Phaethon (Zenless Zone Zero) Solo Blog!
In the world of Zenless Zone Zero, when you need a commission done in the Hollows, you turn to a Proxy. There are plenty to choose from, but none is as infamous and as successful as the legendary Proxy, Phaethon. Spearheaded by siblings Belle and Wise, along with their adorable little Bangboo, Eous, they are considered legendary amongst New Eridu for their revolutionary technology and high success rate. They've also partnered with and befriended many factions across New Eridu and beyond. But when it comes to an all-out fight, just how capable are these siblings in commanding victory? Today we'll find out in this special Debate Blog!
So, what will this blog be looking into? Well, essentially, I will treat Phaethon's analysis like they were matched up in an army fight, with everything available to them: Bangboo, Agents, anything that would make sense for them. Without further ado, let's dive into this Hollow and discuss Hoyoverse's latest pair of gacha protagonists!
SPOILERS FOR ZENLESS ZONE ZERO AHEAD
BACKGROUND
A decade before Eridu fell to the Hollows, there was an Academy that, despite its primary goal of researching these strange reality-warping phenomena, also took care of the children thar called it both their school and their home. Orphaned siblings Belle and Wise were two of these children that called Helios Academy home. Their caretaker was Carole Arna, the Academy's Advanced Research Director and caretaker of the two siblings. She was also the one who invented the Hollow Deep Dive System and the Bangboo, Eous (but more on that later). The siblings were also given special lenses around this time, too. Things were going relatively well until it happened: Hollow Zero started to expand, and the city of Eridu and the Old Capital fell. Carole managed to save Belle and Wise, and they were able to salvage the Hollow-navigating technology she made. Unfortunately, Carole was abducted by the Exaltists, a religious cult hellbent on transforming the population into mindless Ethereals. Due to the nature of her research, she was blamed as the main culprit for the expansion of Hollow Zero. The siblings thought otherwise, however. Thus, they used the technology they had salvaged to collect enough data so that they may one day explore Hollow Zero and find out the truth behind the accident and finally clear their caretaker's name.
Thus, the legendary Proxy Phaethon was born. Hidden behind the Employees Only door of their video store, Phaethon used their salvaged technology to stand out from the other Proxies. They could remotely control Eous throughout the Hollows, meaning that not only were they safe from the harmful effects of being inside the Hollows, but they could also update their "Carrot" data in real-time, ensuring this data never becomes obsolete. This gave them their "Legendary" status.
During the prologue of the game, their Phaethon Inter-knot account got hacked, basically resetting them back to square one. Fortunately for them, they still had their technology and their long-term contacts like Shepherd and the Cunning Hares, they'd slowly be able to rebuild their reputation in no time. They even had a massive upgrade to their technology with the sudden addition of the Artificial Intelligence named Fairy. With these massive boosts in capabilities, they slowly began to rebuild and make new connections with various factions throughout the game.
EXPERIENCE & SKILL
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Both Belle and Wise are pretty intelligent. One of the things that made Phaethon stand out was they were able to access the Hollows without having to go in there themselves. Being able to remotely go in the Hollows means that they could constantly update their Carrot data (essentially time-sensitive Hollow maps that track patterns within the Hollows for a certain amount of time) in real time, ensuring they never become obsolete. This is especially impressive because of the time-space distorting nature inside the Hollows. Both the siblings also like to play risky to get through their problems, like when their original Phaethon account got hacked, they managed to get rid of the hacker by giving them their account and calling Public Security on them, with the downside being they lost like 90% of their data in the process. The siblings usually love to play risky like that, and for the most part, it works out well for them. Phaethon also know how to fix and manipulate various kinds of technology, like Bangboo and control panels. They also have a boost in their processing power with the help of Fairy, who is quite literally a sentient AI, kind of like Sage (Sage vs. Fairy matchup when???).
Unlike their fellow Hoyoverse protagonists, however, they're kind of sitting ducks when it comes to combat. Sure, they're getting some training from Yunkui Summit, but it's really only been applied to adding some more abilities for them to use in exploration, not combat. Maybe when they become playable Agents one day, they'll learn how to fight, but as of now, they're kind of pushovers in a physical fight.
NOTABLE EQUIPMENT
Due to Zenless Zone Zero being a live service gacha game, they're obviously going to be getting a lot of stuff. I'll try to only list the notable equipment in their arsenal (by notable, I mean stuff that would actually help them in a fight/something important to them/basically anything that when you imagine Phaethon, you'd immediately figure that they'd have this on their person...persons). Since Phaethon doesn't actually fight in this game, they don't have that much equipment on them.
