Billy build | Zenless Zone Zero
Zenless Zone Zero’s Billy casts a striking figure with spiky white hair, robotic features, and a stunning red leather jacket. But what do we know about this gun-wielding guy? Read on to find out how to build your free copy of Billy Kid with the best W-Engines and disc drives, and see how he slots into a team.
Don’t forget to grab all the Zenless Zone Zero codes for free tapes and denny, then see which characters we recommend pulling from the next Zenless Zone Zero banner in our Zenless Zone Zero codes. Plus, see what’s coming up in the next Zenless Zone Zero update and Zenless Zone Zero events.
Here’s everything you need to know about Zenless Zone Zero’s Billy.
What is the best Billy build?
Billy is an A-rank attack specialty agent that deals pierce damage with the physical element. He excels in ranged combat and is capable of hitting multiple targets at a time, honing in on one enemy, or dealing continuous damage with his pistols.
We recommend equipping Billy with his signature A-rank W-Engine, Starlight Engine Replica, to boost his physical damage. As for disc drives, we suggest going with a four-piece set of Woodpecker Electro and a two-piece set of Fanged Metal to boost his crit and physical damage in battle.
| Best W-Engine | Starlight Engine Replica |
| Best disc drives | Four-piece – Woodpecker Electro Two-piece – Fanged Metal |
| Main stats | Pen ratio > physical damage bonus > crit rate > crit damage |
| Sub-stats | Crit rate > crit damage > attack |
You can unleash some hefty showers of bullets upon enemies when his Decibel Rating is high enough, and Billy can provide some good attacks when swapped in to cover other squad members with an evasive assist. Billy gets some extra buffs if you have him in a squad with another physical damage dealer or member of the Cunning Hares, so keep that in mind when selecting your team – Zenless Zone Zero’s Nicole and Zenless Zone Zero’s Nekomata work very well with him.
What are Billy’s best W-Engines?
In true Billy Kid fashion, the best W-Engine for him is his signature A-rank, Starlight Engine Replica. This boosts his physical damage by a hefty percentage and doesn’t require you to be up close to enemies, so you can hit them from far away.
If you have Billy’s fourth mindscape cinema, the Starlight Engine Replica may not be the best choice as the buff triggers when Billy is close to an enemy, not over six meters away.
If you don’t have Starlight Engine Replica, you can also use the Starlight Engine to give you a boost when dodging or using a quick assist. Alternatively, if you find yourself with a spare Steel Cushion – Nekomata’s signature engine – you can equip this on Billy, too, but this requires you to be behind the target to get extra damage. The best choice of engine really depends on how you wish to play him.
| W-Engine | Effect |
| Starlight Engine Replica (A-rank) | Increases Billy’s physical damage for eight seconds after hitting an enemy that is at least six meters away, with a basic or dash attack |
| Starlight Engine (A-rank) | Launching a dodge counter or quick assist increases Billy’s attack for 12 seconds |
| Steel Cushion (S-rank) | Increases Billy’s physical damage by 20%. His damage increases a further 35% when attacking enemies from behind |
| The Brimstone (A-rank) | When hitting an enemy with a basic or dash attack, or a dodge counter, Billy’s attack increases for eight seconds, stacking up to eight times. This can trigger once every 0.5 seconds |
What are the best disc drives for Billy?
You can equip Billy with six disc drives, and we suggest you aim for a four-piece set of Woodpecker Electro with a two-piece set of Fanged Metal for the crit rate and physical damage buffs. Alternatively, you can flip this and choose a four-piece set of Fanged Metal with two pieces of Woodpecker Electro, if you like.
| Disc drive | Effect |
| Woodpecker Electro | Two equipped: Increases Billy’s crit rate by 8% Four equipped: Triggering a crit hit with a basic attack, dodge counter, or EX special attack increases his damage by 9% for eight seconds. The buffs from the different skills are calculated separately |
| Fanged Metal | Two equipped: Increases Billy’s physical damage by 10% Four equipped: Whenever a squad member inflicts Assault on an enemy, Billy deals 35% more damage on the target for 12 seconds |
| Freedom Blues | Two equipped: Increases Billy’s anomaly proficiency by 30 Four equipped: When an EX special attack hits an enemy, it reduces the target’s anomaly buildup resistance to physical damage by 20% for eight seconds |
Billy stat recommendations
These are the best main and sub-stats to aim for:
Main stats
- Crit rate / damage
- Physical damage
- Pen ratio
Sub-stats
- Crit rate / damage
- Attack
- Pen ratio
What are Billy’s skills?
Here are all of Billy’s skills in combat, including the passive bonuses he gets from certain types of teammates.
