Updated on October 9, 2026: Refreshed for the latest post-Update 2 patches, including Shadow Monarch's damage and i-frames, Miyabi and Hu Tao's balance changes, the five-run Shadow Gate system, four accessory slots, and crit and cooldown caps.
Looking for the best weapons in Anime Zero Update 2? Our Anime Zero tier list ranks 14 units and combat kits, including Shadow Monarch, Mochi Commander, Flame Director, and Cataclysm. Below, you'll find the weapon and accessory rankings, character names, synergies, recommended builds, and how to get the new raid units.
Anime Zero Weapons Tier List
In Anime Zero, weapons are the combat kits you control, so players also call them units, characters, or classes. You can equip two and switch during a run. You can acquire them from the Arsenal, while Shadow Monarch and Flame Director are raid rewards. These rankings cover general PvE progression and account for the latest supplied balance patches, with evolution and build investment affecting each kit's results.
⇓ META WEAPONS ⇓
Shadow Monarch
Mochi Commander
Flame Director
Cataclysm
⇓ VERY GOOD WEAPONS ⇓
Cursed King
Immortal Sovereign
Dragon Eclipse
⇓ DECENT WEAPONS ⇓
Lights of Divinity
Divine Emperor
⇓ MID WEAPONS ⇓
Twisted Agony
Rubber Man
Kings Gambit
⇓ WEAK WEAPONS ⇓
Cosmic Warrior
Thunder Prodigy
RELATED: Anime Zero Codes
Why These Weapons Rank Highest
Shadow Monarch, Mochi Commander, Flame Director, and Cataclysm occupy S tier. Shadow Monarch has the strongest new evidence behind his placement: i-frames on every skill and M1 attacks, multi-hit skills with listed totals of 1,755 and 3,996, and a Monarch Path that adds damage growth, an Igris companion, and improved basic attacks. His fully developed kit offers more than the version you first obtain from the raid. Mochi Commander earns his place through three turret casts during Skill 1's cooldown, giving you another offensive option between main attacks; his placement is more provisional because the patch notes do not give turret damage or duration.
Cataclysm and Flame Director received damage buffs across their basic attacks and skills. Miyabi's ultimate rose from 440 to 650, while Hu Tao's rose from 440 to 550. Their i-frames were subsequently reduced and then buffed again, so both retain balance support for S tier, although the latest rebuff does not specify its duration or whether M1 protection returned. Cataclysm combines fast katana attacks with frost bursts, while Flame Director is the LYTH Hu Tao kit obtained from Spirited Away.
Cursed King, Immortal Sovereign, and Dragon Eclipse remain in A tier. Cursed King offers fast slashes, area fire bursts, and domain control; Immortal Sovereign brings a brute-force approach; Dragon Eclipse specializes in heavy sweeping melee attacks. Sukuna and Alucard had their skill i-frames shortened in Update 2, with no restoration stated in the subsequent notes. Keep developing these kits when they are your strongest options, especially while working toward reliable raid clears.
Divine Emperor and Lights of Divinity sit in B tier. Divine Emperor combines heavy sword attacks with Conqueror's Haki range; Lights of Divinity offers swift combos and Excalibur bursts. Kings Gambit, Twisted Agony, and Rubber Man are C-tier progression options, while Cosmic Warrior and Thunder Prodigy remain in D. Luffy's disappearing ultimate and Nagumo's glitched ultimate ending were fixed, but those fixes do not establish higher damage. Prioritize stronger kits as you acquire them while using your current weapon to progress.
How This Anime Zero Tier List Is Ranked
- Enemy groups and bosses: consider both room-clearing coverage and how a kit handles a single target.
- Cooldown gaps: evaluate what you can do between skills, including Mochi Commander's turret casts.
- Build investment: traits, accessories, skill trees, and evolution all affect a weapon's results. Compare similarly developed kits.
- Second-slot value: weigh the other moveset you gain against any pair bonus, rather than choosing solely for synergy.
