Prisms and Victory Conditions
Prism Score and Victory
Defeat the Prism Boss that appears on the Aran Highlands to obtain a Prism,
then deposit it into the Stabilizer at the center of the map to earn 1 Prism Score.
The first team to reach 5 points wins. When the game ends after 24 minutes, rankings are decided in order of the highest score.
If Prism Scores are tied, rankings are decided by the total amount of currency (Shards) each team has collected.
S-Prisms and Scoring
The S-Prism is a core resource essential for victory.
Points 4 and 5 can only be scored with an S-Prism.
When your team lands 3 kills/assists on enemies while holding a Prism, or wipes out the enemy team, your held Prism converts into an S-Prism.
You can also obtain an S-Prism by defeating the Prime Boss Najan that appears late in the game.
S-Prism
S-Prisms and Scoring
The S-Prism is a core resource essential for victory.
Points 4 and 5 can only be scored with an S-Prism.
When your team lands 3 kills/assists on enemies while holding a Prism, or wipes out the enemy team, your held Prism converts into an S-Prism.
You can also obtain an S-Prism by defeating the Prime Boss Najan that appears late in the game.
S-Prism Scouting (Detection Effect)
After scoring 3 points, while your team holds a Prism, a circular area of 60m radius is scanned to reveal enemy positions within range.
Revealed enemies appear as red silhouettes and are exposed on the minimap. Wipe them out with your team, generate an S-Prism, and score at the central Stabilizer.
Learn the Key Rewards
Icons on the field use color to make reward types easy to tell apart. Judge instantly just by the color!
Red: Prism and buff
Yellow: Large amounts of currency (Shards) and experience
Purple: S-Prism and buff
Blue: Buff
Monster Reward Priority
Hunting the monsters that give more rewards in the same amount of time speeds up your growth. Just remember the points below to judge reward priority instantly.
1. Monsters in the Inner zone near the map's Center provide more experience and Shards than those in the Outer zone.
2. Some monster camps have a gold border on their icon, and these provide more currency and experience than regular camps.
3. Watcher Camps give greater rewards than regular camps, and defeating them secures vision of a specific zone — making them key strategic points.
Tip. All monster camps respawn 5 seconds after a phase change. Right after a phase change is the best timing to claim Watcher Camps first.
What Is the Aran Highlands?
The Aran Highlands is divided into 3 zones from the outside in: Outer / Inner / Center.
Outer
The outer region of the map where the traces of the past war between the nature spirits and the Kalipolis forces are clearly visible. The boss camp sector, where the Prism Boss and buff bosses appear, and the elite monster camp sector are separated from each other.
Inner
The inner region of the map with few traces of the past war. It offers higher monster kill rewards than the Outer, and contains the camp where the Prime Boss appears late in the game.
The Outer and Inner zones are divided by the octagonal road of the map.
Center
The heart of the battlefield, where 2 Stabilizers are located for depositing obtained Prisms to raise your Prism Score.
Scenery by Direction
Beyond the east of the map looms the hand of a giant rock spirit, and the eastern area is filled with dark amber-toned monsters and terrain.
Beyond the west of the map stands a massive tree trunk, and the western area is made up of dark green scenery.
Beyond the south of the map you can see the Kalipolis airship the heroes arrived on, and the southern area is filled with dark crimson scenery.
Beyond the north of the map stands a massive radar facility, and the northern area is made up of gray-toned scenery.
The color and mood differ by direction, so when you lose your way, look at the surrounding colors to gauge your position.
Last Stand
Last Stand is a powerful comeback system that can turn the tide in an instant when your team is in crisis.
Last Stand
The ultimate reward triggered when your team completely wipes out an entire enemy team. You gain the following effects:
1. All fallen allies are instantly revived with 100% health restored + skill cooldowns reset + an attack power boost for a set duration.
2. Revived allies appear near the ally hero who triggered the Last Stand.
3. At the moment the effect is gained, all Prisms held by your team are instantly converted into S-Prisms.
Partial Last Stand
If you defeat only some of the heroes on an enemy team on the verge of being wiped out, surviving allies recover some health for each enemy killed.
When only 1 enemy remains on a team, a Last Stand mark appears above that enemy's nameplate. Defeating this enemy grants the Last Stand effect.
Beginner Options
If ZETA is new to you, try the Beginner Options. They let you toggle, all at once, the UI/UX support features that help you not miss important information on the battlefield.
You can choose whether to use them under Options - Gameplay - COMMON - Etc.
Beginner Options are enabled by default, and the following features work together:
1. As a phase transition approaches, the timer is highlighted so you can prepare in advance for the moment when all positions are revealed.
2. A highlight effect is added to the icon of an object the first time it enters your view, so you can instantly recognize newly appeared resources or threats.
