Zenless Zone Zero 2.8 'New: Eridan Sunset' — Full Patch Breakdown & Phase 2 Banner Guide

Introduction

We're now deep in Phase 2 of Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.8 "New: Eridan Sunset," and if you're a Billy Kid fan (or just love ridiculously stylish motorcycle combat), this is the patch to be playing. Starlight Billy's debut banner "Starlight, Shine Bright" went live on May 27 and runs through June 16, 2026 — which means you have about three weeks to pull for the first-ever S-Rank Physical Rupture agent before Version 3.0 kicks off on June 17.

But here's the thing about this patch: ZZZ Bookkeeping pegs 2.8 as the second-lowest pull-income patch in the game's entire history, with only ~88.3 free pulls available to F2P players. That makes every single pull decision count — especially with 3.0 right around the corner, bringing the first-ever Wind Agent (Velina), a Fire Stunner (Norma), and the start of the Roscaelifer arc.

In this post, we'll break down everything active in 2.8 right now: Starlight Billy's kit and whether he's worth your Polychromes, the Phase 2 rerun (Orphie & Magus), the best use of your limited pulls, a full event schedule, and a preview of what 3.0 has in store. Let's dive in.

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Phase 2 Banners (May 27 – June 16)

Starlight Billy — The Cunning Hare Gets an S-Rank Upgrade

Billy Kid has been a fan favorite since the game launched, and his S-Rank variant does not disappoint. Starlight Billy is a Physical Rupture agent, and his entire kit revolves around a unique mechanic called Sheer DMG — all Physical damage he deals converts to Sheer DMG, which completely ignores enemy DEF and scales with his Max HP and Sheer Force stat.

Why this matters: ATK% is essentially a dead stat for Billy. He scales entirely off HP% and CRIT stats. This makes his build path very different from typical DPS characters — and also makes him surprisingly F2P-friendly since HP% mainstat Discs are easier to come by than perfect ATK% pieces.

Prydwen rates him T0.5 (Crit DPS category), and Game8 gives him Tier 1+ (S+). Early community sentiment on r/ZZZ_Discussion is overwhelmingly positive regarding his fun factor — players describe his gameplay as "the most fun since Miyabi," with bike drifts, flips, and massive laser nukes.

Key mechanics:

• Core Passive (Knight's Resolve): 1 Max HP = 0.1 Sheer Force. Below 25% HP, damage taken is reduced by 50%. Perfect dodges restore Determination.
• Additional Ability (Blazing Starlight): Requires a Stun, Defense, or Support teammate. Hitting with EX Special, Basic 4, Chain Attack, or Ultimate grants Starlight stacks (max 2), each boosting damage by 20%.
• Bike Mode: Press Special Attack to enter motorcycle form (consumes 16% Max HP). Grants +90% CRIT DMG for 45 seconds.
• Full-Throttle Starlight: Build Determination (max 120), then hold Basic Attack at 100+ for a massive, invulnerable AoE laser.

Best Build:

Slot	Best Option	F2P Alternative
W-Engine	Starlight Rider Faceplate (S)	Cauldron of Clarity (A) or Puzzle Sphere (A)
Disc 4-Piece	Yunkui Tales	Yunkui Tales (no real alternative)
Disc 2-Piece	Woodpecker Electro	Branch & Blade Song
Disc 4 Main	CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG	—
Disc 5 Main	Physical DMG% or HP%	—
Disc 6 Main	HP% (mandatory)	—
Substats	CRIT Rate > CRIT DMG > HP%	—

Endgame target stats: Sheer Force 2200+, HP 18,000+, CRIT Rate 90-100% (in combat), CRIT DMG 120-150%+.

Best team (Premium): Starlight Billy + Lucia (Support, provides +900 Sheer Force) + Dialyn (Physical Stun, stun extension for Billy's long animations).

F2P team: Starlight Billy + Anby + Nicole — still functional, but you'll notice the difference without Lucia.

What the community says: Over on r/ZZZ_Discussion, the consensus is clear — Starlight Billy is top-tier for fun and style. Players confirm he comfortably clears Shiyu Defense and Deadly Assault even at M0W0 (no duplicates, no signature engine). The main criticism is that his team composition is restrictive — his BiS team (Lucia + Dialyn) is two limited S-Ranks, and players who dislike those characters feel forced into them. There are also minor complaints about audio/visual feedback lacking "impact" on some attacks.