Hollow Deep Dive System
Navigating the Hollows can be tricky, especially due to its unique makeup of Ether. It warps space and corrupts people and objects within it, turning poor souls into vicious Ethereals. Despite these dangers, people still want to venture into these Hollows, mostly for valuables like research data and treasure. Belle and Wise can navigate these Hollows using the Hollow Deep Dive System (or HDD), special technology created by their teacher and caretaker, Carole Arna, that allows the user to navigate the Hollows remotely. While they normally operate behind that staff-only door in their video store, they've managed to hook up the system outside their video store, like in the Outer Ring and in Waifei Peninsula. The original HDD system depleted Phaethon's innate Ether aptitude, but now it has been upgraded to consume less power so that it doesn't take out too much on their Ether aptitude.
Ocular Implants
Special implants given to the Proxies by their old teacher. It essentially allows them to view the Hollows through the eyes of their loveable Bangboo, Eous. It glows when they use their innate Etheric abilities. It even has an updated design now.
Bangboo
Bangboo were initially designed to aid people in evacuation, but have since been repurposed as more intelligent android assistants. Bangboo are extremely talented and are combat-proficient. Belle and Wise have benefited from the aid of certain Bangboo, like the ones they have at home! Bangboo 18, Bangboo 6, and Twentie help around the Video Store, promoting video tapes, guarding the staff door, and just all around being adorable! But Phaethon's most trustworthy Bangboo is the main one, Eous.
With the help of the HDD and Phaethon's eye implants, they can pilot Eous around the Hollows with little issue (although Eous also has their own "sentience", in a sense). While Eous isn't a threat physically, they're still pretty agile for a Bangboo, able to run and jump over various obstacles with proficiency. Eous can even use this massive hammer! They can also scan their surroundings to find hidden electronics. But when Eous needs some serious firepower, they pilot a giant golden mech! That's right, in the limited event Soul of Steel: Golden Bond, Eous pilots this massive golden mech to fight off various opponents like mechs, Ethereals, and so on.
The mech has four modules that can change and affect how it fights.
Brawl Module:
Firearm Module:
Flight Module:
Armor Module:
Aside from Phaethon's own Bangboo, they've teamed up with a lot of other Bangboo, mostly for combat purposes. While gameplay usually only allows you to add one more Bangboo to your team, some of the Bangboo are generally exclusive to some Factions (some are even considered the best ones to play for specific builds), so for this one, I'm giving Phaethon all of them. (These are all the playable Bangboo as of writing this)
S-Rank Combat Bangboo
Agent Gulliver (Electric)
Amillion (Physical)
The loveable Bangboo of the Cunning Hares. Amillion uses a portable machine gun that deals physical damage.
Bangvolver (Physical)
A Bangboo with a revolver on its head. It reloads by taking a bullet out of its tail and... I'm not exactly sure what it does next.
Belion (Physical)
Yunkui Summit's trusty Bangboo. Belion can survive having a cat fall on it, and it throws a stone ball to deal damage to enemies.
Birkblick (Physical)
Krampus Compliance Authority's unique Bangboo. Birkblick can throw little orbs that shoot lasers that deal physical damage.
Butler (Physical)
A fashionable Bangboo from Victoria Housekeeping Co. Butler can create you a healthy snack that will generate Energy for your Agents.
Mercury (Fire)
New Eridu Defense Force’s Bangboo that pilots a small vehicle with a flamethrower on it.
Miss Esme (Physical)
Alice’s Bangboo and a member of Spook Shack. It can summon a Spectral Bubble to heal HP or a Twinkling Star to regain Energy.
Officer Cui (Physical)
The police force’s trusty Bangboo assistant. It, uh… bites enemies.
Plugboo (Electric)
A Bangboo that specializes in massive amounts of Electric damage.
Red Moccus (Physical)
A member of the Sons of Calydon.Hits opponents with a circular motorcycle.
Resonaboo (Ether)
Summons an Ether black hole that continuously pulls in enemies. These tiny singularities deal Ether damage.
Robin (Ether)
Hugo Vlad’s Bangboo and a few of the Bangboo that can speak human language. Robin also has an interest in Butler (BANGBOO YAOI???). Robin fires a series of cards that can either deal Physical or Ether damage.
Rocketboo (Fire)
Rides a rocket that immediately barrels toward an opponent.
