Citlali Guide and Best Builds

Citlali Guide and Best Builds for Genshin Impact

Citlali is a 5-Star Cryo character who is a shielder as well as providing RES shred for both Frozen and Melt reactions. Read on to learn more about Citlali's kit, Citlali's Build and also her Ascension and Talent Materials.

Last updated on Jan 17, 2025 at 13:27 by Shikhu
Cryo Element
Catalyst Weapon
Rarity
Skyler Davenport EN Voice Actor
Tano Asami JP Voice Actor
1.

Citlali Infographic

2.

Citlali Strengths and Weaknesses

V Strengths
  • +Provides both Pyro and Hydro RES decreases.
  • +The 50 Nightsoul points required for Citlali's Nightsoul's Blessing is triggered easily.
  • +Incredibly easy to build.
X Weaknesses
  • -Weaker shielding compared to many shielders due to having no shield absorption in her kit.
  • -Cryo application not frequent enough to consistently create reactions on her own.
3.

Citlali Build Guide, Best Artifacts, Weapons and Talent Priority

BiS Weapon Starcaller's Watch
Alternative Weapons
  1. Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers
  2. Wandering Evenstar
  3. A Thousand Floating Dreams
  4. Favonius Codex
  5. Sacrificial Fragments
  6. Elemental Mastery Stat Sticks
Best Artifacts
  1. Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City
  2. Tenacity of the Millelith
Main Stats
  • Sand Stats: Elemental Mastery / Energy Recharge
  • Goblet Stats: Elemental Mastery
  • Circlet Stats: Elemental Mastery
Substat Priority
  1. Energy Recharge to ~170%
  2. Elemental Mastery
Talent Priority
  1. Elemental Skill
  2. Elemental Burst

Citlali's best weapon is her signature Starcaller's Watch which not only increases Elemental Mastery but also provides DMG buffs for the team which is perfect for a support. Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers is your next best option with DPS that benefit from ATK %, otherwise Wandering Evenstar is your next best option.

Citlali's best artifact set is Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City however if another character in your team has been built with it, for example Xilonen, then Tenacity of the Millelith will generally be your next best bet or worst case Instructor.

When building Citlali, she simply wants as much Elemental Mastery as possible and around 150-180% Energy Recharge with the exact amount depending on your team. The amount of Energy Recharge Citlali needs is not too high and therefore easy enough to make from substat rolls/weapons, Energy Recharge should not need to be your Sands stat but its possible depending on your rolls/team composition. Aside from her main substats, any additional CRIT or ATK provides some benefit however it is not a priority.

Start with leveling Citlali's Elemental Skill and Burst, Normal Attacks are really not needed.

4.

Citlali Best Team Comps

Citlali is a shielder capable of being in a wide range of teams primarily for the Melt reaction. Citlali is able to fit into a wide range of team compositions due to also providing offensive benefits.

4.1.

Citlali Pyro DPS Teams

Main DPS Sub DPS Support Support
Mavuika Bennett Citlali
Arlecchino Bennett Citlali
Gaming Diona Bennett Citlali

Many of Citlali's best teams include a Pyro DPS so that they can create powerful elemental reactions. The most noteable being Mavuika, the Pyro Archon who benefits heavily from Citlali due to both the RES Shred as well as Nightsoul generation provided.

Arlecchino and Gaming also benefit from Citlali over many of their other options. That being said, other Pyro DPS also work with Citlali, albeit other options tend to be better.

4.2.

Other Citlali Teams

Main DPS Sub DPS Support Support
Chasca Furina Bennett Citlali
Neuvillette Furina Kaedehara Kazuha Citlali
Wriothesley Mavuika Bennett Citlali

Non-Pyro DPS options include characters such as Chasca, Neuvillette and even Wriothesley. Even though Citlali has a weaker shield strength than other defensive options, the offensive benefits she provides in the form of Cryo application, RES Shred and also as a Scroll holder outweigh any downsides.

5.

Citlali's Ascensions, Talents, and Constellations

Citlali Ascensions Citlali Talents Citlali Constellations
5.1.

Citlali Ascension Passives and Materials

Ascension Passive Explanation
Mamaloaco's Frigid Rain

While Itzpapa is on the field, after nearby party members trigger the Frozen or Melt reactions, the Pyro and Hydro RES of opponents affected by that reaction decreases by 20% for 12s. Additionally, Citlali will regain 16 Nightsoul points. Nightsoul points can be restored this way once every 8s.

