Citlali Genshin Impact: Best Build, Weapons, Artifacts & Team Guide

TL;DR

Citlali is a 5-star Cryo Catalyst support released in Genshin Impact Version 5.3 (January 1, 2025).
She is a shielder, off-field Cryo applicator, and Pyro/Hydro resistance shredder from Natlan’s Masters of the Night-Wind tribe.
Best artifact set: 4-piece Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City. Alternative: 4-piece Gilded Dreams.
Best weapons: Starcaller’s Watch (signature, 5-star), A Thousand Floating Dreams (5-star), Sacrificial Fragments (4-star F2P).
All of her key abilities scale with Elemental Mastery — stack as much EM as possible.
She shines in Melt and Freeze team compositions with characters like Mavuika, Arlecchino, and Neuvillette.
C2 is the most impactful constellation — doubles her Elemental RES shred and gives 250 EM to shielded allies.

Citlali Genshin Impact is one of the most powerful support characters in the game. Released during Genshin Impact Version 5.3 on January 1, 2025, she is a 5-star Cryo Catalyst user from Natlan’s Masters of the Night-Wind tribe. Known in-game as “Granny Itztli,” Citlali combines shielding, off-field Cryo application, and Pyro and Hydro resistance shred into a single support slot. Her entire kit scales from Elemental Mastery, making her easy to build but incredibly effective. If you run Melt teams with Mavuika or Arlecchino, or Freeze teams with Neuvillette, Citlali is one of the best supports you can bring. This guide covers everything — her best build, artifacts, weapons, teams, constellations, and ascension materials.

Citlali has one of the highest Spiral Abyss usage rates in the game, sitting at around 72% on Floor 12 and ranking among the top six most-used characters out of over a hundred. You can access Genshin Impact for free on Android, iOS, PlayStation, Epic Games, and Xbox.

Citlali

Table of Contents

Who Is Citlali in Genshin Impact?

Citlali, bearing the Ancient Name Ukumbuko, is a legendary shaman of the Masters of the Night-Wind in Natlan. Despite her childlike appearance, she is one of the most senior and respected figures in the tribe. Her title, “Granny Itztli,” is used affectionately by her peers and carries so much weight that it is said to be enough to quiet a crying child. She tends to live in seclusion but has played a key role in the main story, helping Xilonen and the Traveler during critical moments, and personally investigating the disappearance of Ororon.

In combat, Citlali is a dedicated off-field support. She does not deal massive personal damage on her own. What she does is keep your main DPS alive with a powerful EM-scaling shield, apply Cryo consistently while she is off the field, and reduce enemy Pyro and Hydro resistance whenever Frozen or Melt reactions are triggered. For any Pyro or Hydro main carry, having Citlali in the team is a direct and significant damage increase.

Citlali Genshin Impact Character Overview

Rarity: 5-Star
Element: Cryo
Weapon Type: Catalyst
Region: Natlan (Masters of the Night-Wind)
Release Date: January 1, 2025 (Version 5.3)
Role: Off-field Cryo Applicator, Shielder, Pyro/Hydro RES Shredder
Best Content: Spiral Abyss, Melt Teams, Freeze Teams, any Pyro or Hydro Main DPS team

Citlali Skills and Abilities Explained

Normal Attack — Masters of the Night-Wind Secret Arts

Citlali performs up to three basic Cryo strikes. Her charged attack enters Aiming Mode and fires a Frost Star dealing Cryo damage to opponents in its path. Her plunging attack deals AoE Cryo damage on landing. In practice, you will almost never use her Normal Attack in actual gameplay — her value is entirely in her Skill and Burst. During Natlan exploration, she can also use Phlogiston to jump higher or perform mid-air Charged Attacks.

Elemental Skill — Dawnfrost Darkstar

This is Citlali’s most important ability. She invokes tribal pacts to deploy an Opal Shield that absorbs damage for the active character and summons Obsidian Tzitzimitl: Itzpapa, a creature that follows the active character and deals off-field Cryo damage continuously. The Opal Shield’s strength scales directly with Citlali’s Elemental Mastery and absorbs Cryo damage with 250% efficiency. After using her Skill, Citlali enters Nightsoul’s Blessing and gains 24 Nightsoul points. Itzpapa continues dealing Cryo damage off-field while the active character fights, giving you constant Cryo application without needing Citlali on the field. The Skill also activates the RES shred passive from her Ascension Talent whenever Frozen or Melt reactions are triggered nearby.

