A member of the Ragnvindr clan, the former cavalry captain of the Knights of Favonius, and the current owner of Mondstadt’s Dawn Winery – Diluc is one of the standard 5-star characters in Genshin Impact. Some people call Standard 5-star characters “pity-ruiner” or “off-banners”, whatever the case, you’re likely to pull one of these characters when you are wishing on the featured character banner. If you have a Diluc, be it from the character banner or the standard banner, you’d want to build and use him as a DPS, and this list will help you choose what build you should run on him. 

If you’re on the earlier part of the game, you may mix-and-match any artifact that may boost Diluc’s offensive stats, examples of these are the Gladiator’ Finale, Brave Heart, Resolution of the Sojourner, and Berserker. However, if you are above Adventure Rank 45, the artifact set that works best for Diluc is the Crimson Witch of Flames. People have been experimenting with other artifact sets but the Crimson Witch of Flames is the only one suited for his kit.

The list below will talk about the top 5 weapons that you may use for him. The list is based on my and my friend’s opinion and experience with a little help from other people’s thoughts that are available through the internet. A weapon’s passive plays a big role in how this list is made, hence the “ties” in this list.

5. Prototype Archaic

Diluc showing everyone his potential using Prototype Archaic

One of the best free-to-play options when it comes to weapons for Diluc is the Prototype Archaic, formerly known as Prototype Aminus. A weapon that is obtainable by spending minimal resources while being capable of dealing great damage at the same time.

What Prototype Archaic Excels in:

• Free-to-play and obtainable through crafting.
• Has a chance to deal additional physical damage in an AoE.
• Has an Attack sub stat.

Prototype Archaic Gives Diluc 565 Base Attack, a little higher compared to other claymore weapons. The attack this weapon offers also gives a 27.6% attack at the max level from its sub stat. Which, from the weapon itself gives you a total of 720 attack stats. The weapon’s passive is quite straightforward which gives you the ability to produce a small AoE when attacking. The AoE produced deals 240% to 480% of your attack stat depending on the weapon’s refinement rank.

The great thing about this weapon is that it serves a general-purpose and is good for almost all other claymore users. If you choose to use this weapon for Diluc, you may have to aim for slightly great rolls to gain a good critical ratio. However, since Diluc gains crit rate for his ascensions, you may have an easier time farming for artifacts.

Build Details:

• Having a weapon that gives no crit-stats will make artifact farming hard, but this weapon’s base attack compensates that loss.
• For artifacts, the usual Attack Percentage main-stat for Sands and Physical Damage Bonus main-stat for Goblet are recommended. You’d also want to have as many crit-sub-stats as possible.
• For Diluc’s Circlet, the easiest option is to go with Crit-damage main-stat due to his ascension passive stat bonus. Achieving 1:2 or 1:3 crit-stat ratio is an amazing feat and will turn your Diluc into a Pyro damage-dealing monster.

4. Serpent Spine

Diluc melts his enemies using Serpent Spine

The Serpent Spine is a low-spender weapon choice for Diluc and is obtainable by reaching a certain level on the paid battle pass.

What Serpent Spine Excels in:

• Easily obtained through the paid Battle Pass.
• The passive increases damage dealt and scales with the amount of time Diluc spent on the field.
• Gives crit rate sub stat

Serpent Spine is one of the few claymores that offer crit stats from its sub-stats. However, its sub stat cannot save this weapon from its bad reputation due to its passive which decreases your character’s defense based on how long they stay on the field. Despite that, people still used Serpent Spine on Diluc and found out that it helps Diluc deal heavy damage and that the defense decrease is negligible when you have someone who generates shields on your party, examples of which are Zhongli, Noelle, and Diona.

As mentioned, people refuse to use this weapon due to its defense-decreasing passive. What people fail to see is that the increase the equipped character receives is far greater than the defense he/she loses. Not to mention the fact that the increase in damage is further boosted through refinement from 6% per stack at refinement rank 1 and 10% per stack at refinement rank 5, and the defense decrease will be further trimmed down from 3% per stack at refinement rank 1 to 2% per stack at refinement rank 5.

The passive’s stacks are gained every 4 seconds. This weapon gives an average amount of base attack which is 510, and a 27.6% crit rate sub stat. Serpent Spine being the only weapon to give crit rate sub-stats is one of the things that makes it a great weapon of choice, but the requirement to compensate the defense-decreasing passive is the reason why it fell short below the next weapon.

