Ideal
CRIT Rate > CRIT DMG
Desire
Order DMG% >= ATK%
Imagination
ATK%
Chaos Zero Nightmare (CZN)HugoBuild and Guide
Introduction
Best guide and build for Hugo from Chaos Zero Nightmare (CZN). Hugo is a 5✦ character from the Ranger class and Order attribute, who belongs to the Stella Familia [Azure Merchant Guild] faction.
Update tracker
Last review update
Season 2
Last build update
Season 2
Last profile update*
15.03.2026
*Profile update means updates done to reviews/builds/gear within a season - showing the last date we changed anything on this page.
To learn more about Hugo check the sections below. Use the tabs to quickly switch to the kind of information you're looking for.
Profile
Review
Epiphanies
Gear
Deck & Teams
Profile
Cards
Starting Cards:
1
Throw Dagger
100% Damage.
1
Defense System
100% Shield.
Show Effects
1
Hunting Instincts
When an Upgrade or Skill Card of another Combatant is used, 1 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
Epiphany Cards:
1
Fan of Daggers
60% x 3 Damage to random enemies.
Commence the Hunt for each target hit.
Commence the Hunt for each target hit.
Show Effects
1
Quick Fix
80% x 2 Damage.
If in Commence the Hunt, Draw 1 Attack Card(s).
If in Commence the Hunt, Draw 1 Attack Card(s).
Show Effects
1
Dingo Howling
100% Shield.
2 Commence the Hunt.
2 Commence the Hunt.
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1
Fixer's Approach
Increase Extra Attack Damage Amount of Commence the Hunt by 40%.
Show Effects
Ego Skill:
6
Last Resort
Ego Skill
250% Damage to all enemies.
Increase Damage of Commence the Hunt by+30%.
Increase Damage of Commence the Hunt by+30%.
Show Effects
Epiphany Variants:
Epiphany cards are special evolutions for the cards you can obtain while playing the roguelike mode. Only some cards in the character's deck can get Epiphany effects. Since there's quite a lot of them, we don't display them by default - press the button below to show them. There are also Divine variants of Epiphany cards, but we're still working on gathering them.
0
Hunting Instincts I
When an Upgrade or Skill Card of another Combatant is used, 1 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
1
Hunting Instincts II
When another combatant uses an Enhanced or Skill card, 1 Commence the Hunt.
50% chance of gaining an additional 1 Commence the Hunt.
50% chance of gaining an additional 1 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
1
Hunting Instincts III
When another Combatant uses an Upgrade or Skill card, 1 Commence the Hunt.
If Commence the Hunt is triggered, 50% chance of a random ally performing a Coordinated Attack on the target
If Commence the Hunt is triggered, 50% chance of a random ally performing a Coordinated Attack on the target
Show Effects
0
Hunting Instincts IV
Commence the Hunt equal to the number of Skill Cards in hand.
Show Effects
1
Hunting Instincts V
When using an Enhance or Skill Card, 1 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
1
Fan of Daggers I
90% x 3 Damage to random enemies.
Commence the Hunt for each target hit.
Commence the Hunt for each target hit.
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1
Fan of Daggers II
90% x 3 Damage.
2 Commence the Hunt.
2 Commence the Hunt.
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1
Fan of Daggers III
250% Damage.
When Damage is dealt, 100% chance of a random ally performing a Coordinated Attack on the target.
When Damage is dealt, 100% chance of a random ally performing a Coordinated Attack on the target.
Show Effects
1
Fan of Daggers IV
90% Damage × 3 to random enemies.
If in a Commence the Hunt state, increase Damage Amount by 100%.
If in a Commence the Hunt state, increase Damage Amount by 100%.
Show Effects
2
Fan of Daggers V
At the start of the turn, 60% x 2 Damage to random enemies.
Commence the Hunt equal to the number of targets hit.
Commence the Hunt equal to the number of targets hit.
Show Effects
1
Quick Fix I
120% x 2 Damage.
If in Commence the Hunt, Draw 1 Attack Card.
If in Commence the Hunt, Draw 1 Attack Card.
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1
Quick Fix II
80% Damage × 2.
If in a Commence the Hunt state, add 1 Hit(s).
If in a Commence the Hunt state, add 1 Hit(s).
Show Effects
1
Quick Fix III
100% x 2 Damage.
If in Commence the Hunt, Draw 2.
If in Commence the Hunt, Draw 2.
Show Effects
1
Quick Fix IV
100% Damage × 3.
If in a Commence the Hunt state, increase Action Count of all enemies by 1.
If in a Commence the Hunt state, increase Action Count of all enemies by 1.
Show Effects
1
Quick Fix V
120% Damage.
Decrease Commence the Hunt by up to 5.
Add 1 Hit for each.
Decrease Commence the Hunt by up to 5.
Add 1 Hit for each.
Show Effects
1
Dingo Howling I
150% Shield.
3 Commence the Hunt.
3 Commence the Hunt.
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1
Dingo Howling II
150% Shield.
If under Commence the Hunt +50% Shield.
2 Commence the Hunt.
If under Commence the Hunt +50% Shield.
2 Commence the Hunt.
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1
Dingo Howling III
Upon gaining Commence the Hunt, Draw 1 Attack card(s) (1 per turn).
