Durin Guide: The Definitive Build & Analysis

Rarity	(5-Star)
Element	Pyro
Weapon	Sword
Best Role	Off-Field Sub-DPS / Resistance Buffer
CV Priority	CRIT > ATK% (to 2500) > ER > EM
Tier	S (Meta Support)

Durin is a Pyro Sword user who excels at flexible Off-Field damage. Unlike traditional supports like Xiangling, Durin features a unique Dual Form mechanic that allows him to switch between a Support Role (Light Form) and a selfish DPS Role (Dark Form) depending on your team's needs.

Quick Guide (TL;DR)

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

Best Artifact: 4pc Noblesse Oblige (Support) or 4pc Crimson Witch (Vape DPS).
Best Weapon: Athame Artis (Signature) or Freedom-Sworn.
F2P Weapon: Wolf-Fang (BP) or Finale of the Deep (Craftable).
Main Stats: SANDS: ATK% | GOBLET: Pyro DMG | CIRCLET: CRIT Rate/DMG.
Talent Priority: Elemental Skill > Burst > Normal Attack.
Top Team: Durin + Neuvillette + Furina + Kazuha.

Pro Tip: Durin has an ATK Threshold of 2500. Reaching this maximizes his passive buffs. If you are below this, consider an ATK% Goblet over Pyro DMG.

Talent Breakdown & Mechanics

Normal Attack: Flamewing Cleave

Usage: Rarely used unless playing "Dark Form" on-field driver style.
Mechanic: Standard 4-strike combo. Used as a trigger to enter Dark Form (see Skill).

Elemental Skill: Binary Formula (The Core Mechanic)

Function: Enters "Essential Transmutation". You must choose a form immediately after casting:
- Tap Skill again (Light Form): Enters "Affirmation of Whitening". Summons Whiteflame Dragon. Deals AoE Pyro & shreds Enemy RES. Best for Support.
- Tap Attack (Dark Form): Enters "Negation of Darkness". Summons Dark Decay Dragon. Deals high Single-Target DMG & buffs own Vaporize/Melt. Best for Personal DPS.
The "Gotcha": Do not button mash! If you accidentally Normal Attack after E, you lock yourself into Dark Form and lose the team buffs.

Elemental Burst: Whitening Law / Smoldering Stars

Cost: 60 Energy | Cooldown: 15s
Analysis: The Burst effect changes based on your current form (Light vs Dark). It snapshots buffs on cast, so ensure Bennett's circle is active before pressing Q.

Talent Priority Order:

Elemental Skill (Level 9+) - The source of his scaling.
Elemental Burst (Level 8) - Good nuke damage.
Normal Attack (Level 1 - Safe to ignore for Support).

Stat Requirements & ER Thresholds

Building Durin requires hitting his 2500 ATK passive requirement first, then balancing CRIT and ER.

Team Context	ER Requirement
Solo Pyro (Off-Field)	160% - 180%
Double Pyro (e.g. w/ Bennett)	130% - 140%
With Raiden Shogun	110% - 120%

Substat Priority:

ATK% (Until 2500 Total ATK)
CRIT Rate / DMG (1:2 Ratio)
Energy Recharge (Until requirement met)
Elemental Mastery (Only for Vape/Melt teams)

Best Artifacts Comparison

Set Name	Recommendation	Reasoning
4pc Noblesse Oblige	Best for Support	Maximizes his team buffing potential. Essential for teams where Durin is the sole buffer.
4pc Crimson Witch	Best for Damage	Superior if you are vaporizing his hits (e.g. with Neuvillette).
4pc Emblem of Severed Fate	Comfort Pick	Solves ER issues easily, but lower damage ceiling than Crimson.

Weapon Rankings

Weapon	Rank	Performance	Description
Athame Artis	S+	100%	Signature. Massive CRIT Rate and grants Team ATK buff based on Burst hits.
Freedom-Sworn	S	92%	Excellent support utility. High EM is wasted on Mono-Pyro but great for Vape.
Wolf-Fang (R5)	A+	88%	Strongest 4-star for personal damage. CRIT Rate passive is valuable.
Finale of the Deep	A	80%	Fontaine Craftable. High ATK% stat stick that helps reach the 2500 threshold.

Constellation Value

Is Durin worth investing beyond C0?

C1: Bringer of Blessing - (High Value) Removes the cooldown restriction on generating energy in Light Form. Makes rotations much smoother.
C2: Plum Blossoms Underfoot - (DPS Spike) Increases the damage of the "Whiteflame Dragon" coordinated attacks by 40%.
C6: Evil-Daunting Roar - (Whale Bait) Allows Durin to maintain both Light and Dark buffs simultaneously.

Verdict: Durin is complete at C0. C1 is a great quality-of-life upgrade for comfort.

Top Team Compositions

1. The "Hydro Dragon" Core (Vaporize)

Main DPS: Neuvillette / Mualani
Sub-DPS: Durin (Light Form)
Buffer: Furina
Sustain: Kazuha / Xilonen

Why it works: Durin provides consistent off-field Pyro application (no Circle Impact!) allowing Neuvillette to trigger Vaporize consistently. His RES shred from Light Form stacks with VV/Xilonen.

2. The Hexenzirkel Synergy (Mono-Pyro / Theme)

Main DPS: Klee / Arlecchino
Sub-DPS: Durin
Utility: Albedo / Mona
Healer: Bennett

Why it works: Version 6.2 introduced the "Hexerei" buff. Using Durin with other Hexenzirkel-related characters (Klee, Albedo, Mona) grants additional party-wide stats.

Rotations & Combos

Support Rotation (Light Form):
Support E Q > Durin E > TAP E (Enter Light) > Durin Q > Main DPS Combo

DPS Rotation (Dark Form):
Supports Setup > Durin E > TAP Normal Attack (Enter Dark) > Durin Q > N3C Spam

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Durin replace Xiangling?
Yes, specifically in teams that struggle with Energy (like Mualani/Navia teams). Durin has lower ER requirements but slightly lower raw damage ceiling than C6 Xiangling.

Does Durin work with Kinich?
Yes, Durin is an excellent Burning/Burgeon trigger for Kinich, providing consistent Pyro from range.

Data Source: Based on Version 6.2 Beta Values. Last Updated: December 2025

Genshin Impact. Durin Guide: The Definitive Build & Analysis