Combat Skills
Wields her blade and performs up to 5 consecutive attacks while in Reality Form, dealing Incantation DMG. Pulls in targets within range on the 5th instance of Basic Attack. Gains the Hunt buff for the attack's duration.
Wields her blade to pull the silk and performs up to 4 consecutive attacks while in Illusion Form, dealing Incantation DMG and inflicting 1 stack of Heartwrench on hit. Pulls in targets within range on the 3rd instance of Basic Attack. Each Nightmare Waltz attack spreads up to 4 DoT effects from the target to all enemies in the area, including the original target. Gains the Delusion buff for the attack's duration. The DMG dealt by Nightmare Waltz counts as Follow-up Attack DMG.
Hold Basic Attack during the 1st or 2nd stage of Wildfire while in Reality Form to trigger Flickering Shadow, dealing Incantation DMG.
Hold Basic Attack during the 1st or 2nd stage of Nightmare Waltz while in Illusion Form to trigger Moonfall, dealing Incantation DMG. Inflicts 1 stack of Heartwrench on hit. The DMG dealt by Moonfall counts as Follow-up Attack DMG.
Press Basic Attack while airborne to plunge, dealing 1 instance of Incantation DMG in an area upon impact. Increases DMG based on fall height by up to 100%.
Press Basic Attack after a Critical Dodge to deal Incantation DMG and reduce Break.
Passive 1
Scorch Enhancement: Scorch can be stacked up to 3 times. For each DoT effect allies inflict on a target afflicted with Scorch, Zankou inflicts 1 stack of Scorch on them, replacing the DMG, type, and duration of existing Scorch on the target with those of the newly inflicted effect. Scorch inflicted by this effect cannot trigger it again.
Countless flames merge into a silent sun, burning every gaze into the same hue.
Passive 2
Sets Zankou's Cycle Energy to 100 upon entering battle. Cooldown: 30s. Triggers only once per battle. Increases Zankou's Cycle Intensity by 100 while she is on the team.
Lose yourself in the intoxicating crimson of her gaze, and never wake again.
Awakenings
Abyss in the Eyes
★ PriorityZankou's Basic Attack: Prairie Fire, Basic Attack: Fleeting Shadow, Dodge Counter: Void Wander and her enhanced Redirect Skills all spread her damage-over-time effects. She also holds Hunt and Delusion permanently — neither is cleared when she leaves the field or changes attack form, only when she is defeated. Hunt raises her own damage dealt to 40%, Delusion raises the whole team's damage-over-time CRIT DMG to 50%.
Best Zankou Arcs
Ravenous Blade
Zankou's signature and best-in-slot by a wide margin. 570 base ATK and 24% CRIT Rate, then more CRIT Rate and stacking CRIT DMG on top, all of it written around her kit. Nothing else is close.
Details100%
Team DPS · M1
Contemplative Cat
Chiz's signature, 512 base ATK and 44% CRIT DMG. For Zankou it is a stat stick and nothing more, though it closes some of the gap when she is played as a damage-over-time sub-DPS.
Details87.65%
Team DPS · M5
Watch Your Heads!
The best A-rank option at 475 base ATK and 40% CRIT DMG. Also a pure stat stick: she takes no part in Remora or Stain, and the Lakshana bonus does nothing for her.
Details87.64%
Team DPS · M5
Fluff of Finesse
The battle pass arc, 512 base ATK and 27.5% ATK. Serviceable, but there are better places to spend a battle pass.
Details86.55%
Team DPS · M1
Failing You, Heavy in My Heart
A-rank with 475 base ATK and 120 Break Intensity. Worth a look on an A5 break build, behind everything else otherwise.
Details82%
Team DPS · M5
Zankou is a crit-scaling on-field Incantation carry. Her signature arc already hands her a flat 32% CRIT Rate at R5, which is why CRIT DMG leads the priority and CRIT Rate sits further down than it would on most DPS. Cycle Intensity ranks second on both lists. Break Intensity is last and conditional: it only pays on the A5 break build, and is dead weight otherwise.
