Zenless Zone Zero introduced Astra Yao, the first limited S-Rank Support character in the game. She brings powerful team-wide buffs and healing to any squad through her unique singing state mechanic. As an Ether specialist from the Stars of Lyra faction, Astra Yao excels at boosting your team’s damage while keeping everyone alive. This guide covers everything you need to know about building Astra Yao effectively.
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What Makes Astra Yao Special
Astra Yao stands out as the most flexible support character in Zenless Zone Zero. She fits into almost any team composition and provides multiple benefits at once. Her special ability called Idyllic Cadenza turns her into a powerful off-field supporter who remains on the battlefield while other characters fight.
When Astra enters her Idyllic Cadenza state, she increases all squad members’ damage by 20% and critical damage by 30%. She also provides attack buffs equal to 35% of her own attack stat, up to a maximum of 1,200 attack points. These buffs last for 20 seconds and can extend up to 30 seconds with repeated triggers.
Her Ultimate ability heals the entire team for 2,950 HP and enters her special state automatically. After using her Ultimate, the next two Quick Assists become Chain Attacks for extra damage. This makes her perfect for teams that want strong buffs, reliable healing, and smooth character rotations.
Best W-Engines for Astra Yao
Choosing the right W-Engine greatly improves Astra Yao’s performance.
Here are the top options:
| W-Engine | Rarity | Why It Works |
| Elegant Vanity | S-Rank | Her signature weapon with highest base attack. Gives 7 energy when allies use Quick Assist or Chain Attack. Provides 16% damage buff to all squad members. |
| Weeping Cradle | S-Rank | Strong alternative with high base attack. Grants energy when squad members enter through assists. Increases team damage by up to 16%. |
| Bashful Demon | S-Rank | Provides attack buffs after using EX Special Attack. Stacks up to 4 times for 12 seconds. Sometimes better than signature weapon at max refinement. |
| Kaboom the Cannon | A-Rank | Best budget option. Gives 16% attack buff to all allies for 8 seconds. Has energy regeneration as secondary stat. |
Best Drive Discs for Astra Yao
Astra Yao has one clear best Drive Disc set with solid backup options:
Best Choice: Astral Voice (4-piece) + Swing Jazz (2-piece)
The 4-piece Astral Voice increases the user’s attack by 10%. When squad members enter battle using Quick Assist, they gain an Astral stack. Each stack increases damage dealt by 8%, stacking up to 3 times. This set works perfectly with Astra’s kit since she constantly triggers Quick Assists.
The 2-piece Swing Jazz provides 20% energy regeneration. This helps Astra charge her Ultimate faster and maintain her buff uptime. Energy regeneration is critical for her playstyle.
Alternative Option: Swing Jazz (4-piece) + Hormone Punk (2-piece)
If someone else on your team already uses Astral Voice, equip Swing Jazz as your 4-piece. The full set gives energy regeneration and increases damage by 18% for 25 seconds when using EX Special Attack or Ultimate. The 2-piece Hormone Punk adds 10% attack.
Drive Disc Stats Priority
Here’s what stats you should aim for on each Drive Disc piece:
| Disc Slot | Main Stat | Priority Substats |
| Slot 4 | ATK% | ATK% > Energy Regen > CRIT Rate |
| Slot 5 | ATK% | ATK% > Energy Regen > CRIT Rate |
| Slot 6 | ATK% | ATK% > Energy Regen > CRIT Rate |
Substat Priority: ATK% > Energy Regen > CRIT Rate
Attack percentage is your most important stat because Astra’s buffs scale directly with her attack. You need at least 3,430 total attack to maximize her Core Skill buff effect. Energy regeneration comes second because more energy means more Quick Assists and faster Ultimate charging. Critical stats are optional but help if you want Astra to deal personal damage.
Skill Priority
Level up Astra Yao’s skills in this order:
- Core Skill – Top priority for maximum damage buffs
- Special Attack – Second priority for entering Idyllic Cadenza state
- Chain Attack – Third priority for increased healing from Ultimate
- Assist – Level after main skills
- Basic Attack – Lowest priority since she rarely uses it
- Dodge – Lowest priority
How to Play Astra Yao
Start battles by placing Astra Yao in the first position. Use her Special Attack immediately to enter Idyllic Cadenza state. She will stay on the field as an invulnerable singer while your other characters fight.
Rotate between your two main damage dealers using Quick Assists. Each time someone enters through Quick Assist, they gain attack buffs from Astra. This creates a smooth rotation where characters constantly swap in with enhanced stats.
Save Astra’s Ultimate for moments when your team needs healing or when you want to unleash Chain Attacks for burst damage. After using Ultimate, the next two character swaps become powerful Chain Attacks instead of regular Quick Assists.
With proper building and team composition, Astra Yao becomes an essential support character in Zenless Zone Zero. Her universal buffs, healing, and unique playstyle make her valuable for any team strategy while keeping everyone alive through challenging content.
