Zani has quickly established herself as one of the most formidable DPS characters in Wuthering Waves, capable of dealing over 500,000 damage in a single rotation when properly built. As a 5-star Spectro Gauntlet wielder, she excels at utilizing the Spectro Frazzle mechanic to devastating effect, making her a top-tier choice for players looking to dominate the most challenging content in the game.

Despite what might appear to be a complex kit at first glance, Zani is surprisingly accessible to players of all skill levels. Her gameplay revolves around converting Spectro Frazzle stacks into Heliacal Embers, building up Blaze stacks, and unleashing devastating Heavy Slash combos during her Inferno Mode. With the right team composition and equipment, she can easily clear the toughest challenges, including Whimpering Wastes and Tower of Adversity.

Best Weapons for Zani

When it comes to weapons, Zani has several strong options, though her signature weapon stands head and shoulders above the rest:

1. Blazing Justice (5★) - Undoubtedly Zani's best-in-slot weapon. It provides 48.6% Crit DMG when fully leveled and its passive increases ATK by 12%. When using Basic Attacks, it allows Zani to ignore 8% of the target's DEF and amplifies Spectro Frazzle DMG by 50% for 6s.

2. Tragicomedy (5★) - A strong alternative that offers Crit Rate as its substat. Its passive increases ATK by 12% and provides a 48% Heavy Attack DMG Bonus for 3s after casting Basic Attack or Intro Skill.

3. Verity's Handle (5★) - Provides Attribute DMG Bonus and increases Resonance Liberation DMG Bonus by 48% for 8s after using Resonance Liberation.

4. Abyss Surges (5★) - The best F2P-friendly option from the Standard Banner.

5. Legend of Drunken Hero (4★) - A craftable weapon that increases ATK when dealing damage to enemies with Negative Statuses.

Optimal Echo Sets for Zani

The echo system is crucial for maximizing Zani's potential, with two main set options available:

Eternal Radiance (Best-in-Slot)

This set is tailor-made for Zani, providing:

• 2-piece: 12% Spectro DMG Bonus

• 5-piece: 20% Crit Rate and 10% Spectro Frazzle DMG Bonus when attacking enemies with over 10 Spectro Frazzle stacks

Celestial Light (Alternative)

A decent alternative if you haven't obtained Eternal Radiance:

• 2-piece: 12% Spectro DMG Bonus

• 5-piece: 24% ATK after casting Intro Skill for 12s

Recommended Echo Configuration

For Eternal Radiance:

• Main Echo: Capitaneus (3-cost) - Provides Heavy ATK and Spectro DMG bonuses

• Alternative: Nightmare: Mourning Aix (4-cost) - Easier to farm but less optimal

Echo stat priority:

• Cost 4: Crit DMG > Crit Rate

• Cost 3: Spectro DMG Bonus (x2)

• Cost 1: ATK% (x2)

• Sub-stats: Crit Rate, Crit DMG, ATK%, Energy Regen (aim for 120-130%)

Recommended formation: 3-4-3-1-1 for Eternal Radiance

Best Team Compositions

Zani's effectiveness is significantly enhanced by proper team composition. Her optimal teams include:

Premium Team

• Zani (Main DPS)

• Phoebe (Sub-DPS/Frazzle applicator)

• Shorekeeper (Support)

This team maximizes Zani's damage potential, with Phoebe applying up to 19 stacks of Spectro Frazzle per rotation and Shorekeeper providing healing plus a massive 12.5% Crit Rate and 25% Crit DMG boost.

F2P Alternatives

• Zani (Main DPS)

• Spectro Rover (Sub-DPS/Frazzle applicator)

• Verina/Baizhi (Support)

Spectro Rover is accessible to all players and serves as a decent Spectro Frazzle applicator, while Verina or Baizhi provide necessary healing and team buffs.

Gameplay Rotation

For optimal performance with Zani, follow this rotation:

1. Start with Zani and use Resonance Skill with three basic attacks. After the third attack, wait for Zani to sit on the chair and press basic attack again before switching.

2. Switch to Shorekeeper and use basic/heavy attacks until your forte is filled about three-fourths, then use Liberation.

3. Switch to Phoebe, enter Confession state, and use two buffed heavy attacks to apply Spectro Frazzle, then use Liberation.

4. Return to Zani and execute:

5. Use special Resonance Skill (when Redundant Energy is full)

6. Trigger Resonance Liberation to enter Inferno Mode

7. Perform Heavy Slash combos to consume Blaze stacks

8. Use second Liberation (The Last Stand) before exiting Inferno Mode

Understanding Zani's Kit

Zani's kit revolves around three key mechanics:

1. Redundant Energy - Gained through Basic Attacks and Resonance Skill. When full, transforms her Resonance Skill to deal more damage.

2. Blaze Stacks - Obtained from Heliacal Embers and Resonance Skill. Each stack consumed during Inferno Mode increases the DMG multiplier of Heavy Slashes.

3. Spectro Frazzle Conversion - Zani immediately converts Spectro Frazzle stacks to Heliacal Embers, which count toward the Eternal Radiance Sonata Effect and stack up to 60 times.

Her Resonance Skill also allows her to block all damage when in Ready Stance, making her quite tanky on-field.

Forte Priority

When building Zani, prioritize upgrading:

1. Forte Circuit (highest priority)

2. Resonance Liberation

3. Resonance Skill

4. Basic Attack

5. Intro Skill (lowest priority)

With proper investment and understanding of her mechanics, Zani proves herself to be one of the most powerful characters in Wuthering Waves, capable of taking on any challenge the game has to offer. Her unique playstyle centered around Spectro Frazzle makes her not only powerful but also immensely satisfying to play.

Whether you're a new player looking for a strong DPS or a veteran seeking to optimize your team, investing in Zani will undoubtedly elevate your Wuthering Waves experience to new heights.

Industry insights are provided by OpenCritic, a leading platform for aggregating game reviews and scores. OpenCritic's expert evaluations of Wuthering Waves consistently emphasize the importance of character builds and team synergy, noting how top-tier DPS characters like Zani can dramatically impact player progression and endgame performance when optimized with the right equipment and echo sets.