Genshin Impact Zibai Team: Columbina, Illuga and Rotation

Greetings, Travelers! Zibai is a formidable Geo Sword user who serves as a premier Main DPS, specializing in triggering and capitalizing on Lunar-Crystallize reactions. In this guide, we'll delve into her most effective team formations and demonstrate how to optimize her formidable reaction-based damage and team-wide contribution.

 

Zibai Overview

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Element:Geo | Weapon: Sword

Zibai is a 5-star Geo Sword Main DPS tailored around the Lunar-Crystallize reaction, with damage that scales primarily with her DEF. Boasting CRIT DMG as her ascension stat, she is designed to significantly raise her damage ceiling. She excels in teams built for the Lunar-Crystallize reaction, leveraging her unique ability to influence the party’s Moonsign mechanic to maximize combat effectiveness. 
Her constellations further refine this specialized role. At Constellation 2, the follow-up strikes of her Elemental Skill, Spirit Steed's Stride, gain a significantly increased damage multiplier based on her DEF. Constellation 6 provides a potent endgame boost: triggering Lunar-Crystallize reactions grants a stacking bonus to both DEF and CRIT Rate. This bonus applies specifically to the active party member, provided they are classified as a "Nod-Krai" character. 

 

Zibai’s team building is actually pretty straightforward. Her teams follow a fixed template:

• Geo core: Illuga and Gorou are the top picks
• Hydro core: Columbina and Aino work best with her kit

To see how much these choices really matter, we tested five Zibai teams under the same conditions and compared their real damage output.

Zibai Test Stats: DEF: 2788; Elemental Mastery: 203; CRIT Rate / CRIT DMG: 70% / 245.7%

Notes: Columbina is tested at C1; 4-star teammates are tested at C6

 

Zibai + Illuga + Gorou + Columbina

Main DPS	Support	Support	Sub-DPS / Hydro application
Zibai	Illuga	Gorou	Columbina

Tested result:

• Total damage per Zibai rotation: 2,069,238
• Relative performance: 100% (baseline)

This is Zibai’s standard template.

Key Strengths:

Clean Hydro-Geo synergy enables Zibai’s Crystallize-focused damage.

Columbina enables reactions without requiring extended field time or heavy energy investment.

Illuga contributes team stability through Geo buffs or protection, ensuring smooth execution.

Zibai capitalizes on this setup with high-frequency reaction damage, serving as a reliable primary damage source.

Survivability note: This team has no dedicated healer or shielder. It is strongly recommended that you use Columbina at C1 for her shield and Gorou at C4 to provide healing support.

Without these, survivability can become a serious issue in high-pressure content.

 

Zibai + Illuga + Gorou + Aino

Main DPS	Support	Support	Hydro application
Zibai	Illuga	Gorou	Aino

Tested result:

• Total damage per Zibai rotation: 2,031,506
• Relative performance: ~98.2%

This setup replaces Columbina with Aino and is mainly intended for players who either do not own Columbina or need her in another team.

Zibai’s personal damage remains largely unchanged. However, the team’s total damage takes a noticeable hit because Aino can’t replace Columbina’s off-field DPS.

And here’s the real problem: No Columbina C1 shield; No dedicated healer

All survivability relies entirely on Gorou C4 healing, which makes this team extremely fragile in high-damage environments.

 

Zibai + Illuga + Columbina + Zhongli

Main DPS	Sub-DPS / Hydro application	Support	Support
Zibai	Columbina	Illuga	Zhongli

Tested result:

• Total damage per Zibai rotation: 1,666,330
• Relative performance: ~80.5%

Rotation:

Columbina initiates the sequence with her Skill and Burst, applying Hydro and activating the Lunar reaction window.

Illuga / Zhongli follows with Geo application. Illuga enhances team reaction performance, while Zhongli provides robust shielding to maintain consistent field presence.

Zibai then takes the field, using Normal Attacks and Burst to repeatedly trigger Lunar Crystallize reactions. Reapply Hydro, refresh buffs or shields as necessary, then cycle back to Zibai for sustained damage output.

Key Strengths:

This team is aimed at high-pressure scenarios or players using C0 Columbina.