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1
Dingo Howling IV
2 Commence the Hunt.
Combo: Add another 2 Commence the Hunt.
Combo: Add another 2 Commence the Hunt.
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1
Dingo Howling V
2 Commence the Hunt.
Draw 2 attack card(s).
Draw 2 attack card(s).
Show Effects
Potential
Epiphany Bonus
Potential 1
When entering Chaos, obtain 1 random Rare Card with an activated Epiphany.
Basic Card Upgrade
Potential 2
Increase Damage, Shield, and Healing Amounts of Basic Cards by 2/20%.
Common Card Upgrade
Potential 3
Increase Damage, Shield, and Healing Amounts of Common Cards by 2/20%.
Basic Card Proficiency
Potential 3-1
When you play a Throw Dagger card, 50% chance to gain 1 Commence the Hunt.
Unique Card Upgrade
Potential 4
Increase Damage, Shield, and Healing Amounts of Unique Cards by 2/20%.
Critical Damage Proficiency
Potential 5
+2.4/12% Critical Damage.
Basic Card Proficiency
Potential 5-1
+5% Damage for Hugo's Dagger Throw.
If Hugo's Attack is greater than 500, an additional +5% to that value.
If Hugo's Attack is greater than 500, an additional +5% to that value.
Divine Epiphany Adaptation
Potential 5-2
Increases the chance for a Divine Epiphany to appear by 25%.
Critical Chance Proficiency
Potential 6
+2/10% Critical Chance.
Unique Stat Upgrade
Potential 7
If Hugo's Attack is greater than 700, +4% Additional Damage.
For every 50 Attack exceeding that value, +1% (up to an additional +8%).
For every 50 Attack exceeding that value, +1% (up to an additional +8%).
Manifest Ego (dupes)
Sleeping Memory
Manifest Ego 1
+10% to the Damage Amount Increase effect of Commence the Hunt for the Fixer's Approach Card.
Awakening Memory
Manifest Ego 2
For every 2 times Commence the Hunt is activated, deal 40% x 2 Extra Damage to random enemies.
If the same target is attacked, gain 1 Commence the Hunt. This effect activates once per turn.
If the same target is attacked, gain 1 Commence the Hunt. This effect activates once per turn.
Vivid Memory
Manifest Ego 3
When using Last Resort card, the max stacks of Commence the Hunt increases by 1.
Inner Memory
Manifest Ego 4
Whenever Commence the Hunt is triggered, gain 1 Arbiter's Wrath.
Arbiter's Wrath: For 1 turn(s), Hugo's damage +10% (Max 4 stacks).
Arbiter's Wrath: For 1 turn(s), Hugo's damage +10% (Max 4 stacks).
Complete Memory
Manifest Ego 5
Increase the level of [Basic Card Upgrade], [Unique Card Upgrade], and [Common Card Upgrade] in Potentials by 3.
Liberated Memory
Manifest Ego 6
At the start of the turn, apply 1 Hunting Mark to a random enemy.
Hunting Mark: When hit by the effect of Commence the Hunt gain 1 Morale for 1 turn.
Removed when triggered or when Hunting Mark is applied to another target.
Hunting Mark: When hit by the effect of Commence the Hunt gain 1 Morale for 1 turn.
Removed when triggered or when Hunting Mark is applied to another target.
Stats (level 60)
HP
320
DEF
146
ATK
505
Gallery
Review
Introduction
Hugo is a Ranger class Combatant who belongs to the Order attribute, who teams up with his allies to deal damage with Extra Attacks whenever a targeting Attack Card is used.
Hugo's Signature mechanic is called "Commence the Hunt". Commence the Hunt can stack up to 5 times, gaining stacks whenever an Upgrade or Skill card of another Combatant is used whilst under the effect of his own "Hunting Instincts" Upgrade card or via multiple of his own cards. Whenever a targeting Attack Card is used, Hugo will launch his own Extra Attack to that same target, dealing 50% Extra Attack Damage, which increases by 30% damage per stack of Commence the Hunt owned.
Hugo can function as a Primary DPS or a Sub-DPS thanks to being able to passively generate Commence the Hunt from other units using cards. Hugo is looking to be paired with other units that have low-cost targeting Attack Cards to ensure you're using as many Hunt stacks per turn as possible to maximize damage.
Hugo greatly benefits from Morale due to the number of attacks he can potentially launch at his enemies, best pairing him with units who can provide consistent Morale. He also requires a decent amount of Skill cards in his teammates' decks to ensure he can maintain as many Hunt stacks as possible.
As Hugo does heavily rely on his Upgrade cards to get going, he can require a bit of upfront AP investment to ensure he can function as effectively as he can. Hugo also lacks AoE damage outside of his Ego skill, but makes up for it with his huge single-target damage.
Playing Hugo efficiently is all about balancing your Commence the Hunt stacks to deal as much damage as possible, weaving in various Skill Cards and Attack Cards to ensure you're not Overcapping your Hunt stacks.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Absurd sustained single target damage throughout the entire fight.
Strong built-in scaling thanks to Commence the Hunt stacking damage multiplier.
Incredible Card Draw options for a DPS.
Upgrade-based playstyle - can operate without needing to draw specific combo pieces after being initially established.
