Mastering Arataki Itto: Building the Ultimate Geo Team in 2026

The landscape of Teyvat has evolved significantly since Arataki Itto first burst onto the scene with his boisterous personality and powerful Geo abilities. As we navigate through 2026, this one-horned oni continues to maintain his position as one of Genshin Impact's most distinctive main DPS characters. His unique scaling with DEF rather than traditional ATK stats has created a specialized niche that, while initially limiting his team compositions, has now blossomed into several powerful synergies worth exploring.

The Geo Supremacy

The most potent teams for Arataki Itto remain heavily Geo-focused, creating what veterans affectionately call the "Geo Supremacy" composition. This approach maximizes Geo Resonance while capitalizing on the synergistic abilities that have been fine-tuned through years of updates and character releases.

Gorou: The Indispensable Support

Gorou remains the cornerstone of any serious Itto team composition in 2026. This loyal general of the Watatsumi Army provides precisely what Itto craves—substantial DEF buffs and Geo DMG bonuses that directly amplify Itto's damage output. The synergy between these two characters has stood the test of time, proving that their design compatibility was no coincidence.

With Gorou's Elemental Skill creating a field that scales its bonuses based on the number of Geo characters in the party, he incentivizes the mono-Geo approach that Itto thrives in. At three Geo characters, your team receives:

• Increased DEF

• Geo DMG Bonus

• Interruption resistance

His C6 constellation, which adds CRIT DMG for Geo characters, has become more accessible through various banner reruns, making this powerful support even more valuable for Itto mains.

Albedo: The Consistent Off-Field Contributor

Albedo continues to shine as Itto's preferred sub-DPS partner. His Elemental Skill, which creates the Solar Isotoma field, provides consistent off-field Geo damage while simultaneously generating energy particles for Itto. The fact that both characters scale with DEF creates a beautiful harmony in artifact farming efficiency.

The Cinnabar Spindle, Albedo's signature weapon from the 2.3 event (now available through the Artifact Forge system implemented in 2025), remains his best-in-slot option, providing an enormous boost to his Skill damage which directly contributes to team DPS during Itto's downtime.

Zhongli: The Unbreakable Shield

The Geo Archon himself completes the ideal Itto team composition with his unparalleled defensive capabilities and offensive support. Zhongli's jade shield provides:

• Near-invulnerability for Itto during his burst phases

• A universal 20% resistance shred to all elements including Geo

• Geo resonance activation, increasing shield strength and providing a 15% damage boost when protected by a shield

This resistance reduction is particularly valuable for Geo characters like Itto who lack access to amplifying reactions like Vaporize or Melt. The 2025 artifact set "Archaic Memories" has further enhanced Zhongli's supporting capabilities, allowing him to provide an additional 10% DEF bonus to the active character when his shield is active.

The Chiori Revolution

The introduction of Chiori in 2024 revolutionized Itto team compositions, offering an alternative to the traditional Albedo slot. As another DEF-scaling Geo character, Chiori's off-field damage capabilities have been enhanced through several updates, making her particularly potent in the current meta.

Chiori's unique "Tamoto Threads" mechanic, which deploys autonomous Geo constructs that deal periodic damage, works beautifully with Itto's field time requirements. Her constellation upgrades, especially after the 2025 character enhancement system, allow her to provide additional DEF bonuses to the team, further amplifying Itto's damage potential.

For players who prefer a more offensive approach, replacing Zhongli with Chiori while maintaining Gorou creates the "Geo Destruction" variant—sacrificing some defensive comfort for significantly increased team DPS. This composition has gained popularity in the Speed Abyss competitions that have become a staple of Genshin Impact's endgame content in 2026.

Flexible Fourth Slot Options

While the triple Geo core of Itto, Gorou, and either Albedo/Zhongli/Chiori forms the foundation of most competitive teams, the fourth slot offers flexibility based on content challenges and personal preference.

Xianyun: The Plunge Enabler

Xianyun has created an entirely new playstyle for Itto teams since her introduction. Her Adeptal assistance allows Itto to perform plunging attacks during his burst duration, creating a unique high-damage combo opportunity. This is particularly effective against the new "Crystalline Core" enemies introduced in the Celestial Ruins update, which take increased damage from plunging attacks.

Her healing capabilities also solve the potential survivability issues in teams that opt for Chiori over Zhongli, making her an excellent flex option for players who enjoy a more dynamic playstyle.

Raiden Shogun: The Energy Architect

The Electro Archon continues to provide exceptional utility to Itto teams through her unparalleled energy regeneration capabilities. With Itto's 70-cost burst being crucial to his damage output, Raiden's ability to restore energy while dealing significant damage during Itto's downtime creates a smooth rotation cycle.

The "Eternal Oni" composition combining Itto, Gorou, Raiden, and a flex pick has gained popularity particularly in continuous combat scenarios like the Spiral Abyss's Endless Corridors mode introduced in 2025.

Ningguang: The Accessible Alternative

For players still building their roster or seeking a more budget-friendly option, Ningguang provides solid value as a Geo battery and burst damage dealer. Her Jade Screen provides additional Geo DMG bonus when passed through, and at C2, she can reset her screen more frequently, providing both energy and damage in quick succession.

The recent "Liyue Renaissance" buffs have improved her particle generation, making her a more viable support for Itto than ever before.

Artifact Optimization in 2026

The artifact landscape has evolved significantly for Itto teams. The introduction of the "Husk of Opulent Dreams" set in 2.3 remains Itto's best-in-slot option, but the new "Oni's Legacy" 2-piece set from 2025 provides an interesting alternative when paired with 2-piece Husk, offering:

• 2-piece: Increases Elemental Skill DMG by 20%

• 2-piece + 2-piece Husk: Provides a balanced boost to both Itto's normal attacks during burst and his Elemental Skill damage

This combination has become popular for players focused on speedrunning content, where the initial damage from Itto's skill can contribute significantly to clear times.

Conclusion: The Enduring Oni

Arataki Itto's journey from a somewhat niche DPS to the cornerstone of one of Genshin Impact's most consistent team archetypes showcases the game's evolving design philosophy. While elemental reaction teams often steal the spotlight, the raw power and synergy of a well-built Itto comp demonstrates that sometimes, brute force and perfect teamwork can overcome even the most complex combat mechanics.

Whether you're a long-time Itto main or considering investing in the boisterous oni for the first time, 2026 offers the most diverse and powerful team options in his history. From the traditional triple-Geo powerhouse to the more dynamic compositions featuring recent additions like Chiori and Xianyun, Arataki Itto continues to carve his own path through Teyvat—just as the self-proclaimed "number one oni" would have it no other way. 🎸🐂✨