Durin is a 5-star Pyro Sword character in Genshin Impact who works primarily as an off-field Sub-DPS and support. His biggest feature is his ability to switch between two forms, letting him adjust his Elemental Burst for different teams. One form focuses on supporting the party through elemental RES reduction, while the other increases Durin’s own Vaporize and Melt damage.

This flexibility also makes Durin an excellent partner for several Hexerei characters. He doesn’t require a Hexerei team to function, but pairing him with another Hexerei character significantly strengthens the bonuses provided by his passive.

This Genshin Impact Durin build guide covers his forms, best weapons and artifacts, recommended stats, talents, constellations, teams, and how to play him effectively.

How Durin Works in Genshin Impact

Durin’s gameplay revolves around Essential Transmutation, a mechanic attached to his Elemental Skill, Binary Form: Convergence and Division. After activating the Skill, Durin can choose between two follow-up actions to enter either Confirmation of Purity, commonly called White Form, or Denial of Darkness, referred to as Dark Form.

The basic inputs are simple:

Elemental Skill → Elemental Skill: White Form

Elemental Skill → Normal Attack: Dark Form

Entering either state also restores Elemental Energy while Durin is in combat, with the Energy restoration having a six-second cooldown. More importantly, his chosen state changes which version of his Elemental Burst he uses.

This means you generally decide which form Durin needs before casting his Burst, then swap him off the field while the resulting dragon continues attacking enemies.

Durin White Form vs Dark Form

White Form is Durin’s more support-oriented option. His Burst, Principle of Purity: As the Light Shifts, deals three instances of AoE Pyro damage and summons the Dragon of White Flame. The dragon follows the active character and periodically deals AoE Pyro damage.

White Form also activates the supportive side of Light Manifest of the Divine Calculus. Relevant Pyro reactions, including Burning, Overloaded, Pyro Swirl, and Pyro Crystallize, can reduce the enemy’s Pyro RES and the RES of the corresponding element by 20% for six seconds. With Hexerei: Secret Rite active, the effect is increased by 75%, bringing the RES reduction to 35%.

Dark Form instead uses Principle of Darkness: As the Stars Smolder. It summons the Dragon of Dark Decay, which deals stronger single-target Pyro attacks rather than White Form’s AoE-oriented attacks. Durin also gains 40% increased Vaporize and Melt damage. Hexerei: Secret Rite increases this bonus to 70%.

In simple terms, choose White Form when Durin is supporting reaction-based teams through RES reduction, and Dark Form when you want Durin himself to deal stronger Melt or Vaporize damage.

Best Durin Build at a Glance

Durin primarily wants ATK, CRIT, and enough Energy Recharge to use his Burst reliably. A general build looks like this:

• Role: Pyro Sub-DPS / Support
• Best Weapon: Athame Artis
• Best Artifact Set: A Day Carved From Rising Winds
• Sands: ATK%
• Goblet: Pyro DMG Bonus or ATK%
• Circlet: CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG
• Substats: Energy Recharge > CRIT Rate/DMG > ATK% > Elemental Mastery
• Talent Priority: Elemental Burst > Elemental Skill >>> Normal Attack

Aim for roughly 2,000+ ATK, a balanced CRIT ratio, and enough Energy Recharge for your team. Durin can require around 100–150% ER, although his Elemental Skill restores Energy and reduces how much ER he needs as the talent is upgraded. Elemental Mastery becomes more useful when playing him in Melt or Vaporize compositions.

Best Weapons for Durin

Athame Artis is Durin’s signature Sword and his best overall weapon. It supplies CRIT Rate, increases Elemental Burst CRIT DMG, raises Durin’s ATK after his Burst hits, and also buffs the ATK of nearby teammates. Its effects become stronger with Hexerei: Secret Rite, making it particularly effective in the teams Durin naturally favors.

Primordial Jade Cutter is an excellent 5-star alternative. Its large CRIT Rate stat makes building Durin easier, while its passive provides additional ATK based on Max HP. It lacks the team utility of Athame Artis but remains a strong option for personal damage.