Safety (Physical)
Belobog Industries’ unique Bangboo. Where did it get that drill -
Sharkboo (Ice)
A Bangboo that creates an ice trap that homes in on an opponent that deals Ice damage.
Snap (Ether)
Astra Yao’s very odd photogapher. Snap can usually raise an Agent’s attack for a short while as well as snap pictures that deal Ether damage, somehow…
A-Rank Combat Bangboo
Avocaboo
Shoots juice bullets at the character currently on the battlefield. If the bullet misses, the juice will remain on the ground for a while. Characters coming into contact with the juice will recover HP.
Baddieboo (Fire)
Deals Fire damage by sending out rockets and molotov cocktails at the opponent.
Bagboo (Physical)
Slashes opponents with dual blades. Huh.
Bild N. Boolok (Physical)
Swings a staff and assembles blocks into a giant hammer to attack the enemy. After hitting the enemy four times or completing three hammer swings, leaps up and slams down, causing Block Spikes to erupt outward. Enemies take Physical DMG upon coming into contact with Block Spikes.
Boollseye (Physical)
Throws a dart at the target, dealing Physical DMG. They also launch themselves with a slingshot to deal damage via consecutive slashes.
Booressure
Releases Ether bubbles that generate Energy for characters coming into contact with them.
Brawlerboo (Fire)
Charges up and rises into the air, entering Airborne state. While in the Airborne state, Brawlerboo will dive attack enemies when they're hit by a heavy attack from an Agent, dealing Fire DMG.
Cryboo (Fire)
Throws a bomb at the target, dealing Fire DMG and accumulating Fire Anomaly Buildup.
Devilboo (Ether)
Enters the flying state, shooting homing bullets (and lasers, sometimes) at enemies to deal Ether DMG and inflict Ether Anomaly Buildup.
Electroboo (Electric)
Charges the enemy and continuously electrocutes the target, dealing Electric DMG and accumulating Electric Anomaly Buildup.
Excaliboo (Physical)
Excaliboo attempts to draw the sword: If the attempt fails, it performs a triple hammer strike, dealing Physical DMG. If successful, it slashes the target with the sword, dealing massive Physical DMG.
Exploreboo
Scans and excavates the nearby ground, then gives the character a random buff based on the Bangboo's stats:
Buff 1: Recovers HP.
Buff 2: Generates a Shield.
Buff 3: Increases Energy Regen.
Knightboo (Ether)
Jump repeatedly while riding Pale Bouncy and summon 3 Knight's Stars. When characters come into contact with Knight's Stars, they recover Energy.
Luckyboo (Physical)
Strikes the target with a barrage of golden coins, dealing Physical DMG and accumulating Physical Anomaly Buildup.
Magnetiboo (Physical)
Pulls in nearby enemies and deals Physical DMG to all enemies hit.
Overtimeboo (Physical)
Rams the target enemy with a computer and desk, dealing Physical DMG.
Paperboo (Physical)
Uses a cardboard box to camouflage itself, inducing a taunt effect: While camouflaged, being attacked by enemies or reaching the camouflage time limit will trigger an explosion, dealing Physical DMG in an area.
Penguinboo (Ice)
Executes a series of graceful slashes with an ice blade, dealing Ice DMG and accumulating Ice Anomaly Buildup.
Sumoboo (Physical)
Jumps towards the target and executes a downward strike, dealing Physical DMG in an area. This skill is good at interrupting.
Fairy
A super-intelligent Artificial Intelligence that aids Phaethon in Hollow exploration. Fairy is very capable, deacribed to be able to analyze Hollow enivornments at nearly incomparable speeds. She can even automate your fishing (how tf does that work). Fairy can also parts of the environment if they are electronic in nature. She'll also make for amazing defense against Phaethon's account being hacked again.
Smoke Bombs
Used to sneak away from opponents. Really, it's just your average smoke bomb, and Phaethon's got multiple of them.
VR Device
A special device that allows them to simulate combat with specific Agents. How this applies in an actual fight or just in canon is a bit tricky...
Their Phone
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It can be used to take photos and enter the Inter-knot. Also looks pretty neat.
Vehicle
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W-Engines
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Weapons that boost the stats of the Agents that equip them. There's simply too many to list and each Agent has a specific W-Engine that works best for them anyway, so I will just link the list of all available W-Engines. (Rest assured, each Agent will have the one that resonates with them the most, but for this specific blog, I'll just assume that Phaethon has pulled them all (lucky bastard...))