Elemental Burst — Spiritvessel Skull Splitter

Citlali’s Burst fires Spiritvessel Skulls that deal AoE Cryo damage and restore Nightsoul points. It also launches an ice storm that hits enemies and restores more Nightsoul points to Citlali. Using the Burst helps maintain her Nightsoul point count so that Itzpapa from her Skill can stay in the Opal Fire state — which is required to activate her Nightsoul-aligned Cryo application off-field. Use the Burst every rotation to keep Itzpapa’s Opal Fire state active and sustain her Cryo application and shield uptime. Leveling this talent increases Burst damage output but does not directly affect shield strength, so it is a secondary priority.

Ascension Passive 1 — Mamaloaco’s Frigid Rain

While Itzpapa is on the field, whenever nearby party members trigger Frozen or Melt, the affected opponent’s Pyro and Hydro Resistance is decreased by 20% for 12 seconds. This passive is Citlali’s core support value. It means that every time your Pyro DPS like Hu Tao or Yoimiya triggers a Melt reaction, or your Hydro DPS freezes an enemy, Citlali automatically shreds their resistances. Your DPS is doing the work, and Citlali amplifies every hit passively.

Ascension Passive 2 — Itzpapa Nightsoul Application

When Itzpapa reaches at least 50 Nightsoul points, it enters the Opal Fire state and continuously applies Cryo to nearby opponents. This is Citlali’s off-field Cryo application mechanic. Keeping Itzpapa in the Opal Fire state through regular Burst usage is the key to maximizing her support uptime in any team rotation.

Utility Passive — Phlogiston Efficiency

Citlali consumes less Phlogiston during exploration in Natlan. This makes her convenient to bring along in any team during open-world content in the Natlan region, similar to how characters like Chasca or Kinich help reduce exploration resource costs.

Best Artifacts for Citlali in Genshin Impact

4-Piece Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City (Best-in-Slot)

This is Citlali’s top artifact set. As a Natlan character who enters Nightsoul’s Blessing, Citlali can fully activate the 4-piece set’s effect, which grants the active character a 40% Elemental Damage Bonus. No other artifact set in the game gives a flat 40% DMG Bonus to your DPS character as easily. Citlali holds the set, activates it through her Nightsoul Blessing, and your main DPS benefits from a massive damage increase without needing to equip the set themselves. This is available from the Ruins of Slumbering Songbirds domain in Natlan.

4-Piece Gilded Dreams (Strong Alternative)

If you are running a rainbow team with multiple different elements, 4-piece Gilded Dreams gives Citlali over 200 Elemental Mastery from its 4-piece effect. More EM means a stronger shield, more damage on her Burst, and more value from her C1 Quills if you have them. This is the better choice in teams where the Cinder City set’s Natlan restrictions or Nightsoul requirements are harder to meet consistently.

4-Piece Noblesse Oblige (Budget Alternative)

Noblesse Oblige is an older set but still functional as a budget option. Its 4-piece bonus increases the entire party’s ATK by 20% after using an Elemental Burst. Since Citlali uses her Burst every rotation, this buff stays active reliably. It does not boost her personal output much but gives your DPS characters a consistent ATK increase. Use this while farming for the better sets.

Artifact Main Stats and Substats

Sands: Elemental Mastery or Energy Recharge
Goblet: Elemental Mastery
Circlet: Elemental Mastery
Substats Priority: Elemental Mastery > Energy Recharge > ATK%

Citlali’s shield strength, Burst damage, and passive RES shred all improve with higher Elemental Mastery. There is no cap on how much EM helps her, so stack as much as possible. Energy Recharge is also important since she needs her Burst every rotation to maintain Itzpapa’s Opal Fire state. Aim for enough ER to cycle her Burst comfortably — usually around 140–160% depending on your team’s Cryo Particles.

Best Weapons for Citlali in Genshin Impact

Starcaller’s Watch (5-Star — Signature Best-in-Slot)

Citlali’s own signature weapon is her best option by a clear margin. It provides a very large base Elemental Mastery bonus from its secondary stat and its passive — the Mirror of Night — boosts the active party member’s damage by up to 56% for 15 seconds after Citlali creates a shield. Since she creates a shield constantly with her Elemental Skill, this damage boost stays active for virtually the entire duration of any rotation. If you are going all-in on Citlali, this weapon is the investment that amplifies her support value the most.