For 4-star weapons, Wolf-Fang works well thanks to its CRIT Rate and bonuses to Elemental Skill and Burst damage. Some of its CRIT-related effects aren’t as effective while Durin is off-field, but the weapon still complements the parts of his kit responsible for most of his damage.

For a more accessible option, Finale of the Deep provides plenty of ATK and can work particularly well when the team includes a healer capable of clearing its Bond of Life. It doesn’t offer CRIT, so artifact stats become more important when using it.

Best Artifacts and Stats for Durin

A Day Carved From Rising Winds is Durin’s strongest general option when focusing on his personal damage. Its 2-piece effect provides 18% ATK, while its 4-piece bonus grants additional ATK after hitting an enemy. Once the relevant Witch’s Homework condition is completed, it can also provide 20% CRIT Rate.

Noblesse Oblige is especially useful for a support-focused White Form build. Durin uses his Burst frequently, allowing him to activate the set’s party-wide ATK bonus while still benefiting from increased Burst damage. Avoid using it if another teammate already carries Noblesse Oblige, since the ATK effects don’t stack.

Emblem of Severed Fate is a useful alternative if Durin needs additional Energy Recharge. It also converts ER into Elemental Burst damage, making it a straightforward option for an off-field character whose Burst is central to his rotation.

For main stats, use ATK% Sands, Pyro DMG Bonus or ATK% Goblet, and CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG Circlet. Prioritize enough ER to maintain your rotation before building CRIT and ATK. Elemental Mastery is an additional consideration for reaction-heavy Melt and Vaporize teams.

Durin Talents and Talent Priority

Radiant Wingslash – Normal Attack: Durin performs a standard four-hit Sword sequence, with the usual Charged and Plunging Attacks. Normal Attacks aren’t an important part of his typical off-field role, so this talent can generally remain at a low level.

Binary Form: Convergence and Division – Elemental Skill: This is what controls Durin’s Essential Transmutation. Following the initial Skill with another Skill enters Confirmation of Purity, while following it with a Normal Attack enters Denial of Darkness. Entering either form in combat also restores Elemental Energy, and the amount restored improves with talent investment.

Principle of Purity: As the Light Shifts – Elemental Burst: The Burst changes according to Durin’s current form. White Form summons the AoE-focused Dragon of White Flame, while Dark Form summons the single-target Dragon of Dark Decay. Both continue attacking while another character is active, making Durin an effective off-field damage dealer.

Light Manifest of the Divine Calculus – Ascension Passive: This gives each form its defining bonus. White Form can reduce Pyro RES and the RES of elements involved in supported reactions by 20%, while Dark Form increases Durin’s Melt and Vaporize damage by 40%.

Chaos Formed Like the Night – Ascension Passive: After using his Burst, Durin receives 10 Primordial Fusion stacks for 20 seconds. His dragon consumes a stack when it attacks to increase its damage based on Durin’s ATK, with the additional damage capped at 75%. This is another reason ATK remains valuable in his build.

Ode to Ascension – Passive: Completing the relevant Witch’s Homework makes Durin a Hexerei character. Having at least two Hexerei characters activates Hexerei: Secret Rite, increasing the effects of Light Manifest of the Divine Calculus by 75%.

Echoes of the Surging Earth – Passive: Durin receives 25% more rewards when dispatched on a 20-hour Mondstadt Expedition.

For upgrades, prioritize Elemental Burst > Elemental Skill >>> Normal Attack. His Burst is responsible for his primary off-field damage, while Skill investment also improves his Energy restoration.

Durin Constellations – Which Ones Are Worth Getting?

C1 – Adamah’s Redemption: Casting Durin’s Burst grants 20 stacks of Cycle of Enlightenment. In White Form, teammates consume these stacks to add damage based on Durin’s ATK to their attacks and abilities. Dark Form instead gives the stacks to Durin, strengthening his Elemental Burst damage. C1 is a strong first investment because it improves whichever role you choose for him.

