individuals might find greater long-term adaptability by prioritizing unique Agents over these specialized weapons.
Pity approach: As the exclusive character banners and W-Engine banners maintain independent pity counters, concentrate your summon efforts within a single category (either characters or weapons) to optimize your prospects of securing a guaranteed S-Rank item.
Valuable A-Rank characters such as Soukaku and Seth are obtainable from both S-Rank Agent banners, meaning that attempting to acquire either S-Rank Agent concurrently offers a good chance of adding these A-Ranks to your roster.

Suggested Team Compositions & Character Synergies

Banyue (Fire – Rupture) thrives in setups centered on damage over time (DoT) and area-of-effect (AoE) abilities, pairing effectively with allies that provide elemental reaction or Rupture-enhancing support.
Ellen (Ice – Attack) delivers substantial burst damage, making her ideal for freeze-oriented teams—compositions focused on incapacitating enemies or controlling crowds will benefit most.
Soukaku (Ice – Support) and Seth (Electric – Defense) are excellent additions to many effective team builds, particularly for free-to-play or nascent accounts, owing to their valuable support and defensive capabilities.
The ideal W-Engine selections (Wrathful Vajra, Deep Sea Visitor) are perfectly suited for their corresponding S-Rank Agents. However, their acquisition can be deferred if your immediate priority is bolstering core damage output.

Pre-Event Readiness Guide

Accumulate summoning currencies, taking into account the necessary pulls for guaranteed S-Rank acquisition.
Ensure daily and weekly tasks are completed to optimize resource generation.
Gather necessary ascension and experience materials in advance for Banyue, Ellen, and the useful A-Rank characters.
Utilize the Audition Stages to assess potential team synergies and unit effectiveness prior to making any summon commitments.

Additional Guides

For deeper strategic insights and current meta discussions, consult these resources from GenshinBuilds:

Concluding Remarks: Optimizing Your Gains in This Brief Event

The December banners in Zenless Zone Zero present crucial opportunities for strategic acquisitions, with choices made now potentially influencing your account’s power throughout 2026. Free-to-play or discerning players should prioritize securing the distinct S-Rank Agents, while those aiming for top-tier competitive advantage might pursue their corresponding W-Engines. As with any major event banner, keep an eye out for upcoming Version 2 announcements, and always confirm the precise conclusion times for banners to plan effectively.

@Official communications currently lack details on exact summon probabilities, the specific order of banner releases, or any rerun schedules beyond the present event timeframe.

For comprehensive pull analyses, explore GenshinBuilds’ detailed Tier Lists and banner reviews.