Genshin Impact Zhongli Guide - best build, strengths and weaknesses

Welcome to Pocket Gamer's detailed Genshin Impact Zhongli guide! Zhongli is an Adeptus and the current vessel of the Geo Archon, Morax. He appears in human form and works at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, despite his god-like power.

Zhongli attempts to be humble but often likes to reminisce about the past, including going on about his knowledge of Liyue’s history and culture. When Zhongli had the power of the Gnosis, he could create limitless amounts of Mora, but now that he has chosen a human form, he often is careless with money and finds himself relying on the generosity of others.

In the Zhongli guide below you will find the following features: 

• General Info & how to get Zhongli
• Strengths & Weaknesses
• Best Build (Artifacts & Weapons)
• Best Party Members for Zhongli
• Talents / Skills / Passive
• Talent Leveling Materials
• Constellations
• Ascensions costs
• Zhongli Wishes / Availability

Character Appearance

Zhongli Element / Tier / Rarity / Weapon

Geo / SS Tier / 5* Rarity / Polearm

In Genshin Impact, Zhongli is a polearm-user with a top of the class shield. His ability to wield huge segments of Geo and assault enemies with it is a great feat, and he’s a greatly versatile character, acting as both Support and DPS, often at the same time.

How to get Zhongli

You can obtain Zhongli as a rate-up in his featured banner, Gentry of Hermitage. He is not available in the standard wish banner, Wanderlust Invocation.

Genshin Impact Zhongli Combat Info (Strengths and Weaknesses)

Strengths

• Zhongli can cause petrify with his Burst attack
• He can drain Geo from enemies

Weaknesses

• Zhongli’s Normal Attacks are relatively weak

• Here are some Genshin Impact redeem codes as a thank you for reading this!

Best Build for Zhongli in Genshin Impact

Zhongli is a useful DPS, but also a Support for most teams, bringing his shields up which debuff enemies, and his Burst which can petrify them with a large amount of damage. To maximize the damage delivered to his foes and keep recovery strong, equip him with the Staff of Homa, which gives an HP boost of 20% and can provide an attack bonus. The best artifact to adorn Zhongli with is the Tenacity of the Millelith set, where it gives him another HP boost and an attack bonus for Skill attacks.

Zhongli - Best Artifacts and Weapons

Tenacity of the Millelith

HP% / HP% / HP% Set Bonuses:

• (2) HP +20%
• (4) When an Elemental Skill hits an opponent, the ATK of all nearby party members is increased by 20% and their Shield Strength is increased by 30% for 3s. This effect can be triggered once every 0.5s. This effect can still be triggered even when the character who is using this artifact set is not on the field.

How to Obtain:  Ridge Watch Domain reward

Staff of Homa

• Base Attack: 46
• Rating: 5*
• Bonus Effect: CRIT DMG 14.4%

Skill: Reckless Cinnabar HP increased by 20%. Additionally, it provides an ATK Bonus based on 0.8% of the wielder's Max HP. When the wielder's HP is less than 50%, this ATK Bonus is increased by an additional 1% of Max HP. How to Obtain: Gacha

Best Party Members to match Zhongli with in Genshin Impact

Premium (Gacha) Team

In Genshin Impact, Zhongli is a DPS that doubles as a great Support. Use Tartaglia as your sub-DPS, backed with Zhongli’s shields. Albedo can be used to boost Geo resonance and for his ability to recharge Zhongli’s energy with his Skill and Burst attacks. Ningguang is a great addition to use her Jade Screen for a boost in the team’s already powerful Geo damage output.

F2P Team

Zhongli will be the main source of damage on this team. Use Amber and Xiangling to support the attack damage with their Pyro resonance. Noelle can heal, shield, and provide Geo resonance with Zhongli. 

Talents / Skills / Passive

Rain of Stone - Normal Attack

Normal: Perform up to 6 rapid strikes.

Charge Attack: Consumes a certain amount of Stamina to lunge forward causing stone spears to fall along his path. Plunge Attack: Plunges from mid-air to strike the ground below, damaging enemies along the path and dealing AoE DMG upon impact. Skill Attributes:

• 1-Hit DMG 30.8%
• 2-Hit DMG 31.2%
• 3-Hit DMG 38.6%

• 4-Hit DMG 42.9%
• 5-Hit DMG 10.8% x 4
• 6-Hit DMG 54.5%
• Charged Attack DMG - 111%
• Charged Attack Stamina Cost - 25
• Plunge DMG - 63.9%
• Low/High Plunge DMG - 128% / 160%

Dominus Lapidis - Elemental Skill

Commands the omnipresent power of the earth to solidify into a Stone Stele, dealing AoE Geo DMG. Additionally, the Stone Stele will resonate dealing Geo DMG to surrounding enemies. The Stone Stele is considered a Geo Construct, and can both be climbed and used to block attacks. Only one Stele may exist at any one time.

