Discover the Best Beyblade Burst Parts From the B-201 Zest Achilles Customize Set to Power Up Your Combos

Affiliate Disclosure: If you buy something through some of the links on this post, you won’t pay any extra, but we’ll get a small commission. This helps us keep things running. Thanks for your support!

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Hot off the heels of an excellent Blade release in Xiphoid Xcalibur Xanthus Sword’-1, a BU Blade and Disc combo that exceeded our expectations, we have the B-201 Zest Achilles Customize Set!

The Achilles line is back in BU fashion with very unique gimmicks to it! This is the first Achilles to feature a dual spin gimmick, continuing where Infinite Achilles Dimension’ 1B left off with an attachment gimmick, and its stock combo has up to 48 different and unique modes to toy with.

Almost foreshadowing the lengths we had to go to bring you a teardown of this Customize Set, because there was a whole lot to cover, and there is a whole lot we uncovered as well.

Read on to find out what parts really stuck out to us about this set, and what you can look forward to if you intend to pick it up for yourself!

Product Details

• Brand: TAKARA-TOMY
• Product Code: B-201
• Product Contents:
  • Zest Achilles Illegal Quattro’-4
  • Chain Phoenix-2
  • Hollow Ragnaruk 1D
  • Fortress Disc
  • Metal Never Driver
  • A Gear Accessory 
• System: Dynamite Battle Layer System
• Series: Beyblade Burst – Burst Ultimate

Part Weights

• Zest BU Blade (with Zest Sword): 10.00g
• Achilles DB Core: 8.09g
• Illegal Disc (2 Stars): 31.84g
• Quattro Dash Driver: 10.75g
• 4 Armor: 13.83g
• Chain BU Blade: 14.85g
• Phoenix DB Core: 7.52g
• 2 Armor: 13.46g
• Hollow Ring: 14.40g
• Ragnaruk Sparking Chip: 3.00g
• 1D Chassis: 11.16g
• Fortress Disc (4 Stars): 31.04g
• Metal Never Driver: 9.73g
• A Gear Accessory: 4.30g

Additional Notes:

• All matches in this article were done in the B-09 Burst Standard Stadium using two Bladers.
• The results of each match that ended with an outspin were ruled based on the WBO’s June 2022 spinning definition update.
• Stamina matches saw both combos switch out Discs and Drivers at the half-way point to account for Star discrepancy and Driver wear.
• This article was written in collaboration with WBO user Dan. 
• Finally, if you buy something through some of the links on this post, you won’t pay any extra, but I’ll get a small commission. This helps me keep things running. Thanks for your support!

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Zest BU Blade Review

Similar to most of the Achilles-paired Layers and Rings before it, the Zest BU Blade features a design that focuses on two sword-like elements on either side of the Blade (courtesy of the Zest Sword accessory) and a set of contact points at the poles.

How Does the Zest BU Blade Differ From Other Blades?

First and foremost the Zest BU Blade supports either spin direction, it is a dual spin BU Blade. It joins a rare group of Burst Beyblades that are capable of spinning in either direction, and it is also the first in the Achilles line that can do so.

The Zest BU Blade also follows in the footsteps of the previous Infinite Achilles in its use of an accessory component, but unlike Infinite the Zest Sword is the only attachment available thus far.

This attachment allows for various mode changes depending on the positioning taken. When the Zest Sword is face-up, wrapped around the DB Core, it is in “Attack Mode”. In Attack mode the two prominent contact points on the poles of the Zest BU Blade are fully exposed.

When the Zest Sword is on the underside of the Blade it is in “Defense Mode”, with the two points being more concealed by the accessory and reducing the amount of recoil produced.

The final mode features no Zest Sword accessory at all. When you put together the Zest BU Blade, DB Core and Armor without the Zest Sword it is in “Speed Mode”. This is the lightest mode and lightest BU Blade by far, hovering around the 6 gram mark.

Each of these modes are meant to make the Zest BU Blade behave differently, but do they do their job well? We will cover each of the modes and their recommended uses to determine whether that is the case!

Is the Zest BU Blade Good for Stamina Type Beyblade Combos?