Drive Discs
Drive Discs are utilized by Agents to fend off Ether corruption. They also give an Agent an upgrade in stats. Each Agent (especially the S-Rank Agents) have their own specific Drive Disc sets. I'll do the same thing with the W-Engines and just assume they have all the discs.
Various Outfits
Some of the Agents (and Phaethon) have wore different outfits. They're really just cosmetics, but they're cool (Yixuan please...). no way that's Jane's new outfit bruh
Various Food Items
Food can be an important thing to consume in Zenless Zone Zero to make your experience easier. Coffee from Coff Cafe can give you more Battery Energy to increase your loot drop in Combat Simulations and Noodles from Waterfall Soup can give you increase to some stats or increase damage for certain Elements.
ABILITIES
Ether Aptitude
Ether Aptitude refers to an individual's adaptability to Ether, especially to Ether in the Hollows. The lower a person's Ether Aptitude is, the more susceptible they are to being corrupted by Ether and becoming an Ethereal. Phaethon had a generally low Ether Aptitude due to the HDD directly connecting to their brain, draining their physical capabilities as well as their Ether Aptitude. This meant that they were kind of forced to always use Eous whenever they wanted to explore the Hollows. After the HDD received an upgrade that lessened its power consumption, their Ether Aptitude went back to normal as a result of not needing to connect to the HDD as much.
Ether Corruption Reversion
Belle and Wise somehow have the ability to reverse someone's Ether corruption. Somehow they were able to reverse Vivian's corruption when she injected herself with the Ether. This reasoning for the existence of this ability is unknown, but it may have something to do with their unlocked abilities after not needing the HDD as much.
Insight
A Perception Technique taught by Yixuan Shifu. It allows Belle/Wise to find traces of Corrupted matter amongst various items in the Hollows. Usually used to solve puzzles and find clues.
Disintegration
A Perception Technique taught by Yixuan Shifu. The technique forcibly disrupts the resonance frequency of Ether, causing a rapid phase transformation that ultimately breaks down the target.
Revelation
A Perception Technique taught by Yixuan Shifu. Revelation reveals unstable structures and adjusts the Ether frequency to dispel illusions and uncover hidden paths or objects.
AGENTS
Note that these are just the agents from Factions that are playable. This list will probably be outdated by the time this comes out, so please forgive me 💔💔💔. While you can usually only call on the help of three Agents at a time, Phaethon has called upon all of the Factions on several occasions, so just like Ash vs. Yugi, it's going to be a good thing that they brought them all.
Cunning Hares
Nicole Demara
The Cunning Hares' business-savvy leader. She has a tendency to... lose money more than she makes them, but somehow with her prowess and skills, the Cunning Hares have never gone bankrupt. She was one of the first Agents to know of Phaethon's secret identity. Her main role in the game is to support her fellow Agents with her Ether attacks that come out of her briefcase! These Ether attacks can be charged into an Ether energy field that acts like a singularity that sucks foes in.
Anby Demara
Billy Kid
New Eridu's biggest Starlight Knights fan, Billy Kid was once a member of the Sons of Calydon, being one of its most feared members. Once he left the biker gang, he headed for the city of New Eridu, eventually becoming a member of the Starlight Knights. He has, and I quote, "two guns, so double the accuracy".
Nekomata
A long-time member of the Red Fang Gang and now a member of the Cunning Hares, Nekomata is skilled in thievery and ruining your 50/50's. She can deliver quick attacks with her short blade and her cat-like reflexes.
Belobog Heavy Industries
Koleda Belobog
The young and fiery leader of Belobog and the daughter of the former leader, Khors Belobog. Her personality's as fiery as her Fire attacks from her Hammer (it has a rocket inside of it), which she uses to Stun groups of opponents with.
Grace Howard
The eccentric and machine-obsessed mechanic of Belobog (if you're a sentient machine, run---). She is responsible for the new-generation of in-Hollow Smart Machinery the company uses. Whilst having a notable interest in dismantling and examining machinery, Grace also sees creations of her own as her 'children,' ready to protect them at any given moment. She deals damage with an nail gun and electric grenades. She's also generally considered the leader of the various machines in Belobog (could also be Koleda too).
Anton Ivanov
Belobog's best bro. He has a jackhammer strapped to his arm that can deal Electric damage. He's strong enough to stop a machine in its tracks.
Ben Bigger
The deceptively intimidating Head of Finance of this company. He also cares about safety, which is very good. His paws are described as being able to shatter bones, but he is very much a kind math nerd. He's the first Defense type, which makes sense given that he is quite large and durable. He pairs well with Koleda.
