Zeus (Hasbro)
AKA: Ferocious Zeus (Fake - used by TT Hongli)
This article refers to Hasbro's release of Zeus. For Takara's version, see Zeus.
Weight: 2.8g
Very compact AR with two triangular protrusions and an SAR slot.
Gaps in the underside of the SAR area means that unfortunately Dragon Saucer SAR can jam in it, creating recoil, and therefore does not work particularly well. War Lion and Twin Horn (Hasbro) are more suitable alternatives.
Triangle protrusions cause horrible recoil when hit, and given survival types tend to tilt, this is a massive flaw for what may at first glance look like a promising Zombie Attack Ring, and results in it being outclassed by the likes of War Lion among other things.
War Lion SAR and War Monkey SAR are viable options, however the triangular protrusions of the AR cause significant recoil if hit, and War Lion provides little protection for these most of the time. The setup also suffers from its lower height at the edges getting caught under Circle Survivor where War Lion itself does not.
It is however one of the better choices for Circle Survivor Defense, though generally outclassed by Roller Defense Ring.
Overall, usable for Zombie Combinations, Circle Survivor Defense and even Compacts to a degree, though it is outclassed in all cases due to its recoil.
Not useful with its own SAR due to the aggressive design on a free-spinning setup making for poor offense but also significant recoil and poor survival.
Weight: 4.4g
Large, highly aggressive and somewhat rectangularly-shaped, with weight mostly on two far ends
Somewhat heavy which can help with recoil but limits use on slower bases
Free spin with own AR is horrible due to recoil, the key to this SAR is fixing it in place
Fixed in place (in General):
One of the most powerful Smash Attack setups if used correctly.
Gotta Go Fast - in both directions it needs to go fast to be effective, while it doesn't have excessive regular recoil in either direction (it has some in Left) it is less ineffective on slower setups, performing worse than conventional Smash ARs.
Good condition SG Grip Change Base Tip or Defense Grip Base (Attack Mode) are much better than other options, though SG Metal Flat Base (Gaia Dragoon V Version) is viable using Dragon Breaker in either direction, due to the additional weight.
Overhangs slightly, with some good low contact points in right spin, making it a good choice for taller attack bases in Right Spin against many opponents
Overhang cam cause issues against Circle Survivor Defense combinations using small AR/WD setups (eg Roller Defense Ring + Ten Heavy) due to being blocked by Circle Survivor.
It has inverted slopes designed for Force Smash in left spin which cause destabilization issues when used on taller Smash Attack bases in this direction, so while it is still an effective choice, it can struggle against heavier, lower opponents to a degree, though its weight helps compensate somewhat.
With Dragon Breaker:
Right Spin:
This is the heaviest AR setup possible - usually not an ideal thing for Attack but on fast tips this gives it a significant edge against Weight Based Defense compared to other ARs, and makes it somewhat harder to push around.
While not as much as in left, Dragon Breaker nonetheless brings some additional smash to the setup even in right spin, and still exposes the important contact points of Screw Zeus
Works about as well on SG Metal Flat Base (Gaia Dragoon V Version) as conventional Smash AR's, perhaps a little more power at the cost of a little more recoil.
Arguably a safer choice than left spin setups on taller bases, due to the lack of inverted slopes that could cause the combo to "upper" itself, though this is marginal.
Overall one of the best attack AR setups as long as you have the right parts, and one of the best choices for Defense Grip Base (Tip Inverted), due to the weight and Weight Disk-overhanging contact points.
Primary contact points are the rear of the heads of Screw Zeus, the corner of the sloped section, and the ridges of Dragon Breaker, and against lower opponents the overhanging protrusions also make contact. All of the parts of Screw Zeus pack powerful Smash Attack.
Overhanging contact points of Screw Zeus allow better performance against low opponents but can cause some issues against Circle Survivor Defense, largely relying on a strong launch and weight to bludgeon such combinations out of the arena.
Weight allows it to be a little "safer" than alternatives such as Square Edge due to being harder to push back or counter.
Left Spin:
Dragon Breaker is an effective AR in its own right in this direction, and adds additional power to Screw Zeus.
One of the most powerful AR setups in the game, though the fact this is also the heaviest AR setup of the generation means that it requires a very fast tip with good traction, such as SG Grip Change Base Tip or Defense Grip Base (Tip Inverted) to really hit hard.
However, Great Dragon also adds to Screw Zeus without being as heavy, which means it does carry some advantages on more worn tips.
The additional weight however means on a fast combo, Dragon Breaker will do better against heavy, low-recoil opponents, and thus is perhaps a slightly better choice here. It also makes the combo much harder to knock out than some other options.
Also a better choice on SG Metal Flat Base (Gaia Dragoon V Version), probably thanks to the extra weight. However, not really significantly better than conventional Smash ARs here.
War Bear SAR works better with Dragon Breaker on slower bases due to the lighter weight being easier to move fast. It does however have more wear and breakage issues, and overall is less effective.