First up we have Zest BU Blade’s potential use in stamina-oriented combos.

Right-Spin Stamina Testing

Here we tried both the “Speed Mode” that does not incorporate the Zest Sword accessory and the “Defense Mode” that includes it on the bottom of the BU Blade.

While it is clear that Zest BU Blade could not hold a candle to Devil Blade, it surprisingly did much better in Speed Mode than one would expect – sometimes even making matches tight. Despite Speed Mode’s lighter weight and completely exposed design, it managed to perform better even though it didn’t score a point! 

Left-Spin Stamina Testing

Next we tested how Zest BU Blade does in left-spin:

Here the results were identical and the performances were too. Speed Mode did not have the upper hand. As a matter of fact both modes of Zest BU Blade simply could not come close to engaging in a last-second Life After Death (LAD) battle with Devil Blade as it fell on its side far too early and stopped spinning.

Our last test was to see if, by chance, it could perform in same-spin against Vanish Blade:

Another complete wash, it becomes clear that the Zest BU Blade simply has no place in stamina combos.

Is the Zest BU Blade Good for Defense Type Beyblade Combos?

As mentioned the Zest BU Blade has an advertised “Defense Mode” that in left spin completely softens the potential major contact point and in right-spin slightly shifts contact onto the Sword rather than the BU Blade alone.

Is this mode an effective choice against modern Attack-oriented Beyblades, or is the inherently aggressive design of the Zest BU Blade too much to overcome for the Sword accessory? We did some experimentation and the results were quite clear cut:

Despite being the mode and orientation that best covers Zest BU Blade’s “hooks”, there was little hope for it to not be knocked out by Guilty Blade, even very late into the battle. 

Unfortunately this poor performance can likely be attributed to both low weight (10g is really on the low side) and suboptimal “Defense” design. Zest BU Blade is far too aggressive even in this state.

Here results were much the same, Xiphoid BU Blade simply overpowered the Zest BU Blade, and its own design worked against it.

Because it was so handily defeated without much effort by the two preeminent attackers of the BU era, it makes it impossible to recommend the Zest BU Blade’s Defense Mode for its named purpose.

Is the Zest BU Blade Good for Attack Type Beyblade Combos? 

Finally, what was at the forefront of our minds since the beginning: attack-oriented Zest BU Blade setups.

When looking at the Zest BU Blade it is hard to ignore the two sizable slopes at either end of the part, especially since they are very reminiscent of the GT-era’s Judgement Layer. These points are most exposed when in Attack Mode, and for this reason we decided it made most sense to stick to its name.

Zest does have many other things to consider, though, beyond mode usage. Because Zest is able to spin in either direction depending on orientation chosen there is a lot that goes into finalizing that decision when going into a match. 

Because of this we have gone out of our way to experiment and see how and where Zest works best – and why. Our benchmarks for Attack viability were what one would expect from the current meta: the Vanish and Dynamite/Devil (F Gear) Blades on a Bearing Dash Driver. 

These combos tend to provide the most reliability in terms of same-spin, opposite-spin and defensive options. First up we tried Zest BU Blade in right-spin orientation with Perseus DB Core, one of the heaviest available, which worked out well as Zest does not have a noticeable bursting issue:

Unfortunately for Zest BU Blade it could not be released at a worse time. With Xiphoid BU Blade roaming around now the right-spin Attack meta is certainly warped around it. Nothing can go without comparison to the current king, and when compared to Xiphoid BU Blade, Zest is severely lacking.

In terms of specific performance it became very very clear that while Zest has what it takes (see: highly effective contact points), it is unfortunately quite inconsistent. 

There are some matches where direct hits are made that have the ability to either knock-out the opponent or in some cases even break through Burst Stoppers, but there are many other times as well where the meaningful hits don’t happen.

With that said, Zest BU Blade is more than just a right-spinning Blade, it has the luxury of being dual-spin! So next we tested the Zest BU Blade with the Longinus Core, another heavy and competent DB Core that we can throw on without much worry of bursting, against the same opponents:

At the very least we can say that the Zest BU Blade appears to be consistent in either spin direction. It seems as if the Zest BU Blade does better against opponents of the same spin direction as it, which isn’t much of an issue considering it can decide which direction to be (sometimes even within a given round, depending on tournament format!).