Victoria Housekeeping Co.
Victoria Housekeeping Co. is a servant company with a small amount of members that specializes in various services, notably household chores; like cleaning, cooking and yardwork, to security management and item acquisition.
Von Lycaon
Ellen Joe
Victoria's sleepy shark maid with the sharp sweet tooth. She somehow manages to balance her maid work and her school life, and this leaves her usually tired. However, with the right sweets and motivation, she can be deadly in combat. Her large scissors deal massive Ice damage and has even been buffed to be able to deal a small wave of Ice damage.
Alexandrina Sebastiane
Victoria's most senior member and head maid. She possesses beauty and grace, appearing immaculate from head to toe, with a noble demeanor and a gentle smile on her face. She places considerable importance on how she is perceived by others. Rina is always accompanied by two Bangboo named Anastella (brown hair) and Drusilla (blonde hair), both of whom have distinct personalities. She floats around due to electromagnetic manipulating technology lined around her maid dress. She can also manipulate that electricity to damage foes and support her fellow Agents.
Corin Wickes
Corin's the youngest and the most shy member of Victoria Housekeeping. Once a sickly girl who required major surgery, Corin is now an exceptional combatant who takes an intimidating and devastating 'chainsaw' with her wherever she goes. Her chainsaw is strong enough to easily cut through a train car with ease.
Criminal Investigation Special Response Team
Zhu Yuan
Zhu Yuan is an exceptional PubSec officer and current captain of the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team. She was once trapped in a Hollow when she was a kid, and was saved by Officer Bringer. This led her to the path of being a PubSec officer. Her weapon, called Suppressor: K22, is an advanced launcher custom-made by Public Security's tech department in collaboration with senior gunsmiths from Three Gates Military Tech. It allows Zhu Yuan to use Ether Buckshots, homing projectiles, and other versatile attack methods in combat. It deals Ether damage and can even shoot a large amount of Ether at foes. Imagine the cop gives you magic cancer for jaywalking...
Qingyi
The "01NG VI Criminal Investigation Automaton" was one of the many discoveries from the Old Civilization made by White Star Institute. She took the name "Qingyi" and joined Criminal Investigation Special Response Team assigned to Zhu Yuan. Her weapon is a modified baton that is great for non-lethal arrests since it's lightweight and conductive, being especially adept at stunning her opponents with her Electrically charged attacks.
Jane Doe
Not much is known about Jane Doe's backstory. Heck, her real name's unknown. She's adept at disguises and blending in, infiltrating criminal gangs to make PubSec's life much easier. While she may seem like a conniving seductress (and she kinda is), she's a bit of a goof who loves to hoard stuff (usually junk food). She fights with agility and grace, using her two twin blades and prehensile tail to deal quick and massive Physical damage. Jane is so quick that she has two dodges.
Seth Lowell
Hollow Special Operations Section 6
Tsukishiro Yanagi
The Deputy Chief of Hollow Special Operations Section 6, Tsukishiro Yanagi is an ex-soldier from the New Eridu Defense Force who has been infused with Oni blood. She generally acts as the mother figure to everyone in Section 6, especially Soukaku. Her blade allows her to deal Electric damage as well as allowing her to briefly overclock (or manipulate time honestly idk) her physical capabilities to deal more damage in a short amount of time.
Hoshimi Miyabi
The storm that is approaching. She's the youngest Void Hunter and arguably the strongest Agent in the verse. With her cursed blade, Tailless, she can deal Frost damage so cold it actually burns.
Asaba Harumasa
Section 6's very laid-back archer. His tiredness is due to a condition that is basically kind of just Ether cancer that gives him exceptional Ether Aptitude in expense of his body. Despite this, he's a master marksman, being able to hit his target with precision despite nearly succumbing to his condition's symptoms.
Soukaku
Soukaku is the gluttonous, childlike Oni of Hollow Special Operations Section 6. She's a powerful combatant who uses a custom made weapon known as an "Oni Blade Banner" in battle. She can create tiny ice tornadoes to support her fellow Agents. She also solos the JJK verse, apparently.
Sons of Calydon
A faction that operates in the Outer Ring of New Eridu. Their official business name as a logistics company is Leaps and Bounds Express Services Co.