Cons
Limited AoE, only accessible via Ego Skill.
Must be paired with allies that attack frequently to maximize Commence the Hunt triggers.
Commence the Hunt does not trigger unless the abilities target.
Ratings
The ratings below are based on the Season Save Data modes and the Chaos Manifestation mode. Each of the modes values different mechanics, so some characters may shine in one of the, while being underwhelming in the other.
Key Mechanics
Commence the Hunt: Hugo’s unique mechanic, Commence the Hunt, is a stackable buff that allows him to trigger Additional Attacks each time a card that targets a single enemy is used by him or allies (AoE and randomly targeting abilities do not work). Commence the Hunt is gained via the majority of Hugo’s cards and is stackable up to 5 times and after it’s triggered, Commence the Hunt’s stack size is reduced by 1. When triggered, it deals 50% of Hugo’s ATK plus an extra 30% per stack up to 200%.
Tip: Something that’s important to know is that all the damage, including the stack damage, is base damage, meaning it is multiplied by multiplicative +% damage bonuses.
Potential
Hugo’s Signature Potentials offer significant damage boosts as well as some additional functionality, making them a high priority to unlock.
3-1: Adds a 50% chance to gain Commence the Hunt when using Hugo’s Basic Attack Throw Dagger, helping with stack generation in Zero System runs. Not too relevant in endgame builds though.
5-1: Increases Throw Dagger’s base damage multiplier by +5% and if ATK is higher than 500, an additional +5% is added. Also not hugely impactful in endgame Hugo decks and is more for early Zero System power.
7: Improves the Additional Damage multiplier by +4% while Hugo’s ATK is 700 or higher. Also grants an extra +1% for every 50 ATK over that, up to 8%. A nice damage boost overall and definitely worth picking up.
Dupes Review
E0
Base
E1
Ego 1
Hugo’s first Ego node increases the damage buff on his “Fixer’s Approach” card by +10%. A decent first node to unlock that boosts his damage output.
E2
Ego 2
His second Ego point is a passive buff that activates once per turn. For every 2 times Commence the Hunt is activated, Hugo deals 40% Extra Attack Damage twice to random enemies. If hitting the same enemy twice, Hugo gains 1 stack of Commence the Hunt. A great second node for Hugo that allows him to maintain his Hunt stacks without generating them via Skill cards and also provides some extra damage for free.
E3
Ego 3
His third Ego node provides an additional effect to his Ego Skill “Last Resort”. When used, it will also increase the maximum amount of Commence the Hunt stacks he can hold by 1. This is a great unlock for Hugo’s Ego Skill, increasing the value provided and further increasing his Potential damage output.
E4
Ego 4
The fourth unlock for Hugo’s Ego is a passive effect that grants Hugo a buff whenever Commence the Hunt is triggered. When triggered, Hugo gains 1 stack of Arbiter’s Wrath for the turn, up to a maximum of 4 stacks. Hugo’s damage is increased by +10% per stack. A very easy to maintain buff that again, further elevates Hugo’s damage output.
E5
Ego 5
This node increases the base and maximum level of their [Basic Card Upgrade], [Unique Card Upgrade] and [Common Card Upgrade] Potentials by 3. This node is less impactful on Hugo compared to some other characters, as the majority of their damage source is coming from their Extra Attacks and not directly from their Attack Cards.
E6
Ego 6
Hugo’s final unlock is another passive effect that kicks in at the start of each turn, applying “Hunting Mark 1” to a random enemy. When an enemy affected by this debuff is hit by the effect of Commence the Hunt, gain 1 Morale for 1 turn and the debuff will be removed. This is a decent final node for Hugo that provides his team with Morale, but as it only generates a single stack once per turn, it’s not a game-changer but simply a nice added effect.
Cards & Ego Skill
6
Last Resort
Ego Skill
250% Damage to all enemies.
Increase Damage of Commence the Hunt by+30%.
Increase Damage of Commence the Hunt by+30%.
Show Effects
Last Resort
Costs 6 EP, deals a large amount of AoE damage and applies a permanent 30% damage boost to all Commence the Hunt damage on use. It should be used as early as possible to activate the buff to maximize Hugo’s damage output.
1
Throw Dagger
100% Damage.
Throw Dagger
Hugo’s Basic Attack starts standard, but can be upgraded via Potentials to have a 50% chance to grant a stack of Commence the Hunt, boosting its value in the early game. Despite this, it is still a target for removal in endgame Hugo builds, but is still serviceable in Zero System.
1
Defense System
100% Shield.
Show Effects
Defense System
Hugo’s basic shield is completely standard and doesn't have any extra synergy with his kit, a high-priority target for removal.
1
Hunting Instincts
When an Upgrade or Skill Card of another Combatant is used, 1 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
Hunting Instincts
A 1 AP Upgrade with [Initiation], meaning it will start in your hand. This is the main way Hugo maintains high Commence the Hunt stacks. After activation, whenever another Combatant’s skill or upgrade is used, Hugo gains 1 Commence the Hunt. This card is the backbone of all of Hugo’s best builds, with many aiming for multiple copies to make maintaining high Commence the Hunt effortless.
1
Fan of Daggers
60% x 3 Damage to random enemies.
Commence the Hunt for each target hit.
Commence the Hunt for each target hit.