Another problem Zest BU Blade faces, though, is that when in left spin it will ultimately be compared to the Guilty Blade. The Guilty Blade is, unfortunately for Zest BU Blade, incredibly consistent and doesn’t tend to struggle with any opponent that is thrown at it.

While it certainly does “well enough” in either spin, and its Sword can be meddled with to improve chances via spin change, the Zest BU Blade has shown little in the ways of making itself a definite shoe-in for top three. 

Even with the use of something like Nexus (S/D Gear) there was no improvement in its performance from informal testing. Normally this Disc is used to provide a bit of an added push for Blades that need the extra support, but it did next to nothing for Zest BU Blade.

When compared to the likes of Saviour Blade, Ultimate Blade, and even the Rage Ring, it doesn’t set itself apart enough. In general these parts all have decent Smash Attack and potential, but suffer from a key weakness or two. 

The Verdict

The Zest BU Blade has no competitive use for stamina and defense.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a unique and interesting Attack-oriented Blade, Zest BU Blade is certainly a fine option, but there is little to no reason to choose it over the likes of Xiphoid BU Blade and Guilty Blade.

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Achilles DB Core Review

The next new part we have to explore is the Achilles DB Core, designed much like the Achilles of years past, depicting an armoured figure (after its namesake) and large shield.

It features 4 decent teeth, 3 meaningful clicks, rather than half-teeth (Spriggan DB Core) or less frequent but bigger teeth (Longinus DB Core).

How Is B-201’s Achilles DB Core Different From Others?

The most important aspect of the Achilles DB Core is its ability to be used on both right-spin and left-spin DB/BU Blades, just like the Spriggan DB Core. 

This ability is very very useful in match types where you are able to make the most out of dual-spin layers (such as 5G) and also serves as a decent option for Bladers on a budget that want to increase their usable collection. 

The Achilles DB Core is essentially 2 DB Cores in one. 

How Burst Resistant is the Achilles DB Core?

Because its direct competition is Spriggan DB Core we thought that there was no better way to determine Achilles DB Core’s burst resistance than to compare the two! 

It should be noted that Spriggan DB Core technically has 4 teeth but two are half-sized so for practicality we will treat the Core as a 3 full-teethed Core with 30 full clicks to lose.

In this mirror match between two recoil-laden Astral Blades we are able to get an idea of how effective the Achilles DB Core is in higher impact Stamina situations. It clearly holds up well in these situations and is not a burst risk.

Is the Achilles DB Core Good for Right Spin Stamina Types?

Knowing that its burst resistance in high recoil stamina battles is superior to Spriggan DB Core, we thought it made sense to test the Achilles DB Core as a legitimate Stamina core. First we wanted to see how it compares to the likes of Valkyrie 1 DB Core, a competent top three DB Core for right-spin Stamina combos.

Achilles DB Core vs. Valkyrie DB Core

Seeing this was quite impressive since Valkyrie DB Core, prior to Dragon DB Core’s release, was even more valuable so to overtake it in raw stamina is not a small feat. With these promising results we then turned our attention to Dragon DB Core. Could Achilles DB Core surpass it too?

Achilles DB Core vs. Dragon DB Core

These results were even more surprising because Achilles DB Core was really keeping up well with Dragon DB Core in a way we have not seen any other DB Core do before. Because of this we decided to switch out Drivers and see if the results were consistent even off of the Revolve Driver. 

With that in mind we decided it made most sense to use Bearing Driver, picking two similarly-worn ones that give us an idea of not only how Achilles DB Core performs on a meta Driver, but how well it does in an environment where high precession and balance is the name of the game.

These matches were very one-sided despite sometimes some matches were closer than we were used to seeing. With the stark contrast of these results, the impressive showing on Revolve but the exact opposite on Bearing Driver, we revisited that last set of tests against the Valkyrie DB Core to make sure the same didn’t happen there.

