Let me tell you, diving into the Hollows of New Eridu in 2026 isn't for the faint of heart. It's like the city itself has a split personality—on the surface, all neon lights and corporate hustle, but underneath? Oh, buddy, it's a whole other story. The Hollows, these twisted pockets of reality corrupted by Ether, are where the real party's at... if you consider dodging monstrous abominations a party, that is. Since the bigwigs at New Eridu figured out how to turn Ether from a catastrophe into a cash cow, everyone and their mother is scrambling to get a piece of the action. The government's got its eyes on it, mega-corporations are funding secret ops, and street gangs are running their own shady excavations. And me? I became a Hollow Raider. Why? Let's just say the promise of forgotten treasures and the thrill of the unknown beat a boring desk job any day of the week. It's a wild, unpredictable life where every dive could be your last payday or your last day, period.
Now, you don't just waltz into a Hollow with a flashlight and a prayer. You need an edge, and that's where Agents come in. Every playable character in ZZZ has one foot (or sometimes both) in the Hollows. It's not just a job; it's a calling that requires a serious connection to the Ether swirling in those chaotic zones. We're talking about Ether Aptitude—some folks have a trickle, and others? They're practically swimming in it, making them walking legends. As a Proxy, my job is to build a network, to form partnerships with these unique individuals. My contact list looks something like this:
-
The Treasure Hunters: Fellow Hollow Raiders, driven by greed, glory, or just plain curiosity.
-
The Corporate Muscle: Hired guns from construction firms and private institutions, in it for the data and the bottom line.
-
The Officials: Government agents and security officers, playing a dangerous game of politics and power in the unstable depths.
Teaming up with the right Agent for the right job... that's the difference between coming back rich and not coming back at all.
Remember the early days? Back in the Closed Beta Test, things were a bit... messy. Characters didn't have clear roles like 'Tank' or 'Healer.' Nope, they just had an Attack Type. It was like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the manual—possible, but frustrating and you might end with something wobbly. It confused the heck out of players. Thankfully, the folks at HoYoverse listened! They scrapped that confusing system and gave every Agent a proper, defined Specialty or Role. It was a game-changer! Now, I know exactly who to call when I need a defensive anchor to hold the line or a nimble striker to exploit a weakness. But don't think the old system is completely gone—oh no. Each character still has their foundational Attack Type (you can find it buried in their stat info), which flavors how they perform their role. It's the secret spice in their combat recipe.
Building my crew is my favorite part of the job. It's not just about raw power; it's about synergy, style, and survival. Let me break down what I look for in a potential partner:
| What I Need | Why It Matters | My Thought Process |
|---|---|---|
| Clear Role | Surviving a Hollow ambush | "Okay, we're getting swarmed. Do I need a defender, a damage dealer, or someone to disrupt the enemy?" 🛡️⚔️🌀 |
| Attack Type | Breaking enemy defenses | "This big guy's weak to Impact attacks. Who on my team packs that kind of punch?" 💥 |
| Ether Aptitude | Navigating Ether-rich hazards | "The corruption is thick here. I need someone who can not just withstand it, but maybe even use it." ⚡ |
| Background | Handling... non-monster problems | "We found a corporate data cache. Having a former officer on the team might help us negotiate rather than fight for it." 🤝 |
It's a constant puzzle, and let me be real with you—sometimes you just pick the Agent with the coolest outfit and hope for the best. It's worked more times than I'd care to admit!
The landscape is always shifting. New faces are popping up in New Eridu every day, each with their own reasons for braving the Hollows. The rumor mill is always churning about upcoming characters who might join the fray. Will it be a rogue engineer who can manipulate Hollow machinery? A medic who uses Ether to heal wounds as fast as the corruption causes them? The anticipation is part of the thrill. Scouting new talent, hearing whispers in back-alley bars about a prodigy with off-the-charts Aptitude... it keeps the blood pumping. In 2026, standing still means getting left behind, or worse, becoming Hollow fodder.
So here I am, a Proxy in a city that's equal parts gold rush and ghost town. The Hollows call with their silent, chaotic song, promising riches and ruin in the same breath. My team of Agents is my family, my sword, and my shield. We dive into the unknown, not because it's safe, but because it's where the future of New Eridu is being dug up, one dangerous relic at a time. And honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way. The chaos, the camaraderie, the sheer, unadulterated adrenaline of it all... that's what being a Hollow Raider is about. The rest is just details.
Comments