Show Effects
Fan of Daggers
Fan of daggers is a 3-hit random targeting ability that grants Commence the Hunt stacks equal to the number of enemies hit. A good way to accumulate stacks early on in Zero System runs, but not a core part of Hugo’s best endgame builds.
1
Quick Fix
80% x 2 Damage.
If in Commence the Hunt, Draw 1 Attack Card(s).
If in Commence the Hunt, Draw 1 Attack Card(s).
Show Effects
Quick Fix
A single targeted attack that hits twice and if Commence the Hunt is active, draws an Attack Card from the deck. Hugo’s best personal Commence the Hunt trigger card, which replaces itself on use, making it a staple include and high upgrade priority in most Hugo decks.
1
Dingo Howling
100% Shield.
2 Commence the Hunt.
2 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
Dingo Howling
An enhanced shielding Card that shields and grants 2 Commence the Hunt on use. Not a must-have at baseline, but it gains some incredibly powerful Epiphany options, making it a strong inclusion in Hugo’s best strategies.
1
Fixer's Approach
Increase Extra Attack Damage Amount of Commence the Hunt by 40%.
Show Effects
Fixer's Approach
Another Upgrade card for Hugo, this time with the [Unique] Tag. While active, it increases the damage of Commence the Hunt Extra Attacks multiplicatively by +40%. An excellent damage increase to a major part of Hugo’s total damage output. Note: Here is how it works with max Commence the Hunt Stacks and no other multipliers. (50% + 150%) x 1.4 = 280%.
Best Epiphanies
Best Epiphanies
Note
We have given a star rating for each Epiphany, showing how strong and useful it is - with 1★ being the lowest rating and 5★ the highest.
Card 1
Neutral Epiphany
0
Hunting Instincts I
When an Upgrade or Skill Card of another Combatant is used, 1 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
1
Hunting Instincts II
When another combatant uses an Enhanced or Skill card, 1 Commence the Hunt.
50% chance of gaining an additional 1 Commence the Hunt.
50% chance of gaining an additional 1 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
1
Hunting Instincts III
When another Combatant uses an Upgrade or Skill card, 1 Commence the Hunt.
If Commence the Hunt is triggered, 50% chance of a random ally performing a Coordinated Attack on the target
If Commence the Hunt is triggered, 50% chance of a random ally performing a Coordinated Attack on the target
Show Effects
0
Hunting Instincts IV
Commence the Hunt equal to the number of Skill Cards in hand.
Show Effects
1
Hunting Instincts V
When using an Enhance or Skill Card, 1 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
Epiphanies:
- Neutral - Target Neutral Epiphany: Agony 2 at the start of every turn.
The Agony Epiphany on this can give guaranteed uptime on the popular 2P Agony set for both Hugo and any units he is being played with, which can be nice. However, this will likely pale in value compared to just gaining another Extra Attack, which Hunting Instinct III does. - Hunting Instincts I- Now a 0-cost. This is great QoL and can make it easier to build Hugo quickly; however, this will likely pale in value compared to just gaining another Extra Attack, which Hunting Instinct III does.
- Hunting Instincts II- Now have a 50% chance to gain 1 additional Commence the Hunt. While this is not recommended to be prioritized over Hunting Instincts III, it does have a lot of synergy WITH Hunting Instincts III (or any other Instincts for that matter) as it can allow you to cut down 1 dupe. Thus, it is worth considering Meditating one of your dupes in a 2-3 Instinct build to this, to lower the amount of Instincts you need (and free up your Turn 1 draw).
- Hunting Instincts III- Gains an additional Extra Attack on every Commence the Hunt; do note this Extra Attack does not receive Commence the Hunt buffs. This is the go-to Epiphany, as it basically makes it so Hugo does 2 Extra Attacks for any attack an ally does, so long as he has Commence the Hunt stacks.
- Hunting Instincts IV- Becomes a 0-cost skill that gives 1 Commence the Hunt stack for every Skill Card in hand when played. This is extremely hard to get full value out of and because Commence the Hunt stacks are capped at 5 (6 with E3 Ego Skill), it basically lowers the amount of Commence the Hunts you get from basically limitless (capped based on the number of skills you can play x2-4) to a measly 5-6.
- Hunting Instincts V- Hugo’s skills now count towards Commence the Hunt stacks. Similar to Hunting Instincts II, this provides value not by competing against III but rather supporting it in a dual Epiphany build. However, this is more situational in value compared to Hunting Instincts II, as Hugo does not tend to play a lot of skills in most decks.
Divine Epiphanies:
Which Divine Epiphany to go for will depend on what your team needs and which Epiphany you chose, but here are the main ones to look out for if you have spare Save Data: -1 Cost Reduction.
Card 2
Neutral Epiphany
1
Fan of Daggers I
90% x 3 Damage to random enemies.
Commence the Hunt for each target hit.
Commence the Hunt for each target hit.
Show Effects
1
Fan of Daggers II
90% x 3 Damage.
2 Commence the Hunt.
2 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
1
Fan of Daggers III
250% Damage.
When Damage is dealt, 100% chance of a random ally performing a Coordinated Attack on the target.
When Damage is dealt, 100% chance of a random ally performing a Coordinated Attack on the target.