Caesar King
The ultimate gap moe character of Zenless Zone Zero. Caesar is the tough and confident leader of the biker gang, Sons of Calydon, who also has a secret love for romantic novels (she is very silly). Her left arm is actually a prosthetic arm from Billy, giving her enhanced physical abilities. With this, and her sword and shield, she'll be able to eat most damage while dealing massive amounts of Physical damage herself.
Lighter
Outer Ring's feared "Red Scarf" and the Sons of Calydon's master hand-to-hand combatant. With his skills from being a mercenary as well as his engine powered gauntlet, he'll deal a quick barrage of Fire-charged punches that oddly stun...
Burnice White
Pyro TF2 if they were made by an Eastern company. Not only will her Nitro-Fuels light up any party, but they will also light up her foes with Fire (because her Nitro-Fuels are also the fuel for her flamethrowers, which makes me wonder if those have actual gasoline in it-).
Piper Wheel
Piper is a truck-driver for the Sons of Calydon. Apparently she's probably older than everyone in the Sons of Calydon but can you really tell? Her short stature and sleepy personality may make her seem like not a threat, but with her truck, Steeltusk, as well as her massive blade she can spin around like a Beyblade, she'll be a menace on the battlefield.
Pulchra Fellini
A mercenary from the Outer Ring who recently decided to become a member of the Sons of Calydon, as well as being the other modern face of furries. Pulchra fights with twin guns with blades on the ends, as well as an array of gadgets, including stun grenades, explosives and reflex-enhancing tonics.
Luciana de Montefio
Her full name is Luciana Auxesis Theodoro de Montefio. She's the most hot-headed of the group, but her trusty baseball bat as well as her boar Thirens Grassy, Bricky, and Woody, they're sure to bring the Fire damage to support her fellow Agents.
Stars of Lyra
They are a famous musical group in New Eridu. That's kinda it...
Astra Yao
Described as 'The Queen' of New Eridu, Astra Yao is a multitalented celebrity mainly known for her singing prowess and impact she had on Ridu's music scene. She's also one of Zenless Zone Zero's best support Agents, using her weapon to amplify her singing into sonic waves that both deals damage to opponents as well as boost her fellow Agent's stats.
Evelyn Chevalier
Astra Yao's hot bodyguard and manager, she was raised as an assassin and spy and has gone through multiple pseudonyms. While she became Astra's bodyguard and manager as a mole to infiltrate Odeum HEA, she became charmed by Astra's sincerity and positivity. Her main weapon's a garrote that can be set ablaze amongst its entire length.
Obol Squad
Obol Squad, full name Defense Force - Obol Squad, is a faction in Zenless Zone Zero. It is one of the squads currently under the command of the New Eridu Defense Force's Obsidian Division.
Soldier 11
Another replica from the Silver Squad named Harin. She was the one Anby refused to dispose of, thus leading to Anby, uh, offing herself to save Harin. However, she did not know why she did this. In her mind, Anby abandoned them. This caused a growing resentment against her former leader and she soon dropped the name Harin for Soldier 11 (they kinda made up soon enough). Her blade works similarly to Anby's, only that she deals Fire damage instead of Electric.
Trigger
Obol Squad's nigh-blind sniper, she uses her combat experience from her time in the Lyre Squad as well as her "Ether vision" to snipe out foes in the Hollows. Her sniper can deal Electric shots that stun foes, leaving them open for other Agents like Soldier 0 to finish the job.
Seed
Seed is the artillerist of the Obol Squad, and has a passion for flowers, mechanics, cramped spaces, and communicating with Bangboo. She pilots Seed Sr., a massive machine that was made by the military that as you expect, has a bunch of awesome artillery like rockets and lasers.
Orphie and Magus
Fun fact about Orphie and Magus, the tail gun contains the original consciousness of the fallen soldier, Orpheus, while the anxious physical body is a clone, salvaged from the physical body of the fallen soldier. Though Orphie has her doubts about her capabilities and Magus can be a bit much, these two work together well, using Magus' unique ability to manipulate Fire to charge up attacks with their tactical knife...as well as just shoot out fire.
Mockingbird is an infamous syndicate of phantom thieves that perform criminal acts in the sake of justice, each one to bring light to the corrupt and evil, exposing their deeds and bringing fairness to the world.
Vivian Banshee
Phaethon's biggest fan and a great support for Anomaly teams. Vivian's tears have the ability to reveal the future to her. Her parasol allows her to pierce through foes and float in the air as well as act as a shield that can temporarily hold back an Ethereal's laser attack.