C2 – Unground Visions: For 20 seconds after Durin casts his Burst, triggering supported reactions can give the party a 50% Pyro DMG increase plus a 50% bonus to the corresponding element involved in the reaction for six seconds. This considerably expands Durin’s team-buffing capabilities and makes C2 an excellent stopping point.

C3 – Flame Mirror’s Revelation: Increases Durin’s Elemental Burst level by three. It’s a direct upgrade to the most important talent in his kit.

C4 – Emanare’s Source: Increases Durin’s Elemental Burst damage by 40%. It also gives Cycle of Enlightenment effects a 30% chance not to consume a stack, improving the value of his C1.

C5 – Scouring Flame’s Sundering: Raises Binary Form: Convergence and Division by three levels, improving his Elemental Skill.

C6 – Dual Birth: Durin’s Burst damage ignores 30% of enemy DEF. White Form additionally reduces enemy DEF by 30%, while Dark Form’s Burst and Dragon of Dark Decay gain another 40% DEF ignore. It is a major final upgrade for both his personal damage and White Form’s supporting potential.

For most players investing beyond C0, C2 is the recommended stopping point. C1 is already valuable, while C2 adds an especially powerful party-wide elemental damage buff. C4 and ultimately C6 are options for players who want to invest much more heavily in Durin.

Best Teams for Durin

Durin’s flexibility allows him to support several elemental archetypes, but his form should match the reaction the team wants to use.

For Melt, a strong example is Lohen, Durin, Nicole, and Citlali. Lohen handles the on-field Cryo damage while Durin supplies off-field Pyro and Nicole strengthens the Hexerei core. This is also an example where Durin can use Dark Form to take advantage of his enhanced Melt damage.

For Overload, Durin can pair with a Pyro or Electro DPS alongside characters such as Fischl and Chevreuse. White Form is particularly valuable here because Overloaded can trigger Durin’s RES reduction.

Durin also fits Burning and Burnmelt teams thanks to his off-field Pyro application and interaction with Burning. Characters such as Emilie can provide substantial off-field damage while Durin supports the reaction and contributes his own attacks.

Finally, Durin and Nicole form an especially flexible Hexerei support core. They can be paired with compatible Hexerei DPS characters such as Lohen, Venti, Varka, or Klee, depending on the reaction and damage type you want to build around.

How to Play Durin

Durin’s basic rotation is much simpler than his talent descriptions initially suggest. Set up your other supports, bring Durin onto the field, select the appropriate form, cast his Burst, and switch to your main on-field character.

For White Form, use:

Elemental Skill → Elemental Skill → Elemental Burst → Swap

For Dark Form, use:

Elemental Skill → Normal Attack → Elemental Burst → Swap

White Form is generally the better choice when Durin’s purpose is supporting Overload, Burning, Pyro Swirl, or Pyro Crystallize teams through RES reduction. Dark Form is the offensive choice when Durin can personally trigger Melt or Vaporize.

His Burst remains active after swapping, so there is little reason to keep Durin on the field unless a specific composition calls for it. Focus instead on choosing the correct form and maintaining enough Energy to repeat the rotation consistently.

Durin stands out because one build can serve several different teams. White Form turns him into a flexible off-field support capable of reducing enemy resistances, while Dark Form lets him focus more heavily on his own reaction damage. His Elemental Burst should receive the most investment, and ATK, CRIT, and sufficient Energy Recharge form the basis of a reliable build.

You can also play Genshin Impact on PC with BlueStacks for a larger screen and customizable keyboard and mouse controls. This can make managing character swaps, abilities, and rotations more comfortable, especially when running teams where Durin needs to quickly select his form before casting his Burst.

Keep progressing in Genshin Impact with our other in-depth guides:

• Genshin Impact – Jahoda Complete Build Guide
• Genshin Impact Yun Jin Build Guide – Best Weapons, Artifacts, and Teams
• Genshin Impact Amber Guide – Best Builds and Teams