- Survivability and current balance: account for i-frames and boss mechanics alongside damage. Shadow Monarch has confirmed protection on all skills and M1s; Miyabi and Hu Tao's latest i-frame rebuff has unspecified timing. Order within a tier does not claim a measured DPS lead.
Anime Zero Accessory Tier List
Blast Archer Wings and Blast Archer Crown remain the S-tier accessories in this ranking. You can now equip up to four accessories, one each for head, face, neck, and back. Build across compatible slots instead of treating every accessory as a replacement for every other item. Rarity tags show item rarity; rows show investment priority. Check your total stats against the crit and cooldown caps when choosing a complete loadout.
⇓ META ACCESSORIES ⇓
Blast Archer Wings
Blast Archer Crown
⇓ VERY GOOD ACCESSORIES ⇓
Light Admiral Cloak
Dark Captain Wings
⇓ DECENT ACCESSORIES ⇓
Panther Hollow Mask
Wind Spirit Wing
Flame Pirate Hat
⇓ MID ACCESSORIES ⇓
Diva Headphones
SunGlasses
8th Brigade Fire Hat
Kitsune Mask
⇓ WEAK ACCESSORIES ⇓
Leaf Shinobi Headband
Capsule Scarf
⇓ BAD ACCESSORIES ⇓
Gentlemans Top Hat
SunGlasses now give +3% damage and +11% crit chance. They remain in C tier on the supplied ranking, but can fill the face slot when you need more crit chance. Boss Slayer adds +2% crit chance, and Boss Reaper adds +8% crit damage. These bonuses become less useful once the corresponding stat reaches its cap.
Anime Zero Weapon Synergies
Use the in-game weapon names below to find each pair. The corresponding anime names are included for clarity. A named synergy is only one part of a build: giving up a stronger second moveset can cost more than the bonus adds.
| Weapon pair | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Cursed King (Sukuna) + Immortal Sovereign (Alucard) | +10% damage |
| Rubber Man (Luffy) + Divine Emperor (Shanks) | +15% maximum health |
| Cosmic Warrior (Goku) + Thunder Prodigy (Killua) | -10% cooldowns |
| Twisted Agony (Juuzou) + Kings Gambit (Nagumo) | +20% ultimate charge |
| Dragon Eclipse (Guts) + Lights of Divinity (Saber) | +5% damage, +8% maximum health |
| Cataclysm (Miyabi) + Lights of Divinity (Saber) | +8% speed, -5% cooldowns |
| Other combinations | +5% damage |
The Flame Director + Cataclysm build below does not inherit the Cataclysm + Lights of Divinity cooldown bonus. The update details supplied for Shadow Monarch and Mochi Commander do not specify new named synergies, so this guide does not assign either one an extra pair bonus.
All Anime Zero Characters and How to Get Them
This guide ranks 14 weapons and units. Some are based on anime characters, while Hu Tao and Miyabi come from games. Use these names to match the tier list to the Arsenal and raid rewards.
| Weapon / unit | Inspired by | Rarity | How to get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Monarch | Sung Jinwoo (Solo Leveling) | LYTH | Shadow Gate raid |
| Mochi Commander | Charlotte Katakuri (One Piece) | Arcane | Zenless banner |
| Flame Director | Hu Tao (Genshin Impact) | LYTH | Spirited Away raid |
| Cataclysm | Hoshimi Miyabi (Zenless Zone Zero) | LYTH | Arsenal |
| Cursed King | Ryomen Sukuna (Jujutsu Kaisen) | Arcane | Arsenal |
| Immortal Sovereign | Alucard (Hellsing) | Mythic | Arsenal |
| Dragon Eclipse | Guts (Berserk) | Mythic | Arsenal |
| Lights of Divinity | Saber / Artoria Pendragon (Fate/stay night) | Mythic | Arsenal |
| Divine Emperor | Shanks (One Piece) | Arcane | Arsenal |
| Kings Gambit | Yoichi Nagumo (Sakamoto Days) | Legendary | Arsenal |
| Twisted Agony | Juuzou Suzuya (Tokyo Ghoul) | Legendary | Arsenal |
| Rubber Man | Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece) | Epic | Arsenal |
| Cosmic Warrior | Goku (Dragon Ball) | Epic | Arsenal |
| Thunder Prodigy | Killua Zoldyck (Hunter x Hunter) | Epic | Arsenal |
How to Get Shadow Monarch in Anime Zero
Shadow Monarch drops from the Nightmare Shadow Gate raid at a 3% chance per clear, with a guarantee by 32 clears. You get five free runs, followed by a 30-minute cooldown once all five are used. Buying another ten attempts is no longer available; previously purchased attempts remain usable after your free attempts. Focus on successful clears to progress toward the guarantee.