Show Effects
1
Fan of Daggers IV
90% Damage × 3 to random enemies.
If in a Commence the Hunt state, increase Damage Amount by 100%.
If in a Commence the Hunt state, increase Damage Amount by 100%.
Show Effects
2
Fan of Daggers V
At the start of the turn, 60% x 2 Damage to random enemies.
Commence the Hunt equal to the number of targets hit.
Commence the Hunt equal to the number of targets hit.
Show Effects
Epiphanies:
- Neutral - Target Neutral Epiphany: Draw 1, 1 AP.
With Draw 1 or 1 AP Neutral, the card basically becomes free, which makes it easy to justify keeping and doesn’t require any save data points for the QoL (which Divines would). - Fan of Daggers I- Slightly higher base damage. The damage increase on this is negligible and the damage from Hugo's attacks themselves will almost always be vastly outshone by his Extra Attacks, making it not a high consideration.
- Fan of Daggers II- Card now is a target-card (no longer random) and gives 2 Commence the Hunt. The change to it being a target card is of considerable note, since this means the card itself will now trigger Commence the Hunt – meaning it is a card that will give you +2 Commence the Hunt and activate a Commence the Hunt, which is incredibly valuable and efficient. If your deck can afford to keep it, then this is generally the one that will be kept.
- Fan of Daggers III- Now, a target card that triggers an ally's Extra Attack as well. This can be nice when used alongside a second Extra Attacker like Selena; however, this is a rather niche scenario. Still, it being a target-attack means one more Commence the Hunt hit, which is still of significant value over all Epiphanies besides Fan II. This Epi will generally be worse than Fan II because Fan II gives you additional Commence the Hunt stacks on top of activating one while Fan III does not.
- Fan of Daggers IV- Attack receives a +100% additive buff if in a Commence the Hunt state. The condition on this is extremely easy to activate and is decent damage; however, you will likely notice that the target-attack function on Fan II or Fan III will actually net you much higher damage than the attack from this card itself, so it is not recommended in most optimized setups.
- Fan of Daggers V- Becomes a 2-cost Upgrade which hits 2 random enemies and will give you a Commence the Hunt stack for each hit. This can be an expensive Upgrade to play, especially since Hugo tends to be rather low AP-cost and thus not have high AP from teammates, but it’s a solid card that will usually just be +1 Commence the Hunt stack per turn with no downsides (after being played), if you can play it.
Divine Epiphanies:
Divine Epiphanies provide negligible value on this card; therefore, an Epiphany that synergizes with your build should be prioritized over Divines.
Card 3
Neutral Epiphany
1
Quick Fix I
120% x 2 Damage.
If in Commence the Hunt, Draw 1 Attack Card.
If in Commence the Hunt, Draw 1 Attack Card.
Show Effects
1
Quick Fix II
80% Damage × 2.
If in a Commence the Hunt state, add 1 Hit(s).
If in a Commence the Hunt state, add 1 Hit(s).
Show Effects
1
Quick Fix III
100% x 2 Damage.
If in Commence the Hunt, Draw 2.
If in Commence the Hunt, Draw 2.
Show Effects
1
Quick Fix IV
100% Damage × 3.
If in a Commence the Hunt state, increase Action Count of all enemies by 1.
If in a Commence the Hunt state, increase Action Count of all enemies by 1.
Show Effects
1
Quick Fix V
120% Damage.
Decrease Commence the Hunt by up to 5.
Add 1 Hit for each.
Decrease Commence the Hunt by up to 5.
Add 1 Hit for each.
Show Effects
Epiphanies:
- Neutral - Target Neutral Epiphany: Draw 1.
Draw 1 Neutral gives more or less the same value as Quick-Fix III, situationally slightly better or worse depending on whether drawing 1 attack is good or bad, which makes it a premier choice when offered. - Quick Fix I- Does slightly more base damage. Once again, the damage from Hugo will primarily come from his Extra Attacks, making slight increases in Attack Card damage extremely negligible and seldom preferred over very strong QoL options in Neutral or Quick-Fix III.
- Quick Fix II- Now hits 3 times if in Commence the Hunt, but loses its draw. While this makes the card itself do a decent amount more damage, once again, the damage from Hugo will primarily come from his Extra Attacks, making slight increases in Attack Card damage extremely negligible and seldom preferred over very strong QoL options in Neutral or Quick-Fix III.
- Quick Fix III- Changes its additional effect to just ‘Draw 2’. This is incredibly strong and makes it so Hugo can act as both a Sub-DPS and a Draw Support simultaneously. While not on the levels of Veronica or Renoa Draw Support, this allows levels of draw equal to most Draw Supports currently in the game, on top of being a decent attack that can also trigger Commence the Hunt.
- Quick Fix IV- Card now does a bit more damage, hits 3x and increases Action Count by 1. While this makes the card itself do a decent amount more damage, once again, the damage from Hugo will primarily come from his Extra Attacks, making slight increases in Attack Card damage extremely negligible and seldom preferred over very strong QoL options in Neutral or Quick-Fix III.
- Quick Fix V- Card consumes Commence the Hunt stacks for 1 additional hit (max 5). While it is still not recommended to build for Hugo Attack Card damage over Extra Attack damage, this is by far the biggest damage on an Attack Card he can get, so it’s the best choice for those craving it, as it is essentially a 6-hit card with a decent ratio.
