Pyro and protects Mondstadt as the “Darknight Hero.” His story is not only about personal growth but also reflects the eternal struggle between freedom and order in Mondstadt.
Diluc’s Role and Character Positioning
On the surface, he appears as a suave nobleman, controlling half of Mondstadt’s wine industry and running the Dawn Winery with the motto “Never Forget the Beginning.” The people of Mondstadt even jokingly call him “married to his business.” However, his true identity is that of a guardian in the shadows of Mondstadt — after the Knights of Favonius fell into corruption following his father’s death, he chose to leave the order and fight alone as the “Darknight Hero,” opposing the Abyss Order and the Fatui’s sinister plots.
This dual identity allows Diluc to serve multiple narrative functions in the story. . For example, in the “Lion Cub Chapter,” he anonymously sponsors the Wine and Song Festival while secretly investigating the Abyss Order’s movements; in the “Song of the Ballad Chapter,” he works as a bartender eavesdropping on conversations between the Traveler and Kaeya, revealing his deep concern over Mondstadt’s political situation. This intertwining of light and shadow in storytelling elevates Diluc beyond a traditional damage dealer, making him a symbol of Mondstadt’s spirit of freedom.
Diluc’s Initial Release and Player Feedback
Diluc’s debut is widely regarded as a “phenomenal character” during Genshin Impact’s launch period, and Diluc merch was also extremely popular. As the first five-star Pyro claymore user, he quickly became players’ go-to “early-game powerhouse” thanks to his mechanic of “Pyro application plus high-multiplier normal attacks.” According to data from MiHoYo’s community platform in 2022, Diluc’s ownership rate reached as high as 67% within the first three months after launch. His signature weapon, Wolf’s Gravestone, was even jokingly called “Diluc’s exclusive toy” by players.
On one hand, his skill design has a notable drawback of “long downtime”—his Elemental Skill, Searing Onslaught, can release three strikes but then enters cooldown if used consecutively, causing breaks in damage rhythm. On the other hand, his Elemental Burst, Dawn, has relatively low damage multipliers and a short Pyro infusion duration, making it less effective in high-intensity Spiral Abyss content. Criticism of his “outdated mechanics” peaked after Hu Tao’s rerun in 2023, with some players even labeling Diluc as a “retired meta character.”
Despite this, Diluc has consistently maintained a strong “nostalgia factor” within the player community. For example, in the 2024 MiHoYo character poll, he was nominated as the “Most Charismatic Villain” under his “Darknight Hero” persona. In creative works on Bilibili, his “red hair ponytail” look earned him the playful nickname “Mondstadt’s Pyro God.” This divide between his gameplay strength and emotional appeal perfectly reflects Diluc’s unique charm as a character.
Diluc’s Constellations and Weapon Choices
Diluc’s constellation design is considered one of the most “beginner-friendly” cases in Genshin Impact. The core constellations focus on levels 1, 4, and 6: C1 “Sinsliced Verdict” increases damage against enemies with high HP, C4 “Flaming Sword: Fiery Might” optimizes the Elemental Skill’s rotation, and C6 “Flaming Sword: Cleansing Darkness” directly boosts Normal and Charged Attack damage. This “gradual strengthening” design allows even a constellation-free Diluc to function as a main DPS, while a fully unlocked constellation makes him a top-tier T1 character.
Regarding weapon choices, Diluc presents a mix of “five-star signature weapons and four-star versatile options.” Among five-star weapons, Wolf’s Gravestone remains the best-in-slot due to its high base attack and attack bonus, while Skyward Pride improves burst uptime with its Energy Recharge, making it suitable for quick-swap teams. Among four-star weapons, The Bell is the cost-effective king, offering critical rate and damage bonuses, and Prototype Archaic, easy to craft, is the preferred transitional choice for new players.
It’s important to note that Diluc’s weapon choice should synergize with artifact sets. For example, when equipped with Wolf’s Gravestone, the “Crimson Witch of Flames” four-piece set is prioritized to boost Pyro damage; when using The Bell, a balanced “2 Noblesse Oblige. This “weapon-artifact synergy” further enhances Diluc’s depth in development.
Character Strength and Development
Although Diluc’s strength has been debated, his performance in specific environments remains significant. For example, in the Abyss meta as of December 2024, the Diluc + Xingqiu + Bennett + Zhongli “Vaporize team” ranks in the T0 tier with a 98% clear rate.
For development, Diluc follows the artifact principle of “Attack Sandglass + Pyro Damage Goblet + Crit Rate/Crit Damage Circlet.” Substats priority is “Crit Rate > Crit Damage > Attack % > Elemental Mastery.” Talent leveling should prioritize maxing Elemental Skill and Burst, with Normal Attacks optionally leveled to 8. In team compositions, besides the traditional “Vaporize team,” players can try a “pure Pyro team” with Diluc + Kazuha + Xiangling + Bennett, where Kazuha’s resistance reduction and damage boost raise Diluc’s output ceiling.
It is worth noting that Diluc’s cultivation requires balancing “resource investment” and “return ratio.” For new players, it’s recommended to level him up to level 80 with “The Bell + Crimson Witch” as a transitional setup; for veteran players, full constellation and signature weapon unlocks can transform the character’s potential. This “tiered cultivation” strategy allows Diluc to meet both beginner early-game needs and provide depth for advanced players to explore.