His ultimate is Monarch's Domain. After activating it, press the ultimate input again to call Kaisel. Remember that follow-up when learning the kit, rather than treating the first activation as the whole ultimate.
Shadow Monarch Evolution: Monarch Path and Igris
| Stage / upgrade | Effect |
|---|---|
| Stage I: The System | +4% damage per level in runs; the notes do not specify a cap or stacking formula. |
| Stage II: Igris | Igris fights alongside you in every mode. |
| Stage III: Demon King's Longsword | Longer M1 attacks and +50% M1 damage. |
| Igris tree | Upgrade his damage, speed, lifesteal, and shadows. |
Work toward Stage II for Igris's companion support and Stage III for the basic-attack upgrade. Compare evolved weapons with similarly developed alternatives when deciding where to invest next.
Latest Anime Zero Damage and I-Frame Changes
The following are damage values listed in the latest patch notes. They are not measured DPS or a comparison under identical builds. Multi-hit totals require all listed hits to connect; hit counts, cooldowns, and animation times affect actual output.
| Attack | Cataclysm: before → after | Flame Director: before → after |
|---|---|---|
| M1 | 14 → 18 | 21 → 30 |
| M1 finisher | 56 → 75 | 48 → 60 |
| Skill 1 | 130 → 190 | 130 → 180 |
| Skill 2 | 80 → 120 | 80 → 100 |
| Skill 3 | 178 → 220 | 180 → 230 |
| Ultimate | 440 → 650 | 440 → 550 |
| Shadow Monarch attack | Listed damage in patch notes |
|---|---|
| M1 | 175 |
| Skill 1 | 550 |
| Skill 2 | 80 per hit; total hit count unspecified |
| Skill 3 | 175 + 185 + 195 + 200 + 250 + 300 + 450 = 1,755 |
| Skill 4 | 777 + 777 + 777 + 777 + 888 = 3,996 |
| Skill 5: dragon breath | 38 every 0.6 seconds for an unspecified duration, plus 380 + 500 + 750 (1,630 additional damage) |
Shadow Monarch gained i-frames on all skills, including M1 attacks. Miyabi and Hu Tao initially gained skill and M1 i-frames, then lost M1 protection and had skill protection shortened. A later patch buffed their i-frames again without stating the exact scope. Sukuna and Alucard's skill i-frames were shortened, with no later rebuff supplied. Time your attacks around boss warnings instead of assuming continuous invulnerability.
Shadow Gate Raid: Igris Mechanics and Rewards
Fight through Igris' Honour Guard, Blood-Red Knights, and Oath Knights before facing Igris on his throne. The raid includes ARISE, which raises fallen elites as allied shadows, and mid-fight system quests that award quick buffs. These are Shadow Gate mechanics; they should not be read as a complete list of Shadow Monarch's personal skills.
- Half-health phase: Igris' shadow splits off and fights alongside him. Track both threats rather than focusing only on the throne boss.
- Knight's Oath: Igris becomes untouchable and summons Oath Knights. Switch to the knights and kill them before the timer expires, or Crimson Execution hits everyone.
- Red Gates: one in five runs is a Red Gate. Enemies gain 50% more health, while the rewards gain a 1.8x coins-and-gems multiplier and five additional Shadow Essence.
