Genshin Impact 's version 3.7 update brought a variety of new additions to the game. These include a new Inazuma Dendro character named Kirara, exciting new quests, fun events, and more. However, the primary focus of this update has been on revamping the Genius Invokation TCG. Numerous new cards have been introduced, aiming to shake up the strategy card game's meta and provide players with fresh options to showcase their wits and creativity in building optimal decks with their favorite characters.
Arguably one of the most important parts of the TCG is the addition of new playable character cards to the game. This includes all the existing Archons, including Zhongli. It can be said that similar to his role in the actual Genshin Impact gameplay, Zhongli focuses on creating strong shields while also fulfilling a support DPS role. This is made possible by his Stone Steele summon and powerful Elemental Burst. As a result, players seeking a defensive deck with substantial DPS potential can greatly benefit from adding Zhongli to their deck.
Zhongli Card & Skills
While an archon, Zhongli's Character card and Talent card are not particularly difficult to obtain since they can be acquired in the same way as many other character cards. To obtain Zhongli's cards, players simply need to visit the Cat's Tail and use a Match Invitation Letter to invite Zhongli to duel. By winning the duel and completing the objectives, players can obtain his cards. There is no specific duelist level requirement to unlock them, allowing even beginners in the TCG to obtain Zhongli early on.
Normal Attack: Rain of Stone
Primary Dice | 1 Geo |
|---|---|
Secondary Dice | 2 Unaligned |
Effect | Deals 2 Physical DMG. |
Elemental Skill: Dominus Lapidis
Primary Dice | 3 Geo |
|---|---|
Effect | Deals 1 Geo DMG, summons 1 Stone Steele. |
Special Effect | Stone Steele End Phase: Deal 1 Geo DMG. Usage(s): 2** |
Elemental Skill: Dominus Lapidis: Striking Stone
Primary Dice | 5 Geo |
|---|---|
Effect | Deals 3 Geo DMG, summons 1 Stone Stele, creates 1 Jade Shield. |
Special Effect | Jade Shield Grants 2 Shield points to your active character. |
Since the Stone Stele is summoned in both versions of the Elemental Skill, it is recommended that players try to activate the 5 Geo Dice version whenever possible.
Elemental Burst: Planet Befall
Primary Dice | 3 Geo |
|---|---|
Energy Cost | 3 Energy |
Effect | Deals 4 Geo DMG. The target character receives Petrification. |
Special Effect | Petrification Character cannot use Skills. (Lasts until the end of this Round) |
Zhongli's Talent Card: Dominance of Earth
Zhongli's Talent Card focuses on his extended Elemental Skill that costs 5 Geo Dice and allows for additional damage potential. As long as the character is protected by a shield, which will often be the case with Zhongli teams, the Stone Stele summon will deal extra damage each turn, allowing the player to chip away even more HP from the opponent. It is important to note that this shield doesn't need to be specifically a Jade Shield or even created by Zhongli. Considering that players are recommended to focus on utilizing this version of the Elemental Skill for a more defensive playstyle, adding Zhongli's Talent Card to the deck is highly recommended.
Best Zhongli Decks
Being a support character, Zhongli is suitable for every team composition where players are aiming to utilize a defensive character. As such, while he can be an excellent addition to mono Geo teams, he can also be a great support in an elemental reaction team. Zhongli decks work well in both stall decks and others that prioritize big Burst damage, among other options.
Zhongli + Itto + Kokomi
This character combination is one of the ultimate compositions that has high stall potential while also dishing out excellent damage. While a mono Geo team is also possible by replacing Kokomi with Noelle or other Geo options, having Kokomi in the team does help with having 2 Inazuma characters, allowing the use of the Thunder and Eternity resonance card. This card can significantly help Zhongli, in particular, have more consistency in having 5 Geo dice on hand for the Elemental Skill.
Furthermore, Kokomi is also beneficial for potentially enabling some elemental reactions if the opponent has self-element application, as seen in some Tavern Challenges. Having a healer in this team composition may, however, feel unnecessary for some players since theoretically the shields should prevent damage. However, many decks that focus on strong bursts or piercing damage can easily bypass the shields, making it necessary to rely on a healer or healing support cards. This deck can also utilize Geo Elemental Resonance cards to increase the shielding capability even further.
Zhongli + Hu Tao + Xingqiu
Players who have obtained these characters in Genshin Impact's actual gameplay are familiar with the fact that even after many updates, a team composition consisting of Hu Tao, Xingqiu, and Zhongli, alongside another flexible option, provides a sheer amount of power while being able to sustain itself without requiring a healer, thanks to Hu Tao's strong shields and self-healing capability. As such, players who are already familiar with their rotation will find that they work similarly in the TCG, as they can ensure the maintenance of shields with Zhongli and Xingqiu while also performing strong Vaporize reactions.
Typically, players should start with Zhongli's Elemental Skill, then swap to Xingqiu until his burst is activated, and then swap to Hu Tao for high damage that can potentially even one-shot opponents. It's important to note that this deck can greatly benefit from cards like Starsign to ensure that Xingqiu can quickly use his Elemental Burst. Additionally, players may consider using the regional resonance card for Liyue, Stone and Contracts, although it may not be as effective as Thunder and Eternity in many instances.
Zhongli + Nahida + Raiden Shogun
Players who want to focus on a full Archon character deck can consider this team composition since, out of the four available Archons, it essentially brings the most value to those specifically wanting to utilize Zhongli. The reason is that Nahida and Raiden Shogun together can dish out significant damage, thanks to the Quicken reactions, while also dealing piercing damage through Nahida's Seed of Skandha ability. Additionally, Raiden Shogun can greatly help enable the bursts of Nahida and Zhongli, both of which are quite strong, thanks to her ability to generate 2 Energy once she utilizes her burst.
As such, players should consider starting with Zhongli's Elemental Skill, then swapping to Raiden Shogun to utilize her Elemental Skill and follow up with normal attacks. If players have been lucky with their dice rolls and card draws, Raiden and Nahida or Zhongli can use their bursts on the next turn. Considering that Zhongli's Elemental Burst has a unique ability to petrify the opponent, disabling them from using skills until the end of the round, similar to being frozen, it is recommended to use Zhongli's ability early in the round to disrupt the opponent effectively.
Recommended Action Cards
If players are primarily interested in utilizing the defensive capabilities of Zhongli and other characters with shielding abilities, they can effectively utilize equipment cards such as General's Ancient Helm or Mask of Solitude. On the other hand, for decks that aim to utilize Zhongli alongside other characters without relying on a healer, focusing on cards that benefit the specific needs of those characters over Zhongli's abilities may be more beneficial. In such cases, adding HP-increasing support cards to the deck can help ensure that even if Zhongli's shield is bypassed, players can maintain high HP.
Additionally, as with many other decks, dice management is crucial to ensure efficient combos without wasting dice. Players can consider cards like Varanara or The Bestest Travel Companion to recycle unwanted elemental dice, or cards like Timmie that grant additional omni-dice after a few turns. Since Zhongli decks can sustain themselves and stall for multiple rounds, the Timmie card will be particularly useful in later turns. Additionally, although Zhongli doesn't require frequent swapping to be effective, players can still consider adding cards like Katheryne and Dawn Winery to their decks.
Genshin Impact is now available on Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5. A Switch version is in development.