Hugo Best Build: Teams, Drive Discs, W-Engines | Zenless Zone Zero

Proxies, the wait is finally over! With the arrival of Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.4, Hugo, one of the strongest Ice-type Attack agents in the entire roster, is finally getting his much-anticipated rerun.

If you’re preparing to pull or build him during the 2.4 rerun, this Hugo build guide covers everything you need: skills, optimal W-Engines, best Drive Discs, recommended teams, and gameplay tips.

 

Hugo Overview

Attribute	Specialty	Faction
Ice	Attack	Mockingbird

Hugo is an S-rank Ice Attacker in Zenless Zone Zero, excelling in burst DPS. His unique ability allows him to deal massive damage while removing the stun from enemies and building days on them. Hugo’s core skill boosts his attack by up to 900 based on the number of stunners on the team, compensating for the lack of support buffs.

While his EX special and ultimate are key to his damage output, his multipliers outside of stun windows are low, and his buffs last only 6 seconds, requiring precise timing. Hugo shines in stun-heavy team compositions, where his burst damage can be maximized with good stunners.

Hugo's versatility in team compositions and his powerful burst potential make him a high-impact character, especially in setups that can reliably trigger stuns. However, his overall performance outside of them can be limited, making team synergy crucial for his effectiveness.

 

Hugo Skill Priorities

To maximize Hugo's damage output and utility, leveling his skills in the right order is essential. Here's the recommended priority:

Core Skill > Chain Attack > Special Attack > Basic Attack > Assist > Dodge

Core Skill: Stop everything and max this first. Hugo is defined by his Core Passive. It provides the "Totalize" effect, which is the single highest damage multiplier in his kit (potentially increasing DMG by up to 3,400% based on remaining Stun time).
This skill dictates the scaling of his "Stun Execution."
Chain Attack: Since Hugo wants to enter the field exactly when an enemy is Stunned, he will almost always enter via Chain Attack. Leveling this ensures the base damage (which gets multiplied by Totalize) is as high as possible.
Special Attack: EX Special Attack is one of Hugo’s main Totalize activators. Upgrading it increases his Finishing Move damage and improves Daze generation when the target isn’t Stunned.
Basic Attack: Solid filler damage and smooth combo transitions, but not a core damage source. Upgrade after the above priorities
Assist & Dodge Skills: Useful for survivability and utility, but contribute minimally to Hugo’s burst damage. These should be upgraded last.

 

 

Best W-Engines for Hugo

Best Option

Hugo Signature Weapon
	Rarity: S-rank Base ATK: 713 Type: Attack CRIT Rate: 24%

Effect: Increases CRIT DMG by 45%. When using an EX Special Attack, Chain Attack, or Ultimate to deal Ice DMG, the equipper gains the Absolute Zero Death Sentence effect for 3s. While Absolute Zero Death Sentence is active, the character ignores 25% of the enemy's DEF when landing a hit.

Before anything, as always, the signature W engine will be the best in slot for Hugo. if you do want your Hugo to perform at max potential, then it would definitely be best to pick up the Myriad Eclipse.

Alternatives

The Brimstone
	Rarity: S-rank Base ATK: 684 Type: Attack ATK: 30%

Effect: Upon hitting an enemy with a Basic Attack, Dash Attack, or Dodge Counter, the equipper's ATK increases by 3.5% for 8s, stacking up to 8 times. This effect can trigger once every 0.5s. The duration of each stack is calculated separately.

This W-Engine can increase ATK and Crit values, which is critical for Hugo’s skill set. Its effect will be able to synergize with Hugo’s Basic Attack and Special Attack, buffing his overall damage output.

Deep Sea Visitor
	Rarity: S-rank Base ATK: 713 Type: Attack Crit Rate: 24%

Efeect: Increases Ice DMG by 25%. Upon hitting an enemy with a Basic Attack, the equipper`s CRIT Rate increases by 10% for 8s. When dealing Ice DMG with a Dash Attack, the equipper`s CRIT Rate increases by an additional 10% for 15s. The duration of each effect is calculated separately.

This is a great alternative for Hugo. This W-Engine can buff Crit Rate and Ice DMG, which is perfect for Hugo’s kit. The effect of this W-Engine increases Crit DMG when the wearer hits their foes with Basic Attacks.

 

Best Drive Disc Set

The best Drive Disc set for the upcoming Ice character Hugo Vlad is below:

Best Choice

Recommendation：⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hormone Punk (4Pc)	2-Pc: ATK +10% 4-Pc: Upon entering combat or switching in, its user's ATK increases by 25% for 10s. This effect can trigger once every 20s.
Branch & Blade Song (2Pc)	2-Pc: CRIT DMG +16%

As a burst DPS that barely needs time to achieve the maximum DPS potential, Hormone Punk fits perfectly with Hugo's play style, and you can easily achieve 100% uptime on Hormone Punk.

Alternative

Recommendation：⭐⭐⭐⭐
Woodpecker Electro (4Pc)	2-Pc: CRIT Rate +8% 4-Pc: Landing a critical hit on an enemy with a Basic Attack, Dodge Counter, or EX Special Attack increases the equipper's ATK by 9% for 6s. The buff duration for different skills are calculated separately.
Polar Metal (2Pc)	2-Pc: Ice DMG +10%

If your Hugo does need a bit of a boost in Crit Rate, then the 4-Pc woodpecker electro set will be the best set to go with, considering the 2-Pc effect provides an 8% Crit Rate bonus, and the 4-Pc effect provides a 9% attack bonus. Also, as Hugo would be activating the EX special attack to obtain the 9% attack bonus quite often, the set will then be quite valuable and synergistic with Hugo's play style.

