Zenless Zone Zero Mimic Substance gives you a choice during High-Risk investigations: collect three different types to make a valuable item, or leave them behind to avoid extra Corruption. The synthesis system arrived in Version 3.3 as part of Enigma of the Labyrinth, and the reward is created automatically as soon as you complete a set.
Each pickup adds one random Corruption that lasts for the current investigation, so there is a price to pay for building your collection. Here’s where to find the three types, how the reward triggers and what you need to watch out for as the penalties stack up.
Where to find Zenless Zone Zero Mimic Substance
Enter a High-Risk investigation in Enigma of the Labyrinth. Zenless Zone Zero Mimic Substance can come from three sources: random containers, certain enemies and featured Investigation Events. Check each as you explore, rather than looking for a crafting station or a shop.
Containers are random, so don’t expect the same one to provide a specific type every time. Keep an eye on the varieties you’ve picked up and look for whichever one is missing. HoYoverse’s notes identify the sources, not a fixed route through every map.
How the three-type synthesis system works
You need one of each of the three distinct types. Once the set is complete, the game automatically synthesises a valuable item. You don’t need to travel to a workbench or select a recipe.
You can repeat the process within the same run. Collect another set of three different types and another synthesis can trigger. Zenless Zone Zero Mimic Substance therefore has no stated one-reward-per-investigation limit; how many sets you finish depends on the materials you find.
The Version 3.3 notes don’t name the three varieties or provide a reward table. The useful rule is the three-type requirement, not a list of supposed guaranteed drops.
What Corruption does each Mimic Substance cause?
Every single pickup applies one random Corruption, whether it’s your first type, a duplicate or the final piece of a set. You don’t have to finish the set to receive the penalty.
The more Zenless Zone Zero Mimic Substance you collect, the higher the chance of a severe Corruption. There isn’t a published safe threshold. Even an early pickup carries a random penalty, while repeated collecting makes the risk worse.
The good news is that these Corruptions end with the current investigation. They don’t permanently affect your account. But they can still make the rest of that run tougher, particularly if you’re trying to complete several sets.
How to manage the risk during a High-Risk run
Follow your normal route and check the containers, enemies and Investigation Events that can award substances. After each pickup, see which types you have. If two different types are already collected, finding the third completes the set, but still adds another random Corruption.
If your current Corruptions are making fights difficult, another pickup might not be worth it. Zenless Zone Zero Mimic Substance is a trade-off between an automatic reward and the extra risk you take while searching for the last missing type.
Remember that collecting three items is not the same as collecting three different types. Duplicates won’t finish a set on their own, even though each one still inflicts a Corruption.
Is Mimic Substance the same as Candle Cores?
No. Mimic Substance belongs to High-Risk investigations. Candle Cores belong to Spooky Trial: collect Power Candles, complete Tactics Table challenges, then sell your Candle Cores through Spookies Recycling for Season Coins.
Our Spooky Trial guide explains the Candle Core and recycling process in full. Zenless Zone Zero Mimic Substance has its own collection system and does not use those currencies.
Does Zenless Zone Zero Mimic Substance expire?
HoYoverse introduced Mimic Substance synthesis as a gameplay addition rather than one of Version 3.3’s dated events. The patch notes don’t give this system its own deadline. That’s different from the limited Spooky Trial activities and shops, which have event-specific availability.
If you’re checking the rest of the update, see our Version 3.3 event calendar for actual server-time dates. The other new gameplay addition is covered in our Bangboo Mech combat guide, which explains how melee and ranged attacks work.
Can you make more than one valuable item?
Yes. Complete another set of three types and the game can synthesise another item in the same investigation. There is no stated maximum or drop-rate table in the update notes, so the number of rewards you manage to make will vary.
For Zenless Zone Zero Mimic Substance, the aim is to gather the full three-type set without letting Corruption overwhelm your run. The moment you have all three, synthesis happens automatically; after that, it’s up to you whether to push for another reward.
Related Guides
Official source: HoYoverse Version 3.3 update announcement.
