The best builds for Diluc in Genshin Impact

I understand if you want to know how to get Diluc in Genshin Impact. With his luscious red hair, he's one of the most striking characters in the game, as well as one of its best fighters. He runs the Dawn Winery, making him enviably rich, but considering how hard it is to pull him, you might need to be awfully rich, too.

Diluc may be one of Genshin Impact's strongest characters, but his potential could be squandered if you waste a bad build on him. That's why, here, I'll go through Diluc's abilities and suggest some builds to help you make him your party's star DPS fighter.

• Genshin Impact Venti build: Optimise the versatile archer

How to get Diluc in Genshin Impact

Basically, get very, very lucky. Diluc is a five-star character, but as one of the best characters in the game, he's rare even among this top-tier bunch. That said, he is part of the permanent Wanderlust Invocation banner. But it's a bit of double edged sword. 

See, this banner has many five-star characters (Jean, Mona, Qiqi, and Keqing), but also features 14 four-star characters and loads of weapons. All things considered, you have a 0.6 percent chance of getting Diluc, although you are guaranteed a five-star character or weapon after 90 consecutive unsuccessful pulls. And even then, you might not get Diluc. I wish you luck.

Genshin Impact Diluc overview

Assuming you are one of the lucky ones, let's dive into how to use Diluc in combat. Make no mistake; he's not just popular because he's rare. Diluc is the real deal, able to devastate even the strongest of opponents in Genshin Impact.

Diluc is a DPS fighter, with a huge focus on the D. Most of his upgrades increase his damage output. Also, as he upgrades, he is able to tie his Pyro elemental damage to his Normal attacks. This means he is constantly able to set up Pyro chains and cause increased elemental damage as he gets stronger. At higher levels, he unlocks the ability to deal increased damage to enemies above 50%. Compared to many of the 4-star characters, a leveled up Diluc feels a bit like a cheat code.

Normal attack: Tempered Sword 

• Normal Attack: Diluc makes four consecutive non-elemental strikes.
• Charged Attack: Diluc makes continued non-elemental slashes which gradually deplete his Stamina.
• Plunging Attack: Diluc slams down and causes non-elemental AoE damage.

Elemental Skill: Searing Onslaught
Diluc performs a forward slash attack which deals Pyro damage. This attack can be chained together three times. Cooldown will begin either 5 seconds after the first attack, or immediately after the third, depending on which is first.

Elemental Burst: Dawn
Diluc deals immediate Pyro damage that knocks enemies backwards, then summons a phoenix which swoops forwards, causes more Pyro damage, then explodes for—you guessed it—more Pyro damage. After Dawn has been used, Diluc’s Normal attacks cause Pyro damage for a limited time.

Passives

• Relentless: Diluc’s Charged Attack lasts for three seconds longer, and drains Stamina at a 50% rate.
• Blessings Of Phoenix: Diluc’s Normal Attack deals Pyro damage for three seconds after Dawn. All Pyro damage dealt by Diluc increases by 20% during these three seconds.
• Tradition Of The Dawn Knight: 15% Ore refund when crafting Claymores.

Constellations

• Conviction: Diluc deals 15% more damage to all enemies above 50% HP
• Searing Ember: After taking damage, Diluc’s Attack stat increases by 10% and his Speed stat increases by 5% for 10 seconds. This can stack up to three times every 1.5 seconds.
• Steel and Fire: Increases Searing Onslaught’s level by 3.
• Flowing Flame: Sequential Searing Onslaught attacks within two seconds of each other do 40% extra damage.
• Phoenix, Harbinger Of Dawn: Increases Dawn’s level by 3.
• Flaming Sword, Nemesis Of Dark: After using Searing Onslaught, Diluc’s next two Normal Attacks in six seconds have a higher Damage and Speed stat by 30%. Performing Searing Onslaught will not interrupt the Normal Attack combos.

Genshin Impact Diluc build: Example setups

DPS

With some of the other characters, there are different ways to play them (Venti can be Support or Sniper DPS for example), but Diluc is just a DPS fighter. He’s the best in the game at it, and there’s no point building him to be something else, so we’re sticking with maximizing his DPS abilities with these suggested builds.

4-star weapon

Obviously, the 5-star weapons in the game are better than the 4-star weapons, but you’ve already pulled Diluc, so maybe your luck has run out. To that end, it makes sense to help you build the best 4-star weapon Diluc you can, as that’s significantly easier, and still packs a hell of a punch.

• Prototype Aminus - Crush: On hit, Normal or Charged Attacks have a 50% chance to deal an additional 300% Attack Damage to enemies within a small AoE. Can only occur once every 15 seconds.

5-star weapon

If you are lucky enough—or have pumped enough money in—to have your pick of the weapons, you can make Diluc even better. With a 3-star Claymore, he’s still one of the best fighters in the game, but put a 5-star weapon in his hand, and it’s goodnight Hilichurls.

• Wolf’s Gravestone - Wolfish Tracker: Increases Attack by 20%. On hit, attacks against enemies with less than 30% HP increase all party members’ Attack by 40% for 12 seconds. Can only occur once every 30 seconds. 

Artifacts

• Crimson Witch Of Flames Set: 2 parts: 15% extra Pyro damage. 4 parts: 40% extra Overload and Melting damage. Effects caused by Vaporize and Melt have an extra 15% effect. For 10 seconds after using Elemental Burst, your 2 parts set bonus has a 50% boost, for a maximum of three times.
• Gladiator’s Finale Set: 2-parts: 18% extra Attack damage. 4 parts: 35% extra Attack damage for Claymore attacks.

Essentially, Crimson Witch Of Flames makes Diluc a better Pyro fighter, while Gladiator’s Finale makes him better in regular combat. Crimson Witch is the better option, but is also harder to get, so Gladiator’s Finale is a good alternate.