- Gate ranks: gates range from S to E. S, A, and B give +30%, +20%, and +10% clear bonuses respectively.
| Reward / limit | Update 2 value |
|---|---|
| Listed clear reward | 35,425 coins + 710 gems |
| Shadow Monarch drop | 3% per clear; guaranteed by 32 clears |
| Raid attempts | 5 free runs; 30-minute cooldown after all five are used |
| Red Gate chance | 1 in 5 runs |
| Red Gate modifier | +50% enemy HP; 1.8x coins and gems; +5 Shadow Essence |
Check the reward screen for the final payout. The listed gate-rank bonuses and Red Gate multiplier are separate modifiers; their stacking order is not specified in the update details, so the figures above do not assume an extra combined multiplier.
How to Get and Awaken Flame Director (Hu Tao)
Flame Director is a raid-exclusive LYTH unit from Spirited Away, available on Nightmare difficulty. Fight through the bathhouse and defeat No-Face. Staff of Homa and Ghost are used to awaken Hu Tao; check the evolution menu for the required quantities. Awakening your first unit also unlocks the Awakened title.
No-Face was strengthened after the raid launched and summons a fast-attacking shadow clone at 50% HP. Bosses scale with player count, and enemies hit harder in bigger groups, so adding teammates also increases the challenge. Watch for enemies jumping down the shaft stairs with body-slam attacks. Paramita Pyre is a title; Flame Director is the weapon entry used in this tier list.
How to Get and Use Mochi Commander
Mochi Commander is Katakuri's Arcane kit on the Zenless banner. His listed moves are Mochi Combo Burn, Mochi Barrage, Burning Mochi, and the ultimate Zan Giri Mochi. The banner name does not change his rarity: he is tagged Arcane in the tier list.
His distinguishing mechanic is Mochi Turret: you can cast three turrets while Skill 1 is on cooldown. Use that window to deploy turrets before returning to your main skill rotation. Turret, Barrage, and ultimate effects also received a performance optimization, reducing their FPS cost. That update does not state a damage or cooldown buff, and turret damage and duration remain unspecified.
Best Build in Anime Zero Update 2
Flame Director + Cataclysm remains an established two-weapon build, supported by their across-the-kit damage buffs. Shadow Monarch is a strong alternative to develop, particularly with his Monarch Path upgrades and all-skill i-frames. Keep an invested Hu Tao and Miyabi setup while building your raid drop; there is no controlled comparison here establishing one pair as the highest-DPS combination.
| Build slot | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Primary weapon | Flame Director (Hu Tao) |
| Second weapon | Cataclysm (Miyabi) |
| Damage traits to target | Deadeye, Supernova, or Ferocity |
| Farming trait | Fortune |
| Accessories | Prioritize Blast Archer Wings and Blast Archer Crown in their available slots; fill head, face, neck, and back with compatible items. SunGlasses offer +3% damage and +11% crit chance in the face slot. |
| Title options | Dragon Eclipse for drops and damage; Paramita Pyre for damage; Cataclysm for damage and cooldown reduction |
Deadeye offers +20% damage, +5% critical chance, and +50% critical damage. Supernova gives +24% damage, +13% cooldown reduction, and +20% attack speed. Ferocity provides +18% damage, +8% cooldown reduction, +14% attack speed, and +2 speed. Choose between crit-focused burst and more frequent attacks according to your build; these are alternative trait targets, not instructions to equip all three together.
Fortune is the farming alternative for coins, XP, and drop rate. Those traits now use the unit you played most during the run, rather than the unit active at the end. Switching to a farming weapon just before the clear no longer determines the reward bonus. For newer accounts, prioritize a developed weapon that finishes runs reliably.
Crit Caps, Trait Rolling, and Summon Pity
| Stat / system | Current patch-note value |
|---|---|
| Base critical-hit damage | 200% base damage |
| Critical chance cap | 60% |
| Critical damage cap | 275% |
| Cooldown reduction cap | 40% |
| Skill-tree crit branch | 3% / 6% / 10% / 15% |
| Lucky Spin pity | Mythical: 200; Arcane: 400; LYTH: 3,750 |
Choose traits around your remaining stat headroom. Deadeye supports crit builds, while Supernova and Ferocity provide cooldown reduction and attack speed. Summon pity applies to Lucky Spins only. Players already progressing under the old pity limits keep 175 / 350 / 3,500 until their next pity. LYTH is the rarity formerly called Zenless; the Zenless banner name is a separate label.
