Best Nekomata Zenless Zone Zero build: W-Engine, Drive Disc, team comp & more

Nekomata is one of the S-rank agents available to pull in Zenless Zone Zero. If you’re hoping to build her, you’ll find everything you need to know about her best W-Engines, Drive Discs, and more here.

S-rank agents are powerful and rare characters you can collect in the gacha game Zenless Zone Zero. Like in Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail, you must be lucky and pull from banners to obtain S-rank units.

From July 4 to July 23, 2024, Ellen will be featured as the S-rank for the game’s first limited banner. The banner’s available A-rank characters are Anton Ivanov and Soukaku.

If you’ve got your eye on another S-rank agent, keep reading to learn the best W-Engines, Drive Discs, and more for Nekomata.

Nekomata abilities in Zenless Zone Zero

Basic Attack

• Basic Attack – Kitty Slash
  • Press Basic Attack to activate. Unleashes up to 5 slashes, dealing Physical DMG. On the last hit, there is a 33.33% chance to repeat this hit 3 times.
• Basic Attack – Crimson Blade
  • Hold down Basic Attack during the first 3 hits of Nekomata’s Basic Attack to activate. Slashes enemies in front and passes through them, dealing Physical DMG. Upon activation, there is a 33.33% chance to repeat this attack 3 times.

Dodge

• Dodge – Can’t Touch Me-ow
  • Press Dodge to activate. A rapid dodge. Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
• Dash Attack – Over Here!
  • Press Dodge during a dodge to activate. Slashes enemies in front, dealing Physical DMG.
• Dodge Counter – Phantom Claws
  • Press Dodge during a Perfect Dodge to activate. Slashes enemies in front, dealing Physical DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill.

Assist

• Reactive Assist – Cat’s Paw
  • When the on-field character is launched, press Assist to activate. Slashes enemies in front, dealing Physical DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
• Defensive Assist – Desperate Defense
  • When the character on the field is about to be attacked, Press Assist to activate. Parries the enemy’s attack, inflicting massive Daze. Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
• Assist Follow-Up – Shadow Strike
  • Press Special Attack after a Defensive Assist to activate. Charge and slash enemies in front, dealing Physical DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill.

Special Attack

• Special Attack – Surprise Attack
  • Press Special Attack to activate. Unleashes a downward strike, dealing Physical DMG. Anti-Interrupt level is increased while using this skill.
• EX Special Attack – Super Surprise Attack!
  • When Nekomata has enough Energy, press Special Attack to activate. Unleashes a powerful falling slash that deals massive Physical DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill.

Chain Attack

• Chain Attack – Claw Swipe
  • When a Chain Attack is triggered, select the character to activate. Unleashes a powerful slash at enemies ahead in a large area, dealing massive Physical DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
• Ultimate – Claw Smash
  • When Decibel Rating is at Maximum, press Chain Attack to activate. Unleashes powerful slashes at enemies ahead in a large area, dealing massive Physical DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill.

Core Skill

• Core Passive – Stealthy Paws
  • When Nekomata’s Dodge Counter or Reactive Assist hits an enemy, her DMG increases by 30% for 6s.
• Additional Ability – Catwalk
  • When another character in your squad shares the same Attribute or Faction:
    After any character inflicts Assault, increases the DMG of Nekomata’s next EX Special Attack by 35%, stacking up to 2 times.

Core Skill Enhancements

• A
  • Crit Rate increases by 4.8%, Stealthy Paws skill level +1.
• B
  • Base attack increases by 25, Stealthy Paws skill level +1.
• C
  • Crit Rate increases by 4.8%, Stealthy Paws skill level +1.
• D
  • Base attack increases by 25, Stealthy Paws skill level +1.
• E
  • Crit Rate increases by 4.8%, Stealthy Paws skill level +1.
• F
  • Base attack increases by 25, Stealthy Paws skill level +1.

Mindscape Cinema

Mindscape Cinema is similar to Genshin Impact’s constellation system in that the more copies you pull of each character, the more buffs you receive. Here are the effects of all the Mindscape Cinema levels for Nekomata:

• Bird Hunter (MC1): When Nekomata hits an enemy from behind, she ignores 16% of her target’s Physical Resistance. If the enemy is Stunned, all of Nekomata’s attacks are considered back attacks.
• Cat and Mouse (MC2): When there’s only one enemy on the field and Nekomata is in combat, her Energy Generation Rate is increased by 25%.
• Curious Left Tail (MC3): Basic Attack, Dodge, Assist, Special Attack, and Chain Attack levels increase by two.
• Sharpen Claws (MC4): When Nekomata uses her EX Special Attack, her Crit Rate increases by 7% for 15 seconds, stacking up to two times, with each stack’s duration being calculated separately.
• Lucky Right Tail (MC5): Basic Attack, Dodge, Assist, Special Attack, and Chain Attack levels increase by two.
• Predator Lineage (MC6): When Nekomata launches a Chain Attack or uses her Ultimate, her Crit Damage increases by 18%, stacking up to three times. The effect expires when she’s no longer in-combat. This effect gains maximum stacks immediately on defeating an enemy.

Best W-Engines for Nekomata in Zenless Zone Zero

The best W-Engine for Nekomata in Zenless Zone Zero is the S-rank Steel Cushion. This W-Engine increases Nekomata’s Physical DMG by 20% and her DMG output by 25% when attacking the enemy from behind.

A great A-rank alternative W-Engine for Nekomata is Starlight Engine. This W-Engine improves Nekomata’s ATK by 12% for 12 seconds after using a Dodge Counter or Quick Assist. Starlight Engine benefits Nekomata as she frequently launches Dodge Counters.

Best Drive Disc for Nekomata in Zenless Zone Zero

The best Drive Disc for Nekomata in Zenless Zero is Woodpecker Electro. The set bonus for this Drive Disc is as follows:

For the final two spots, we recommend using Fanged Metal for Nekomata. The set bonus for this Drive Disc is found below:

Nekomata promotion and skill enhancement materials

Promotion

You will need to gather Basic Offense Certification Seal, Advanced Offense Certification Seal, and Pioneer’s Certification Seal for Nekomata. Here is the exact number of required materials:

• x4 Basic Offense Certification Seal
• x32 Advanced Offense Certification Seal
• x30 Pioneer’s Certification Seal
• 800,000 Dennies

Skill Enhancement Materials

Nekomata in Zenless Zone Zero needs Basic Physical Chip, Advanced Physical Chip, Specialized Physical Chip, Hamster Cage Pass, Ferocious Grip, and Higher Dimensional Data: Crimson Awe. The exact number of required materials is below:

• Hamster Cage Pass x5
• Ferocious Grip x9
• Higher Dimensional Data: Crimson Awe x60
• Basic Physical Chip x25
• Advanced Physical Chip x75
• Specialized Physical Chip x250
• 2.9 million Dennies

Nekomata pros and cons in Zenless Zone Zero

Best Nekomata team comp in Zenless Zone Zero

HoYoverse

We recommend placing Nekomata on a team focused on stunning opponents. Therefore, Nekomata would be excellent alongside Lycaon and Nicole to inflict Daze through Lycaon’s Basic Attack. This, combined with Nicole’s ability to lower an enemy’s DEF, can cause massive damage to be dealt.

As for your Bangboo, we suggest running Avocaboo to recover HP using juice bullets that fail to hit an opponent.

Zenless Zone Zero Nekomata trailer

On March 21, Zenless Zone Zero posted Nekomata’s official character demo ahead of the game’s release. You can watch the video below: