Full Build Friday - Ukinami Yuzuha
- bjacobt1
- Aug 1
- 13 min read
I decided to build another relatively new character, following on from last week's new character. I thought this build offered a really unique concept for me to try and so I was eager to dig into it! As always, this build is conceptualized entirely in a vacuum, with choices made in my best attempt to fit the character. These choice may not hold up in a campaign with different themes and should be adjusted accordingly.
If watching a video is more your speed, I have one that you can check out on YT!
Let's get into the build for Ukinami Yuzuha from Zenless Zone Zero!
YUZUHA
CHARACTER Ukinami Yuzuha
SOURCE Zenless Zone Zero
BUILD GOALS
o Once the subject of experiments, Yuzuha escaped confinement with help and was taken in by the proprietor of ‘Mystic Wares,’ a novelty shop
o She’s a prankster always accompanied by her pet tanuki, Kamanosuke
o In-game, she’s a physical support agent who is part of the Spook Shack faction
o Fights using an umbrella that can fire explosives. She can also use it to parry incoming attacks, countering to daze foes
o Builds up Sugar Points, which allow her to attack from off-field when her allies attack
o Her special attack and ultimate both launch massive explosives that puts enemies in the Sweet Scare state. When Yuzuha attacks a Sweet Scared enemy from off-field, she changes her damage type to match her ally
o She can energize her teammates and increase their attack capabilities
o From her mindscape, she can reduce the defenses of enemies afflicted with Sweet Scare and unleash more powerful blasts from her umbrella
o Her unique W-Engine, the Metanukimorphosis, increases her anomaly mastery with her special abilities while her assist attacks increases the anomaly proficiency of her allies
Summary of Goals: My main conceit for this build is finding a way for Yuzuha act and aid her allies outside of her turn while also being able to shift her damage type around, based on her Flavor Match feature. I also want to lean into her puckish nature, use of explosives, and her ability to parry incoming attacks.
LEVEL 1
Ancestry & Heritage: Versatile Human
o Ability Boosts & Flaws: +Intelligence, +Charisma
o Ancestry Feat: Halfling Luck
o General Feat: Adopted Ancestry – Halfling
Background: False Medium
o Ability Boosts: +Intelligence, +Charisma
o Skill Increase: Occultism (T), Fortune-Telling Lore (T)
o Background Feat: Deceptive Worship
Class & Subclass: Witch of the Spinner of Threads
o Class Ability Boost: +Intelligence
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (T), Athletics (T), Crafting (T), Deception (T), Intimidation (T), Society (T), Stealth (T), Thievery (T)
o Familiar’s Spells: Cantrips – figment, haunting hymn, shield, telekinetic projectile, wash your luck; 1st – bless, concordant choir, fear
Details
o Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str +0, Dex +1, Con +1, Int +4, Wis +0, Cha +3)
There was a suggestion on the Discord to use the tanuki ancestry for Yuzuha, and I really liked that idea. However, I also found a way to match some more of her character by going for the human ancestry. This allows her to access the versatile heritage, which leads into Adopted Ancestry based on her adoption by Li Baorong. She specifically uses halfling as her Adopted Ancestry as that will allow her to pick up Halfling Luck, inspired by the fortune that she’s noted to possess. Her background also has a few options I could see working though I settled on false medium, inspired by how the curios and knickknacks she sells at the shop. She could maybe even use the Deceptive Worship from it to get in good with the Exaltists! That brings us to her class and Yuzuha will be the second witch I’ve made from ZZZ characters. Right off the bat, this nets her a familiar that can be used to resemble Kamanosuke who will like familiar abilities such as Independent, Partner in Crime, and Manual Dexterity to help him aid her in pulling pranks. We switch up her patron a bit, using the Spinner of Threads given its association with luck and the fortune that she’s known for. While she doesn’t get any class feats from this, she does gain spells and there’s a few real solid ones that I like. Figment and haunting hymn are great given her association with the occult club-themed Spook Shack while wash your luck relates to her own personal luck. The final one from her cantrips of note is shield, which is based on her ability to block incoming attacks with her umbrella and then make a counterattack. This spell really only demonstrates the parry aspect of that, but it’s still a reaction to block incoming damage. From her first rank spells, bless is great for buffing her allies while fear is great to decrease the effectiveness of enemies while still fitting with the Spook Shack theme.
LEVEL 2
o Class Feat: Basic Lesson – Lesson of the Elements
o Skill Feat: Charming Liar
o Gear: cloak of feline rest
LEVEL 3
o General Feat: Prescient Planner
o Skill Increase: Deception (E)
o Familiar’s Spells: 2nd – confetti cloud, keen axes, noise blast
o Gear: masquerade scarf, cloak of feline rest, predictable silver piece
LEVEL 4
o Class Feat: Portents of the Haruspex
o Skill Feat: Sow Rumor
o Gear: ventriloquist’s ring, masquerade scarf, legerdemain handkerchief, cloak of feline rest
LEVEL 5
o Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +0, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +4.5, Wis +1, Cha +4)
o Ancestry Feat: Shared Luck
o Skill Increase: Thievery (E)
o Familiar’s Spells: 3rd – heroism, pyrotechnics, shadow projectile
o Gear: mentalist’s staff, charlatan’s gloves, ventriloquist’s ring, masquerade scarf, cloak of feline rest, predictable silver piece
Delving deeper into her class, she can take a Basic Lesson for a Lesson of the Elements. The elemental betrayal hex has some use, letting her add damage to her allies attacks and the like by adding a weakness to the enemy – bringing to mind both her Aftershock effect and Flavor Match ability. From the spells this grants, I’d take breathe fire/burning hands based on the way that she seems to use her umbrella as a flamethrower during her EP. She has another way to inflict weaknesses through her Portents of the Haruspex, a reaction that has limited use but fits her greater conceit. Charming Liar works in her love of telling stories while also having a rather endearing personality – such as the stories that she uses to sell the collection of curios at Mystic Wares. She further aids this effect with Sow Rumor, allowing her to spread stories and the sort to encourage folks to buy her and her pop’s products. Prescient Planner is both a nod to her luck and the miscellaneous goods that she picks up. It doesn’t quite fit, but the instance of having talismans on hand to ‘sell’ the thugs in her demo comes to mind. She gets luckier with her Shared Luck before we take a look at her spells.
I want her to take some bursts, inspired by the explosions of her special abilities, which is the primary point behind the likes of noise blast and pyrotechnics. She also collects a number of buffing spells with the likes of keen axes and heroism. The former of these is notable as it includes a damage boost to the target and that aspect does actually better fit the way that she increases the Attack stat within ZZZ. However, another very important spell here is shadow projectile. With this being a reaction, it is a fantastic way to recreate the effects of her Aftershock abilities with one caveat – it is unfortunately mental damage, rather than shifting to match the damage type of the attacker.
LEVEL 6
o Class Feat: Detonating Spell
o Skill Feat: Lengthy Diversion
o Gear: +1 explorer’s clothing, mentalist’s staff, wand of the pampered pet, ventriloquist’s ring, masquerade scarf, legerdemain handkerchief
LEVEL 7
o General Feat: Prescient Consumable
o Skill Increase: Deception (M)
o Familiar’s Spells: 4th – rebounding barrier, seal fate
o Gear: endless grimoire, +1 explorer’s clothing, wondrous figurine (candy constrictor), mentalist’s staff, charlatan’s gloves, ventriloquist’s ring
LEVEL 8
o Class Feat: Greater Lesson – Lesson of Mischief
o Skill Feat: Just Kidding
o Gear: venomed tongue, endless grimoire, ringmaster’s staff, +1 explorer’s clothing, wand of legerdemain (1st-rank), wand of the pampered pet
LEVEL 9
o Ancestry Feat: Guiding Luck
o Skill Increase: Thievery (M)
o Familiar’s Spells: 5th – shadow blast
o Gear: +1 resilient explorer’s clothing, boots of bounding, venomed tongue, endless grimoire, wand of shardstorm (1st-rank), wondrous figurine (candy constrictor)
LEVEL 10
o Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str +0, Dex +3, Con +2, Int +5, Wis +1, Cha +4.5)
o Class Feat: Enhanced Familiar
o Skill Feat: Dirty Trick
o Skill Increase: Survival (T)
o Gear: wand of shardstorm (3rd-rank), +1 resilient explorer’s clothing, wand of teeming ghosts (3rd-rank), venomed tongue, endless grimoire, ringmaster’s staff
While I do advise finding the burst-spells that you can, when you’re left with single target spells, you can make even those explode with the Detonating Spell feat. From her other class feats, she can find the likes of Greater Lesson so that she can take a Lesson of Mischief. These spells don’t really suit her kit, but there’s no way I’m not taking ‘mischief’ for this perpetually playful prankster. She does provide Kama with a boost this block with Enhanced Familiar, which should have him up to six familiar or master abilities. Aside from the three I originally suggested, I’d consider options such Threat Display or Spell Battery – and really, any of those that increase how many spells that she can be throwing about. She gets a mix of skill feats here with Deception leading her to Lengthy Diversion so that people are distracted by her pranks longer, Starfinder’s Just Kidding letting her use Performance to cover for Manato’s gruff demeanor, and Dirty Trick letting her play pranks even in the midst of combat. Her general and ancestry feat for this block are just building out of what she already has with the likes of Prescient Consumable as well as Guiding Luck.
For Yuzuha’s spells this block, we actually get a solid selection here. First up, there’s rebounding barrier. This is another reaction that will allow her to deflect some incoming damage back at her attack, better befitting the parry on her umbrella. At the same rank, there’s seal fate as an easier way to inflict a weakness on enemies since it isn’t limited to traits and goes off of damage type. These are both very solid, but perhaps most important this block is shadow blast. This will let her create the blasts that she is known for while also shifting it into whatever damage type she needs, per her Flavor Match feature.
LEVEL 11
o General Feat: Ancestral Paragon – Natural Ambition – Cackle
o Skill Increase: Occultism (E)
o Gear: greater accursed staff, greater ventriloquist’s ring, wand of shardstorm (3rd-rank), +1 resilient explorer’s clothing, boots of bounding, venomed tongue
LEVEL 12
o Class Feat: Coven Spell
o Skill Feat: Confabulator
o Gear: +2 resilient explorer’s clothing, charlatan’s cape, greater accursed staff, wand of shardstorm (3rd-rank), fortune’s coin, wand of teeming ghosts (3rd-rank)
LEVEL 13
o Ancestry Feat: Incredible Luck
o Skill Increase: Occultism (M)
o Familiar’s Spells: 7th – mask of terror
o Gear: wand of teeming ghosts (5th-rank), +2 resilient explorer’s clothing, hexing jar, greater accursed staff, greater ventriloquist’s ring, wand of shardstorm (3rd-rank)
LEVEL 14
o Class Feat: Reach Spell
o Skill Feat: Disturbing Knowledge
o Gear: smuggler’s sack (type IV), wand of teeming ghosts (5th-rank), wand of legerdemain (5th-rank), +2 resilient explorer’s clothing, charlatan’s cape, greater accursed staff
LEVEL 15
o Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +0, Dex +4, Con +2, Int +5.5, Wis +2, Cha +5)
o General Feat: Incredible Investiture
o Skill Increase: Deception (L)
o Gear: +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, propulsive boots, smuggler’s sack (type IV), wand of teeming ghosts (5th-rank), hexing jar, wand of refracting rays (4th-rank)
We take the classic pipeline of Ancestral Paragon into Natural Ambition into Cackle, a natural pick given her own smug, seemingly always-laughing expression. She also gets one of the main feats that inspired me to take the witch class in the first place – Coven Spell. This is a reaction that she can use whenever a nearby foe casts a spell and aside from applying spellshapes, such as Detonating Spell, she can use it to increase the damage of spells launched by her allies. This is based on her Aftershock effects, imagining it as increasing damage rather than making attacks directly. You could get more use out of this by taking your pick of Reach or Widen Spell, depending on what will suit your fellow casters the best. Confabulator lets her continue to weave lies together without tipping her patsies off to what she’s up to. She also can tell some stories with Disturbing Knowledge that will really spook Alice and anybody else who happens to be listening. The one spell that stands out to me in this block is mask of terror, which Yuzuha can use to make Kama or others appear to be daunting figures as we saw in her demo.