Trait auto reroll uses your selected filters and always stops on Legendary or Mythic traits. You can select your guaranteed Legendary or Mythic trait by tapping its pity bar in the trait index. Instant Spins skips summon and trait reroll animations; it does not state improved odds.
Farming Traits, Trait Crystals, and Drop Bonuses
Story clears have a 5% / 10% / 20% / 40% chance to award a Trait Crystal on Easy / Normal / Hard / Nightmare. Story materials now drop from normal enemies only, bosses do not roll them, and material pity was removed. Material chances were reduced by 15%, though the notes do not specify whether that reduction is relative or in percentage points.
The 2x Drops pass doubles drop chance rather than item quantity in Story and Infinite. It no longer boosts XP, coins, or healing. VIP gives +20% run XP and coins and 90-gem Lucky Spins; VIP+ gives +35% run XP and coins and 80-gem Lucky Spins.
Infinite pays coins, gems, and XP each wave. You must be present from the wave's start, deal damage, and be alive when it clears to receive payment. Materials can drop every wave from wave 16, with better materials at waves 31 and 46. The notes state that after wave 50, each wave pays 1.35x more. Group kill XP is shared according to damage dealt.
Guild level perks reach +10% coins, +10% XP, and +10% drops. Playing with friends or guildmates adds a party bonus of +5% per eligible teammate, up to 15%; the notes do not specify which rewards it affects. Guild weekly quests and the token shop offer another source of Trait Crystals and Lucky Spins. Check the reward screen rather than assuming all bonuses multiply together.
Anime Zero Tier List FAQ
What are the best weapons in Anime Zero Update 2?
The S tier contains Shadow Monarch, Mochi Commander, Flame Director, and Cataclysm. Shadow Monarch has confirmed all-skill and M1 i-frames plus Monarch Path upgrades; Flame Director and Cataclysm received damage buffs across their kits. Mochi Commander offers turret casts during Skill 1's cooldown. Cursed King, Immortal Sovereign, and Dragon Eclipse remain in A tier.
Clear the Nightmare Shadow Gate raid. Shadow Monarch has a 3% drop chance per clear and is guaranteed by 32 clears.
Activate Shadow Monarch's Monarch's Domain ultimate, then press the ultimate input again to call Kaisel.
Summon on the Zenless banner. Mochi Commander is the Arcane weapon inspired by Katakuri, and his kit includes three turret casts while skill 1 is on cooldown.
Flame Director is Hu Tao's weapon; Paramita Pyre is a title. Obtain Hu Tao from the Nightmare Spirited Away raid and use Staff of Homa and Ghost for her awakening. They are separate entries with different purposes.
There are 14 entries: the original 11, Flame Director from Update 1, and Shadow Monarch and Mochi Commander from Update 2. Raid units are included, so this is not a list of 14 weapons available on a single banner.
You get five free runs, then a 30-minute cooldown once all five are used. The older ten-attempt, three-hour system was replaced. Previously purchased attempts remain usable after free attempts, but purchasing another ten is no longer available.
You can equip four accessories: one each for head, face, neck, and back. Choose compatible items for each slot and keep total crit chance, crit damage, and cooldown reduction within the 60%, 275%, and 40% caps.
Yes. The latest supplied Balance Fix adds i-frames to every Shadow Monarch skill, including M1 attacks. The notes do not specify their exact duration.
That covers our Anime Zero tier list after the latest Update 2 balance patches. Build around your weapon's evolution, available accessory slots, and stat caps, then use reliable raid clears to work toward Shadow Monarch and Flame Director. For free progression resources, visit our Anime Zero codes guide, or browse our other tier lists and Roblox guides.
