Best Arcs for Zankou
Zankou's best arc in NTE 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 Zankou doesn't have it yet, Contemplative Cat, Watch Your Heads!, Fluff of Finesse and Failing You, Heavy in My Heart are solid alternatives. 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. 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.
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
Sub Stats Priority
Best Zankou Teams in 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
Updated · Kit data from the game client · build guide by ntebuild.com
Zankou is the limited S-rank Incantation character who headlined Version 1.3 Phase 1, released August 19, 2026; her banner ran to September 9, 2026. She plays as an on-field Incantation carry built around CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG: her signature arc Ravenous Blade stacks CRIT DMG every time she deals Incantation damage, and Crimson: Twin Butterflies converts that same damage into stacking ATK.
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
FAQ · 3 questions
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.
Next steps for Zankou
Where Zankou Fits
- T0NTE tier listZankou is T0See the one-line reason and every other placement for Version 1.4.
- Team tier listBest Zankou teamsEvery top team ranked by tier, with each member's role.
- Ascension plannerPlan Zankou's materialsLevel, skill and arc costs against your inventory, with farm locations on the map.
- Banner scheduleCurrent & upcoming bannersWhen Zankou last ran, and every current and upcoming banner with its dates.