A Thousand Floating Dreams (5-Star)

This is Nahida’s signature catalyst and a strong alternative for Citlali. It provides solid Elemental Mastery from its substat and its passive buffs either EM or Elemental Damage Bonus depending on teammate elements, while also granting 40 EM to all nearby party members. For teams where you want shared EM buffs, this weapon pairs beautifully with Citlali’s support role.

Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers (3-Star — Best F2P Option)

This is one of the most famous support weapons in the entire game, and it is a 3-star that every player can fully refine. When you swap away from Citlali to your main DPS, the wielder’s last character gets a 48% ATK boost (at R5) for 10 seconds. For DPS characters who scale heavily off ATK — like Hu Tao, Yoimiya, or Kamisato Ayaka — this ATK boost can outperform more expensive weapons on Citlali herself. Make sure you swap directly from Citlali into your main DPS so the ATK buff lands on the right character.

Sacrificial Fragments (4-Star)

A solid 4-star option with Elemental Mastery as its secondary stat. Its passive can reset Citlali’s Elemental Skill cooldown, allowing her to redeploy the Opal Shield faster if it breaks. This is useful in harder content where incoming damage is heavy and shield uptime matters. Available from regular wish banners and easy to refine over time.

Favonius Codex (4-Star)

If your team struggles with energy and you need to cycle Citlali’s Burst more reliably, Favonius Codex is a practical option. It generates Elemental Particles on CRIT hits, helping refund energy for the entire team. You will need some CRIT Rate investment to trigger the passive consistently, which slightly conflicts with her EM-first build, but the energy benefit for the whole team can be worth it in certain compositions.

Citlali Talent Priority

Invest in Citlali’s talents in this order:

Elemental Skill (Dawnfrost Darkstar) — This is her most critical talent. Leveling it directly increases Opal Shield strength since the shield scales with EM multipliers tied to the Skill talent. A stronger shield means better protection for your team. Max this first.
Elemental Burst (Spiritvessel Skull Splitter) — Level this second. It provides additional Cryo damage and maintains Nightsoul point recovery. While it does not affect shield strength, leveling it improves her overall rotation and adds some personal damage.
Normal Attack — Do not level this. Citlali’s Normal Attacks are almost never used in actual combat rotations. Every resource spent here is wasted compared to her Skill and Burst.

Citlali Genshin Impact Best Team Compositions

Mavuika Melt Team (Best Overall)

Mavuika (Pyro Main DPS)
Citlali (Cryo Support, Shielder, RES Shred)
Xilonen (DEF Shred, Healer)
Bennett (Pyro Buffer, Healer)

This is widely considered Citlali’s best team in the current meta. Mavuika is the main damage dealer, and Citlali provides the Cryo application needed to set up Melt reactions for her Pyro attacks. Xilonen adds DEF shred and healing, while Bennett provides ATK buff and more healing. With Citlali’s Pyro RES shred from Melt triggers, Mavuika’s damage output becomes enormous.

Arlecchino Melt Team

Arlecchino (Pyro Main DPS)
Citlali (Cryo Support, Shielder, RES Shred)
Sucrose (EM Share, VV Shred)
Bennett (Pyro Buffer, Healer)

Citlali’s shield is especially valuable for Arlecchino, who consumes HP constantly as part of her own kit and benefits enormously from interruption resistance. Arlecchino triggers Melt reactions against Citlali’s Cryo application, and Citlali’s Melt RES shred amplifies every Melt hit. Sucrose spreads EM to the team and holds Viridescent Venerer for extra RES shred on top.

Neuvillette Freeze Team

Neuvillette (Hydro Main DPS)
Citlali (Cryo Support, Shielder, RES Shred)
Furina (Hydro Buffer)
Baizhu or Escoffier (Healer)

Neuvillette needs consistent Cryo application to maintain Freeze on enemies so he can safely charge his powerful Charged Attack. Citlali fills that role perfectly while also providing the shield that protects Neuvillette during his long Charged Attack animation. Furina buffs the team while providing additional Hydro, and the fourth slot covers healing. Citlali’s Hydro RES shred also amplifies Neuvillette’s Hydro Charged Attacks whenever Freeze reactions trigger.