Itzpapalotl's Star Garments

During the Elemental Skill Dawnfrost Darkstar, Itzpapa's Frostfall Storm DMG is increased by 90% of Citlali's Elemental Mastery. During the Elemental Burst Edict of Entwined Splendor, Ice Storm DMG is increased by 1200% of Citlali's Elemental Mastery. In addition, when nearby party members trigger Nightsoul Bursts, Citlali regains 4 Nightsoul points.

Night Realm's Gift: Smoke, Mirrors, and the Flowing Winds

While in an area with Phlogiston Mechanics within Natlan, can use Nightsoul Transmission: Citlali. When the active character is currently high enough in the air, the following will trigger when switching to Citlali: Citlali will leap up high, and will deploy "White Obsidian Tzitzimitl: Citlalin" to float in the air. Nightsoul Transmission can be triggered once every 10s by your party.

Holding Aiming Mode will cause Citlali to enter the "Spiritspeaker" state, which will allow her to interact with "Nightspirit Graffiti" and "Nightspirit Sigils," extracting information and power from them. The rules for interacting with these objects follow the same rules as those governing Iktomisaurus interactions.

Additionally, holding the jump button will cause Citlali to consume 75 Stamina and leap. In areas within Natlan where Phlogiston mechanics are present, Citlali will prioritize consuming 5 Phlogiston to leap to a height higher still. When in the air, Citlali can Hold her Normal Attack to consume Phlogiston or Stamina and enter Aiming Mode and trigger Charged Attacks: When initiating Charged Attacks in mid-air, Citlali will prioritize consuming 20 Phlogiston.

Songs of Profound Mystery While in an area with Phlogiston Mechanics within Natlan, triggering "Nightsoul Burst" restores 20 Phlogiston. This cannot take effect in Domains, Trounce Domains, or the Spiral Abyss.
5.2.

Citlali's Ascension Materials

Citlali gains Elemental Mastery as she levels giving her a total of 115 Elemental Mastery at level 90.

The total Ascension Material costs to upgrade all of Citlali's Ascensions are listed below.

Source Quantity
Mora 420,000 Mora
Boss Material 46x Talisman of the Enigmatic Land
Ascension Material
Local Specialty 168x Quenepa Berry
Enhancement Material
  • 18x Juvenile Fang
  • 30x Seasoned Fang
  • 36x Tyrant's Fang
5.3.

Citlali's Talents

Type Talent Name Brief Explanation
Normal Normal Attack: Shadow-Stealing Spirit Vessel

Normal Attack

Calls upon secret arts passed down through the Masters of the Night-Wind from generation to generation, performing up to three strikes that deal Cryo DMG.

Charged Attack

Enters Aiming Mode, and after Holding, consumes a certain amount of Stamina to call forth a Frost Star that deals Cryo DMG to opponents in its path.

Plunging Attack

Gathers the power of Cryo and plunges towards the ground from mid-air, damaging all opponents in her path. Deals Aoe Cryo DMG upon impact with the ground.

Elemental Skill Dawnfrost Darkstar

Invoking secret pacts passed down by her tribe over the millennia, Citlali deploys an Opal Shield and calls forth "Obsidian Tzitzimitl: Itzpapa," a creature that is (reputedly) terrifying beyond compare, dealing Nightsoul-aligned AoE Cryo DMG.

The Opal Shield's DMG absorption scales based on Citlali's Elemental Mastery, and absorbs Cryo DMG with 250% efficiency. When it is deployed, it will cause Citlali to briefly be affected by Cryo.

After using this skill, Citlali gains 24 Nightsoul points and enters the Nightsoul's Blessing state.

Nightsoul's Blessing: Citlali

When Itzpapa leaves the field, Citlali exits the Nightsoul's Blessing state.

Itzpapa

  • Itzpapa will follow the character.
  • If Citlali has at least 50 Nightsoul points, Itzpapa enters the Opal Fire state and continuously consumes Nightsoul points to whip up a Frostfall Storm that attacks opponents within its AoE, dealing Nightsoul-aligned Cryo DMG.
  • When Citlali's Nightsoul points are fully depleted, Itzpapa's Opal Fire state also ends.
Elemental Burst Edict of Entwined Splendor

Summons "allies" from the starry skies and the vast earth, hurling forth an ice storm to bombard the area in front and deal Nightsoul-aligned AoE Cryo DMG. This restores a set amount of Nightsoul points for Citlali, and also summons a Spiritvessel Skull near a maximum of 3 opponents within the AoE, with 1 Skull for each opponent. Spiritvessel Skulls explode after some time, dealing Nightsoul-aligned AoE Cryo DMG and restoring a set amount of Nightsoul points for Citlali.