Primary contact points are the forehead of Screw Zeus, the rear spike protrusion and the mass behind it, as well as the serrations of Dragon Breaker. All of these provide very effective Smash Attack, with Dragon Breaker mostly taking up dead space on Screw Zeus (as the spikes it covers are not great contact points). It is worth noting however that it does even out the weight distribution quite noticeably, rather than focusing it.
Compared to Right Spin, the inverted slope on Screw Zeus results in destabilisation of the Beyblade using it when hit. As such, taller bases can struggle slightly more against low opponents though generally this is negligible. The overhanging section can also still interfere with efficacy against Circle Survivor Defense however, and a very strong launch is needed to basically use weight and momentum to bludgeon these combinations out of the arena.
With Dragon Saucer:
Right Spin:
Dragon Saucer doesn't make a big difference to the Combo here, the primary place it takes effect is covering the sloped area with its own flat protrusion.
Nonetheless a top-tier competitive option.
Arguably a safer choice than left spin setups on taller bases, due to the lack of inverted slopes that could cause the combo to "upper" itself, though this is marginal.
Overall one of the best Smash Attack AR setups as long as you have the right parts, and one of the best choices for Defense Grip Base (Tip Inverted), due to the weight and Weight Disk-overhanging contact points.
Primary contact points are the rear heads of Screw Zeus, the flat protrusions of Dragon Saucer, and the corners of Screw Zeus' sloped section. The overhanging contact points do make some contact with lower opponents sometimes, but a lot of work is put in by the corners and rears of the head. These contact points provide powerful Smash Attack.
Overhanging contact points of Screw Zeus allow better performance against low opponents but can cause some issues against Circle Survivor Defense, largely relying on a strong launch and weight to bludgeon such combinations out of the arena..
Weight allows it to be a little "safer" than alternatives such as Square Edge due to being harder to push back or counter-smash.
Left Spin:
Dragon Saucer adds Smash Attack in this direction, as well as additional heft, and reinforces the leading contact points.
Somewhat of a middle ground between Dragon Breaker and Great Dragon in terms of weight, but stands out on its own for lining up nicely with Screw Zeus' contact points, though Dragon Breaker's additional weight is often preferred (or Great Dragon's lighter weight on slower tips).
One of the most powerful AR setups in the game, though the fact this is also very heavy means that it requires a very fast tip with good traction, such as SG Grip Change Base Tip or Defense Grip Base (Tip Inverted) to really hit hard.
Primary contact points are the foreheads of Screw Zeus which are compounded with the spike contact point of Dragon Saucer, as well as the unobstructed second section of Screw Zeus. This makes for consistent, powerful hits.
Compared to Right Spin, Screw Zeus doesn't have any effective overhanging contact points in this direction, and the inverted slope it does have results in severe destabilisation of the Beyblade using it when hit. As such, taller bases can struggle slightly more against low opponents though generally this is negligible. The overhanging section can also still interfere with efficacy against Circle Survivor Defense however, and a very strong launch is needed to basically use weight and momentum to bludgeon these combinations out of the arena.
With Great Dragon:
Right Spin:
Great Dragon adds some smash in this direction, making for an effective setup.
Lighter weight does make it more forgiving about Blade Base choice than Dragon Breaker and Dragon Saucer, however it does make it a little less "safe", which is one of the main advantages of Screw Zeus setups.
Primary contact points are the rear of Screw Zeus' heads, which are very well exposed by this setup, the ridges of Great Dragon (which aren't very effective in this spin direction), and to a lesser extent the corners of Screw Zeus' sloped sections. Both of Screw Zeus' contact points have excellent Smash Attack.
Arguably a safer choice than left spin setups on taller bases, due to the lack of inverted slopes that could cause the combo to "upper" itself, though this is marginal.
Nonetheless a top-tier competitive option
Left Spin:
Light weight, yet still able to reinforce Screw Zeus's rectangular weight distribution, fix it in place, AND add additional Smash Attack of its own.
The contact points of Screw Zeus are well exposed by Great Dragon in left, with the foreheads reasonably well exposed and the leading edge of the second section perfectly obstruction-free. In addition, the crests of Great Dragon provide some addtional Smash Attack, making for a hard-hitting, consistent AR.
Lighter weight makes it more forgiving of tip speed and launch power than heavier options.
Doesn't work with SG Metal Flat Base (Gaia Dragoon V Version) - too much recoil, too little weight.
Compared to Right Spin, Screw Zeus doesn't have any effective overhanging contact points in this direction, and the inverted slope it does have results in severe destabilisation of the Beyblade using it when hit. As such, taller bases can struggle slightly more against low opponents though generally this is negligible. The overhanging section can also still interfere with efficacy against Circle Survivor Defense however, and a very strong launch is needed to basically use weight and momentum to bludgeon these combinations out of the arena. However, the lighter weight of Great Dragon can make this a little more difficult.
Overall a top-tier choice.