Achilles DB Core vs. Valkyrie DB Core (Round 2)

Fortunately it seems that, interestingly, results held up against Valkyrie DB Core between Drivers. Achilles DB Core performed similarly well, so while the Achilles DB Core surpasses the Valkyrie 1 DB Core, it seems to be consistently inferior to Dragon DB Core. 

Having said that, the Achilles DB Core seems to sit comfortably in second place since it can actually take games off of Dragon DB Core on certain Drivers, though not consistently enough to put it in contention for the top spot. 

Achilles DB Core vs. Belial 2 DB Core

To confirm this idea we tested it against the Belial 2 DB Core which, prior to Dragon DB Core’s release, was holding the top spot for both raw stamina and safety (thanks to the Burst Stopper).

These rounds were very interesting because it seemed like one Bearing was actually performing worse than the other all of a sudden. While we can’t confirm how or why, Belial 2 DB Core did edge out the Achilles DB Core in this situation. 

To see if this result held up despite the Bearing Driver disparity, we went back to the Revolve Driver mirror match and experimented. 

The results were very, very surprising because it varied wildly:

For some reason the Achilles DB Core simply could not lose on the Over Disc but could not win on the Giga Disc against the Belial 2 DB Core.

Unlike the Valkyrie and Dragon DB Core testings which were quite conclusive, the testing between Achilles DB Core and Belial 2 DB Core were simply too all over the map for us to make a clear call on which DB Core would be more likely to outperform the other. 

It seems as if there are too many different factors at play, and that the two are too close together in terms of ability that other minor issues with each combo or component may be swaying battles one way or the other.

Because of this it would not be fair to say that the Achilles DB Core is superior to the Belial 2 DB Core in terms of raw stamina or the head-to-head, realistically speaking all that can be said is that the two are very very close in terms of stamina ability.

Is the Achilles DB Core Good for Left Spin Stamina Types?

Having seen how well the Achilles DB Core does in right-spin naturally we chose to test how well it does in left-spin. 

Achilles DB Core vs. Longinus DB Core

The left-spin DB Core list is a particularly small pool with Longinus reigning as the most effective raw Stamina (and Attack) oriented Core to date, and Achilles DB Core has a chance to change that.

These matches were similarly close to how Achilles DB Core did against the Dragon DB Core on Revolve Driver, very tight matches. 

Unlike those matches though, Achilles DB Core was consistently able to keep up with the Longinus DB Core, at the very least rivalling it if not marginally overtaking it despite a weight disadvantage.

While the Achilles DB Core may match, if not slightly surpass, the Longinus DB Core in terms of pure stamina, it should also be noted that the Longinus DB Core features a very potent set of teeth. 

If you are concerned about bursting against a potential attack user it still may be advisable to switch to the Longinus or Bahamut DB Core instead, ceding a slight stamina increase for added security.

The Verdict 

The Achilles DB Core is an exceptional dual-spin Stamina Core that rivals (marginally surpasses) Longinus DB Core in left and is just a touch weaker than the Dragon DB Core and seems to be most comparable to the Belial 2 DB Core in right.

For those that want an alternative to the Longinus DB Core or want to flesh out a full Stamina deck, the Achilles DB Core cannot be skipped over.

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Illegal Disc Review

Next we have the very enticing Illegal Disc, a completely new Disc!

The Illegal Disc’s design comes as a surprise to us not because it is so out there, but because this is exactly the kind of simplistic and effective design we would probably expect to not be made without a glaring weakness.

In general Takara-Tomy prioritizes unique designs and gimmicks over generic, tried and true designs, which is why we don’t typically expect a completely circular and very heavy Disc, for example. 

It adds a layer of balance and intrigue to the game. Designs like this one and the Over Disc are not necessarily imbalanced or unhealthy, but we can tell on design alone they will very likely excel thanks to the flywheel effect that can have – not to mention smooth undersides that ensure high levels of Life After Death (LAD) as the match winds down.

Is the Illegal Disc Good for Stamina Types?

Illegal Disc vs. Over Disc

We directly went to a comparison of the Illegal Disc to the Over Disc to see whether Illegal Disc’s design holds up in practice. 