Best Zankou Modules
Console Grid
+16% CRIT DMG per Type III Module equipped
Recommended Sets
Type 2
Type 3
Type 3
Type 4
Main Stats
CRIT DMG
Incantation DMG
CRIT Rate
ATK%Sub Stats Priority
CRIT DMGBestDMG%ATK%
Break IntensityBest Zankou Teams — NTE
Zankou Skill Priority
Resonance
Crimson Feast
Poison Flame Sears the Heart
Skill Order
Skill
Ultimate
Basic
QTE
Best Zankou Awakening Nodes
Abyss in the Eyes
★ PriorityZankou's Basic Attack: Prairie Fire, Basic Attack: Fleeting Shadow, Dodge Counter: Void Wander and her enhanced Redirect Skills all spread her damage-over-time effects. She also holds Hunt and Delusion permanently — neither is cleared when she leaves the field or changes attack form, only when she is defeated. Hunt raises her own damage dealt to 40%, Delusion raises the whole team's damage-over-time CRIT DMG to 50%.
Zankou Build Summary — NTE S-rank Incantation Main DPS
Best Zankou build for NTE v1.3: Ravenous Blade signature arc, Crimson: Twin Butterflies cartridges, CRIT priority, skill order and best team comps.
The best arc for Zankou in Neverness to Everness is Ravenous Blade — Zankou's signature and best-in-slot by a wide margin. 570 base ATK and 24% CRIT Rate, then more CRIT Rate and stacking CRIT DMG on top, all of it written around her kit. Nothing else is close. If you don't have it, Contemplative Cat, Watch Your Heads!, Fluff of Finesse, Failing You, Heavy in My Heart are solid alternatives. For modules, run Crimson: Twin Butterflies with CRIT DMG, Cycle Intensity, Incantation DMG, CRIT Rate, ATK% as main stats and prioritize CRIT DMG and Cycle Intensity / CRIT Rate substats.
The best Zankou team (Best Team) pairs Zankou with Lacrimosa (Sub-DPS), Haniel (Buffer), Sakiri (Incantation Support).
- Role
- S-rank Incantation Main DPS
- Best Arc
- Ravenous Blade
- Alternative Arcs
- Contemplative Cat, Watch Your Heads!, Fluff of Finesse, Failing You, Heavy in My Heart
- Best Modules
- Crimson: Twin Butterflies
- Main Stats
- CRIT DMG, Cycle Intensity, Incantation DMG, CRIT Rate, ATK%
- Substats Priority
- CRIT DMG > Cycle Intensity / CRIT Rate > DMG% > ATK% > Break Intensity
- Skill Priority
- Skill > Ultimate > Basic Attack > QTE
- Best Awakenings
- A1, A2, A5
- Best Team — Best Team
- Zankou + Lacrimosa (Sub-DPS), Haniel (Buffer), Sakiri (Incantation Support)
- Key Ascension Material
- 86× Nest Guard Fragment
- Full Build Cost
- 2,693,000 Beetle Coins
Zankou Build FAQ
What is the best arc for Zankou in NTE?
The best arc for Zankou in Neverness to Everness is Ravenous Blade. Zankou's signature and best-in-slot by a wide margin. 570 base ATK and 24% CRIT Rate, then more CRIT Rate and stacking CRIT DMG on top, all of it written around her kit. Nothing else is close. Strong alternative: Contemplative Cat — Chiz's signature, 512 base ATK and 44% CRIT DMG. For Zankou it is a stat stick and nothing more, though it closes some of the gap when she is played as a damage-over-time sub-DPS.
What are the best teams for Zankou in NTE?
Best Team for Zankou in NTE: Zankou + Lacrimosa (Sub-DPS), Haniel (Buffer), Sakiri (Incantation Support). Alternative: Alt Team.
What is the skill priority for Zankou in NTE?
Recommended skill upgrade order for Zankou in NTE: Skill > Ultimate > Basic Attack > QTE.
What materials does Zankou need to ascend in NTE?
Ascending Zankou from Lv.20 to Lv.80 in Neverness to Everness costs 525,000 Beetle Coins plus 17× Blurred Numeral, 86× Nest Guard Fragment, 18× Unsolved Numeral, 15× Distorted Numeral. The full breakpoint-by-breakpoint breakdown is in the Materials tab above.
What materials do Zankou's abilities need in NTE?
Maxing all four of Zankou's combat abilities (Basic Attack, Skill, Ultimate and QTE, each to Lv.10) costs 1,748,000 Beetle Coins plus 40× First Expectations, 40× Blurred Numeral, 40× Known Weariness, 40× Unsolved Numeral, 32× Eternal Memory, 64× Black Hat, 64× Distorted Numeral in total.