Billy’s attacks:
| Skill | Effect |
| Basic attack – Full Firepower |
Performs a piercing attack, dealing physical damage. Repeatedly pressing or holding the button enters Crouching Shot, which extends the attack duration. Drag the joystick during Crouching Shot to launch Rolling Shot and change Billy’s position, dealing physical damage. Stop holding or pressing during Crouching Shot to launch Finishing Shot, dealing physical damage to enemies in front of Billy |
| Special attack – Stand Still | Billy performs up to three piercing attacks in a line, dealing physical damage. His anti-interrupt level increases during this skill |
| EX special attack – Clearance Time | When the EX attack is ready, release it to launch a powerful piercing attack in a line in front of Billy, dealing massive physical damage. He becomes invulnerable while using this skill |
Billy’s dodges:
| Skill | Effect |
| Dodge – Risky Business | Billy dodges an attack and becomes invulnerable temporarily |
| Dash attack – Starlight Sanction | Drag the joystick during a dodge and press the basic attack button to launch a piercing attack at enemies within a large area, dealing physical damage. When not dragging the joystick, press the basic attack button to launch a piercing attack at enemies in a line |
| Dodge counter – Fair Fight | Press the basic attack button during a perfect dodge to pierce and damage enemies in front, dealing physical damage. Billy is invulnerable during this attack |
Billy’s combo attacks:
| Skill | Effect |
| Quick assist – Power of Teamwork | When an on-field character launches, Billy can then unleash a piercing attack at enemies, dealing physical damage. Billy is invulnerable during this skill |
| Evasive assist – Flash Spin | When the on-field character is about to get hit, swap to Billy to evade the attack and activate Vital View. Billy is invulnerable during this skill |
| Assist follow-up – Fatal Shot | After an evasive assist, use a basic attack to activate Fatal Shot. This pierces enemies in a large area with physical damage. Billy is invulnerable during this skill |
| Chain attack – Starlight Mirage | When a chain attack triggers, swap to Billy to unleash a powerful piercing attack at surrounding enemies in a large area, dealing heavy physical damage. Billy is invulnerable during this skill |
| Chain attack ultimate – Starlight Sparkle | When his Decibel Rating is at maximum, use this skill to unleash a powerful piercing attack at enemies in a large area, dealing massive physical damage. Billy is invulnerable during this skill |
Billy’s passive skills:
| Skill | Effect |
| Core passive – Steady Shot | Billy’s damage increases by 25% when he enters Crouching Shot during a basic attack. If he moves or is hit, the effect ends |
| Additional ability – Team Starlight | When another member of the squad is a physical damage dealer or member of the Cunning Hares, Billy’s ultimate damage (after using a chain attack) increases by 50%, which can stack twice. This resets after you use his ultimate |
What are Billy’s promotion materials?
As you build Billy, you’ll want to level him up to get his stats higher. Every ten levels, you need to promote him using the materials below. You can earn offense certification seals via the combat simulation – agent promotion combat challenges.
Here are all of Billy’s promotion materials:
| Level | Denny and materials |
| 20 | 24k denny and four basic offense certification seals |
| 30 | 56k denny and 12 advanced offense certification seals |
| 40 | 120k denny and 20 advanced offense certification seals |
| 50 | 200k denny and ten pioneer’s certification seals |
| 60 | 400k denny and 20 pioneer’s certification seals |
What are Billy’s mindscape cinemas?
If you get a second (or third, or fourth, etc) copy of Billy as you pull for characters, you can unlock his mindscape cinemas. If you’re familiar with Hoyoverse games, think of them as the Zenless Zone Zero version of Genshin Impact’s constellations or Honkai Star Rail’s eidolons.
Here are all of Billy’s mindscape cinemas:
| Mindscape cinema | Effect |
| Dazzling Entrance | When Billy hits an enemy with a dash attack or dodge counter, he gains an additional 2.7 energy. This can trigger once every five seconds |
| Roaming Gunslinger | Billy’s dodge counter damage increases by 25%. Rolling Shots during his basic attacks count as dodges, making him invulnerable during skill activation, and able to trigger perfect dodges. When a Rolling Shot triggers a perfect dodge, it automatically follows up with a dodge counter |
| Teachings of the Starlight Knights | Basic attack, dodge, assist, special attack, and chain attack levels increase by two |
| Starlight Ballistics | When Billy hits an enemy with an EX special attack, the skill’s crit rate increases based on how far he is from the enemy. The closer he is, the greater the effect, up to a maximum increase of 32% |
| Lost Technical Construct | Basic attack, dodge, assist, special attack, and chain attack levels increase by two |
| Starlight Hero | When Billy accumulates ten hits on enemies or triggers a perfect dodge, his damage increases by 6%. This can stack up to five times. The effect resets if an enemy knocks him back or launches him |
What are Billy’s core skill enhancement materials?
To get Billy’s core skills enhanced, you’ll need a few ferocious grips, plenty of higher dimensional data items, and a stack of denny. You can obtain higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit from the expert challenge game mode, while the ferocious grips come from the notorious hunt game mode.
Here are the materials you need for Billy’s core skill enhancement:
| Required level | Denny and materials |
| 15 | 5k denny |
| 25 | 12k denny and two higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit |
| 35 | 28k denny and four higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit |
| 45 | 60k denny, nine higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit, and two ferocious grips |
| 55 | 100k denny, 15 higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit, and three ferocious grips |
| 60 | 200k denny, 30 higher dimensional data: ethereal pursuit, and four ferocious grips |
What are Billy’s skill enhancement materials?
You can also enhance Billy’s regular combat skills – a very important part of building him – using physical chips and denny. To cap out his skills, you also need a few hamster cage passes. You can get physical chips through the combat simulation – agent skills combat challenge, while hamster cage passes come from events or the New Eridu City Fund.
Here are the materials you need to enhance Billy’s skills:
| Required level | Denny and materials |
| 15 | 2k denny and two basic physical chips |
| 15 | 3k denny and two basic physical chips |
| 25 | 6k denny and two advanced physical chips |
| 25 | 9k denny and three advanced physical chips |
| 35 | 12k denny and four advanced physical chips |
| 35 | 18k denny and six advanced physical chips |
| 45 | 45k denny and five specialized physical chips |
| 45 | 67.5k denny and eight specialized physical chips |
| 55 | 90k denny and ten specialized physical chips |
| 55 | 112.5k denny and 12 specialized physical chips |
| 60 | 135k denny, 15 specialized physical chips, and one hamster cage pass |
There you have it – how to build Billy in Zenless Zone Zero. Next, why not look at our other character builds like Zenless Zone Zero’s Anby, Zenless Zone Zero’s Nicole, Zenless Zone Zero’s Ben, and Zenless Zone Zero’s Anton?