Because we pulled a 2-star Illegal Disc, with weight concentrated slightly more on one side than the other, it was most appropriate to test it against a 1-star Over Disc that also has similar distribution.

These sets of tests were very down to the wire, the two Discs could not be more equal with one edging the other out in a constant back-and-forth. This is incredibly promising since the Over Disc has gone mostly unchecked as the absolute best raw Stamina Disc available since its release.

With all of this, it becomes clear that the Illegal Disc is an incredible choice for Stamina types, easily rivalling the Over Disc and sharing the top spot. But what about Attack types? 

Is the Illegal Disc Good for Attack Types?

It isn’t uncommon to use the power of the Over Disc’s weight and design to optimize Attackers, does the Illegal Disc help in the same way? We decided to do a quick check, and the results were very interesting.

There are a few remarkable things to note here, firstly the increase in win percentage is noticeable. When on the Illegal Disc the Savior Blade performs better. 

The important part, and reason that this is the case, is that the Illegal Disc has a wonderful design to produce high speed in large part due to its not-overbearing weight, its flywheel effect, and great outward weight distribution (OWD). 

Savior Blade is able to go noticeably faster than normal, even on a worn Xtreme Dash Driver, and hit harder as a result. 

It is clear that the Illegal Disc is a great choice if you’re focussed on Attack oriented combos, and should be considered alongside the Over Disc when thinking about the most optimal Attack builds.

The Verdict

The Illegal Disc along with Over Disc, are top quality Discs that you simply cannot go wrong with. The Illegal Disc is a must-have Disc, simple as that.

This Disc can match the Over Disc’s stamina, provide your deck with another highly powerful option, and is versatile enough to be placed on (and potentially improve!) Attack types.

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Quattro Dash Driver Review

While not technically “new”, in fact the only partially re-hashed aspect of stock BU Achilles, we have the very interesting Quattro Dash Driver.

How Is B-201’s Quattro Dash Driver Different From Others?

The Quattro Dash Driver, just like the original, features multiple modes that you must disassemble your Beyblade to switch between.

It has two fully-metal tips, Metal Sharp and Metal Ball (meant to be Stamina and Defense oriented options), and two more rubber-based options, Rubber Flat and Coat Sharp/Unite (meant to be Attack oriented options).

What separates it from the original is a golden, stronger spring on its interior which increases its burst resistance. This is what makes it a “Dash” Driver.

The original Quattro Driver has been largely ignored by the western community, in large part because its initial release featured the regular non-Dash spring.

With a Dash spring can the Quattro Driver be fleshed out and better understood by the community at large? We are curious where it excels, and how it does given it is a Driver that features multiple modes, so there is a fair bit of experimentation to be done here!

Is the Quattro Dash Driver Good for Stamina Types?

Given the spinning definition rule implemented earlier this year by the WBO and how taller Drivers may be better able to take advantage of their height to allow prolonged movement at the end of the battle, we were curious to see if either of Quattro Dash Driver’s metal Stamina options could be useful.

Stamina Mode Testing (Metal Sharp)

For these tests we went with the Metal Sharp tip option first:

Here we got to see a glimpse of the power of Quattro Dash Driver in same-spin matchups. Surprisingly it can actually go toe-to-toe with the High Xtend Plus Dash Driver and it really came down to good fortune and positioning to determine which combo would win. 

In this case High Xtend Plus Dash was able to secure an extra victory, but these two are far too close together to say one is better than the other.

Because it performed so well against the highly-reliable same-spin Driver that is High Xtend Plus Dash Driver, we wanted to make sure it could also defeat the Bearing Dash Driver. 

Based on our understanding of matchups it is reasonable to assume that something even with this Driver would surpass Bearing Dash Driver in same-spin, but we checked to be sure!

This did in fact turn out to be true, Quattro Dash Driver took a commanding lead over Bearing Dash, in terms of same-spin the two are not comparable, similar to how the matchup is with High Xtend Plus Dash Driver.

Defense Mode Testing (Metal Ball)

Having now seen that Metal Sharp is really quite a good same-spin option, rivalling High Xtend Plus Dash, we tried the Metal Ball option. Although labeled by Takara-Tomy as Defense Mode, it actually possesses stronger stamina potential than defense.

