Astra Yao is set to become the leading Ether support character in Zenless Zone Zero. But what are her best features and optimal roles? As the second 5-Star Ether agent added to ZZZ, Astra is poised to push Nicole out of her position. While their abilities differ, the advantages of a 5-Star character compared to a 4-Star are always significant. Nevertheless, Nicole remains a solid option for secondary teams, particularly for those who might opt to bypass Astra.
Astra’s capabilities include Quick Assists, Chain Attacks, and her unique Idyllic Cadenza state. She can access this state through her EX Special, Ultimate, or Chain Attack, which boosts her team’s damage, attack power, and critical damage. Additionally, if she possesses any Chords—composed of 25 energy—Astra can help her teammates activate Quick Assists sooner. This all leads up to a powerful Ultimate that not only heals her allies but also unleashes an initial wave of Ether damage.
Top W-Engine Choices for Astra Yao in ZZZ
Limited Yet Effective Options
As expected, Astra’s optimal W-Engine is Elegant Vanity. This engine provides essential flat Attack and Attack percentage bonuses, which are critical since Astra’s Attack buffs are dependent on her stats. The first ability part gives the user 5 energy each time a teammate enters via an Assist or Chain Attack. Moreover, when the user consumes 25 energy or more—which corresponds to what Astra’s Chord uses—it grants the team a 10% damage boost that can stack twice.
Unfortunately, the alternatives for her are somewhat limited; the only other S-Rank engine does not suit her well. Bashful Demon is a decent substitute, offering a 10% Attack increase and a passive that boosts damage, but its Ice Damage bonus would not be utilized. For those less concerned with having maximum Attack, viable options include Kaboom The Cannon, which offers energy regeneration alongside some Attack boosts, or The Vault, which regenerates energy and enhances damage when dealing Ether damage.
Optimal Drive Discs for Astra Yao
Tailored for the Star Herself

The ideal Disc set for Astra Yao was introduced in Zenless‘s 1.4 update with Astral Voice. The two-piece setup grants a 10% Attack boost, further enhancing her buffs, and the four-piece allows for a stacking team-wide damage increase whenever Quick Assists are activated. Although this design typically deviates from usual early character sets, it perfectly aligns with Astra’s abilities and her goals for optimally supporting her team.
If personal damage output is a priority, Hormone Punk or Chaotic Metal would be excellent choices. Both provide 10% Attack boosts at two pieces for enhanced damage, benefiting both Astra and her team. Hormone Punk’s four-piece bonus delivers an additional Attack boost of 25%, but only for ten seconds. Meanwhile, Chaotic Metal’s four-piece enhances critical hits and Corruption damage, which may not aid Astra’s supportive role as effectively as other options. The two-piece bonuses from either of these two sets can serve as the additional slots for Astra Yao, regardless of the selected main set.
Disc 4 |
ATK%, (Crit If Desired) |
Disc 5 |
ATK% |
Disc 6 |
ATK% or Energy Regeneration |
To maximize her stats, focusing on raising Astra Yao’s Attack as high as possible is vital. Critical stats can largely be deprioritized, although investing some effort in them could enhance her damage output. Sub-stats are more flexible and can reflect personal preference; critical stats can boost personal damage, while HP or Defense can help sustain Astra Yao on the battlefield longer.
Top Teams for Astra Yao in ZZZ
A Versatile Agent with Long-Term Potential
Though Astra Yao has clear optimal placements, she demonstrates considerable versatility. Her primary and most effective pairing will likely emerge alongside her bodyguard, Evelyn, in the latter part of Version 1.5. Evelyn, a Fire Attack character focused on Assist and Chain attacks, can dominate field time when necessary, fitting perfectly with Astra’s playstyle, which requires less field time and includes some stasis-like buffing abilities. However, this combination may be the most resource-intensive as it necessitates acquiring both updated characters.
Another fantastic option for Astra Yao is Zhu Yuan, especially with well-crafted builds. As a premier Ether DPS character, Zhu Yuan benefits significantly from Astra’s buffs compared to those from Nicole while concurrently fulfilling her core passive. Astra’s style encourages Quick Assists, which can help Zhu Yuan activate her Enhanced Shotshells more rapidly. In summary, without the release of Evelyn, Zhu Yuan would serve as the strongest ally for Astra teams.
The choice of Stun agent will depend on which DPS character is selected and who synergizes best with them.
Beyond these two, the range of effective choices diminishes, but any character that benefits from Attack scaling can collaborate well with Astra Yao. The buffs she provides make her an asset that cannot be overlooked. While other units may exhibit better synergy, deploying Astra Yao instead would not greatly detract from the team’s effectiveness. Notable figures to consider include Harumasa and Miyabi. Ultimately, Astra Yao’s impressive kit suggests she is poised to be a character that endures in Zenless.
Overall, Astra Yao has been designed to be a groundbreaking support character in Zenless. HoYoverse consistently creates strong support units that stand up to the test of time, as seen in the most effective Harmony units in Honkai: Star Rail. Thus, even if she doesn’t find an immediate role, securing Astra Yao is a strategic move for the future. When she becomes available, these strategies offer the best approach to build and utilize Astra Yao in Zenless Zone Zero.