Ellen Joe Build Guide: Best W-Engines, Disc Drives, and Teams in ZZZ

So, the shark maid has bitten into the meta again. In Zenless Zone Zero, Ellen Joe is an S-rank Ice Agent who deals Ice anomaly and slashing damage. She specializes in both AOE and single-target Ice damage, and her entire kit leans on her unique dodge and sprint mechanic, Roaming State. For anyone building her in 2026, the classic 1.0 framework still gives a clear answer: build her as a main DPS, keep her on the field, and let Freeze do the crowd control.

Originally available on a limited-time banner during the 1.0 release, Ellen Joe is a shark-themed maid employed by Victoria Housekeeping. Her attacks rely on Roaming State, which lets her constantly apply Ice elemental damage to her target and nearby foes thanks to her large AOE slash range. She is a bit more complex to use than other agents, but many players consider her one of the most fun units to master. Ice can Freeze enemies, causing crowd control, so Ellen can keep wailing on enemies without worrying about them fighting back. That is why she can and should only be built one way: as a main DPS.

W-Engines: The Sharpest Tools for the Shark Maid

Deep Sea Visitor is the canon W-Engine. It increases Ice DMG by 25/31.5/38/44.5/50%. When a Basic Attack hits an enemy, the equipper's CRIT Rate increases by 10/12.5/15/17.5/20% for 8s. When dealing Ice DMG with a Dash Attack, CRIT Rate increases by an additional 10/12.5/15/17.5/20% for 15s. Each duration is calculated separately. Since Ellen applies Ice consistently upon entering Roaming State, Freeze triggers at a reliable pace. In practice, she constantly has a huge CRIT Rate boost, so players can roll other substats on Disc Drives. Its ATK% advanced stat gives +20% at base level, which is massive.

The Brimstone is a strong Attack option. Upon hitting an enemy with a Basic Attack, Dash Attack, or Dodge Counter, the equipper's ATK increases by 3.5/4.4/5.2/6/7% for 8s, stacking up to 8 times. This effect can trigger once every 0.5s, and each stack's duration is separate. Ellen stays on the field a lot, and her multi-hit Basic Attacks keep the max number of stacks active, making this a very good fit.

Cannon Rotor increases ATK by 7.5/8.6/9.7/10.8/12%. Attacks that land a CRIT inflict an additional 200% of ATK as DMG. This effect can trigger once every 8/7.5/7/6.5/6s. It is ideal for a heavy rotation team that swaps roughly every 8 seconds to proc the bonus. If a player wants extra CRIT and overall damage but does not have Deep Sea Visitor, this is the second-best CRIT-build option.

Street Superstar is suited to teams with high daze. Whenever a squad member launches a Chain Attack, the equipper gains a Charge stack, stacking up to 3 times. Upon activating their own Ultimate, the equipper consumes all Charge stacks, and each stack increases the skill's DMG by 15/17.2/19.5/21.7/24%. With Lycaon proccing more Chain Attacks, this W-Engine can boost Ellen's Ultimate damage considerably.

Disc Drives: Polar Metal or Puffer Electro

4-Piece Polar Metal + 2-Piece Woodpecker Electro is the classic Ice DPS setup. Polar Metal 2-piece increases Ice DMG by 10%. Polar Metal 4-piece increases Basic Attack and Dash Attack DMG by 20%. When any squad member inflicts Freeze or Shatter, this effect increases by an additional 20% for 12s. Woodpecker Electro 2-piece increases CRIT Rate by 8%. Main stats should be: IV. CRIT Rate% or CRIT DMG, V. Ice DMG, VI. ATK. Substat priority is 1. CRIT Rate% or CRIT DMG, 2. ATK%, 3. Anomaly Proficiency. This build maximizes Ellen's Ice damage, and because she uses Basic Attacks constantly, the investment pays off.

4-Piece Puffer Electro + 2-Piece Woodpecker Electro is the Ultimate-focused route. Puffer Electro 2-piece increases PEN Ratio by 8%. Puffer Electro 4-piece increases Ultimate DMG by 20%, and launching an Ultimate increases the equipper's ATK by 15% for 12s. Woodpecker Electro 2-piece adds 8% CRIT Rate. Main stats remain IV. CRIT Rate% or CRIT DMG, V. Ice DMG, VI. ATK. Substat priority is 1. CRIT Rate% or CRIT DMG, 2. ATK%, 3. Anomaly Proficiency, 4. PEN. This build focuses on Ellen's Ultimate, which has excellent scaling. It is meant for ending battles quickly with Ellen getting most of the Ultimate usage.

Skill Priority: Core Skill First, Always

1. Core Skill — always prioritize this first. It is the foundation of Ellen's damage.

2. Basic Attack — as a main hyper-carry DPS, Ellen uses Basic Attacks more than almost anything else.

3. Special Attack — raise this alongside Basic Attack because both are her most-used damage tools.

1. Ultimate — Ellen has great Ultimate scaling, especially with Puffer Electro. This should be high priority after Basic and Special.

1. Dodge — Ellen is dash-centric because she must dash constantly to enter Roaming State. Level this after Ultimate.

1. Assist — compared to the others, this is more like a 10 than a 5. Focus on every other skill before this one if resources are limited.

Bangboo: Sharkboo, Butler, or Penguinboo

Sharkboo is the thematic and practical pick. Its key trait: when there are 2 or more Ice Attribute characters in the squad, Bangboo Chain Attack inflicts 100% more Anomaly Buildup. Like Deep Sea Visitor, it fits Ellen's shark theme. Since Ellen is an Ice agent and pairs best with other Ice agents, this gives the team very high Freeze uptime, allowing more crowd control and more damage.

Butler increases Energy Regen Rate of Victoria Housekeeping Co. agents by an extra 20% if there are at least 2 Victoria Housekeeping agents in the squad. Ellen is a member of Victoria Housekeeping Co., so Butler gives her and her team additional Energy Regen if another Victoria Housekeeping agent is present. Combined with W-Engine bonuses and stats, this helps Ellen reach peak Energy Regen for faster Ultimate rotation.

Penguinboo is a weaker Sharkboo, but still functions greatly. When there are 2 or more Ice Attribute characters, Bangboo Chain Attack inflicts 60% more Anomaly Buildup. It helps the team apply Freeze more consistently.

Team Building: Ice, Freeze, and Victoria Housekeeping

For Ellen, the key team requirement is having at least 2 Ice or Victoria Housekeeping agents. When that condition is met, Ellen's additional ability makes subsequent Ice DMG increase by 3% for 10s after she deals Ice DMG, stacking up to 10 times. That turns her into an Ice DPS queen. Players should equip all 3 team members with Anomaly Rate% on their VI-Disc Drive for constant Freeze crowd control. Lycaon is a natural partner because he provides daze and more Chain Attacks, which also supports Street Superstar. A second Ice or Victoria Housekeeping ally rounds out the squad.

Final Verdict for 2026

Ellen Joe has a high skill ceiling. Players have to constantly go in and out of Roaming State and know when to charge her attack and when not to charge it, because that is where her high damage multipliers lie. Anyone who tries to abuse her charge attack will find themselves getting hit out of it. In the right hands, she was considered the strongest S-rank in the game as of 1.0. In 2026, her classic main DPS build remains a reliable foundation. If a limited rerun appears, she is still worth saving for, especially for players who enjoy a fast, dodge-heavy, freeze-focused playstyle. 🦈❄️