3. You're notified by text when it's a good time to buy or upgrade Codices at the shop. Don't miss the timing to spend Shards efficiently.
4. The route to your current objective is displayed, so you can continue your next move without hesitating over where to go.
Phase Changes
At the moment a phase changes, the following effects occur:
1. All teams' positions are revealed to everyone for 5 seconds.
2. All monster camps respawn 5 seconds after the phase change.
3. After some time from the phase change, various objects such as bosses and elites spawn.
A phase transition is a good time to redesign your hunting route, but the information is shared with everyone, so be careful in engagements.
Battle Codex
The Codex, purchased with Shards earned on the Aran Highlands, is the core equipment that determines a hero's strength.
Master the efficient upgrade method to gain the upper hand in battle.
Rather than holding several Tier 1 Codices for the same amount of Shards, completing one Codex up to Tier 4 before buying the next is far stronger and safer.
A Codex grows stronger at every stage, but its performance rises dramatically when it reaches Tier 2 and Tier 4 in particular. Breaking through these stages quickly is the key to growth.
Skill Aiming
Every battle in ZETA begins with aiming the skill indicator yourself.
When you use a skill, an indicator showing the skill's range and direction appears on screen.
Operate your keyboard/mouse or gamepad to move the indicator to the desired position, then fire.
ZETA skills do not automatically track enemies.
Predicting the enemy's current position, movement path, and next action, and using skills as you intend, is the core of every battle.
It may feel awkward at first, but it's designed so you can quickly get used to it.
Handle various skills yourself at the Training Ground and build your own sense of aim.
Ping / Voice
Fast communication with teammates is the key to victory. Make active use of pings and voice chat.
How to Use Pings
Using the assigned key places a ping at that location.
You can use it in various situations, such as marking enemy positions, requesting a regroup, or sharing a hunting route.
How to Use Voice
Voice chat can be used under Options - Team Voice, choosing one of the following 2 modes:
Open Mic: The mic is always active, so you can transmit your voice instantly without any extra input. It allows natural communication, but surrounding noise may also be transmitted.
Push-to-Talk: The mic is active only while you hold the assigned key. You can transmit your voice only when you want, allowing clean communication.
Smart Aim Assist
If you want to land skills faster in tense combat situations, try the Smart Aim Assist feature.
When you enable Smart Aim Assist for each skill under Options - Controls - HERO, that skill's aim is corrected to the direction and position of enemies within range when you input it.
However, in situations where you need to predict the enemy's movement path, we recommend adjusting and using skills manually.
Skill Input / Control Mode Settings
You can set how skills are triggered and what they are cast relative to, to match your own play style.
You can configure this individually for each hero's skill under Options - Controls - HERO.
Skill Input Mode
For each skill, you can choose one of the following 3:
- Normal Cast: Aims while you hold the skill key, and casts when you release it. You can take enough aiming time, which is good for precise shots.
- Instant Cast: Casts the moment you press the skill key. Effective in situations that need quick reactions.
- Toggle Cast: Aims when you press the skill key, and casts when you press it again. No need to keep holding the key.
Control Mode (Gamepad only)
An option that can only be set when using a gamepad such as a PS5 controller or Xbox controller.
Under Options - Controls, you can choose one of the following 2:
- Camera-based: Actions are cast based on the central direction the camera faces. This aims naturally along your view.
- Character-based: Actions are cast based on the direction the character faces. This directly controls the character's direction separately from the camera.
Find the combination that suits you best and practice it thoroughly at the Training Ground.
Revival
Even if you die on the Aran Highlands, you can return to the battlefield in 4 ways. Choose the most efficient revival method for the situation.
1. If an ally interacts with the fallen player, they revive instantly on the spot. When safety is secured, this is the fastest way to return to the front line.
2. After some time following death, you can choose your revival location. You can choose between next to an ally or the Outer. Next to an ally is good for immediate regrouping; the Outer is good for safe re-entry after regrouping.
3. When an ally wipes out an entire enemy team and triggers Last Stand, all fallen allies revive instantly. They gain 100% health restored + skill cooldowns reset + an attack power boost for a set duration, and appear near the ally hero who triggered the Last Stand.
4. Using a Revival Device placed on the battlefield, you can directly revive a fallen ally. When one ally's return decides the outcome mid-engagement, don't hesitate — use it actively.
Tip. Right after reviving, you may be briefly defenseless. Carefully choose your return point and timing to fit the situation.
Prism Boss
The Prism Boss is a core boss that lets you directly obtain a Prism on defeat.
Since the Prism Score needed for victory is ultimately earned by depositing Prisms into the Stabilizer, hunting the Prism Boss is itself an opportunity to score.
Each time you defeat it, you gain a permanent growth effect and a shield that lasts for a set duration.