With War Lion:
Right Spin:
Able to fix Screw Zeus in place in a couple of positions, though it can slip.
Force of impact may snap the wing tips of War Lion.
This is the best way to expose the slopes of Screw Zeus to use them for Traditional Upper Attack, making for a competitive if potentially risky setup.
Generally War Monkey is a safer choice for this purpose.
Aside from this, adds no additional Smash Attack thus outclassed for other purposes by other Attack Rings.
Left Spin:
Able to fix Screw Zeus in place in a couple of positions, though it can slip.
Less fragile than in right spin, but also adds literally nothing to the setup here as other ARs expose Screw Zeus better in Left than they do in Right Spin.
Overall no reason to use this over other options as it adds nothing to the combo.
With War Monkey:
Right Spin:
Able to fix Screw Zeus in place in a couple of positions..
This is allows the slopes of Screw Zeus to be used for for Traditional Upper Attack, making for a competitive setup with less risk than War Lion.
Aside from this, adds no additional Smash Attack thus outclassed for other purposes by other Attack Rings.
Left Spin:
Able to fix Screw Zeus in place in a couple of positions, though it can slip.
Adds literally nothing to the setup here as other ARs expose Screw Zeus better in Left than they do in Right Spin.
Overall no reason to use this over other options as it adds nothing to the combo.
Weight: 14.0g (Takara/Hasbro) | 14.3g (SonoKong G-Blade)
Moderately light weight
Outward weight distribution, though less so than Wide Defense and Wide Survivor.
Recoil means it is far less effective for spin stealing and survival than those weight disks
Still has plenty of use for Smash Attack, particularly with Attack Rings which are obstructed by Wide Defense.
Can still be used for spin stealing to decent effect with parts that compensate through LAD (Spiral Change Base/Full Auto Clutch Base etc) or by providing a buffer (Dragon Saucer SAR), but is still outclassed.
A number of SonoKong Ten Wide WD's from their G-Blade series have been recorded as being slightly above the average weight of Wide Defense, see the Ten Wide page for details.
Weight: 6.7g
A regular right-spin Engine Gear that uses Customize Engine Weights
The engine gear gimmick does very little of use - if it activates early it breaks flower pattern and sometimes self-KO's, if it activates late it causes major instability in most cases, and in the case of Attack Types where it can cause a late game burst of movement (albeit usually an ineffectual one), it lacks a suitable tip to work with.
You're usually better off not winding the SG, rendering it an excessively tall combo, prone to attacks from lower attackers and struggling to hit anything without using an overhanging AR such as Triple Tiger.
Sadly, the only rubber tipped CEW, Metal Grip, is quite slow without the speed of Left Engine Gear (Turbo), and the only Engine Gear tip that was actually decent for Attack, Right Engine Gear (Metal Flat), was never made into a CEW, rendering any offensive usage moot.
Weight: 8.0g
A round-edged, heavy, Engine-Gear compatible Blade Base with a relatively good weight distribution and the heaviest weight for an Engine Gear Blade Base.
Good weight distribution, weight, and defensive design, but poor LAD which compromises most uses for the Base.
High weight and ability to fix Circle Survivor relatively in place with Right Engine Gear (Circle Defenser) or Right Engine Gear (Mystery Cutter) makes for a combination roughly as heavy as SG Metal Ball Base with 4 Metal Balls plus a Heavy Metal Core. This creates a well protected Weight Based Defense combination, albeit somewhat less versatile than other Weight Based Defense setups due to its height, though it is comparatively less compact.
It can also be used with Metal Driger's Right Spin Gear (Heavy Metal Core) to make a Weight Based Defense setup, though it is again hampered by poor stability and LAD, meaning the resulting combos tend to get outspun by most of the meta. Nonetheless, they do have defensive use in the rare case that one does not have access to a better setup but does have access to this part.
Outclassed on offensive setups (uncompetitive as they are) due to the bulk, size and existence of better alternatives, especially for Left Spin where First Clutch Base (Dragoon G Version) provides some offensive ability to compensate for the height.
Overall one of the better Engine Gear Bases, but not particularly useful.
Weight: 3.7g
Rather poor balance due to tall height and ball tip
Tends to skip over the tornado ridge too easily, resulting in limited defensive ability
While a niche use, it does allow Gyro Engine Gear to self right quite effectively, making it an acceptable CEW for the part.
Despite being the heaviest regular CEW, Circle Defenser and Circle Survivor both weight more, and the latter is more useful in every way. In addition, only Circle Survivor can produce a Base + SG setup capable of rivalling the weight of Heavy Metal Core-compatible Weight Based Defense setups.
Overall, not a useful part.
Overall
While lacking the somewhat useful EG and CEW makes Hasbro's Zeus less useful than Takara's, the fact it still includes the best part - Screw Zeus still gives it some usefulness. The overall price is still an issue given the availability of alternative parts, however, meaning money is usually better allocated to other things.
Related Beyblades
Zeus - Original Takara Release