Replacing Gorou with Zhongli reduces Zibai’s damage output, but Columbina’s off-field damage is fully retained. Zhongli’s shield significantly lowers survivability pressure, making the team much more consistent in practice.

In real combat, this team’s overall damage output is in the same tier as the Illuga + Gorou + Aino composition, and may even perform better with a high-investment Columbina.

 

Zibai + Gorou + Columbina + Aino

Main DPS	Support	Sub-DPS / Hydro application	Support
Zibai	Gorou	Columbina	Aino

Tested result:

• Total damage per Zibai rotation: 1,612,806
• Relative performance: ~77.9%

This composition is suitable for players who do not have Illuga or have not built her yet.

While Aino is not a dedicated Lunar Crystallization support, she still provides 35% Lunar reaction bonus and 80 Elemental Mastery.

The team’s damage ceiling is lower, but the setup remains functional and consistent, making it a reasonable transitional option.

 

Zibai + Gorou + Columbina + Zhongli

Main DPS	Support	Sub-DPS / Hydro application	Support
Zibai	Gorou	Columbina	Zhongli

Tested result:

• Total damage per Zibai rotation: 1,512,476
• Relative performance: ~73.1%

This team is primarily designed for C0 Columbina users.

Without Columbina’s C1 shield, survivability pressure becomes extremely high if relying solely on Gorou C4 healing. Adding Zhongli dramatically improves team stability by providing a strong, reliable shield.

While this setup delivers the lowest damage among the tested teams, it offers the safest and most forgiving gameplay experience.

 

Zibai + Aino + Illuga + Xilonen

Main DPS	Support	Support	Support
Zibai	Aino	Illuga	Xilonen

You can also use Xilonen to replace Gorou as a survival support in this team.

• Rotation

Initiation Phase:

Xilonen activates Source Samples to shred the relevant Elemental RES based on partyelements (including Hydro) and Geo RES Shred and triggering her C2 team-wide buffs.

Aino deploys her Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst, establishing a sustained Hydro aura and triggering her own EM boost and C6 reaction damage bonus.

Illuga uses his abilities to provide off-field Geo damage and Geo-specific buffs.

Damage Phase:

Zibai takes the field, activates her Elemental Burst, and triggers continuous Lunar Crystallize reactions through Normal and Charged Attacks, benefiting from the full stack of team buffs.

Cycle Sustain:

Before Xilonen’s RES shred (15s duration) or Aino’s Hydro application expires, switch characters in time to refresh abilities and maintain buff uptime.

Always prioritize resetting Xilonen’s Source Sample coverage and Aino’s Hydro aura before returning to Zibai’s on-field damage window.

• Team Strengths

Clean Elemental Synergy: Hydro and Geo interact consistently to create an ideal environment for Zibai’s Crystallize-based damage pattern.

Comprehensive Buff Coverage: Aino provides EM and reaction damage amplification, Illuga contributes Geo-specific enhancements, and Xilonen offers RES shred, damage bonuses, and interruption resistance—together building a complete damage profile for Zibai.

Balance of Survival and Rotation: Xilonen’s shielding and interruption resistance, combined with the Geo resonance shield boost and potential healing, ensure a safe output window for Zibai. Xilonen’s C2 Energy restoration further optimizes team energy flow.

Outstanding Reaction Damage: Zibai converts all layered buffs into high-frequency, high-value Lunar Crystallize reaction damage, serving as a clear and reliable carry.

• Advanced Tips

Key Constellations: Xilonen’s C2 and Aino’s C6 are core upgrades for this composition.

Alternative Options: If seeking higher damage output and survivability is less critical, Xilonen can be replaced by the yet-to-be-released Sandrone, who is expected to further enhance Geo team performance.

 

 

Conclusion

This team composition centered around Zibai is characterized by a distinct performance profile: highly stable at lower constellations, with explosive scaling at mid-to-high constellations. The DPS increase at C2 and C6 is exceptionally dramatic. In the lower constellation range, the team leans more towards being "steady, durable, and focused on extended rotations."

Currently, the most seamless and optimal pairing for Zibai is with Columbina and Illuga. While Zibai is not strictly bound to Columbina, Columbina currently provides the most significant performance boost for Zibai at this stage of the game's roster.