In particular, defeating the Prism Boss 3 times grants a powerful 'Frenzy' effect that can turn the tide in an instant.
Neglecting Prism Boss hunts leaves you behind in both score and growth, so always check its spawn timing and aim for it aggressively.
Elite Monsters
Elite monsters are far stronger than regular monsters, but they are key growth resources that reward rich experience and Shards on defeat.
On the Aran Highlands, different elite monsters appear in each zone, each with its own spawn zone and behavior pattern.
Moonhowl
A wolf-shaped elite monster that appears in the Outer zone and guards its spot.
It has powerful attacks, so you can take heavy damage in a head-on fight — caution is needed.
If you scout its spawn location in advance, you can stably design your hunting route.
Popo / Quiqui
Roamer monsters that appear in the Outer and Center zones, then patrol along a set route.
A warning is shown before they appear. They don't attack, but when hit they briefly stagger and then flee quickly, so the key is to defeat them in one go the moment you find them.
Ambushing on their movement route the instant the warning appears lets you defeat them reliably.
Elite monsters are far more threatening than regular monster camps, so reckless solo hunting is dangerous.
We recommend targeting them when you have enough health, or defeating them together with teammates.
Prime Boss
The Prime Boss is the strongest boss that appears late in the game and decides the outcome.
It is the last chance to directly obtain the S-Prism essential for victory, and a decisive object that can turn around both score and combat power with a single defeat.
On defeat you can obtain an S-Prism and a regular Prism together, and the team that defeats it gains a powerful buff that can turn the tide for a set duration.
The Prime Boss is a key object that all teams aim for simultaneously.
For the team that claims it first, it can be a weapon of comeback; for the team that yields it, a signal of defeat.
Don't miss its spawn location and time — aim for it aggressively.
Chieftain
The Chieftain is a boss that, on defeat, grants enhancement effects specialized in chasing down and subduing enemies.
Normally a Prism Boss appears each phase, but occasionally there is a special phase where the Prism Boss and the Chieftain appear together.
Defeating the Chieftain lets you chase fleeing enemies for a set duration or gain powerful combat-specialized effects.
Don't miss its spawn timing — aim for it aggressively.
Monster Camps
The monster camps of the Aran Highlands are core growth resources. Even without the minimap, you can quickly judge a camp's type and rewards just by the shape and color of its icon.
Telling Camps Apart by Icon
You can instantly distinguish camp types by the shape and color of the icons shown on the field and minimap.
- Regular monster camp
- Watcher Camp (secures vision of that zone on defeat)
- Elite monster camp
Also, camps with a gold border on their icon provide more rewards than camps of the same type. These camps are mainly placed in the Inner zone, so defeat them with priority the moment you find them.
Automata of the Inner Zone
The Inner zone deep in the map is inhabited by the Automata, a race made of machines.
Automata camps provide more experience and Shards than the monsters of the outer zones, so once you enter the Inner, aim for them aggressively.
Monster Grades
A single camp is made up of monsters of several grades.
- Normal Monster: The basic monster that makes up a camp.
- Leader Monster: An enhanced monster that leads the camp, with a thicker health bar than regular monsters.
- Elite Monster: A powerful single monster that appears separately from camps and provides rich rewards.
[Advanced] Bounty
Bounty is a tracking reward system automatically granted to a player who defeats enemies consecutively without dying.
The more kills you accumulate, the larger the bounty grows, and the team that defeats that player is awarded extra Shards.
An enemy with a high kill streak becomes a target worth aiming for by anyone.
Press the assigned key to check on the match board, at a glance, which enemy has how large a bounty.
However, the moment you die, your bounty is immediately reset and disappears.
Don't forget that while you maintain a kill streak, enemy attention is always focused on you.
A bounty on the opposing team's ace can be a powerful reward that turns the game around.
Aim for it aggressively. But reckless pursuit is forbidden.
[Advanced] Boss / Monster Kill Rewards
For efficient growth, compare the key kill rewards of bosses and monsters at a glance, and design a hunting route to fit the situation.
Prime Boss — Najan the Lord
- Can obtain 1 S-Prism and 1 regular Prism
- Restores some health and skill cooldown for the team that defeats it
- Grants a powerful buff that turns the tide for a set duration
Prism Boss — Kiero
- Can obtain 1 regular Prism
- Unlimited permanent stat-boost buff
- A shield proportional to max health for a set duration
- Grants a powerful 'Frenzy' buff on the 3rd defeat
Chieftain — Mugante
- Non-combat movement speed boost for a set duration
- Applies damage-over-time and a slow to enemies on attack hit
Elite Monsters — Popo / Quiqui
- Large amounts of experience / Shards
- Patrol a set route, so they may flee if not defeated the moment you find them
Elite Monster — Moonhowl
- Large amounts of experience / Shards
- Fixed spawn location allows stable hunting
- Uses powerful attacks
Watcher Camp
- Experience / Shards
- Provides vision of that zone on defeat
- The Inner Watcher secures a larger vision area than the Outer Watcher
Regular Monster Camp
- Provides basic experience / Shards
- Inner camps provide more rewards than Outer camps
Full Vision Sharing
In the situations below, all teams' positions are revealed in real time across the entire map. Remember that while you check the enemy's position, your team's position is also exposed.