The pull verdict: If you value gameplay satisfaction and style above all, Starlight Billy is an easy recommend. He's strong at base investment and his unique HP-scaling makes him less reliant on god-roll Discs. However, if you're struggling with the 88.3-pull budget of 2.8 and have your eye on 3.0's Velina or Norma, it's entirely reasonable to skip and wait for a rerun — especially since the Rupture specialty's long-term support is uncertain.

Orphie & Magus Rerun

Running alongside Starlight Billy in Phase 2 is the rerun of Orphie & Magus (S-Rank Fire Attack). This pair brings strong Fire damage and synergizes particularly well with Soldier 0 - Anby and Trigger. Their signature W-Engine is Bellicose Blaze.

Should you pull? Orphie & Magus are solid but not meta-defining. Pull if you need a Fire damage dealer and already have their best teammates. Otherwise, resources are better saved for 3.0.

A-Rank rate-ups: Pan Yinhu (Support, Heal/Sheer DMG buff) and Manato accompany both banners. Pan Yinhu is a strong consolation prize for anyone pulling on Starlight Billy's banner — she provides healing and Sheer DMG buffs that directly support Billy's playstyle.

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The Pull Economy Problem: 88.3 Pulls in the Second Driest Patch Ever

Let's talk numbers, because this is the elephant in the room for 2.8.

According to ZZZ Bookkeeping, a respected community pull tracker, Version 2.8 offers approximately 88.3 free pulls for F2P players. That's the second-lowest total in the game's history, beating only 2.4 at 83.2 pulls.

To put this in perspective:

• Version 1 total annual pulls: ~1,104.4
• Version 2 total annual pulls: ~1,034.4
• Difference: ~70 fewer pulls in Version 2

A drop was expected after the inflated honeymoon period of Version 1, but the community has raised legitimate concerns. As one detailed Reddit post on r/ZZZ_Official explains, two factors make this deficit feel worse than it looks:

1. Roster inflation: Version 2 introduced significantly more characters than Version 1. With fewer total pulls and a larger cast, F2P players own a smaller percentage of the total roster than they did in Version 1 — even if their luck stays the same.

2. Endgame difficulty inflation: Shiyu Defense and Deadly Assault have gotten noticeably harder. Anomaly nerfs, HP inflation, defense buffs, and content that demands more fully-built teams have raised the bar. The result? Full-clearing endgame is "bordering on impossible with low-budget teams," as one player put it. Meanwhile, the economy hasn't expanded to meet these new demands — it's actually shrunk.

What this means for you: In 2.8, every pull counts more than ever. If you're F2P or a low spender, you realistically have enough for one hard pity (90 pulls) across the entire patch — and that's if you exhaust every source of Polychromes across both phases. You cannot afford to split your resources between banners unless you get very lucky early.

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Events Still Active in Phase 2

Even though Phase 1's events have ended, Phase 2 still has several active (or partially active) events worth your time:

Event	Type	Rewards
Operation: Save Bootopia	Exploration event — explore Bootopia island with Eous	Free Booltergeist A-Rank Bangboo + Polychromes
"Spirit" Artist's Notebook	Bounty-hunting quest chain	Polychromes, Dennies, materials
Ultimate Verdict Trial	Virtual combat missions alongside Promeia	Polychromes, materials
A Look Into Ridu's Legends	Supernatural mystery-solving in New Eridu	Polychromes, rewards
All-New Program	Daily login bonus	Encrypted Master Tapes
En-Nah Into Your Lap	Daily login bonus	Boopons
Data Bounty: Combat Simulation	Double HIA materials	Character/W-Engine materials
Advanced Bounty: Area Patrol	Double Drive Discs in Routine Cleanup	Drive Discs

If you haven't finished Operation: Save Bootopia yet, prioritize it — the free Booltergeist Bangboo is a solid addition to any account, and it's only available during 2.8.

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Quality of Life Improvements in 2.8

Two major QoL features landed with 2.8 that are worth highlighting:

Polychrome Guide: A new interface that shows your Polychrome progress across all sources — limited-time events, story commissions, permanent content, and even past stories you may have missed. This makes it much easier to track down every last pull before a banner ends. For budget-conscious players in a low-pull patch, this is a godsend.

Game Package Management: You can now choose to download only the base resources or the full game, and manage/delete voice packs and other optional content in-game. Great for players on limited storage or data caps.