For those that remember the later Metal Fight era, the MB (Metal Ball) tip was often enough used for its great behaviour in-stadium and stamina.

This was an absolute blow-out. The Metal Ball option for Quattro Dash Driver completely overpowered High Xtend Plus Dash Driver with ease. Compared to the above scenario where whichever Driver had achieved better positioning would win, Metal Ball Quattro Dash Driver simply never needed to go there. 

This option destabilized High Xtend Plus Dash quite frequently meaning that there was no prolonged battle to get better footing in the stadium, Metal Ball would simply outlast High Xtend Plus Dash Driver. 

We tried the Bearing Dash Driver next, could it perhaps destabilize the Quattro Dash (MB) Driver from below? 

It could not. While the matches were relatively closer than the ones against High Xtend Plus Dash, Quattro Dash (MB) Driver still won with a lot of spin to spare.

Stamina/Defense Mode Opposite Spin Testing

With extreme competency in same-spin we have to wonder if Quattro Dash Driver is also similarly good when its opponent is of the opposite spin? Does it have enough Life After Death (LAD) to compete or dominate there too?

Unfortunately neither the previously effective Metal Sharp nor the experimental Metal Ball choice was enough to even come close to winning over Vanish Blade in a match of LAD. Metal Ball, for what it is worth, performed marginally better, but still lost all the same.

Unfortunately what it seems like is that Quattro Dash Driver is an excellent same-spin Driver, easily comparable to High Xtend Plus Dash, but is lacking in the opposite-spin LAD department.

Is the Quattro Dash Driver Good for Attack Types?

Attack Mode Testing (Rubber Flat)

With Stamina out of the way we decided to take on the Rubber Flat mode, and test out Quattro Dash in an Attack type combo, using both Xiphoid BU Blade and Guilty Blade to see what it is made of.

Quattro Dash is very tall, this is no surprise, and its rubber tip is a bit short, creating some very odd scenarios, like being easily knocked out sometimes. 

Here we see how difficult it can be for legitimately great attack blades to knock things out despite being on a rubber flat Driver. Quattro Dash Driver is just a bit too tall and a bit too prone to being knocked out to be seriously considered for either of these Blades.

For a bit of fun we also tested out Rage Ring on the 3A Chassis to see if the elevated height and little risk of bursting would help bring it back to the forefront of relevancy again!

Unfortunately the Quattro Dash Driver was just a bit too prone to being knocked-out in 50-50 scenarios. The Rage combo certainly has enough raw power, but it is also fairly unbridled and risky.

Is the Quattro Dash Driver Good for Defense Types?

Balance Mode Testing (Coat Sharp)

For this last set of tests on the Quattro Dash Driver we chose the tip that resembled MFB’s Coat Sharp or earlier Burst’s Unite Driver as it should have a good mixture of Stamina and defensive capabilities.

Takara-Tomy labels this as “Balance” mode.

This was really no contest, the mixture of height and lack of grip coming from the Quattro Dash Driver meant that the Vanish Blade was a sitting duck while the Guilty combo could do whatever it pleased.

Much like the previous match the Quattro Dash Driver was simply too much of a liability. Its innate characteristics unfortunately do not lend themselves well to defense at all.

The Verdict

The Quattro Dash Driver is a risky and inconsistent Attack Driver but one of the best Stamina Drivers in same-spin when using the Metal Ball mode. The Metal Sharp mode isn’t bad for same-spin either, but it isn’t quite as oppressive, usually only managing to break even with High Xtend Plus Dash Driver. 

For other scenarios, such as Defense mode with the Unite-esque tip, or in opposite-spin matchups, the Quattro Dash Driver is not recommended.

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4 Armor Review

Finally we have the last component of stock BU Achilles to go over, before getting to the abundance of additional new standalone parts provided to us by the set, the 4 Armor!

The 4 armor is, ironically, a 6-pointed symmetrical armor that has a decent-to-heavy weight to it, nearing 14 grams. Design-wise it is a bit reminiscent of the 6 Armor, but much more subdued, smooth, and concentrated. 