1. On phase transition: When each new phase begins, all teams' positions are revealed.
2. Prism holder: A player holding a Prism has their position revealed on the minimap.
Ally Vision
Information provided only to your team, depending on your team's actions.
1. On successful scoring: The team that scores by depositing a Prism into the Stabilizer is shown the positions of all enemies.
2. On securing a Watcher: Taking a Watcher Camp lets you see, in real time, the positions of all players who enter the designated zone.
3. On revival after a wipe: At the moment a wiped team revives, that team alone is shown the positions of all enemies. Use it to design your route right after reviving.
Player Activity Info
Information that occurs during combat is instantly shown as icons on the minimap and world map.
Death occurred: Indicates a player died at that location.
Ally death: The location where an ally fell.
Danger detected: Shown when an enemy is detected doing activities such as clearing a monster camp, using a Rift, or using a Photon Teleporter in your sector or an adjacent sector.
Vision Veil
The Vision Veil is a translucent veil surrounding the entrances to the Inner zone.
The veil does not block movement and can be passed freely, but the position and information of enemies beyond it are only revealed to a limited extent.
You must get close to identify the position and identity of enemies, and from far away it's hard to detect enemies beyond the veil.
An ambush using the veil is a powerful tactical card.
If enemies enter without knowing you're beyond the veil, you can land a surprise attack in an instant.
However, the effects of skills used from beyond the veil are still exposed, so be careful using skills while ambushing.
Also, allies' positions are always shown regardless of distance, so consider your route together with your allies when using it.
Dash
A core mobility skill that enables sudden breakthroughs and fast battlefield movement.
Using Dash moves you a short distance instantly and quickly. It's a movement skill all players can use.
You can use it efficiently to urgently escape an enemy encirclement or dodge a threatening enemy skill.
Rift
The Rift is a one-way movement device activated right after a boss defeat.
It is placed at camps where the Prism Boss or Chieftain appears.
It activates for a set duration right after that camp's boss is defeated, and is disabled and unusable normally.
Stand on an activated Rift platform and stay for a set time to trigger it automatically and move to a specific point.
You can use the Rift right after a boss defeat to escape dangerous situations, so aim for bosses aggressively.
Photon Teleporter
The Photon Teleporter is a short-range movement means that lets you quickly move to an adjacent zone without breaking the flow of battle.
When the distance is too far to travel on foot but you need to quickly regroup to an adjacent sector or shorten your route, make active use of the Photon Teleporter.
In particular, when a danger signal is detected in an adjacent sector, using the Photon Teleporter lets you move quickly and design an ambush route.
Launch Gate
The Launch Gate is a one-way movement device, permanently placed near the Center zone, that lets you move from the Center zone to the outside.
It triggers when you hold the interaction key for a set time in front of the departure platform, and even if teammates input the key at the same time, each moves separately.
The arrival point is shown on the minimap, so you can check the travel distance in advance.
Use it actively to swiftly escape to the outskirts right after depositing a Prism into the Stabilizer, or when chasing an enemy team.
Gate
The Gate is a strategic device that blocks the entrances of the Center zone and the Prime Boss camp.
It blocks the movement of both players and monsters, and projectiles also cannot pass through it.
Gates are divided into 2 types by location.
Center Gate
Placed at the entrances of the Center zone, it controls the path for depositing Prisms.
It is normally closed, and interacting with it opens it after a set time. An opened gate closes automatically after a set time, and the moment it closes, nearby players take damage and are forcibly knocked back.
A gate that has been operated once cannot be operated again for a set time.
Also, when you deposit a Prism into a Stabilizer, the gates on both sides of that Stabilizer open automatically while the Stabilizer's lock state is maintained.
Najan Gate
Automatic open/close gates placed on both sides of the Prime Boss camp. Depending on the game's flow, when the gate on one side opens, the gate on the opposite side closes.
It guarantees the escape route of the team that claims the camp while blocking the entry of pursuing teams.
[Advanced] Jump Pad
The Jump Pad is a one-way movement device that lets you leap over terrain to a set point.
Stand on the platform and stay for a set time to fill the gauge, and the moment the gauge is full it triggers automatically; even if multiple heroes are on the platform, they move together.
Leaving the platform makes the gauge decrease again.
It's very effective for ambushes, allowing a sudden regroup from the flank or rear out of the enemy's sight.
