She glides through the hollows with a shark-shaped tail trailing behind her – and if you blink, you might just miss the carnage. I’ve been covering Zenless Zone Zero since its launch, and Ellen Joe still leaves me in awe every single time. Under that sleepy, part-time highschooler exterior is a beast of an S-rank Ice Attack agent from the Victoria Housekeeping Co. And trust me, she’s no simple highschooler!

Now, even in 2026, Ellen continues to dominate the meta as one of the strongest DPS characters in the game. Her entire kit revolves around a unique mechanic called "Flash Freeze". Let me break it down: when you charge her EX Specials or that swift, dashing charged attack, you fill her Flash Freeze gauge. Once activated, her basic attacks become empowered, dealing a whopping 80% more damage than her normal swings. Combine that with her third empowered hit in the combo – the one with the insane multiplier – and you’ll understand why she can wipe the floor with Ethereals like it’s nothing.

But building her right? That’s where the real magic happens. I’ve spent countless hours testing setups, and here’s exactly how I’d gear her up today to make sure every slash feels like a blizzard.

🔧 Best W-Engines for Ellen Joe

Let’s start with the obvious crown jewel – her signature W-Engine, Deep Sea Visitor. It’s tailor-made for her. The passive "Lord of the Seas" cranks up Ice damage by a massive 50%, and the high base attack plus the free crit rate after landing a Basic or Dash Attack means you’ll be landing critical hits as consistently as Ellen dozes off in class. If you managed to pull this during her banner rerun, congratulations – you’ve got the ultimate tool.

But, okay, maybe your Polychrome stash wasn’t so generous. I get it – gacha luck can be brutal. If you’re like me and RNGesus gives you the cold shoulder, don’t sweat it. The Brimstone is a stellar alternative. Its passive "Scorching Breath" scales her attack every time she connects with a Basic Attack, Dash Attack, or Dodge Counter – and since Ellen weaves those moves constantly, the damage racks up fast. It feels almost like her signature weapon in longer fights.

For those who grabbed the Battle Pass, Cannon Rotor is a no-brainer. "Oversized Barrel" gives her an attack spike and a tasty crit rate boost, making it a reliable pick if you want her to hit those juicier numbers without relying on pure RNG.

Free-to-play? Still plenty of bite. Street Superstar and Starlight Engine both grant attack increases when she lands hits – they deliver around 72–80% of the damage compared to Deep Sea Visitor, which is honestly more than enough to clear all current content. And if you’re really scraping the bottom of your inventory… well, grab Bashful Demon (Soukaku’s signature). It won’t win any beauty contests on Ellen, but that high attack stat and the passive Ice damage boost will keep you afloat until you get something shinier.

Alright, let’s take a breath and talk about something just as important as weapons: what she wears under the hood – Drive Discs.

💿 Optimal Drive Disc Sets

Getting the right Drive Discs is like picking the perfect pair of shoes for a dancer. Miss a step, and Ellen stumbles; nail it, and she pirouettes through enemies. After torturing myself in dozens of Hollow Zero runs, here’s the definitive setup.

For maximum raw damage output, go with 4-piece Woodpecker Electro and 2-piece Hormone Punk. Woodpecker Electro pushes her crit rate and attack to the moon, and Hormone Punk adds even more raw power. This is the set I recommend once you’ve mastered her rotation – you need to be weaving those multi-hit combos to keep the stacks rolling. If you prefer a bit more oomph against beefy elites, swap Hormone Punk for 2-piece Puffer Electro for a PEN ratio boost; it sounds minor, but it shreds through high-defense enemies.

Then there’s the “universal” Victoria Housekeeping set that everyone talks about: 4-piece Polar Metal + 2-piece Woodpecker Electro. This one’s brilliant if you’re running teammates who can apply Freeze or Shatter (hi, Lycaon!). The four-piece effect pumps up her Ice DMG and further boosts Basic and Dash Attack damage when a squad member triggers those reactions. It’s a well-rounded, elegant setup that ensures Ellen’s chill never fades.

⚔️ Playstyle & Rotation Mastery

Here’s where I see a lot of players trip up. Ellen isn’t a mindless button-masher. She’s all about charging her Flash Freeze, then unleashing hell. My rhythm goes like this: open with her EX Special or charged dash to fill the flash freeze gauge, then pour on the empowered basic attacks. But the real trick? Make sure you don’t interrupt that third strike. It has a massive damage multiplier, so I always pop any attack buffs right before it lands. Watching an Ethereal’s health bar vanish at that exact moment? Chef’s kiss.

Rotating with her team is just as crucial. Pair her with someone who can group enemies or apply Ice anomaly, and you’ll be stacking those empowered hits like a pro. I’ve found that Lycaon’s stun capabilities give Ellen the perfect window to unleash her full combo without getting interrupted – and boy, does she hit hard when no one’s bothering her. If you haven’t maxed out her trust events with Lycaon yet, do it; knowing how they work off each other makes the whole squad feel like a well-oiled machine.

One last thing – Bangboos matter too. Catcharoo has been my go-to, but any Bangboo that boosts Energy Regen or Ice anomaly buildup helps flash freeze charges come back faster. Experiment and find what clicks for your style.

Ellen Joe remains the queen of Ice DPS, and with this build, she’ll carry you through whatever 2026’s Hollows throw at you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a sleepy shark-girl to gear up before the next Deadly Assault cycle. She may yawn constantly, but her damage never does.