Alexis Kestler
Genshin Impact‘s latest 3.3 update introduced an exciting new gameplay mode – the Genius Invokation Trading Card Game (TCG). This highly anticipated game within a game allows you to collect character cards, build customized decks, and battle opponents in turn-based card battles.
Unlocking Genius Invokation TCG requires reaching Adventure Rank 32 and completing the Archon Quest "Song of the Dragon and Freedom." Once unlocked, you can access the mode through the Casket of Tomes item in your Inventory.
When first starting out, you’ll be presented with various challenges that reward you for completing deckbuilding milestones. One such challenge requires you to create two valid decks within your Casket of Tomes.
In this guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to build your first two legal decks for Genius Invokation TCG.
What Makes a Valid Deck in Genshin Impact TCG?
Before we dive into constructing decks, let’s first go over what’s required for a deck to be considered valid and legal for matches:
- Must contain exactly 3 Character Cards
- Must contain exactly 30 Playable Cards
- Cannot contain any Unplayable Cards
Character Cards represent the playable characters in your team. Each deck can have up to 3 Characters.
Playable Cards make up the rest of your deck and include Follower Cards, Spell Cards, and Token Cards. You‘ll need 30 Playable Cards in total.
Unplayable Cards are cards that cannot be included in your deck. This includes Memorial Cards and Leader Cards. Adding one will invalidate your deck.
With these rules in mind, let‘s look at how to build two legal decks from scratch.
Step 1: Create a New Deck
Open your Inventory and select the Casket of Tomes item. This will bring you to the TCG deck manager.
Select "Create New Deck" to begin constructing your first valid deck.
You‘ll first need to give your new deck a name. Be creative and come up with something cool!
Once named, you can start adding cards.
Step 2: Add 3 Character Cards
Every valid deck needs exactly 3 Character Cards. These will represent the playable characters on your team.
Browse through your collection and select 3 Characters to include. For your first deck, I recommend going with:
- Kamisato Ayaka (Cryo)
- Klee (Pyro)
- Sangonomiya Kokomi (Hydro)
This gives you a mix of elements and playstyles to work with.
Once you‘ve chosen your 3 Characters, it‘s time to fill out the rest of the 30 required cards.
Step 3: Add 30 Playable Cards
After picking Characters, you‘ll need to add 30 additional Playable Cards to meet the deck requirements.
Playable Cards consist of Followers, Spells, and Tokens. When just starting out, I recommend focusing on Follower cards of various elements and costs.
Here are some solid choices for beginners:
Followers
- Pyro Agent
- Cryo Agent
- Hydro Agent
- Electro Agent
- Anemo Agent
- Geo Agent
- Dendro Slime
- Various 2-4 cost minions
Spells
- Elemental Burst
- Elemental Skill
- Quicken
Tokens
- Jumpy Dumpty
- Baron Bunny
- Guoba
Mix and match to build a curve while ensuring you have cards to combo with your Characters. Avoid adding too many high cost cards early on.
Once you have 3 Characters and 30 Playable cards, your first deck is complete! Select "Save" to finalize it.
Step 4: Build and Save Your Second Deck
Now that you have one valid deck completed, it‘s time to construct and save your second deck for the challenge.
Building another deck is easy. Simply follow the same steps:
- Create new deck
- Pick 3 Characters
- Add 30 Playable cards
- Save deck
For your second deck, try using different Characters and elements than your first one. Experiment with new combinations and card synergies.
Here‘s an example second deck:
Characters
- Diluc (Pyro)
- Mona (Hydro)
- Jean (Anemo)
Once you have two legal decks saved, you can move on to playtesting and refining them further. But first, don‘t forget to…
Step 5: Claim Your Reward
With 2 completed decks, you can now claim the reward for the "Build 2 valid decks" challenge.
Open your Casket of Tomes and select the "Challenges" tab. Find the relevant challenge and press "Claim" to obtain your 500 Lucky Coins!
Lucky Coins are used to purchase items in the Cat‘s Tail card shop, so make sure to grab your reward.
Common Deckbuilding Mistakes
When constructing your first decks, there are some common mistakes to avoid:
- Using more or less than 3 Character Cards
- Having more or less than 30 total Playable Cards
- Accidentally adding Unplayable Cards like Memorial or Leader cards
- Including too many high-cost cards and not having a smooth mana curve
If you receive an error like "Contains unplayable card(s)" your deck is invalid. Check it thoroughly and remove any illegal cards.
Following the guidelines carefully will ensure your decks are tournament legal right off the bat.
How to Obtain More Cards for Deckbuilding
Once you have your first couple decks built, you‘ll want to expand your collection with more cards for customization. Here are some ways to get cards:
- Complete your daily and weekly challenges
- Participate in combat challenges like Violet Court
- Open card packs from quest rewards
- Purchase cards from the Cat‘s Tail shop using Lucky Coins
- Obtain cards from limited-time events
- Acquire Memorial Cards from character hangout quests
- Pull from Wanderlust Invocation banner using Primogems
Building up a sizable card collection will give you many options when constructing new decks.
Crafting Unique Decks vs Modifying Starters
When designing more decks, you have two main approaches:
-
Start from scratch and craft something completely original. This offers the most customization but requires extensive knowledge of all available cards in order to build successfully.
-
Tweak existing starter decks provided by the game. These decks already have solid foundations but benefit greatly from swapping in different cards to personalize them.
Both methods are viable. As a new player, modifying starter decks can help you ease into deckbuilding while also allowing you to put your own spin on things.
Don‘t be afraid to experiment frequently to determine what cards and combos gel well together. Pay attention to elemental synergies, mana curves, and card effects that combine powerfully.
Playtesting and Perfecting Your Decks
Once built, it‘s crucial to test out your decks through real matches. This will provide invaluable insight into the strengths and weaknesses of your design.
Play against the AI to get a feel for how your deck performs. Take note of any issues with consistency, card draw, survivability, or damage output.
As you acquire more cards, don‘t hesitate to iterate by swapping underperforming cards for better options. With sufficient playtesting and tuning, you can optimize your decks.
Playing against human opponents is fantastic for gathering feedback. Fellow players can point out flaws you may have overlooked or provide suggestions for improvement. A thriving TCG scene thrives on community collaboration.
Additional Resources for Deckbuilding
To take your deckbuilding to the next level, leverage these useful resources from the Genshin Impact community:
- Official Guide – Complete deckbuilding walkthrough for beginners
- TCG Wiki – Database of all cards with search filters
- Twitch Streamers – Watch experienced deck crafters experiment live
- Discord Groups – Discuss strategy and get feedback from other enthusiasts
- YouTube Channels – Gameplay videos and deck guide from top content creators
- Metabuff – Deck tier lists and matchup statistics
Learning from TCG veterans will provide instrumental insight into mastering deck construction. Studying the card meta and analytics tools gives you a competitive edge.
The Genius Invokation TCG community is passionate and engaged. Tap into it to improve your skills.
Conclusion
And with that, you now have the fundamental knowledge needed to start constructing legal, playable decks for Genius Invokation.
The key requirements to remember are:
- 3 Character Cards
- 30 Playable Cards (Followers, Spells, Tokens)
- 0 Unplayable Cards
Armed with these deckbuilding rules, you can now earn rewards by completing more new player challenges.
Furthermore, you have a solid base from which to craft an unlimited number of creative, optimized decks catered to your personal playstyle. Experimentation and iteration will lead to mastery.
Now get out there, collect some cards, build awesome decks, and dominate the Card Tables of Teyvat! Let me know if you have any other Genshin Impact TCG questions. Enjoy!