Hu Tao Melt Team

Hu Tao (Pyro Main DPS)
Citlali (Cryo Support, Shielder, RES Shred)
Xingqiu (Hydro, Vaporize enabler)
Zhongli (Universal RES Shred, Shield)

Hu Tao benefits from multiple sources of RES shred and Citlali adds Cryo-based Melt opportunities while protecting Hu Tao with the Opal Shield. Xingqiu applies Hydro for Vaporize, and Zhongli provides universal RES shred via his jade shield. This team stacks debuffs effectively for Hu Tao’s high multiplier hits.

Yoimiya Melt Team

Yoimiya (Pyro Main DPS)
Citlali (Cryo Support, Shielder, RES Shred)
Yelan (Hydro Buffer)
Bennett (ATK Buffer, Healer)

Yoimiya’s single-target Pyro attacks benefit from Citlali’s consistent Cryo application and Pyro RES shred. Citlali’s shield also provides the interruption resistance Yoimiya needs to maintain her Normal Attack chains cleanly.

Is Citlali Worth Pulling?

Citlali is absolutely worth pulling. She consolidates shielding, off-field Cryo application, and RES shredding into a single support slot — three things that most teams want and that normally require two characters to provide. Her strengths include:

Strong Pyro and Hydro RES shred that benefits both Melt and Freeze main DPS characters
Elemental Mastery-scaling shield with good uptime through her Skill
Compatible with 4-piece Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City for a free 40% DMG Bonus on your DPS
Easy to build — all main stats go Elemental Mastery, no complex stat thresholds
Works beautifully alongside characters like Ganyu, Kamisato Ayaka, and Shenhe in Freeze compositions
One of the highest Spiral Abyss usage rates in the game since her release

Her few limitations are worth knowing. Citlali does not shred Cryo Resistance, so Cryo DPS characters like Ganyu or Ayaka do not benefit from her RES shred on their own hits — only their teammates’ Pyro and Hydro hits do. She also needs another Natlan character to reach her full Nightsoul synergy. And her healing is minimal at C0, so you may need a dedicated healer alongside her in the most demanding content unless you have her C6.

Citlali Constellations

Citlali’s constellations follow a pattern where C1, C2, and C6 provide the most meaningful upgrades. Here is a complete breakdown:

C1 — Obsidian Arrowbird’s Descent: Citlali periodically fires Quills that deal Cryo damage based on her Elemental Mastery. These Quills provide roughly a 5% team DPS increase in Melt teams. Decent but not dramatic on its own. The value decreases if you are using Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers or pairing her with a DPS who already has very high multipliers.
C2 — Mamaloaco’s Mournful Invitation: This is Citlali’s biggest power spike. Shielded characters and characters with Itzpapa following them gain 250 Elemental Mastery. Citlali herself also gains 125 Elemental Mastery. Additionally, the Pyro and Hydro RES shred from her Ascension Passive is doubled — from 20% to 40% — when triggered. This results in up to 20% total team DPS increase in ideal conditions. It also grants all nearby allies an Opal Shield when her Skill is used. If you are pulling Citlali constellations, stopping at C2 gives by far the best value per pull.
C3 — Cries of the Fallen Stars: Increases Elemental Skill level by 3. Directly boosts Dawnfrost Darkstar’s talent level, increasing shield strength and Itzpapa’s Cryo damage.
C4 — Itzpapa’s Sacred Seal: Reduces Citlali’s Energy Recharge requirement and increases Cryo application duration. Mostly a setup constellation for C6. The damage improvement on its own is small, and it can occasionally disrupt reaction setups on some teams.
C5 — Soul of the Abyss: Increases Elemental Burst level by 3. Boosts Burst damage but provides the smallest power increase among Citlali’s constellations.
C6 — Oath on a Feathered Knot: Itzpapa fires an additional Obsidian Spiritvessel Skull on each Frostfall Storm hit. This significantly increases Citlali’s off-field Cryo application frequency and personal damage. It represents the ultimate power ceiling for her kit and also benefits from all the EM stacked through earlier constellations.