Hugo Vlad
The leader of Mockingbird and an old teammate of Lycaon. Whilst performing heists or fighting, Hugo bears a smug yet cruel demeanor, usually showing his flair for the dramatic with edgy monologues. He uses an array of tools and weapons, including a flip knife and coins disguised as darts that he hides in his suitcase - that also doubles as an intimidating scythe capable of firing beams of ice. He pairs well with other Agents who stun foes, most notably Lycaon and Lighter (shame I wasn't able to make use of this combo).
They were founded by a powerful master with incredible control over Ether, who thus could continue his legacy and guarantee that the evil power within the Qingming Sword could be kept at bay. Their philosophy is saving and helping people, and their cultivation techniques, focused on Ether manipulation, include transposition, weapon control, disease mitigation and communication with animals.
Yixuan Shifu
Yixuan is the eccentric and aura-farming master thirteenth-generation master of Yunkui Summit. She's a Void Hunter-level investigator who's powerful enough to stalemate Miyabi. She's the first ever Rupture Agent, Agents who specialize in dealing Sheer damage, bypassing enemy defenses to deal massive damage. Along with Qingming Bird and her Auric Ink, she can fly, parry attacks, create localized Auric Ink blasts, and just be super broken all around. She's also the one who taught Phaethon their new Ether manipulating abilities, and they have the ability to see other's memories when they are afflicted by Miasma, as well as cure them of the Miasma (assuming it's not too much). With some assistance from her fellow Agents (and Phaethon), she can manipulate and remove everyone's Miasma corruption in Failume Heights.
Ju Fufu
Definitely not a cat Thiren. She's the most senior disciple of Yunkui Summit, although you wouldn't know this immediately due to her short stature. Her main weapon is a popcorn machine that she throws around with ease. She also makes it spin around like a Beyblade, and she rides on it. Very silly car...
Pan Yinhu, disciple of Yunkui Summit, serves as both the head chef and financial manager of Suibian Temple. He's proficient in martial arts, and an expert in pressure-point techniques. His headwear also doubles as a cooking pot, which he can use to attack (then he just puts it back on his head without issue- but wait how is he lighting that thing up-).
Spook Shack
Unlike most other factions, Spook Shack is not an organized group or company. It is an Inter-Knot forum dedicated to sharing and solving supernatural mysteries and unexplained phenomena. The forum has no entry requirements, and most of its members are online friends who share common interests.
Alice Thymefield
One of the last survivors of the Thymefield family and the number one hater of anything asymmetrical, Alice can perform quick slashes for massive Physical damage. She can also go into a Frenzy, giving her a boost in power.
Ukinami Yuzuha
A survivor of Porcelumex's inhumane human experiments, she and her tanuki partner Kamanosuke can attack with what I can only assume is a candy bomb that helps support her fellow Agents. Just like Alice, Yuzuha can also go into a Frenzy.
Komano Manato
Komano Manato, a member of Spook Shack and an exceptionally reliable person. He suffers from JoJo teenager syndrome (seriously, look at Jotaro lmao). He and his massive blade can deal Fire damage. Being a Rupture Agent, he can bypass enemy defenses.
Lucia Elowen
She's a backpacker, an Ethereal story enthusiast, and a connoisseur of late-night food stalls. Her attacks create actual Ethereals. Ethereals also apparently don't tend to notice her, which must be nice.
Yidhari Murphy
An Agent that's also a Proxy. Her unique backstory left her with the ability to see past events within the Hollows. Her abilities would get mutated by Miasma, being able to materialize those past events into reality, at the cost of her psyche. Eventually, thanks to the efforts of Phaethon and other Agents and Factions, Yidhari would finally return to normal. She uses her hammer to deal Ice damage. As a Rupture Agent, she can bypass enemy defenses.
Krampus Compliance Authority
Dialyn
Dialyn works as a customer service representative for TOPS' Cross-Department Customer Service Center, though few know her other identity — a Krampus Compliance Authority Judge. She can use that massive ring she carries around to attack foes like sawblades or like a portal that summons an enlarged version of any of Dialyn's limbs.
FEATS
Some of these were taken from Miyabi vs. Chihiro blog by G1 Team because they've already got like...most of Part 1 covered.
Overall
- Befriended pretty much every playable Agent in the game
- Reversed Vivian's Ether corruption
- Instrumental in banding all the Agents together to take down Bringer... as well as celebrate Summer
- Presumably has an Inter-knot Level of 60 (it's kinda hard to do that...)
