Zhongli is a Geo Polearm Character in Genshin Impact. He is amongst the most powerful characters in the game, with the ability to put up shields that render characters nigh-invulnerable. Because of this, Zhongli is often used as the flex pick for a lot of lineups. In this article, Gurugamer.com is going to showcase a complete Genshin Impact Zhongli build guide.

1. Zhongli Genshin Impact Overview

Zhongli is a consultant at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. He is later revealed to be the Geo Archon.

Zhongli
Zhongli is one of the most powerful character lore wise.

Strengths

  • High AoE Geo Damage.
  • Generates a powerful shield that can withstand most attacks from enemies.
  • Can drain Geo Element from Enemies.
  • Can petrify enemies with his Elemental Burst.

Weaknesses

  • Low Normal Attack Damage.
  • Low Elemental Particle generation.

2. Zhongli Constellations and Talent Priority

Constellations

9ytnygnvol171
Zhongli Constellations

Similar to other 5 star characters, Zhongli's constellations are extremely powerful. However, with the low pull rate, it is highly unlikely that players would ever get more than C1 or C2. Zhongli's best constellations are C2 and C4:

  • C1: Planet Befall grants nearby characters on the field a Jade Shield when it descends.
  • C4: Increases Planet Befall's AoE by 20% and increases the duration of Planet Befall's Petrification effect by 2s.

Getting C2 and C4 greatly improves Zhongli's supportive capabilities. The former allows Zhongli to have 100% uptime for his shield, which improves the team's survivability greatly. Furthermore, in Co-op mode, his C2 even enables him to give shields to all party members.

C4 makes his Burst stun for 2 seconds longer, which is valuable in boss fights.

Talent Priority

The main purpose of Zhongli is to generate a shield with his skill and deal damage with his Burst. Therefore, players should focus on leveling up these two abilities. Zhongli's normal attack, however, can be leveled last or even skipped.

3. How to use Zhongli effectively?

Stacking HP% artifacts to strengthen your shield

With Zhongli's shield scaling based on max HP, building artifacts for him is rather easy. Players only need to stack as much HP as possible to boost the shield for all your other characters. Take note that Zhongli's Hold mode can absorb a chunk of Geo shields or constructs. Therefore, it is perfect for fighting Rock Shieldwall Mitachurls or Large Geo Slimes to take out their shields.

Eokcxldvcaccgeb
Zhongli's shield

Note that Corrosion will go through shields, making your HP bleed when fighting against enemies like Rifthounds.

Crowd control with Elemental Burst

Zhongli's Elemental Burst summons a meteor crashing onto the battlefield, dealing damage and petrifying all targets on impact. This CC effect allows players to reset and set up their elemental reactions or heal.

Maxresdefault
Elemental Burst

Resonate Geo Constructs

Pressing Zhongli's Elemental Skill summons a Stone Stele that pulsates and deals AoE Geo Damage. This can resonate with other Geo constructs in the vicinity, making them pulse Geo Damage.

Yetkgz4xlsc0g5mgxs8 8aeks3v 4v L3 1srfqpu5k
Geo Construct

Albedo, Itto, Ningguang and Geo Traveler can summon these Geo constructs.

4. Best Genshin Impact Zhongli build

Overall, players tend to play Zhongli as shield support instead of core. The character has 2 builds - support/sub DPS and physical DPS.

Zhongli Sub DPS/Support build

This is the normal build of Zhongli, which focuses on him casting all his spells to shield and deal high burst damage. This build maximizes the damage and absorption output of his skills.

  • Recommended weapon: Staff Of Homa
  • Recommended artifact set: Noblesse Oblige x2 + Archaic Petra x2 / Tenacity Of The Millelith x4

Alternatively, players can use Engulfing Lightning, The Catch, Skyward Spine, Vortex Vanquisher, Prototype Starglitter and Favonius Lance.

Zhongli Homa
Zhongli with his best weapon, the Staff of Homa

Zhongli Physical DPS build

This build focuses on maximizing the power of Zhongli's normal attacks. With his natural high stats, the right team and gear could boost his normal attack DPS to an absurd level.

  • Recommended weapon: Crescent Pike
  • Recommended artifact set: Pale Flame x2 + Bloodstained Chivalry x2

Alternatively, players can use the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear and Vortex Vanquisher.

5. What are the best teams for Zhongli?

Zhongli Beatstick team

  • Zhongli + 1 Geo + 2 Pyro 

With Zhongli being near impossible to kill, it is actually possible to just run him on raw stat only, as Geo and Pyro Resonances provide good DMG and ATK bonuses. In this comp, just run any Geo character for the 2nd slot, ideally Albedo, Ningguang, Geo MC or Gorou.

Xiangling Xinyan Bennett
Any combination of these 4 star Pyro characters can be good in a Zhongli team comp.

Bennett and Xinyan are the best duos for the Pyro slots, as Bennett can do pretty much everything, while Xinyan boosts your physical damage when your shield is up.

Zhongli Passive Damage team

  • Zhongli + Albedo or Geo MC + Fischl + Xingqiu

In this team comp, the damage is actually provided by off-field supports. All three supports can benefit greatly from Geo Resonance's damage increase and Zhongli's RES down from his shield.

Albedo support is probably the MVP, with crazy damage from AoE blossom every 2 seconds, alongside resonance damage from Zhongli's pillar and Albedo's flower. As their burst both cost 40, you can fire off both skills in a row. Fischl and Xingqiu's off-field skill will provide additional damage with electro-charged.

Genshin Impact Albedo
Albedo is the best Geo Resonance for Zhongli Core DPS.

>>> Read more: 10 Useful Passive Abilities In Genshin Impact For Exploration