Divine Epiphanies:
Which Divine Epiphany to go for will depend on what your team needs and which Epiphany you chose, but here are the main ones to look out for if you have spare Save Data: -1 Cost Reduction.
Card 4
Neutral Epiphany
1
Dingo Howling I
150% Shield.
3 Commence the Hunt.
3 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
1
Dingo Howling II
150% Shield.
If under Commence the Hunt +50% Shield.
2 Commence the Hunt.
If under Commence the Hunt +50% Shield.
2 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
1
Dingo Howling III
Upon gaining Commence the Hunt, Draw 1 Attack card(s) (1 per turn).
Show Effects
1
Dingo Howling IV
2 Commence the Hunt.
Combo: Add another 2 Commence the Hunt.
Combo: Add another 2 Commence the Hunt.
Show Effects
1
Dingo Howling V
2 Commence the Hunt.
Draw 2 attack card(s).
Draw 2 attack card(s).
Show Effects
Epiphanies:
- Neutral - Target Neutral Epiphany: Draw 1.
While this is nice, its basically just a worse version of Dingo Howling V making it not a high recommendation. - Dingo Howling I- Now gives 3 Commence the Hunt and a bit more shield. The additional 1 Commence the Hunt is definitely a good thing, but probably not needed with a decent skill setup and hard to justify over the extremely good QoL offered by Dingo III or Dingo V.
- Dingo Howling II- Now gives double the base shield of the base Epiphany. If you really want to build a shield Hugo, this is probably your card–but shielding is not Hugo’s strong point, nor is it a recommended build path for optimized setups.
- Dingo Howling III- Changes to an Upgrade that Draws 1 Attack on first Commence the Hunt activated, once per turn. This essentially is just 1 Draw every single turn with very few contingencies. The go-to Epiphany for basically any Hugo build.
- Dingo Howling IV- Now gives 4 Commence the Hunt if the previous card was an Order Card. The additional 2 Commence the Hunt is definitely a good thing, but probably not needed with a decent skill setup and hard to justify over the extremely good QoL offered by Dingo III or Dingo V.
- Dingo Howling V- Gains ‘Draw 2 Attack Card’ effect, enabling it to act as a Draw card now. This is essentially the same net value as Dingo III, but requires you to play 1 AP every turn (without Divines). However, it is situationally a superior Draw Card when giving Divine Draw, as it is one of the few Draw Cards in the game that can also get Divine Draw on it as well.
Divine Epiphanies:
Which Divine Epiphany to go for will depend on what your team needs and which Epiphany you chose, but here are the main ones to look out for if you have spare Save Data: -1 Cost Reduction, Draw 1.
Gear
Memory Fragments
The Memory Fragments & Equipment suggestions below are based on calculations we did. If you want to check the damage formula and how scaling the damage works in CZN, check this guide.
Recommended Loadout
100%
[2-PC]: +25% Critical Damage.
[2-PC]: +12% Attack.
Flex
The go-to set option for Hugo given most of his damage comes from Hunt Commence which doesn't have a cost and also isn't considered a "card" as it comes from an upgrade. These facts rule out the 4P order set and most other 4P sets from being as effect as 2/2/2 as they don't apply to the majoirty of his damage.
For more damage use 2P Cursed Corpse (if you can keep Agony on targets at all times). Alternatively for stronger Chaos starts try 2P Seth's Scarab, or if you want more survivability use 2P Healer's Journey. If none of that appeals, you can use any 2 strong sub/main stat pieces instead of a final 2P set bonus as well.
Main and sub-stats
In a lot of cases, flat sub-stats are better than percentage ones when it comes to HP, ATK and DEF. The reason behind this is that in CZN the characters stats are pretty low and you get more value from flat bonus rather than percentage one based on calcs.
Substats:
Extra ATK DMG% > CRIT Rate% = CRIT DMG% > ATK > ATK%
Getting as close to maxing out Hugo's Potential 7 as possible is incredibly important for pushing his damage as high as you can. As a starting point, aim to hit at least 701 ATK to activate its initial effect, but after that, try to push it as high as you can without sacrificing optimal main stats or too many sub stats. It's very unlikely you'll be able to fully cap out this passive, as it requires 1100 ATK, but each breakpoint of 50 is a nice damage increase for Hugo.
Partners
Our best Partner recommendation try to balance both the raw damage boost they provide based on our calculations with the additional utility provided by the skill - combined with how it interacts with the characters's kit. We have rated each Partner based on how much additional damage and the utility they provide. Read the comments under each Partner to better understand our reasoning.
No calculations in Chaos Zero Nightmare are completely accurate for all scenarios, including the ones below. What team, decks, epiphanies, gear, equipment, and enemies you’re facing all impact them. Because of this, take the results as guidelines and combine them with the explanations to make your decisions. Calculations use endgame save data set-ups, including 5 turns of combat using the whole deck with all Ego skills unless otherwise stated.
1
Passive - Communication Support
Increase the assigned Combatant’s Attack by 16–24%.
Order attribute's Extra Attack damage increase by 15/30%.
+25/50% Extra Attack damage from Targeting Attack Cards.
