Featured

[Version 5.2] Zhongli Character Guide - Gentry of Hermitage

Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's mysterious consultant. Handsome, elegant, and surpassingly learned. Though no one knows where Zhongli is from, he is a master of courtesy and rules. From his seat at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, he performs all manner of rituals.

Name: Zhongli

Rarity: ★★★★★

Vision: Geo

Weapon: Polearm

Birthday: 31st December

Region: Liyue

Affiliation: Wangsheng Funeral Parlor

Normal Attack: Performs up to 6 consecutive spear strikes.

Statistics:

Charged Attack: Consumes a certain amount of Stamina to lunge forward, causing stone spears to fall along his path.

Statistics:

Plunging Attack: Plunges from mid-air to strike the ground below, damaging opponents along the path and dealing AoE DMG upon impact.

Statistics:

Tap/Press

Commands the power of earth to create a Stone Stele.

Hold

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 based on Zhongli's Max HP.
Deals AoE Geo DMG.
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.

Stone Stele

When created, deals AoE Geo DMG. Additionally, it will intermittently resonate with other nearby Geo constructs, dealing Geo DMG to nearby opponents. The Stone Stele is considered a Geo construct that can both be climbed and used to block attacks.

Only one Stele created by Zhongli himself may initially exist at any one time.

Jade Shield

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.

Statistics:

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

Petrification

Opponents affected by the Petrification status cannot move.

Statistics:

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.

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 is increased by 1.9% of Max HP.
Planet Befall's DMG is increased by 33% of Max HP.

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

1. Rock, the Backbone of Earth

Effect: Increases the maximum number of Stone Steles created by Dominus Lapidis that may exist simultaneously to 2.
Importance: This constellation is helpful for improving Zhongli’s utility by allowing multiple Stone Steles, which can cover more area for Geo damage and resonance effects. It’s not a must-have, but it adds versatility, especially for Geo-centric teams.

2. Stone, the Cradle of Jade

Effect: Planet Befall grants nearby characters on the field a Jade Shield when it descends.
Importance: This constellation is great for enhancing team survivability, as it provides immediate shielding for all characters on the field when Zhongli uses his Elemental Skill. It’s especially useful for co-op mode.

3. Jade, Shimmering through Darkness

Effect: Increases the Level of Dominus Lapidis by 3, enhancing the skill’s effectiveness (up to level 15).
Importance: This constellation provides a minor boost to Zhongli’s Elemental Skill. While it increases damage and shield strength, it does not add new mechanics, making it non-essential unless you’re optimising every aspect of his abilities.

4. Topaz, Unbreakable and Fearless

Effect: Increases Planet Befall's AoE by 20% and increases the duration of Planet Befall's Petrification effect by 2 seconds.
Importance: A powerful constellation that significantly boosts Zhongli’s crowd control potential. The increased AoE and longer petrification make it especially valuable in group fights, allowing for more time to deal damage while enemies are immobilised. It is highly recommended for players who want to maximise Zhongli’s utility in both support and sub-DPS roles.

5. Lazuli, Herald of the Order

Effect: Increases the Level of Planet Befall by 3, enhancing the skill’s effectiveness (up to level 15).
Importance: Similar to Jade, Shimmering through Darkness, this constellation provides a straightforward upgrade to Zhongli’s Elemental Burst. While it boosts damage and petrification strength, it doesn’t add any new functionality, so it’s not crucial unless you aim to fully optimise his kit.

6. Chrysos, Bounty of Dominator

Effect: When the Jade Shield takes damage, 40% of that incoming damage is converted to HP for the current character. A single instance of regeneration cannot exceed 8% of that character’s Max HP.
Importance: This is Zhongli’s strongest constellation, transforming him into an exceptional healer in addition to his shielding utility. It allows his Jade Shield to sustain the team by converting damage into healing, making him a top-tier support option for virtually any team. It is essential for players who want to maximise Zhongli’s defensive and utility potential.

The below mathematics assumes that Zhongli is at Level 90, Constellation 0, Talents 10/10/10. The weapons are all at Level 90, Refinement 1. The artifacts are a 4-piece set upgraded to their highest level (20 or 16) and are a 4-piece set. The artifacts are not calculated with sub-stats.

Tenacity of the Millelith is Zhongli's best 4-piece artifact set as a combination Shielder / Supporter.

A 2-piece Tenacity of the Millelith and a 2-piece Vourukasha's Glow is ideal for a dedicated Shielder build for Zhongli. This maximises his total shield absorption.

A 2-piece Archaic Petra and a 2-piece Noblesse Oblige can be used to make Zhongli a Geo Sub-DPS character that prioritises his Elemental Burst DMG.

2-Piece: HP increased by 20%.

4-Piece: 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.

Tenacity of the Millelith is Zhongli’s most versatile artifact set. The 2-piece set increases his HP which in turn makes his shield more powerful. As Zhongli’s shield comes from his Elemental Skill, the 4-piece set increases the ATK and Shield Strength of his teammates whenever he uses this. With this set equipped Zhongli becomes an even stronger Shielder and a great buff character.

2-Piece: HP increased by 20%.

The combination of Tenacity of the Millelith and and Vourukasha's Glow focuses solely on increasing Zhongli's HP. Since the strength of Zhongli's shield is directly tied to his Max HP, this setup maximises his shielding potential, making him one of the strongest shielders in the game. This combination does not add team buffs or damage boosts, but it excels at pure survivability and utility.

2-Piece Bonus: Geo DMG Bonus +15%

2-Piece Bonus: Elemental Burst DMG +20%

The combination of Archaic Pera and Noblesse Oblige focuses on increasing Zhongli's Geo DMG and Elemental Burst DMG. This enhances Zhongli's offensive abilities, making him more effective as a Sub-DPS or burst damage dealer. The Geo DMG Bonus synergises with his skills, while the burst DMG increase improves the damage output of his Elemental Burst. This is ideal for players looking to maximise his damage rather than his shielding or team support.

Staff of Homa is an excellent weapon for Zhongli as it synergises well with his Max HP scaling. The additional HP boosts his shield strength, while the weapon's passive converts his high HP into bonus ATK, furthering his ability as a damage dealer. Even if your primary focus is on his shielding utility, the added damage makes him more versatile. The added CRIT DMG and ATK bonuses from Staff of Homa could be wasted on Zhongli if you have a Main DPS character who could benefit more from this weapon.

Vortex Vanquisher is Zhongli's signature weapon but is often disregarded as it does not increase his HP. Its Shield Strength bonus improves Zhongli's shield, but only when he is on the field. It is therefore not as useful for protecting his other teammates when you swap Zhongli out.

Rightful Reward has a HP bonus that directly strengthens Zhongli's shield, making him a more reliable shielder for the team. The energy regeneration allows him to use his Elemental Burst more often which is effective for crowd control. However, Zhongli's Elemental Burst already has quite a low energy cost so this may not be very impactful.

Black Tassel is the typical go-to weapon for Zhongli users. As a 3-star weapon it is readily available, and it also offers the highest HP sub-stat of all polearm weapons. It is the best option for a solely shielder focused build. It is not recommended if you want to use Zhongli as a Sub-DPS or damage dealer.