- The minds behind the most famous Proxy amongst New Eridu, Phaethon
Somehow has every Agent fawning for them /j
Attack Potency/Strength
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- Anton can hold back an out of control machine for a moment.
- Qingyi can lift a dozen or more Bangboo.
- Qingyi stopped a speeding car.
- Astra's singing powers the Starloop Tower to lift the top part of the tower into the air.
- Yixuan can manipulate and control everyone's Miasma corruption within Failume Heights.
- Magus could stalemate a blast from Isolde for a moment before the combined efforts of Magus, Seed, and Yixuan eventually overpowered Isolde.
- Yixuan can hold back and overpower a large amount of Miasma.
- Vivian can briefly hold back an Ethereal's laser blast with her parasol.
- Yuzuha's parasol can launch an Ethereal back.
- Miyabi cuts a ship in half and freezes the surrounding waters. The force of her attack leaves a hole on the Hollow. (265 Tons – 5 Kilotons of TNT)
Speed
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- Eous can race other Bangboo in a Fall Guys-esque racecourse.
- Evelyn can attack in tandem with bullets. (Mach 115)
- Ellen can react and weave through rocket fire.
- All of the Sons of Calydon should at least be able to react to obstacles in a high-speed motorcycle race throughout the Outer Ring.
- Miyabi can slash in tandem with bullets.
- Lycaon scales a building and jumps to reach an airship in a few seconds.
- Miyabi's casual speed is 200 km/h.
- Yixuan can react to Miyabi dashing around her.
- Every strike from Soldier 0 Anby is like a “sudden surge of lightning”. (Mach 285.7)
- Miyabi can slash in tandem with lightning as well. (Mach 1266)
Durability
- Belle and Wise both survive a point-blank explosion.
- Belle and Wise survive a truck crash.
- Burnice tanks a point blank C4 explosion.
- Hugo somehow survived Lycaon stabbing his hand through his heart.
- The Cunning Hares tank a missile explosion that sends them all falling into a hollow.
- Manato easily took an exploding steel door to the back.
- All playable characters can tank hits from Ether infused lightning, which can completely vaporize normal people.
- Orpheus tanks a Denny shot to the head.
SCALING
Ethereals and Other Opponents
All the playable Agents should be able to scale to Ethereals and the other opponents they've faced throughout the Hollows, given that they're almost always in combat with them on a daily basis.
- Bringer creates a storm within the hollow.
- Calc 1: 120 – 240 Tons of TNT / Calc 2: 1.21 – 2.42 kilotons of TNT.
- Isolde's footsoldiers can create this cloud formation.
- Isolde herself can create this massive wave, described to be a "tsunami".
- The Dead End Butcher blows a hole through three walls (0.0225 Tons).
WEAKNESSES
Phaethon's biggest weakness is that they have zero combat experience. If you somehow manage to get past all the Agents and all the Bangboo, it'll be pretty easy to take Phaethon down. Sure, they've been getting new abilities, but they haven't really shown any application of it for combat. Also, the Proxies are still not immune to more potent forms of Ether, like Miasma and its memory manipulation properties. The HDD used to be an issue for Phaethon as it directly linked to their brain, but now they don't really have any issues if the HDD's connection ever becomes too much for them since they don't particularly need it as much anymore.
For the Agents themselves, I feel like they're a bit...top-heavy, if that makes sense. What I mean is despite the verse potentially reaching 2.42 kilotons to 5 kilotons of TNT, perhaps more (assuming Isolde's tsunami creation feat is anything to go by), but it's only really Miyabi and Yixuan who can reach this level of power (for now), while everyone either downscales that power or needs the help of their entire Faction to actually match that level of power. Basically, take away the two Void Hunter level Agents and you'll have an easier time taking them down.
POTENTIAL MATCHUPS... er, matchup
Dispatch vs. Zenless Zone Zero
The main inspiration for me to make this blog as well as the only Phaethon matchup that I am aware of that exists (as of writing this). I honestly really like this matchup! It'd probably be like an Ash vs. Yugi thing where initially it would probably be some members of the Z-Team against a few of the Agents (maybe the Cunning Hares) while Robert and Phaethon advise them mid-combat. Then as the fight progresses, we get the rest of each party. As to who I think would win, Zenless Zone Zero has the number and ability advantage, while Dispatch (potentially) has the power advantage, assuming the verse is Star-level as everyone says it is. Honestly, I don't buy it because there isn't much evidence for it, so I think the Agents may win more times than not thanks to their power and numbers advantage.
Here's the two matchups I'll be deciding on...
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