Is the 4 Armor Good for Stamina Types?

As we have done before, we like to test the different new armors that become available to us in Stamina customizations. While Armors seems like a minor part of a Burst combo, they can play an incredible role in determining who wins and who loses – especially when two players have otherwise identical parts.

This time we will be testing the 4 Armor against the 3 Armor (a well-established and top quality Stamina Armor) and the 1 Armor (a new and middle-of-the-road Armor) to see how it performs. 

In general Armors tend to be on a spectrum from quite good (0, 2, 3) to really not great (6, 7), so determining where the 4 Armor lays on that plane is important and crucial to appropriate combo building.

Here we noticed a very consistent and unique trend with the 4 Armor: its design was great for conserving stamina, more often than not the 4-equipped Devil combo was keeping up with its 3 Armor opponent and having noticeably more gas than its 1 Armor opponent, but it was terribly imbalanced. 

Towards the end, in both sets of tests, the 4 Armor combo would consistently tip over and scrape earlier, making its currently conserved stamina up until that point completely meaningless. 

The Verdict

Interestingly, while in terms of raw stamina the 4 Armor could be a very good choice, its innate inability to remain upright is what makes the 4 Armor a middle-of-the-road (at best) Armor choice.

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Metal Never Driver Review

With the stock Achilles components out of the way, one of the new additional parts we got from the Zest Achilles Customize Set was the Metal Never Driver!

How Is B-201’s Metal Never Driver Different From Others?

This Driver’s design is identical to the regular Never Driver that first debuted in Random Booster Volume 25, but it now features a Metal Cap. This metal cap adds weight and, depending on cap, burst resistance.

What sets this Metal Never Driver apart even more, though, is that this metal cap is the updated 2022 mold variation. All of the metal caps from 2022 feature a much less pronounced tab that makes it less likely to damage DB Core teeth, a common worry when metal Drivers were first introduced.

This less prominent tab on either side of the cap unfortunately isn’t a completely positive change. Reduced teeth wear is exceptional but the burst resistance of these updated caps have also taken a big hit.

How Burst Resistant is the Metal Never Driver?

To see how much different the metal cap is in terms of Burst Resistance compared to even a regular Driver we put Metal Never Driver up against the regular Never Driver (from RB27), here is what we found:

As one can tell the updated metal cap makes sliding across teeth much, much easier. Not only is metal more inherently smooth and slick, but the smaller tabs to reduce drastic wear only promotes that ability to slide.

Compared to a regular driver, the updated metal cap mold found in the 2022 releases of metal Drivers are far more prone to sliding and therefore bursting.

Is the Metal Never Driver Better Than the Original Never Driver?

Since it will inevitably burst sooner than the original Never Driver, is there anything that can redeem the Metal Never Driver?

We sought to answer that. If, by chance, the Metal Never Driver performed better than the original (RB27 iteration), there could be a serious case for its use despite the smoother tabs.

Metal Never vs. Never Driver Testing

It seems as if the propensity to slide and potentially burst sooner than the original Never Driver is heavily offset by the fact that the Metal Never Driver variation seems to perform better.

These tended to be very clear-cut victories, for one reason or another (perhaps weight, innate balance, material composition) the Metal Never Driver consistently outspun the regular Never Driver (RB27 iteration).

Because of its ability to reliably outspin previous Never Driver iterations we thought it best to see how it does against the likes of Bearing Dash Driver and the High Xtend Plus Dash Driver, as these tended to be the two that gave the original Never Driver the most headaches.

Metal Never vs. Bearing’ and High Xtend+’

In this set of tests unfortunately the Bearing Dash Driver would win by a hair every time. Despite the Metal Never Dash Driver’s noticeable boost in overall Stamina it was not enough to overcome the Bearing Dash Driver, only bringing the Never Driver line closer to drawing at best.

Similar to the above scenario the Metal Never Driver did perform decently but not enough to secure victory against the High Xtend Plus Dash Driver. 

In general, though, this matchup is much closer than it appears, and even closer than the Bearing Dash Driver matchup, if only because the Metal Never Driver’s very low height is favourable against the High Xtend Plus Driver. 