LEVEL 16
o Class Feat: Conceal Spell
o Skill Feat: Reveal Machinations
o Gear: greater countering charm, +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, major accursed staff, smuggler’s sack (type IV), wand of teeming ghosts (5th-rank), wand of legerdemain (5th-rank)
LEVEL 17
o Ancestry Feat: Heroic Presence
o Skill Increase: Thievery (L)
o Gear: wand of teeming ghosts (7th-rank), greater countering charm, wand of refracting rays (6th-rank), +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, propulsive boots, smuggler’s sack (type IV)
LEVEL 18
o Class Feat: Siphon Power
o Skill Feat: Root Magic
o Gear: crown of intellect, headbands of translocation, wand of teeming ghosts (7th-rank), greater countering charm, +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, major accursed staff
LEVEL 19
o General Feat: Incredible Initiative
o Skill Increase: Occultism (L)
o Gear: +3 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, crown of intellect, chronomancer staff, wand of teeming ghosts (7th-rank), greater countering charm, wand of refracting rays (6th-rank)
LEVEL 20
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Wisdom (Str +1, Dex +4, Con +3, Int +6, Wis +3, Cha +5)
o Class Feat: Hex Master
o Skill Feat: Go With the Flow//Legendary Troll
o Skill Increase: Medicine (T)
o Gear: locket of sealed nightmares, +3 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, archivist’s gaze, chronomancer staff, headbands of translocation, wand of teeming ghosts (7th-rank)
She gets another spellshaping feat with Conceal Spell, which will help her hide spells coming from her companions, possibly removing them as threats in the eyes of the enemies. It also just fits with her own puckish nature. Now an aspect of her kit that I struggled to recreate was her ability to provide energy to her allies. However, if we view energy as the ability to cast spells, she can grant energy to herself through the Siphon Power feat, giving her a bonus spell that she can cast once per day. She can also throw some more spells about with Hex Master, which allows her to cast more than hex per turn and get more use out of her cackle focus spell. Reveal Machinations (and potentially Legendary Troll if it suits the setting are) allows her to pull off one hell of a ‘prank’ while Root Magic fits in with the charms and trinkets that she carries and can pass off to others to offer some protection. In games where Legendary Troll won’t be an appropriate fit, she can use Go With the Flow to help her tricks from being uncovered too early. Heroic Presence is based solely on her role as a support agent. Incredible Initiative is a bit more mechanical as, per the rules of Pathfinder 2e, characters technically don’t gain their reactions until the start of their turn. That’s kind of an important aspect of Yuzuha’s build, so getting a jump on foes is pretty important.
FREE ARCHETYPE SUGGESTIONS: As is the case for any caster, spellcasting archetypes are always a good inclusion. For Yuzuha specifically, I’d look for something with the arcane or primal spell list to get some more blasting spells and she’ll benefit the most from one that uses her Intelligence. Outside of that, Rogue Dedication could suit her trickster nature. It would allow her to explore her skills a bit more and also make use of feats such as Magical Trickster or Minor Magic. Another way to capture the explosives she launches is the Alchemist Dedication or the Fireworks Technician Dedication. I think the latter suits her ammunition better but the former could also her to make alchemical food, such as the sweets and candies that are part of it.
BUILD CONCLUSION
Ukinami Yuzuha is a versatile human witch with a Spinner of Threads patron. She has the False Medium background, pertaining to her peddling of baubles and knickknacks as well as the Adopted Ancestry feat reflecting her own situation. This also allows her to tap into the Halfling Luck feats, based on the fortune that she seems renowned for among her friends. For her puckish personality, she invests in Deception and Thievery while using feats such as Dirty Trick, Disturbing Knowledge, and Reveal Machinations. Through her witch class, she gains Kama as a familiar and outfits him with a whole host of abilities to make him a perfect partner in crime. Regrettably, both the umbrella weapons in Pathfinder are martial weapons, but we can easily flavor a staff or something similar that Yuzuha uses as an umbrella to match her weapon. The shield and rebounding barrier spells are perhaps the best suited to resemble the parries that she pulls off with her umbrella. However, she'll have to be careful with her reactions as she also uses Coven Spell and shadow projectile to attack outside of her own turn. For the sake of her Flavor Match feature, the former of these even allows her to effectively mimic the damage type of her ally. Even among these spells, she manages to fit in some empowering options such as bless, keen axes, and heroism as well as Seal Fate and Portents of the Haruspex to reduce the defenses of her foes.
This pretty, puckish prankster plays ploys aplenty upon perpetrators and pursuers, powering up her pals to punish these plundering punks with pastries and popping paroxysms.
Please let me know what you think and what other builds you'd like to see!
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Have a fantastic Friday!
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