 

Hugo Drive Disc Stats

Main stats

• Disc 4 - Crit Rate / Crit DMG (aim for 50-60% Crit Rate / 100-150% Crit DMG)
• Disc 5 - Ice DMG Bonus
• Disc 6 - ATK% (buff Totalize and overall DMG)

Sub-stats

• Crit Rate (Priority to hot 50%)
• Crit DMG (For higher DMG Output)
• ATK% (Buffs overall damage output)
• Energy Regeneration (Character might need more for EX Special Attack)

 

Hugo Recommended Mindscape

M1

Recommendation: ⭐⭐⭐ (Mid-Tier Spender)

Effect: Increases Critical Rate and Critical Damage of Totalized Effects, making Hugo more likely to Crit and hit harder.

Reason: Directly enhances Hugo’s burst potential, especially in Crit-reliant teams. While not transformative, the 15% Crit boost synergizes well with his role as a burst DPS. A solid pick for players aiming to optimize his damage output.

 

M2

Recommendation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Must-Pull Core)

Effect: Adds Defense Ignore to [Totalized Effects] and allows two Totalize hits within a single stun window (achieved by chaining Ultimate → EX Special). This combo boosts total damage by 67.5%.

Reason: A game-changer! Defense Ignore and double Totalize turns Hugo into a burst monster. Essential for stun-focused teams and significantly raises his short-term damage ceiling. Prioritize this even for F2P/low spenders if resources allow.

 

M4

Recommendation: ⭐⭐ (Situational)

Effect: Boosts damage against Ice-resistant enemies, but its value diminishes if your team already includes Lighter + Lycaon (who shred Ice resistance).

Reason: Highly niche. Only recommended if your roster lacks Ice resistance debuffs or you’re tackling high Ice-resistance bosses. Skip unless facing specific endgame challenges.

 

M6

Recommendation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Whale)

Effect: Unlocks Hugo’s sustained DPS potential beyond burst windows. Grants extended field time and consistent damage output (not reflected in short-term DPS calcs but impactful in prolonged fights).

Reason: Transforms Hugo from a burst unit into a versatile carry. However, requiring 7 copies makes this a luxury pick for whales or die-hard fans.

 

Hugo Best Teams & Bangboos

The best possible teams for Hugo are explained below:

Double Stun Team:  Hugo + Lighter + Dialyn + Bangboo (Robin)

This team pairs Hugo’s explosive Stun-based burst with Dialyn’s consistent Stun application and Lighter’s energy and support, creating a highly reliable combo for fast, high-damage rotations.

 

Double Stun Team: Hugo + Lighter + Lycaon + Bangboo (Robin)

This squad maximizes Hugo’s Core Skill to grant a massive ATK buff along with support from two Stun units. Lighter and Lycaon make sure that the foes are constantly stunned, DEF shreds, and buff Hugo’s Ice DNG. This team comp is ideal for end-game content like Shiyu Defense and Deadly Assult.

 

Hugo + Lycaon + Astra Yao + Bangboo (Robin / Cryboo)

In this team comp, a Stun Agent is replaced with Astra Yao's strong support buffs. Although this change slightly reduces Hugo’s ATK buff, overall team performance improves through Astra’s DMG amplification.

 

F2P Team: Hugo + Anby + Nicole + Bangboo (Bagboo)

This team is a F2P option. In this comp we are using the Cunning Hares trio. Anby can activate Hugo’s passive for the ATK buff, while Nicole supports the team with de-buffs. Nicole can be replaced by other Stun Agents to fully activated the Hugo’s Core Skill.

 

How to Play Hugo: A Quick Guide

The Core Combo:

Start with a Stun: Use a teammate with a Stun-type attack to first inflict the Stun state on the enemy.
Swap in Hugo: Trigger a Chain Attack to bring Hugo onto the field.
Unleash Totalize: Use Hugo's Ultimate or EX-Special Skill while the enemy is still Stunned.  This triggers Totalize, dealing massive burst damage.  The damage is further amplified based on the remaining Stun duration.
Reapply Stun (Optional): Some Totalize attacks will refund Daze, allowing you to quickly set up for another Stun phase.
Swap Out: Once his burst damage is delivered, swap him out for other characters to manage the enemy's Stun bar.

Key Takeaways:

Hugo is not for prolonged combat.  He is a quick-swap, high-impact DPS who excels at capitalizing on small windows of opportunity to deal devastating damage.  Your goal is to maximize his damage during the Totalize phase by pairing him with strong Stun agents.

 

Conclusion

Whether you’re returning or playing ZZZ fresh, Hugo remains a top-tier Ice DPS with massive potential when properly geared and supported.

With this ultimatte Hugo build guide, you can fully unlock Hugo's potential. If you lack of Monochrome, please have a look at LDShop, a secure and efficient ZZZ top-up platform.

By recharging Monochrome at LDShop, you can collect all Hugo materials to unleash Hugo's full potential and enhance your gameplay!