This could go in the Metal Never Driver’s favour depending on individual Blader technique and strength.

While it has been known that the Never Driver line’s same-spin performance leaves Bladers wanting more, it has usually been a decent choice in opposite-spin heavy matchups. We wanted to see if the Metal Never Driver brought more to the table here too against those same Drivers.

Unlike the same-spin matchup these conditions saw the Metal Never Driver shine, it simply has astounding Life After Death (LAD) that matched Bearing Dash Driver to the point where video assistance was required to reconfirm minute movements in Metal Never Driver’s favour.

Just like the previous matchup the Metal Never Driver’s opposite-spin prowess was on full display. Against the High Xtend Plus Dash Driver things were slightly more evenly matched, with more draws even after using video recording tools, but the Metal Never Driver did not do worse than draw.

The Verdict

The Metal Never Driver seems to be, despite its metal cap, the definitive Never Driver to use. It outperforms the original Never Driver’s best iteration (RB27 release), adds weight, and can be used in conjunction with a Burst Stopper-equipped DB Core to prevent erratic bursts. 

While the same-spin performance seems to not be enough to top Bearing or High Xtend Plus Dash Drivers, the LAD of Metal Never is definitely impressive. If anything, it is most similar to Drift Driver if only less of both same-spin and opposite-spin extremes.

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A-Gear Accessory Review

The last new additional part from the Zest Achilles Customize Set is the aptly named A (Achilles) Gear. This Gear is meant to be an upgrade to the Divine BU Blade similar to the F Gear before it.

The A Gear has two orientations: one where the contact points fall directly under Divine BU Blade’s’ (3 Blade, Attack Mode) and one where they poke out beside it to create a more circular shape with Divine BU Blade (6 Blade, Defense Mode).

From informal testing we found that A Gear’s 3-bladed attack mode tends to be the more potent of the two, and chose to stick to using this mode for Attack testing.

Is A Gear Good for Attack Type Beyblades?

We found that the Divine Blade with A Gear was behaving much like the Gatling Blade did against Vanish Blade in our previous testings. It was a mixture of weight and some Smash Attack that sends Vanish Blade absolutely flying. 

While these tests were very promising, we can’t help but think about how the Gatling Blade did when faced with a same-spin opponent. Next we tried against Devil (F Gear) to see how the “evolution” stacked up:

Not too much unlike Gatling BU Blade this setup unfortunately does tend to struggle a bit with Devil combos, but not quite as much. In the Gatling BU Blade scenario it has a very difficult time moving Devil Blade around.

For Divine BU Blade, though, it does have the raw Smash Attack, at times, to deliver very decisive blows, in one instance hitting Devil Blade into a wall and back out into the opposing pocket. It does sometimes have the means to score very impressive blows and even risk bursting Devil Blade on the Dragon DB Core.

Just to double check we used fixed S Gear as well to see if there was a noticeable difference between the two Nexus accessories and it seemed to not be the case. 

In general we found that the weight and contact point made by the joining of the S Gear and low-hanging A Gear was what gives Divine the luxury of pushing things around, and even landing decisive blows.

The Verdict

While these same-spin results were not spectacular they are promising, and the A Gear alone skyrockets the Divine BU Blade from a forgettable Blade into a decently impressive attack choice!

The A Gear and Divine Blade are a very decent attack option that rivals the likes of Ultimate Blade in terms of performance and consistency.

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Should You Buy the B-201 Zest Achilles Customize Set?

Unlike normal Booster or Starter releases the B-201 Zest Achilles Customize Set has a plethora of parts, and therefore value, going for it. The set’s namesake Beyblade, Zest Achilles Illegal Quattro Dash-4 alone has a lot of competitive value.

All in all, the Beyblade Burst B-201 Zest Achilles Customize Set provides a lot of really great parts. Over half of the pieces from this set have some noticeable competitive value, either being legitimately top-tier or very respectable.

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What Do You Think of B-201 Zest Achilles Customize Set? Comment Below!

If you’re thinking of picking up the B-201 Zest Achilles Customize Set or already have, comment below as we’d love to hear about your thoughts and testing experiences with it!