Skill - Target confirmed, initiating support! - 2 EP cost
Draw 1 card. Increase Damage Amount of Combatants’ Extra Attack by 30% for 1 turn
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2
Passive - Communication Support
Increase the assigned Combatant’s Attack by 16–24%.
Order attribute's Extra Attack damage increase by 15/30%.
+25/50% Extra Attack damage from Targeting Attack Cards.
Skill - Target confirmed, initiating support! - 2 EP cost
Draw 1 card. Increase Damage Amount of Combatants’ Extra Attack by 30% for 1 turn
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3
Passive - Spacetime Warp
Increase the assigned Combatant’s Attack by 12–20%
+20/40% Damage Amount to Extra Attacks dealt by the assigned Combatant.
When the assigned combatant Draws for the first time each turn using an ability, +10/20% Attack Card Damage for 1 turn.
Skill - Spacetime Rift - 3 EP cost
Deal 250% Damage. Apply 1 Mark.
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4
Passive - Financial Support
Increase the assigned Combatant's Attack by 8/16%.
The assigned combatant's Extra Attack damage is increased by 10/20%.
When the assigned combatant uses an Upgrade or Skill card, 25/50% chance to gain 1 Morale for 1 turn.
Skill - Security team, requesting support! - 2 EP cost
Draw 1 Enhanced Card(s).
If there are no Enhance Cards in the Draw Pile, Draw 1 Card.
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5
Passive - Spacetime Warp
Increase the assigned Combatant’s Attack by 12–20%
+20/40% Damage Amount to Extra Attacks dealt by the assigned Combatant.
When the assigned combatant Draws for the first time each turn using an ability, +10/20% Attack Card Damage for 1 turn.
Skill - Spacetime Rift - 3 EP cost
Deal 250% Damage. Apply 1 Mark.
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6
Passive - Financial Support
Increase the assigned Combatant's Attack by 8/16%.
The assigned combatant's Extra Attack damage is increased by 10/20%.
When the assigned combatant uses an Upgrade or Skill card, 25/50% chance to gain 1 Morale for 1 turn.
Skill - Security team, requesting support! - 2 EP cost
Draw 1 Enhanced Card(s).
If there are no Enhance Cards in the Draw Pile, Draw 1 Card.
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7
Passive - Hot-Blooded Soldier
The assigned combatant's Attack is increased by 8/16%.
When an ally defeats an enemy, gain 1 [Backline Support].
[Backline Support]: +10/20% Damage of 1 attack card. Upon activation, Backline Support is reduced by 1 (up to 3 stacks).
Skill - Powerful Shot - 2 EP cost
Deal 200% Damage.
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Equipment
In the Zero System, it’s incredibly easy to access all items acquirable via the shop thanks to the five free refreshes you get each shop node - that's why the recommendations below are limited to them only. ATTENTION! Area-specific items can sometimes be more powerful than shop items, but are far less consistent to get or require running a specific world or giving up certain event options. Use the shop list as a starting point for building up your deck saves.
The equipment recommendations are based on items obtainable in Season 2’s Chaos - Burning Life. If you’re running content outside of Season 2, it’s possible some options may not be available for acquisition, or that other options not obtainable in Burning Life may be better.
DPS
- Intellect of Discord
![Equipment]()
- Second Method
![Equipment]()
- Dagger That Tricked the Shadow
![Equipment]()
- Sword Reflected in the Lake
![Equipment]()
- Obsidian Sword
![Equipment]()
Support
- Tentacles of Chaos
![Equipment]()
DPS
- Fairy King's Crown
![Equipment]()
- Mask of Flames
![Equipment]()
Support
- Star-Lit Cloak
![Equipment]()
- Vine Camouflage
![Equipment]()
DPS
- Amorphous Cube
![Equipment]()
- Quantum Collector
![Equipment]()
Support
- Sphere of Randomness
![Equipment]()
Comments - Weapons
- - Offers a huge 18% Combat Attack passively which for most Attack scalers makes this weapon the defacto best in slot weapon if you're able to acquire it alongside the correct save and don't have another better Mythic equipment options.Intellect of Discord
![Equipment]()
- - A generically strong and accessible legendary equipment for all combatants that deal the majority of their damage via Extra Attacks thanks to its +35% (Additive) Extra Attack bonus. Usually never best in slot, but always an acceptable pick-up for how common it is to find.Second Method
![Equipment]()
- - 12% Crit DMG is always a competitive option if you can find it in your runs and nothing better turns up or is required for your build.Dagger That Tricked the Shadow
![Equipment]()
- - A generic weapon that provides a large 25% (Multiplicative) damage boost but only while you hold 6 cards or more. This is a strong legendary equipment providing you can satisfy its conditions while using the majority of your highest damaging abilities, but this is much easier said than done making it only situationally good in certain decks.Sword Reflected in the Lake
![Equipment]()
- - Very easy to find and grants 12% (Multiplicative) damage to everything. It's never the best, but if you have nothing else you should definitely grab it.Obsidian Sword
![Equipment]()
- - Provides 8% Combat Attack to all operators in the team making it the go-to support weapon for most characters not acting as the main DPS when supporting Attack scaling carries providing the Mythic slot isn't required elsewhere.Tentacles of Chaos
![Equipment]()
Comments - Armor
- - The Crit Rate this armour provides is almost always in demand and a competitive option making it a piece worth seeking out unless you're able to obtain better more specialized options.Fairy King's Crown