ZZZ Coming to Steam: HoYoverse officially announced during the 2.8 livestream that ZZZ is coming to Steam. The store page is live for wishlisting, and there's a wishlist milestone event that gives all players rewards as goals are hit. Even if you play on mobile or standalone PC, wishlisting helps the community earn free Polychromes.

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Version 3.0 Preview: The Roscaelifer Arc (June 17)

Here's where things get really interesting. Version 2.9 has been officially skipped — we're jumping straight from 2.8 to 3.0 on June 17, 2026, which kicks off Season 3 and the Roscaelifer arc.

Three new S-Rank agents have been confirmed or heavily teased:

Agent	Attribute/Specialty	Notes
Velina Airgid	Wind Anomaly (S)	First Wind Agent in ZZZ. Introduces Windswept/Weathered anomaly status, Erosion debuff, and Vortex compound reaction. Phase 1 of 3.0.
Norma Hollowell	Fire Stun (S)	Chief Technician of the ESD. Major story role in 2.7-2.8. Phase 2 of 3.0.
Pyrois	Ether Attack (S)	Belle/Wise's combat form (Etheric Other). Highly speculated to be free via story progression — do NOT spend Polychrome on this banner until confirmed.

Additional characters on the horizon include Remielle Dan (the central mystery of the 2.8 epilogue, expected playable in a future update) and Severian Lowell (Seth's older brother, expected Void Hunter-level).

3.0 pull implications: If you're deciding whether to pull Starlight Billy now or save, Velina is the first Wind Anomaly unit in the game — that's a major meta shakeup. Norma is a Fire Stunner with story relevance. And Pyrois being potentially free means you may want to have resources ready for the other two. With only ~88 pulls in 2.8, skipping Billy for Velina + Norma in 3.0 is a completely defensible strategy.

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Pull Strategy: Billy vs. Saving for 3.0

Here's our bottom-line pull advice for Phase 2 of 2.8, given the tight budget:

Pull Starlight Billy if:

• You love Billy Kid as a character and enjoy his playstyle (he's genuinely one of the most fun units in the game)
• You already own Lucia (or are willing to pull for her on a rerun)
• You want a strong, straightforward hyper-carry that's F2P-friendly in build requirements
• You value "fun factor" above raw meta efficiency

Skip Starlight Billy and save for 3.0 if:

• You're a newer player with a sparse roster — 3.0's Velina (first Wind unit ever) is likely more valuable long-term
• You don't have Lucia or Dialyn and don't want to invest in them
• You're at 0 pity or low on pulls — with only ~88 pulls in 2.8, you're gambling on winning the 50/50
• You have your eye on Velina, Norma, or the potentially free Pyrois

Compromise option: Do the 20-pull "pity test" on Starlight Billy's banner. If you get lucky early, great. If not, stop and save your guarantee for 3.0.

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FAQ

Q: When does Phase 2 of 2.8 end? A: June 16, 2026. Version 3.0 launches June 17.

Q: How many free pulls can F2P players get in 2.8? A: Approximately 88.3 pulls — the second-lowest total in ZZZ history, per ZZZ Bookkeeping.

Q: Is Starlight Billy worth pulling? A: Yes, if you have his best teammates (Lucia + Dialyn) and enjoy his playstyle. He's strong at M0W0, fun, and HP-scaling makes him easier to build. But he's skippable if you're saving for 3.0's new characters.

Q: What's the best build for Starlight Billy? A: 4pc Yunkui Tales + 2pc Woodpecker Electro. HP% on Disk 6 (mandatory). Signature W-Engine Starlight Rider Faceplate, or Cauldron of Clarity (A-Rank) as F2P option.

Q: Is 2.9 skipped? What's next after 2.8? A: Yes, 2.9 is officially skipped. Version 3.0 "Roscaelifer Arc" launches June 17 with Velina (first Wind Agent) and Norma.

Q: Should I pull Starlight Billy's W-Engine? A: Only if you committed to pulling Billy. His signature Starlight Rider Faceplate is a ~14% upgrade over the best A-Rank (Cauldron of Clarity). With limited pulls, most players are better off saving for characters.

Q: Is ZZZ really coming to Steam? A: Yes! Announced during the 2.8 livestream. The Steam page is live for wishlisting, with community milestone rewards.

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Data sourced from HoYoverse official patch notes, ZZZ Bookkeeping (community pull tracker), Prydwen.gg, Game8, and community discussion on r/ZZZ_Official and r/ZZZ_Discussion as of June 18, 2026. Pull counts are estimates and may shift with unannounced compensation/mail rewards.