Learn how to put together the best possible Zhongli build
Want to learn how to create the best Zhongli build in Genshin Impact?Zhongli is the current vessel of Morax, the Geo Archon of Liyue. In retirement from his duties as an Archon, Zhongli now works as a consultant at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Though he’s painfully careless with his Mora, Zhongli is much more attentive as a sub DPS or shield support character in combat, ranking in the top echelon of ourtier list.
This guide will show you how to create the best Zhongli build inGenshin Impact. Below we’ll cover everything you need to know about Zhongli, including wishing, weapons, artifacts, ascension materials, talents, abilities, and constellations.
Best Genshin Impact Zhongli build for sub DPS and/or shield
Alternatives:Primordial Jade-Winged Spear, Deathmatch, Prototype Starglitter
Zhongli’s best Polearm is the covetedStaff of Homa, which increases CRIT DMG and provides an ATK bonus that scales off of 0.8% of its owner’s Max HP. ThePrimordial Jade-Winged Spearis another stellar 5-star Polearm that boosts CRIT Rate and ATK.
However, if you don’t have any 5-stars on hand, there are some great 4-star substitutes that will still have Zhongli doing massive damage.Deathmatchis essentially the budget version of the Primordial Jade-Winged Spear, as it provides buffs to the same stats. Finally, the easily-obtainablePrototype Starglitterhelps with Energy Recharge, which is a great stat to have if you’re going to use Zhongli’s Geo powers.
Alternative:2 pieces from Noblesse Oblige and 2 pieces from Archaic Petra
If you’re only using Zhongli for his Burst, theNoblesse Obligeset is your best friend as it’ll boost Zhongli’s Burst DMG by 20% and cause his Burst to increase your whole party’s ATK by 20% for 12 seconds when used as a 4-piece set. Nice! Otherwise, if you’re going to use Zhongli’s other abilities as well, a combination of a 2-pieceNoblesse Obligeset works well with a 2-pieceArchaic Petraset, which provides boosts to Geo users.
Aim for the following stats and substats when choosing Zhongli’s artifacts:
Secondary:Dominus Lapidis (Elemental Skill)
You’ll typically want to prioritize Zhongli’sBurstand then hisSkill. If you’re desperate for better shield abilities for your team, though, try prioritizing his Skill first in order to protect your party. Speaking of Zhongli’s shield, here’s how that (and everything else) works:
5-star alternative:Arataki Itto replacing Ningguang as DPS
As one of Genshin Impact’s best characters, Zhongli is a popular pick for many team compositions; particularly in his role as shield support, where he’s almost universally the top choice no matter who else is in the party. Therefore, for this suggested team setup, we’ve chosen to focus on his slightly more particular needs as a sub DPS.
With teams composed mainly or entirely of Geo characters currently doing very well in the Genshin Impact meta, we’d be remiss not to suggest pairing Zhongli up with a Geo DPS. There are only really two candidates for this role right now: 4-starNingguangor 5-starArataki Itto. Fortunately, if you don’t have either of these, Zhongli can be paired with just about any powerful DPS and still be highly effective; but you’ll only gain the benefits of theEnduring Rock elemental resonance, and its attendant resistance and shield boosts, with at least two Geo characters in the party.
There are a couple of schools of thought on how you should fill out the remainder of a team like Zhongli’s. Because Geo resonantes very powerfully with itself but has almost no interaction with other elements, there’s a strong case to be made for packing your party with all Geo characters. In this case, I highly recommend includingGorou— whose elemental support abilities amplify with every Geo teammate he has; andNoelle— the only Geo healer currently in the game, as well as a powerful defender, who can add her shields to Zhongli’s to provide strong protection for the whole party.
If you choose to take a different approach, the best mixed-element support for Zhongli and his Geo DPS comes from pairing up two Pyro characters. Powerful healerBennettis a must here, with an easily-obtained general support character likeXianglingproviding the Fervent Flames resonance and pitching in with damage-dealing duties.
To fully ascend Zhongli, you’ll need:
Your best bet for getting enough Prithiva Topaz and Basalt Pillars is defeating the Geo Hypostasis. Cor Lapis can be found in rocky areas in Liyue (especially near Mt. Hulao) and Slimes can be found throughout most of Teyvat.
To fully level one of Zhongli’s talents, you’ll need:
If you want to crown all three of Zhongli’s talents, you’ll need to collect all of this three times over, for a grand total of 9 Teachings of Gold, 63 Guides to Gold, 114 Philosophies of Gold, 18 Slime Condensate, 66 Slime Secretions, 93 Slime Concentrates, 18 Tusk of Monoceros Caeli, and 3 Crowns of Insight. Slimes remain easy to find throughout Teyvat; but to get Gold books, head to the Taishan Mansion domain on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Tusks of Monoceros Caeli can only be obtained by taking onTartagliain his Childe boss form at Challenge Level 70+. Finally, Crowns of Insight can be obtained through limited-time events or by making offerings to the Frostbearing Tree and the Sacred Sakura.
Zhongli’sConstellation 1andConstellation 2are the easiest to get while also being incredibly efficient. If you’re going to spend money (or if you have an absurd number of wishes saved up) for Constellations, Zhongli’s Constellation 2 is a good point to aim for since it’s relatively accessible and also grants your entire team a shield when Zhongli’s Burst is used.
If you’re hoping to save up for Zhongli’s next rerun, check out our guide ongetting charactersto learn the best ways to prep, or ourcodes listto get some freePrimogems!
That’s all the info we’ve got on Zhongli! Why not check out ourcharacter tier listto see which other characters are good to wish for?
