Ascend to ZEROThis chip tier list ranks every Tech Chip type in Ascend to ZERO — skill chips, stat chips, devices, and gadgets — from S tier (must-pick) to C tier (situational). Understanding chip value is critical because the inflation growth model means every chip you pick up compounds through the exponential curve. A well-chosen chip at level 100 becomes thousands of times more valuable at level 100,000.
Chip Evaluation Criteria
Chips are rated on their impact-per-pickup — how much value they provide relative to the opportunity cost of not picking a different chip. Because you typically collect 12-20 chips per run, each selection matters.
| Criterion | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Damage Impact | 30% | How much the chip increases your damage output |
| Timer Impact | 25% | How much the chip extends or preserves your timer |
| Scaling Curve | 25% | How the chip's value grows through the inflation curve |
| Avatar Dependence | 20% | Whether the chip is universal or only useful for specific avatars |
Skill Chip Tier List
Skill chips are the highest impact chip type because they directly upgrade your weapon and unlock new abilities. Their value is heavily avatar-dependent — a sword chip is S tier for Blossom Blade but C tier for Golden Gunslinger.
S Tier Skill Chips:
- Sword Skill Chip (Blossom Blade only) — Multiplicative melee damage stacking; each additional sword chip exponentially increases burst damage
- Gun Skill Chip (Golden Gunslinger only) — Linear ranged DPS increase; consistent damage growth with faster fire rate
A Tier Skill Chips:
- Drone Skill Chip (Frost Moon Hacker only) — Increases drone damage and count; compound scaling with device chips
- AOE Skill Chip (Chrono Child only) — Increases explosion radius and damage; most versatile for the AOE pattern
C Tier Skill Chips:
- Mismatched Weapon Chips — Any skill chip that does not match your avatar's weapon type provides minimal benefit and should be avoided
Cross-avatar chip tier summary:
| Chip Type | Blossom Blade | Golden Gunslinger | Frost Moon Hacker | Chrono Child |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sword | S | C | C | C |
| Gun | C | S | C | C |
| Drone | C | C | S | C |
| AOE | C | C | C | A |
Stat Chip Tier List
Stat chips provide percentage bonuses that compound through the inflation curve. Their value increases dramatically at higher levels, making early stat chip pickups extremely impactful.
S Tier Stat Chips:
- Damage +% — Directly increases kill speed, which increases timer extension per second; the most efficient timer-preserving stat
- XP Gain +% — Accelerates leveling, which accelerates everything else; especially powerful when stacked with Time Machine XP bonuses
A Tier Stat Chips:
- Projectile Speed — Faster projectiles mean more hits per second for ranged builds; particularly valuable for Golden Gunslinger
- Time Recovery +% — Each kill gives more timer seconds; strengthens the positive feedback loop
B Tier Stat Chips:
- Defense +% — Reduces timer cost per hit; useful but time freeze already prevents most damage, making defense less impactful than offense
C Tier Stat Chips:
- Movement Speed — Marginally useful for room navigation; most rooms are small enough that base speed is sufficient
Device Chip Tier List
Devices are equip-slot items that provide permanent run bonuses. Their value depends on how much safety margin they provide:
S Tier Devices:
- Starting Time +5s — Adds 5 seconds at run start; the largest single buffer increase available; stacks with Time Machine starting time
- Extra Resurrection — One free revive without timer cost; serves as an emergency lifeline during boss fights
A Tier Devices:
- Extra Time Stop — Grants 1-3 free time freeze uses; strategic flexibility during critical moments
- Time Recovery +10% — Strengthens the kill-to-timer feedback loop; scales with enemy density
B Tier Devices:
- Defense +10% — Reduces timer drain from hits; useful but less impactful than time or resurrection devices
- Damage Shield — Blocks the first hit in each room; niche but helpful in turret-heavy Stage 2 rooms
Gadget Tier List
Gadgets activate on time-resume, creating combo effects that stack with your weapon's special ability:
S Tier Gadgets:
- Burst Gadget — Additional AOE damage on resume; perfectly synergizes with Blossom Blade and Chrono Child's centered positioning
- Shield Gadget — Brief invincibility on resume; absorbs boss attack during the resume animation window
A Tier Gadgets:
- Projectile Gadget — Fires projectiles in all directions on resume; good for Golden Gunslinger's ranged positioning
- Trap Gadget — Places damage zones on ground on resume; synergizes with Frost Moon Hacker's area control
C Tier Gadgets:
- Healing Gadget — Restores small amount of timer on resume; the healing is too small to justify a gadget slot over a damage gadget
Chip Tier List by Run Phase and Build Stage
