The year is 2026, and the streets of New Eridu have never been louder. Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.6 has landed, and with it, the long-teased Angels of Delusion have finally stepped out of the shadows. After what felt like an eternity of teasers and theories, Aria and Sunna are no longer just concept art—they’re here, they’re playable, and they are already causing a commotion that would make a H.I.A. agent blush. But just how hard do they hit? And what does their arrival mean for the rest of the roster?

In classic HoYoverse fashion, this patch isn’t just a simple character drop. It brought a cascade of balance tweaks that sent a few familiar faces climbing the meta ladder. Some Agents got love, others got a gentle nudge, and suddenly, the whole tier list looks a lot different than it did last month. If your go-to team felt a little stale, buckle up—the meta just got a fresh coat of paint.

\ud83d\udc7c Sunna: The Support Who Stole the Spotlight

Let’s not sugarcoat it: Sunna isn’t just good. She’s the kind of Support that makes your damage dealers feel like they’re cheating. She waltzes into almost any ATK-scaling squad, flashes a wicked smile, and hands out Attack buffs like candy at a street fair. But the real magic? Ether Veil—a mechanic that grants her team a chunky Stun damage multiplier. Need a boss to take a knee faster? Sunna’s got you. Want your DPS to land numbers so big they break the UI? She’s all over it.

The flexibility here is honestly disgusting. There’s no rigid hoop-jumping required; she slots into compositions as smoothly as a freshly oiled w-engine. The community has already started calling her “the Swiss Army Knife of Supports,” and honestly, it’s not hyperbole. Whether you’re running classic Billy combos or the latest shinier agents, Sunna elevates everyone without asking for much in return. Her spot at the very top of any tier list? Well-earned and borderline uncontested.

But here’s the kicker—Sunna doesn’t just buff numbers on a spreadsheet. Her animations are a spectacle. Ether Veil unfurls with a shimmer that practically dares you to take a screenshot. In a game where style often matters as much as damage, she’s a two-for-one deal that nobody saw coming.

\ud83c\udf1f Aria: The Ether Anomaly Diva (Arriving Fashionably Late)

While Sunna is already tearing up the meta, her partner in delirium, Aria, will only grace the banners during Phase 2. But thanks to a flood of early analysis, we already know where she’ll land. Aria is set to become the game’s first true Ether Anomaly DPS, finally filling a gap that’s been glaring at us since launch. Her damage output is solid—no, scratch that, it’s impressive—but she’s a bit of a diva. She demands the right teammates to really unleash her potential.

Think of Aria as a high-performance sports car that only runs on very specific premium fuel. Solo, she’s still a fun drive, but pair her with the right teammates (hint: someone like Sunna) and she becomes an absolute monster. Early testers are already whispering about dual-Angels comps that melt through Shiyu Defense floors faster than a popsicle in the summer sun.

The catch? Her team dependency means she’s not a plug-and-play unit for everyone. If your roster is still finding its footing, Aria might feel like a puzzle piece you don’t quite have the full picture for yet. But for veteran players who love building around a centerpiece, she’s going to be a dream come true. Just be ready to put in the work—she’s the kind of agent who rewards loyalty.

\ud83d\udd04 The Balance Buffs: Harumasa Glows Up, Lycaon Holds Steady

Version 2.6 didn’t just hand us new toys; it fixed some old ones too. The patch notes delivered sweet, sweet buffs to Von Lycaon and Asaba Harumasa, and while Lycaon’s changes are more of a polite nod, Harumasa got the full red-carpet treatment.

Harumasa mains, you can finally breathe. The man’s gameplay loop used to hinge entirely on charged Basic Attacks to unload his damage—a clunky mechanic that made him feel like a rhythm game with input lag. Not anymore. The developers sliced that awkward requirement away, and the result is a Harumasa that flows like water. He’s smoother, more intuitive, and honestly, about 200% more fun to play. If you benched him before because his combos felt like trying to pat your head and rub your belly at the same time, now’s the time to dust him off. He’s efficient, stylish, and finally plays the way everyone wished he did from day one.

Von Lycaon, on the other hand, didn’t get a massive overhaul. His buffs are the equivalent of a light tune-up—nothing game-breaking, but enough to keep him comfortably in his usual tier slot. He’s still the rock-solid Stun unit you know and tolerate, and while he won’t suddenly rocket to S-tier, he’s not sliding into obscurity either. Sometimes, consistency is its own reward.

\ud83d\udcca The Big Picture: Who’s Up, Who’s Down, Who’s Crying in the Corner

With Sunna shaking up the Support rankings, Aria promising to redefine Ether teams, and the buffed units finding new life, the overall tier list has shifted more dramatically than it has in months. Some Agents that relied on the old meta are suddenly looking a little lost, while others that were just waiting for the right synergy have jumped up like they’ve got spring-loaded soles.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the movements that matter:

• Sunna enters the chat at SS-tier Support, and nobody is surprised. She’s the definition of a meta-defining unit.

• Aria is poised to land in S-tier for Anomaly DPS, though her final position depends on how the community optimizes her team comps.

• Asaba Harumasa climbs out of the “clunky but lovable” basement and into a comfortable A-tier, finally letting his damage potential shine without frustrating mechanics.

• Von Lycaon stays in A-tier—not because he got worse, but because everyone around him got a lot more interesting.

Of course, tier lists are never gospel. They’re a snapshot of the competitive landscape, colored by community sentiment and a dash of spreadsheet wizardry. But one thing’s for certain: Version 2.6 has breathed new life into the game, and whether you’re pulling for Sunna, saving for Aria, or rediscovering Harumasa’s smoother moves, there’s never been a better time to test the limits of your hollow-raiding crew.

So, New Eridu, what will you do with all this power? Will you let Sunna carry your team to glory, or will you wait for Aria’s grand entrance to make your Ether dreams a reality? One thing’s for sure—the Angels of Delusion aren’t just passing through. They’re here to stay, and the meta may never be the same.