The Definitive Build & Analysis

Rarity	(5-Star)
Element	Cryo
Weapon	Catalyst
Best Role	Shielder / Reaction Buffer
Stat Priority	EM > ER > HP% (Depending on Kit)
Tier	S (Melt/Freeze Support)

Citlali is a powerful shaman of the Masters of the Night-Wind. As a Cryo Catalyst user, she provides robust shielding via the Nightsoul mechanic and consistent off-field Cryo application. She is a premier holder of the new Natlan support artifact set.

Pros

Strongest off-field Cryo application for Melt teams.
Nightsoul mechanic extends Shield duration automatically.
Excellent holder of "Scroll of Cinder City" for team buffs.
F2P Friendly (works with Craftable/Favonius weapons).

Cons

High Energy Cost (60-80) requires ER investment.
Shield strength depends on maintaining Nightsoul points.
Burst animation is long (vulnerable without shield).

Quick Guide (TL;DR)

If you don't have time for the math, here is the cheat sheet.

Best Artifact: 4pc Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City (Team Buff).
Alt Artifact: 4pc Tenacity of the Millelith (Shield Strength).
Best Weapon: Starcaller's Projection (Signature) or Thousand Floating Dreams.
F2P Weapon: Favonius Codex (Battery) or Ring of Yaxche (Craftable).
Support Weapon: Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers (ATK Buff).
Main Stats: SANDS: EM or ER | GOBLET: EM or Cryo | CIRCLET: EM or CRIT.
Talent Priority: Elemental Skill > Elemental Burst > Normal Attack.
Top Team: Citlali + Mavuika + Kinich + Xilonen (Natlan Synergy).

Pro Tip: Citlali's shield durability relies on her Nightsoul points. Ensure you maintain her Nightsoul state to keep the shield active and trigger the artifact set bonuses.

Ascension & Talent Materials

Category	Material Name	Source
Ascension	Night-Wind Bloom (Placeholder)	Natlan Local Specialty (Night-Wind Region)
Boss Drop	Everflame Seed (Placeholder)	New Natlan World Boss
Talent Books	Teachings of Conflict	Natlan Talent Domain (Wed/Sat/Sun)

Talent Breakdown & Mechanics

Elemental Skill: Opaline Protection

Shield & Nightsoul: Creates a shield that absorbs Cryo DMG 250% more effectively. Enters the Nightsoul's Blessing state.
Off-Field: Summons "Spirit Skulls" that periodically deal Cryo DMG to nearby opponents based on Citlali's EM/HP (depending on final scaling).
Application: Excellent for maintaining Cryo aura for Melt carries or Freezing enemies.

Elemental Burst: Glacial Starfall

Cost: 60 Energy | Cooldown: 15s
The Nuke: Calls down a massive spirit totem that deals AoE Cryo DMG.
Buff: Regenerates Nightsoul points for all nearby Natlan party members, extending their own rotations.

Passive: Night-Wind's Grace

Nightsoul Burst: When a party member triggers a Nightsoul Burst, Citlali restores Energy and strengthens her shield.

Talent Priority Order:

Elemental Skill (Level 10) - Maximizes Shield strength.
Elemental Burst (Level 8) - For damage and utility.
Normal Attack (Level 1) - Low priority.

Stat Requirements & ER Thresholds

Citlali acts as a support, so ER is vital to keep her Burst uptimes for team buffs.

Team Context	Weapon	ER Requirement
Solo Cryo (Support)	Favonius Codex	220% - 240%
Double Cryo (w/ Wriothesley)	Favonius Codex	160% - 170%
With Other Weapon	Signature / TTDS	250%+

Substat Priority:

Energy Recharge (Until requirements met)
Elemental Mastery / HP% (Depending on scaling)
CRIT Rate (For Favonius triggers)

Best Artifacts Comparison

Set Name	Role	Reasoning
Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City	BiS Support	Activating Nightsoul Burst refunds energy and buffs Party Elemental DMG. Essential for any Natlan support.
Tenacity of the Millelith	Shield Bot	Increases Shield Strength and Party ATK. Good if not running other Natlan characters.
4pc Noblesse Oblige	General Buffer	Classic 20% ATK buff. Use if Scroll set isn't available or team doesn't benefit from Elemental DMG.

Weapon Rankings

Weapon	Type	Performance	Notes
Favonius Codex	ER%	S+	Generates white particles for the team. Essential for energy-hungry teams like Melt or Freeze.
Thrilling Tales (TTDS)	HP%	S (Buffing)	Massive 48% ATK buff to your Main DPS. Best if you have enough ER from artifacts.
Prototype Amber	HP%	A (Energy)	Refunds energy after burst. HP substat helps shield strength. Craftable option.
Oathsworn Eye	ATK%	A (Event)	Increases ER after using Skill. Good middle ground between healing scaling (ATK) and energy.

Constellation Value

Citlali is functional at C0, but constellations improve her shielding and buffing.

C1: Starlight Barrier - (Shielding) Increases Shield Absorption by 20%. Great for comfort.
C2: Frostfall Omen - (Shred) Opponents hit by Elemental Skill have their Cryo RES decreased by 15%. Excellent for boosting team damage.
C6: Eternal Night-Watch - (Buff) While Shield is active, active character gains 15% Cryo DMG Bonus. Strong for Mono Cryo/Freeze.

Verdict: C0 is perfectly fine for most players. C2 is a good stopping point for vertical investment.

Top Team Compositions

1. Natlan Melt

Main DPS: Mavuika / Arlecchino
Support: Citlali (Shield/Cryo)
Sub-DPS: Xilonen / Emilie
Flex: Bennett / Kazuha

Why it works: Citlali provides a shield and applies Cryo for the Pyro carry to Melt. The Scroll artifact set buffs the Pyro carry's damage significantly.

2. Wriothesley Freeze/Burnmelt

Main DPS: Wriothesley
Support: Citlali
Hydro/Pyro: Furina / Thoma
Anemo: Kazuha

Why it works: Provides Cryo Resonance (Crit Rate) and shielding for Wriothesley, who is prone to interruption. With Furina, she enables Freeze; with Thoma, she enables Melt.

Rotations & Combos

Support Rotation:
Citlali E (Shield/Nightsoul) > Citlali Q (Buff/Burst) > Swap to Main DPS

Tip: Ensure you refresh her E before the shield expires to maintain the Scroll set buff uptime.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is she better than Layla/Diona?
For Natlan teams, absolutely. Her synergy with Nightsoul mechanics and the Scroll set makes her a superior buffer. For generic teams, she is comparable but offers more offensive utility.

Does she heal?
No, Citlali is primarily a Shielder. If you need a healer, consider bringing Bennett or Xilonen in the flex slot.

Data Source: Theorycrafting v6.x (Speculative). Last Updated: December 2025

Genshin Impact: Citlali Guide