5.4.

Citlali's Talent Materials

The total material costs to upgrade a single one of of Citlali's Talents is listed below.

Source Quantity
Mora 1,625,500 Mora
Special Material 1x Crown of Insight
Boss Material 6x Denial and Judgment
Domain Material
  • 3x Teachings of Kindling
  • 21x Guide to Kindling
  • 38x Philosophies of Kindling
Enhancement Material
  • 6x Juvenile Fang
  • 22x Seasoned Fang
  • 31x Tyrant's Fang
5.5.

Citlali's Constellations

The most noteable constellations for Citlali are her C1 and C2 which both provide significant DMG buffs for the team assuming the conditions are triggered. Other constellations mainly increase Citlali's personal damage instead while the C6 is not worth aiming for if you simply want team-wide buffs as they only provide a similar benefit to C1/2 but is still a great constellation if you utilise all of the benefits.

# Name Explanation
C1 Radiant Blades of Centzon Mimixcoah

When she uses the Elemental Skill Dawnfrost Darkstar, Citlali gains the "Opalstar Vestments" effect until Itzpapa leaves the field. During this time, she will obtain 10atacks of Stellar Blade. When a nearby active character other than Citlali deals DMG, consume 1 Blade to increase the DMG dealt by 200% of Citlali's Elemental Mastery.

After nearby party members trigger Frozen or Melt, Citlali will gain another 3 stacks of Stellar Blade. This effect can trigger once every 8s.

Using the Elemental Skill Dawnfrost Darkstar will reset Stellar Blade stacks.

Additionally, when Citlali is using her leap, or is Aiming or using her Charged Attack in mid-air, her Phlogiston consumption is decreased by 45%.

C2 Heart Devourer's Travail

Citlali gains 125 Elemental Mastery, and other characters shielded by her Opal Shield or followed by Itzpapa gain 250 Elemental Mastery.

Additionally, when the Elemental Skill Dawnfrost Darkstar is used, nearby active characters will also be granted an Opal Shield.

Also, the Passive Talent "Mamaloaco's Frigid Rain" has its effects enhanced:

While Itzpapa is on the field, after nearby party members trigger Frozen or Melt, the opponent(s) affected by this reaction will have their Pyro and Hydro RES additionally decreased by 20% for 12s. You must first unlock the Passive Talent "Mamaloaco's Frigid Rain" to gain access to the above effect.

C3 Cloud Serpent's Feathered Crown Increases the Level of Dawnfrost Darkstar by 3.
C4 Death Defier's Spirit Skull

While the Elemental Skill Dawnfrost Darkstar is active, when Itzpapa's Frostfall Storm hits opponents, an additional Obsidian Spiritvessel Skull is summoned.

When a Spiritvessel Skull summoned this way explodes, it deals 1800% of Citlali's Elemental Mastery as Nightsoul-aligned AoE Cryo DMG and restores 16 Nightsoul points and 8 Energy for Citlali. This effect can trigger once every 8s. This DMG is not considered Elemental Burst DMG.

C5 Nemontemi's Hex Increases the Level of Edict of Entwined Splendor by 3.
C6 Teoiztac's Secret Pact

After being summoned with the Elemental Skill Dawnfrost Darkstar, Itzpapa will always be in the Opal Fire state, and when Nightsoul points are exhausted, this state will not end.

Additionally, when Dawnfrost Darkstar is used, Itzpapa will consume all Nightsoul points, and while it is on the field, it will continuously consume Nightsoul points. Each Nightsoul point consumed in this way will grant Citlali 1 "Cifra of the Secret Law" point.

A maximum of 40 such points can be gained, and each point Citlali possesses will grant all nearby party members a 1.5% Pyro and Hydro DMG Bonus, and increase the DMG Citlali deals by 2.5%.

When Itzpapa leaves the field, or upon using Citlali's Elemental Skill again, all "Cifra of the Secret Law" points she has will be removed.

5.6.

Changelog

  • 28 Dec. 2024: Full build added.
  • 10 Dec. 2024: Beta Update.
  • 02 Dec. 2024: Beta Update.
  • 26 Nov. 2024: Beta Update.
  • 20 Nov. 2024: Page added.
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