![Equipment]()
- - Provides a 35% (Multiplicative) damage boost against enemies which are vulnerable. Powerful on characters that value multiplicative damage boosts (less so on those that don't) but only so long as you can consistently keep Vulnerable applied.Mask of Flames
![Equipment]()
- - A generic defensive option usable by all combatants making it a fine supportive addition if no other options are found. However not generally as enticing as direct damage or more immediate utility options for most builds.Star-Lit Cloak
![Equipment]()
- - An easy to get and nice inclusion for teams that have use for a powerful (but conditional) survival mechanic. Usually not the most optimal choice within the armor slot for most characters but if you miss no all other options is very easy to pick up as a fall-back.Vine Camouflage
![Equipment]()
Comments - Trinkets
- - The go-to generic damage accessory for most characters that is trivially easy to use and always for the most part a solid addition for any character that can make use of additive damage. Wont beat out more specialized options but always a great fallback.Amorphous Cube
![Equipment]()
- - Grants 20% (multiplicative) damage to the wearer any time any combatant uses an upgrade card (no limit) but only for 1 turn. In specific teams targetting low turn count kills this can be the best accessory available, but in longer fights, or low upgrade teams it loses a lot of its appeal.Quantum Collector
![Equipment]()
- - An exceptionally powerful generic support trinket that grants both 1 draw and 1 AP at the start of battle turbo charging your early game. Is a Mythic item meaning it wont be suitable for every character, but on those who can afford to run it and don't need other accessories in this slot is well worth slotting in if it comes up in your runs.Sphere of Randomness
![Equipment]()
Deck & Teams
Recommended Build
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Build Comments
- Extra Attacker - Hugo is primarily used as an extra-attacker via his main card ‘Hunting Instinct’ with 2-3 copies. Basically, Hunting Instincts are used turn-1 which allows you to then make ‘Commence the Hunt’ stacks for every skill-card of an ally played. This allows Hugo to do 2 extra attacks for every attack another unit played, making Hugo especially strong alongside units who do many attacks like Luke, Sereniel and Tressa. The way extra attacks scale, also make him especially synergistic with buffers like Cassius and Rei.
- Draw Hugo - While it is not common to use him primarily as a draw unit, he still has rather high draw Potential via Quick-Fix. Essentially, you will eliminate most cards besides Quick-Fix from his deck and use it to draw. It is recommended to only consider this when you have cost-reduction, as it can be extremely expensive to play without.
Removal
- Throw DaggerDefense System- Removed in basically any Hugo deck.
Conditional Removal
- Fan of Daggers- This card has Epiphanies that can give a bit extra Commence the Hunt, if you need it, but it tends to be removed because Hugo has other ways to circumvent his commence the hunt needs quite easily.
Copying
- Hunting Instincts- This is copied based on how many you need to reliably have 100% up-time on your Commence the Hunt for attacks played by the carry you are playing him with. This can be very build-dependent so it is generally recommended to have an idea of the number of skill cards your allies will be able to play in the team, since saving your hand-space from extra Hunting Instincts turn-1 can increase Hugo’s ability to be played well in turn-1 scenarios drastically.
- Quick Fix- This is copied when you want Hugo to be doing more draw and is generally the secondary copy choice when you have copied your Hunting Instinct the desired number of times.
Best Synergies
- He can do a large quantity of attacks (around 25-30 a turn), which allows him to drive Hugo’s many Extra Attacks.
- They are both Order units, which can have great synergy when we get access to an Order Weakness Imprint (ability to add Weakness Attack / Elemental Advantage to Order units).
- She can do a high quantity of attacks and generally does so through the use of a skill (Unsheathe Dagger), which doubles as Commence the Hunt stacks.
- She can do a high quantity of attacks and is generally played with Selena, who also does Extra Attacking and plays around 6 skill cards a turn to fund Hugo’s Commence the Hunt well.
- Through neutral Morale Epiphanies on cards like Devil Dice or Dice Trick, Cass can give high additive buffing with little cost.
- However, it’s worth noting that Cass can be difficult to play with her without Divine Epiphanies, as he generally wants cost-reduction on Devil Dice (with neutral Morale 2 Epiphany) so he can act as both draw and buffer together.
- Hugo scales especially well through buffers because of how the Extra Attack damage formula works, since Extra damage% multiplies buffs as well.
- Cassius can make skill cards via Quests for more Commence the Hunt stacks.
- Tiphera can make an unchecked, absurd number of skill cards that can allow you to easily keep max stacks on Hugo’s Commence the Hunt.
- Tiphera can give high AP-generation, which can allow Hugo to not be as reliant on divines for value on his draw cards like Quick-Fix.
- However, Tiphera’s buffs are not especially synergistic with Hugo, so in many teams, even though she will make it much easier to play him to full value, there will be some loss in value compared to more optimized setups with buffers like Cassius.
Best Teams
Chaos Teams
Generic - Chaos
Support DPS
Flex
Flex
Healer
Flex
Save Teams
Hugo Dual Carry
Support DPS
DPS
Flex
Flex
Flex
Base performance of the character.