Citlali Ascension Materials

Here is what you need to fully ascend Citlali from level 1 to level 90:

Shivada Jade: Sliver ×1, Fragment ×9, Chunk ×9, Gemstone ×6 — farmed from Cryo world bosses
Talisman of the Enigmatic Land — Boss material from a Natlan world boss
Quenepa Berry (Natlan local specialty, found near Scions of the Canopy or purchased from Cintli in the Stadium of Sacred Flames) — 168 total
Juvenile Fang, Seasoned Fang, Tyrant’s Fang — dropped by Saurian enemies throughout Natlan
Mora: Approximately 420,000 total for full ascension

Quenepa Berries are the most time-consuming material. They spawn in bunches around the Scions of the Canopy across Natlan and respawn every two days. Start collecting them early if you plan to ascend Citlali to level 90. The Talisman of the Enigmatic Land comes from a Natlan world boss, so plan your Original Resin use around it.

Citlali Talent Level-Up Materials

To fully level Citlali’s talents you will need:

Teachings, Guide, and Philosophies of Kindling — obtained from the Blazing Ruins Domain in Natlan on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays
Juvenile Fang, Seasoned Fang, Tyrant’s Fang — from Saurian enemies in Natlan
Weekly Boss Material — from the relevant Natlan weekly boss
Crown of Insight — for crowning a talent to level 10

Focus your Talent Books and Boss Materials on the Elemental Skill first. If you plan to crown a talent, crown the Elemental Skill before anything else — it is the most direct path to a stronger shield and better Cryo application uptime. Characters like Nahida and Nilou taught the community the same lesson about dedicated support talent priority, and Citlali follows the same rule.

Citlali vs Other Cryo Supports

Citlali sits at the top of the Cryo support category. Here is how she compares to alternatives:

vs Shenhe: Shenhe buffs Cryo DMG more specifically and benefits Cryo DPS characters directly. Citlali is better for Pyro and Hydro DPS teams through her RES shred. They serve different team types and are not in direct competition.
vs Diona: Diona is a 4-star shield and healer. Citlali’s shield is substantially stronger at equivalent investment and she brings far more offensive support through RES shred and the Cinder City buff. Citlali replaces Diona’s shield role while adding offensive value Diona cannot match.
vs Layla: Layla provides a stronger raw shield but has no RES shred, no off-field Cryo application frequency comparable to Citlali, and cannot hold Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City as effectively. Citlali is the better choice for any team that wants both protection and offense amplification.
vs Rosaria: Rosaria deals more personal Cryo damage and gives a CRIT Rate buff. Citlali provides much better defensive utility and Pyro/Hydro RES shred. Different strengths for different team needs.

Citlali Genshin Impact Lore and Background

Citlali is a member of the Masters of the Night-Wind, an ancient tribe in Natlan connected to the Night Kingdom and Cryo elemental powers. Her Ancient Name, Ukumbuko, reflects her deep ties to the tribe’s traditions and rituals. Her appearance is that of a young girl, but she has lived long enough to earn the title of “Granny Itztli” — a sign of enormous respect among her peers.

She is described as quick to anger and somewhat self-indulgent, but with a hidden self-conscious side beneath her confident exterior. She lives in seclusion by choice and rarely appears in public, yet she stepped directly into the central conflict of Natlan’s main story when it mattered most. Her involvement alongside Xilonen and the Traveler, and her investigation into Ororon‘s disappearance, made her one of the most memorable supporting characters in the Natlan story arc before she became playable in Version 5.3.

Citlali Genshin Impact Build Summary

Best Artifact Set: 4-piece Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City
Alternative Artifact Set: 4-piece Gilded Dreams
Budget Weapon: Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers (R5) or Sacrificial Fragments
Best 5-Star Weapon: Starcaller’s Watch (signature) or A Thousand Floating Dreams
Artifact Main Stats: EM / EM / EM (Sands, Goblet, Circlet) — or ER Sands if energy is tight
Substats: Elemental Mastery > Energy Recharge > ATK%
Talent Priority: Elemental Skill > Elemental Burst > Normal Attack (skip Normal Attack entirely)
Best Teams: Mavuika Melt, Arlecchino Melt, Neuvillette Freeze, Hu Tao Melt
Best Constellation Stopping Point: C2

Citlali is one of the few support characters in Genshin Impact who can genuinely claim to be the best option in multiple different team archetypes simultaneously. She brings shielding that scales naturally with EM, off-field Cryo application that requires no on-field time, and RES shred that directly amplifies your main DPS’s damage. Add the 40% DMG Bonus from Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City and you have a support slot that does more work than almost anything else you could run. Whether you pair her with Mavuika, Arlecchino, Neuvillette, or even Ganyu in a Freeze composition, Citlali earns her place in the team every single rotation.