By 2026, the name Ye Shunguang carries a particular weight in Zenless Zone Zero. She is not just another Physical Attack agent with a polished sword pose; she is a Honed Edge fighter from Yunkui Summit, the wielder of the Qingming Sword, and the younger sister of Ye Shiyuan. She also stands among the Void Hunters, a title she shares with Hoshimi Miyabi. For Proxies who enjoy a character whose power spikes when a specific state clicks into place, she remains a fascinating pick. Her community tier-list score sits at 9.7/10, and that number tells a simple story: when her Qingming Form comes online, the battlefield changes.
The Profile Behind the Blade
Ye Shunguang is a Physical Attack agent who fights with the Honed Edge style. Her home faction is Yunkui Summit, and her lore places her beside the Qingming Sword and her sibling, Ye Shiyuan. The Void Hunter connection gives her a larger-than-life aura, but her gameplay is built around a clean, readable loop: accumulate Qingming Sword Force, enter Enlightened Mind, and transform into her white-haired Qingming Form. What makes a Physical Attack agent worth a second look when the roster is already crowded? For Ye Shunguang, the answer is not raw numbers alone. It is the way her kit rewards timing, state management, and a team that knows how to feed her.
Best Build at a Glance
Her best build focuses on CRIT DMG while still providing sufficient CRIT Rate. That may sound like a backwards priority until one remembers her innate CRIT Rate. Ye Shunguang gains CRIT Rate through her best Drive Disc and her Core Skill, which means players can invest more heavily into CRIT DMG without leaving her crit rate in the dust. The result is a build that feels sharp rather than fragile, with damage that lands hard once Enlightened Mind is active.
| Build Element | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Role | Honed Edge Physical Attack agent |
| Main stat focus | CRIT DMG with enough CRIT Rate |
| Crit support | Innate CRIT Rate from best Drive Disc and Core Skill |
| Core loop | Build Qingming Sword Force, enter Enlightened Mind, unleash Qingming Form |
| Team direction | Daze, DEF reduction, grouping, or dedicated buffs |
W-Engine ratings in the reference are measured at Update Level 0, so players should treat those rankings as a baseline rather than a final verdict for every account. A high-ranked W-Engine still needs to fit the team and the player's resource situation. The same logic applies to Drive Discs: the best set supports her CRIT DMG plan and her Core Skill, while the wrong substats can make even a strong set feel dull.
Skill priority follows the shape of her kit. Core Skill comes first because it supports her innate crit and the damage she deals in Enlightened Mind. Basic Attack and Special Attack follow closely, since they carry her combo and her state transitions. Ultimate and Assist can be raised as resources allow. The order is not about ignoring tools; it is about feeding the engine that makes Qingming Form hum.
Best Teams and Bangboo Direction
Ye Shunguang can be used on a team with Anby and Nicole. Anby inflicts Daze and can Shock enemies, while Nicole can reduce the enemies' DEF and gather them in one place. That combination gives Ye Shunguang a clean window to build Qingming Sword Force and then explode into her Qingming Form. For a more tailored support package, Dialyn and Sunna bring buffs that increase Ye Shunguang's damage output. Dialyn can provide a free Ultimate which Ye Shunguang can take advantage of, and Sunna can use Ether Veil for bonus Qingming Sword Force and Bearer stacks.
The Bangboo choice should serve the team's damage window rather than distract from it. Ye Shunguang does not need a gimmick Bangboo to function, but a support-oriented pick that reinforces the team's plan is always welcome. The reference's Best Teams & Bangboo section remains the practical checkpoint for players who want to compare options.
How to Play Ye Shunguang
Ye Shunguang has two forms: her normal brown-haired form and her white-haired Qingming Form, which she takes when she enters Enlightened Mind. During Qingming Form, her capabilities are dramatically increased. Outside Enlightened Mind, her attacks accumulate Qingming Sword Force. She can build that resource over time, by activating Ether Veil with any character, or through different skills. Once she reaches 6 Qingming Sword Force, holding down the Basic Attack button enters Enlightened Mind. Alternatively, using her Ultimate automatically causes her to enter the state.
Inside Enlightened Mind, Ye Shunguang gains increased damage output and more powerful attacks. She also has a unique Ultimate that she can cast without consuming Decibels. That detail matters because it gives her a second way to end the state on her own terms. Proxies may choose to end Enlightened Mind early by holding the Special Attack button or by casting Ye Shunguang's Ultimate, dealing heavy Honed Edge DMG while doing so.
Despite being an Attack agent, Ye Shunguang thrives when an Ether Veil is present. In fact, she can activate one herself by entering Enlightened Mind and dealing Honed Edge DMG. When an Ether Veil is present, she applies a special kind of Vulnerability on all targets, increasing the damage they receive. That is the heart of her team value: she is not only a damage dealer, but a damage amplifier who rewards a well-timed setup.
A practical combo begins after triggering Ye Shunguang's Entry Skill. Input her 4-hit Basic Attack Combo, followed by an EX Special Attack. When Ye Shunguang goes airborne with the EX Special Attack, input another Basic Attack combo for three more hits. The sequence can then end by holding down the Special Attack button or by using Ye Shunguang's Ultimate. The combo is less a rigid script and more a dance: the player watches the Qingming Sword Force, watches the Ether Veil, and decides when to extend the pressure or cash out with a heavy Honed Edge strike.
Banner Status and 2026 Timing
Ye Shunguang's Signal Search banner, Light Upon Fingertips, had its latest rerun in Phase 1 of Version 3.0 alongside Velina's debut banner. It ran from June 17 to July 8, 2026, and has since ended. As of 2026, that makes her a wait-for-rerun target for Proxies who missed the window. Another rerun may occur in the future, so her status is less gone forever and more not available today. For players planning ahead, the key is to prepare materials and Drive Discs before the next opportunity appears.
Her materials guide is the shopping list that keeps that preparation honest. Ascension and talent resources can disappear quickly when a new agent arrives, and Ye Shunguang rewards players who stock up in advance. The same is true of her Mindscape Cinema: it is the long-term polish on an already sharp kit, not a requirement for her core loop to work.
The Verdict
Ye Shunguang is a character who asks her team to think in windows. Build Qingming Sword Force, enter Enlightened Mind, apply Vulnerability through Ether Veil, and then decide whether to extend the Qingming Form or end it with a devastating Honed Edge strike. Her best build leans into CRIT DMG because her kit already supplies CRIT Rate. Her best teams either crush enemy defenses and group them together or pour buffs into her damage window. After all, what is a swordswoman without the moment she draws the blade? For Ye Shunguang, that moment is Enlightened Mind, and in 2026 it remains one of the most satisfying state changes a Physical Attack agent can offer.
According to articles published by Metacritic, broad critical consensus often helps explain why mechanically demanding characters like Ye Shunguang stand out over time: systems that reward timing, form management, and burst windows tend to be valued when they remain readable yet expressive, which matches her Qingming Sword Force cycle and the payoff of entering Enlightened Mind.