• If there are nearby targets with the Geo element, it will drain a large amount of Geo element from a maximum of 2 such targets. This effect does not cause DMG.

Hold Attack:

• Causes nearby Geo energy to explode, causing the following effects:
• If their maximum number hasn't been reached, creates a Stone Stele.
• Creates a shield of jade. The shield's DMG Absorption scales are based on Zhongli's Max HP. Possesses 150% DMG Absorption against all Elemental and Physical DMG.
• Characters protected by the Jade Shield will decrease the Elemental RES and Physical RES of opponents in a small AoE by 20%. This effect cannot be stacked.
• Deals AoE Geo DMG.

• Stone Stele/Resonance DMG - 16% / 32%
• Press CD - 4s
• Hold DMG - 80%
• Shield Base Absorption - 1,232
• Additional Shield Absorption - 12.8% Max HP

• CD (hold) - 12s

Planet Befall - Elemental Burst

Brings a falling meteor down to eart, dealing massive Geo DMG to opponents caught in its AoE and applying the Petrification status to them.

Petrification: Petrified enemies become immobilized. Skill Attributes

• Skill DMG - 401%
• Petrification Duration - 3.1s
• CD - 12s
• Energy Cost - 40

Resonant Waves - 1st Ascension Passive

When the Jade Shield takes DMG, it will Fortify:

• Fortified characters have 5% increased Shield Strength. Can stack up to 5 times, and lasts until the Jade Shield disappears.

Dominance of Earth - 4th Ascension Passive

Zhongli deals bonus DMG based on his Max HP:

• Normal Attack, Charged Attack, and Plunging Attack DMG is increased by 1.39% of Max HP.

• Dominus Lapidis' Stone Stele, resonance, and hold DMG are increased by 1.9% of Max HP.

• Planet Befall's DMG is increased by 33% of Max HP.

Arcanum of Crystal - Unlocked Automatically

Refunds 15% of the ores used when crafting Polearm-type weapons.

Talent Leveling Materials

Gained from Enemy Drops (Slimes):

• Slime Condensate
• Slime Secretions
• Slime Concentrate

Acquired from Domains (Wednesday/Saturday/Sunday):

• Teachings of Gold
• Guide to Gold
• Philosophies of Gold

Obtained after defeating Bosses (Childe Challenge):

Tusk of Monoceros Caeli

Constellations

Rock, the Backbone of Earth

Increases the maximum number of Stone Steles created by Dominus Lapidis that may exist simultaneously to 2.

Stone, the Cradle of Jade

Planet Befall grants nearby characters on the field a Jade Shield when it descends.

Jade, Shimmering through Darkness

Increases the Level of Dominus Lapidis by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.

Topaz, Unbreakable and Fearless

Increases Planet Befall's AoE by 20% and increases the duration of Planet Befall's Petrification effect by 2s.

Lazuli, Herald of the Order

Increases the Level of Planet Befall by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.

Chrysos, Bounty of Dominator

When the Jade Shield takes DMG, 40% of that incoming DMG is converted to HP for the current character. A single instance of regeneration cannot exceed 8% of that character's Max HP.

Genshin Impact Zhongli Ascensions costs

Phase 1

• Lv.20→Lv.40
• Mora Cost: 20,000
• Cor Lapis ×3
• Prithiva Topaz Sliver ×1
• Slime Condensate ×3

Phase 2

• Lv.40→Lv.50
• Cor Lapis ×10
• Prithiva Topaz Fragment ×3
• Slime Condensate ×15
• Basalt Pillar ×2

Phase 3

• Lv.50→Lv.60
• Mora Cost: 60,000
• Cor Lapis ×20
• Prithiva Topaz Fragment ×6
• Slime Secretions ×12
• Basalt Pillar ×4

Phase 4

• Lv.60→Lv.70
• Mora Cost: 80,000
• Cor Lapis ×20
• Prithiva Topaz Chunk ×3
• Slime Secretions ×18
• Basalt Pillar ×8

Phase 5

• Lv.70→Lv.80
• Mora Cost: 100,000
• Cor Lapis ×45
• Prithiva Topaz Chunk ×6
• Slime Concentrate ×12
• Basalt Pillar ×12

Phase 6 (MAX)

• Lv.80→Lv.90
• Mora Cost: 120,000
• Cor Lapis ×60
• Prithiva Topaz Gemstone ×6
• Slime Concentrate ×24
• Basalt Pillar ×20

Base Stats

At Level 1, Zhongli starts with 1,144 HP, 20 ATK, and 57 DEF.

Wishes / Availability

Zhongli is available as a rate-up drop in his featured banner, Gentry of Hermitage, the last of which ended May 18th, 2021. He is not available in the Standard Banner, Wanderlust Invocation.

You know, we also have a Genshin Impact tier list if you want to check how well Zhongli performs in comparison to other characters! Also, stay tuned, soon we plan to make a Genshin Impact characters hub with all of the available characters and their detailed guides!