What is the best Bond gift for Zankou in NTE?
Serenade is the cheapest way to raise Zankou's Bond in Neverness to Everness: 200 Affection for 3,000 Fons each. Feeding 280 of them takes Zankou from Bond Lv.1 to Lv.10 for 840,000 Fons.
How much does it cost to max Zankou's Bond in NTE?
Bond Lv.1 to Lv.10 needs 56,000 Affection. For Zankou the cheapest route costs 840,000 Fons (280× Serenade), while the fastest route costs 2,100,000 Fons but only takes 140 gifts (Moonmelt Tea Set, +400 Affection each).
Where Zankou Fits
Related NTE Builds
Zankou Full Build Total
The complete shopping list: leveling and ascending to Lv.80, all four combat abilities at Lv.10, and Ravenous Blade leveled and ascended to Lv.80 — every material summed. Values marked ~ are estimated.
Plan Zankou in the Ascension Planner →
~5,407,990
Beetle Coins
~325
Elite Guides
~1,622,891
~365
Chaotic Dye
~1,092,099
Ascension— Lv.20 → 80 ·525,000
Nest Guard Fragment
×86
Unsolved Numeral
×18
Blurred Numeral
×17
Distorted Numeral
×15
Abilities— 4 abilities · Lv.10 ·1,748,000
Black Hat
×64
Distorted Numeral
×64
First Expectations
×40
Blurred Numeral
×40
Known Weariness
×40
Unsolved Numeral
×40
Eternal Memory
×32
Ravenous Blade — Ascension— arc · Lv.20 → 80 ·420,000
Versey
×18
Unsolved Numeral
×18
Harmony
×18
Distorted Numeral
×18
Beaty
×14
Blurred Numeral
×14
Zankou Level-Up Cost (EXP)
Hunter Guides and Beetle Coins needed to level Zankou at each bracket — identical for every character. Values marked ~ are estimated pending in-game confirmation.
25,198Beetle Coin
×5Elite Hunter Guide
×1Rising Hunter Guide
Total to reach Lv.20 from Lv.1 — 25,198 Beetle Coins · ≈6 Elite Hunter Guides
Zankou Ascension Materials
Materials needed to raise Zankou's level cap at each breakpoint, from Lv.20 up to Lv.80.
25,000Beetle Coin
×5Blurred Numeral
Total to reach Lv.30 from Lv.20 — 25,000 Beetle Coins
Zankou Ability Materials
Upgrade cost per level for one combat ability — Basic Attack, Skill, Ultimate and QTE all share the same table, so budget ×4 to max the full kit.
2,000Beetle Coin
×2First Expectations
×2Blurred Numeral
Total to reach Lv.2 from Lv.1 — 2,000 Beetle Coins
Ravenous Blade — Signature Arc Materials
Everything needed to take Zankou's best-in-slot arc, Ravenous Blade, from Lv.20 to Lv.80.
20,000Beetle Coin
×4Beaty
×4Blurred Numeral
Total to reach Lv.30 from Lv.20 — 20,000 Beetle Coins
Zankou Bond Gifts
Bond runs Lv.1 → Lv.10 and needs 56,000 Affection in total. The cheapest way to get there for Zankou is Serenade — 200 Affection for 3,000 Fons each, so 280 gifts and 840,000 Fons in total. Each row below is the best-value gift Zankou likes at that Affection bracket, so the choice is Fons against time: the budget route costs the least but takes hundreds of feeds, the fastest route maxes Bond in far fewer.
Serenade
Each
3,000To max
×280840,000
Total to Lv.10
Moonmelt Tea Set
Each
15,000To max
×1402,100,000
Total to Lv.10
Affection per Bond level
| Bond level | Affection for this level | Total from Lv.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Lv.1 | — | 0 |
| Lv.2 | +500 | 500 |
| Lv.3 | +1,000 | 1,500 |
| Lv.4 | +2,000 | 3,500 |
| Lv.5 | +3,500 | 7,000 |
| Lv.6 | +5,000 | 12,000 |
| Lv.7 | +7,000 | 19,000 |
| Lv.8 | +9,000 | 28,000 |
| Lv.9 | +12,000 | 40,000 |
| Lv.10 | +16,000 | 56,000 |
Zankou Skins & Outfits
5Click a skin to preview it on the model
Autumn Vignette
A-RankAutumn Vignette outfit for Zankou in Neverness to Everness (NTE).