Chip values shift dramatically across the run timeline. A static tier list is insufficient — this phase-adjusted tier list provides the correct chip priority for each stage of the run:
Early Run (Levels 1-1,000):
| Chip Type | Tier | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Matching Skill Chip | S | Damage foundation; everything else multiplies this |
| Extra Time Device | A | Safety buffer for early game |
| Extra Resurrection Device | A | Emergency safety net |
| Damage Stat | B | Low base stats make percentages modest |
| XP Stat | B | Faster leveling helps, but not as much as skill chips |
| Gadget | C | Low base damage makes combo weak |
| Mismatched Skill | F | Nearly worthless |
Mid Run (Levels 1,000-50,000):
| Chip Type | Tier | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Matching Skill Chip | A | Still valuable, diminishing returns above 3 |
| Damage Stat | S | Base has grown; percentages compound significantly |
| Gadget | A | Base damage makes combos potent |
| Time Recovery Stat | A | Kill rewards scale with inflation, recovery compounds |
| Extra Time Device | B | Buffer is less critical when build is established |
| XP Stat | B | Still helpful for level acceleration |
| Mismatched Skill | F | Still worthless |
Late Run (Levels 50,000+):
| Chip Type | Tier | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Gadget | S | Enormous base damage makes combos devastating |
| Damage Stat | S | Amplifies enormous base; highest value per slot |
| Time Recovery Stat | A | Each kill returns 10+ seconds with 30% recovery |
| Matching Skill Chip | B | Diminishing returns; 5th+ skill chip adds little |
| Extra Time Device | C | Build is so strong that buffer rarely needed |
| XP Stat | C | Leveling is less impactful than direct damage |
| Mismatched Skill | F | Always worthless |
For the full build decision framework, see our Chip Pickup Decision Tree.
Chip Tier List Controversies and Edge Cases
Several chip tier placements are debated within the community:
Defense chips (B tier or C tier?): The tier list rates defense at B. Close-range avatars (Blossom Blade, Chrono Child) take unavoidable hits during resume animation, and defense reduces the timer cost of these hits. Verdict: B tier for melee avatars, C tier for ranged avatars.
Movement speed chips (C tier or B tier?): Rated C in the general list, but B in Stage 4 due to ZERO Residue movement penalty. Verdict: C tier for Stages 1-3, B tier for Stage 4.
Healing gadget (C tier or F tier?): Some players argue it should be F (unusable) because any damage gadget provides more timer extension. Verdict: C tier is generous but reflects the occasional emergency save. In practice, always prefer any other gadget.
For the full chip evaluation criteria, see our Chip Build Strategy.
Chip Tier List: Quick Decision Flowchart
For rapid in-game decisions, follow this simplified flowchart:
Found a chip → Is it a matching skill chip? → YES → PICK UP (always)
→ NO → Is it a device? → YES → Pick if < 2 devices
→ NO → Is it damage stat? → YES → Pick if 3+ skill chips
→ NO → Is it a gadget? → YES → Pick if no gadget
→ NO → Is it XP/recovery? → YES → Pick if nothing better
→ NO → MISMATCHED SKILL → SKIP
The flowchart takes less than 2 seconds to execute. With practice, chip pickup decisions become automatic. The most common mistake is picking up mismatched skill chips "because they were there" — this wastes a slot and reduces build synergy. For the complete decision tree with edge cases, see our Chip Pickup Decision Tree.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first chip I should pick up in a run?
Always pick up a skill chip matching your weapon type first. This single chip establishes your damage foundation for the entire run. If no matching skill chip is available, take a device chip for extra time. Never pick up a stat chip first — stat chips multiply your base, and a weak base makes the multiplier worthless. See our Chip Build Strategy for the full priority system.
Can wrong chip picks ruin a run?
Yes. Picking up mismatched skill chips or over-investing in defense can create a build that scales too slowly to maintain positive timer gain. In the inflation model, a weak early build compounds into a catastrophically weak late build. If you realize your build is poor mid-run, focus on surviving long enough to find better chips rather than pushing into dangerous rooms.
How many devices should I equip?
At minimum, equip one extra time device and one extra resurrection device. These two devices provide the safety net needed for aggressive play. Additional devices (time stops, damage shields) are valuable but less critical than the first two. See our Death & Resurrection Guide for device strategy.
Where can I find community chip rankings?
The official Discord has a #chip-tier-list channel with community-voted rankings. The Steam community hub hosts chip optimization discussions.