As a professional gamer who has spent countless hours exploring the Hollows, I can tell you one thing with absolute certainty: your agent is only as good as the weapon in their hands. You might be piloting the flashiest S-Rank character, but if you aren’t using the right W-Engine, you’re leaving half your potential on the table. It’s a lesson I learned the hard way, and one I’ve come to appreciate through every patch cycle since the 1.0 update.

W-Engines are Zenless Zone Zero’s equivalent to Genshin Impact’s weapons or Honkai Star Rail’s light cones. Each one boasts a unique effect, supplementary stat boosts, and a specialty that must match your agent’s role—Attack, Stun, Support, Anomaly, or Defense. But matching that specialty is only the first step. The real magic lies in finding the W-Engine whose passive synergizes perfectly with your character’s kit. Over the years, HoYoverse has introduced dozens of new engines, and the meta in 2026 has shifted in fascinating ways.

Why settle for mediocrity when you can turn every fight into a spectacle? I’ve spent the past year rigorously testing every combination imaginable, and I’ve distilled my findings into the ultimate list of best W-Engines for the current roster. Whether you’re a free-to-play warrior or a veteran with a stockpile of Polychrome, these recommendations will give you a marked improvement in performance—often with very little investment.

S-Rank Powerhouses

These are the heavy hitters—the W-Engines that can define a team. If you’re lucky enough to own any of these, lock them onto the right agent immediately.

• Ellen – Deep Sea Visitor (S-Rank): A perfect marriage of elegance and lethality. This engine’s ice damage amplification spikes on critical hits, which aligns perfectly with Ellen’s rapid multi-strike combos. I’ve seen her clear enemy waves in seconds with this equipped. Would you believe that without it, her burst feels almost sluggish? Don’t make that mistake.

• Zhu Yuan – Riot Suppressor Mark VI (S-Rank): Zhu Yuan thrives on sustained Ether damage, and this engine feeds her exactly that. The passive increases her damage against debuffed enemies, turning her into a single-target melting machine. In any boss fight, the difference is night and day.

• Lycaon – The Restrained (S-Rank): A lot of players overlook this one because they focus on raw attack, but Lycaon’s value comes from his crowd control. The Restrained boosts his impact and provides energy regeneration when he freezes foes, letting him cycle his ex specials more often. Believe me, your team’s survivability soars.

• Nekomata – Steel Cushion (S-Rank): Physical damage carries love crit rate, and Nekomata is no exception. Steel Cushion’s stacking crit buff after a dodge counter plays right into her agile playstyle. It’s almost as if the engine was designed for her tail.

• Soldier 11 – The Brimstone (S-Rank): Fire damage and straightforward aggression—this S-Rank engine increases attack speed after using an ex special, which turns Soldier 11’s already impressive combos into a blazing flurry. You’ll see those health bars evaporate.

• Grace – Fusion Compiler (S-Rank): Anomaly proficiency is her bread and butter. Fusion Compiler’s effect boosts shock accumulation and electric damage, making Grace a terrifying debuffer. I’ve used it to stack anomalies faster than most teams can cope with.

• Rina – Weeping Cradle (S-Rank): Support engines are often underrated, but Weeping Cradle extends the duration of your squad’s buffs while boosting Rina’s own regen. It’s a force multiplier that keeps your damage dealers in a perpetual state of empowerment.

• Koleda – Hellfire Gears (S-Rank): If you want a stun engine that also lets Koleda dish out surprising fire damage, this is it. Every hit builds a pyro charge that eventually explodes, adding bursty flair to her stun-lock combos.

A-Rank Champions

Don’t let the lower rarity fool you—some of these A-Rank W-Engines outperform even S-Ranks in the right hands.

• Anby – Demara Battery Mark II (A-Rank): I’ve been using this on Anby since day one, and I still haven’t found a better fit. After a perfect dodge, her electric damage skyrockets, and because Anby is all about that dodge-counter lifestyle, the engine’s effect is up almost constantly. It’s the definition of synergy.

• Anton – Drill Rig - Red Axis (A-Rank): Anton’s attacks have a rhythm to them, and this engine’s damage bonus after hitting enemies with a multi-hit skill feels tailor-made. When that drill starts spinning, you’ll understand why I never swap it out.

• Ben – Big Cylinder (A-Rank): Defense agents need to be tough, but Ben also likes to hit back. Big Cylinder increases his ATK based on his DEF, turning his shield bashes into genuine threats. It’s a straightforward but brutally effective choice.

• Billy – Starlight Engine Replica (A-Rank): Ranged characters often struggle to find a niche, but this engine grants Billy a physical damage boost every time he lands a headshot—or rather, a weak-point hit. Given his sharpshooting style, you’ll be critting constantly.

• Corin – Housekeeper (A-Rank): A hidden gem. Corin’s charged attacks benefit immensely from Housekeeper’s stacking damage increase, and the energy refund ensures she can keep sawing through enemies without pause. Has there ever been a better budget engine? I doubt it.

• Nicole – The Vault (A-Rank): Ether damage and energy recharge—simple, elegant, and exactly what Nicole needs. It allows her to spam her gravity field more often, grouping enemies for your main DPS. A support’s best friend.

• Soukaku – Bashful Demon (A-Rank): This engine boosts ice damage and provides an ATK buff when Soukaku uses her ex special. Since her kit revolves around activating that buff for the team, it’s a must-have. I’ve seen my Ellen’s numbers jump by 30% just from this synergy alone.

Understanding Weapon Ranks and Investments

You might be wondering: are B-Rank weapons worth using at all in 2026? Absolutely—especially when you’re starting out or waiting for a rate-up banner. Some B-Rank W-Engines, like [Lunar] Decrescent, still offer solid stat sticks that can carry you through the early game. The key is to upgrade them minimally until you acquire a higher-grade replacement. Remember, a fully upgraded B-Rank is often better than an unleveled S-Rank.

The real beauty of Zenless Zone Zero’s weapon system is its flexibility. With the introduction of dual-specialty characters and new anomaly types, I expect even more overlooked W-Engines to find their place. For instance, I’ve been experimenting with unconventional pairings like using a support engine on a tanky anomaly agent, and the results have been hilarious but effective.

So, what’s the bottom line? Follow my listed recommendations to build a rock-solid foundation, but don’t be afraid to experiment. After all, the best W-Engine is the one that suits your playstyle and team comp. Now get out there, pull those engines from the latest banners, and show the Hollows who’s boss. Happy hunting!