Build Details:

• Given that Diluc’s Ascension passive stat gives him additional crit-rate, you’d probably want to go with Crit-damage circlet to maximize his damage.
• For other artifacts, the usual Attack Percentage main-stat for Sands and Physical Damage Bonus main-stat for Goblet are recommended. You’d also want to have as many crit-sub-stats as possible.
• Try to reach at least 1:2 or 1:3 crit-stats ratio in order to  deal a consistent amount of damage. 

3. Blackcliff Slasher

Diluc slashes his opponents with the Blackcliff Slasher

If you are someone who wants to achieve a “cosplay” look for Diluc but doesn’t want to spend a lot of Primogems and real-life money on the game while still dealing great damage, Blackcliff Slasher might be the weapon you are looking for.

What Blackcliff Slasher Excels in:

• Obtainable by spending Masterless Starglitters.
• Gives Crit Damage sub-stat.
• Enhances attack stat based on how many opponents have been defeated.
• Somehow suits Diluc’s appearance.

Similar to the Serpent Spine, Blackcliff Slasher is also quite underrated within the community due to its passive. Although its passive seems great because it gives you 12% attack at refinement rank 1 and 24% attack whenever you kill an enemy and it stacks up to 3 times. The main concern lies whenever this weapon is used on floors 11 and 12 of the Spiral Abyss, which contains only 3 or fewer enemies with massive HP bars. In this case, Blackcliff Slasher’s passive will be somehow useless with mobs of that level.

With that in mind, there are still people, including me, who use this weapon for Diluc. He still deals a huge amount of damage even without the passive because this weapon gives a 510 base attack stat and 55.1% critical damage sub stat, which is great for Diluc since he has a crit rate ascension stat passive. This means even if you are a bit unlucky with your artifact rolls, you may still be able to achieve a good crit rate and crit damage ratio when you use this weapon, and because of that and this weapon’s accessibility, Blackcliff Slasher placed in our third spot.

Build Details:

• If you want to have an easy time farming, you’d probably want to use a Crit-rate Circlet if you are using this weapon to balance out the crit-stats. However, if you want to go for a Crit-damage Circlet, you better pray to the Archons to give you godly artifact rolls.
• At Least 50% crit-rate is recommended in order to deal consistent damage, there’s no limit to how much crit-damage you should have, but keep in mind that having higher chance of dealing crits ensures you a great damage output.

2. Skyward Pride/ The Unforged

Diluc pridefully crushing his enemies using Skyward Pride

Skyward Pride is a Standard 5-star weapon that will give Diluc a huge amount of base attack and energy recharge, as well as a bit of damage boost.

What Skyward Pride Excels in:

• Has a high base attack.
• Gives Energy Recharge.
• Enhances attack stat further through the passive.
• Casting Elemental Burst gives bonus damage through vacuum blades.

The odds of having this weapon are quite low since it doesn’t usually appear as a rate-up on the character banner, but if you are one of the people to get their hands on Skyward Pride, you may (or may not) consider yourself lucky. This weapon increases all of the damage you deal by 8% at refinement rank 1 and 16% at refinement rank 5. It also has the second-highest base attack among all claymore weapons which is 674, only second to the Song of Broken Pines which is at 741.

Skyward Pride also boosts Diluc’s  Energy Recharge by 36.8%. Some people dislike the idea of increasing Diluc’s Energy Recharge because it lessens the amount of damage that Diluc may deal. As someone who used the Skyward Pride for Diluc for about 5 months, I can say that this is not the case and it all boils down to how much luck you have on your artifact rolls. Being able to cast Elemental Burst after just one cycle of Diluc’s Elemental Skill is great since his weapon will be infused with the Pyro most of the time.

Another thing that this weapon’s passive gives Diluc is the vacuum blades that it produces after casting an elemental burst. The blades deal 80% to 160% physical damage based on the refinement rank of the weapon. I believe this part of the passive is much more needed by Eula and for that reason, I decided to give Skyward Pride to Eula and have Diluc equipped with Blackcliff Slasher. I must also add that my artifact rolls are pretty bad when I’m using this weapon on Diluc.

Build Details:

• As mentioned before, having a weapon that gives no crit-stats will make artifact farming hard, but this weapon’s base attack compensates that loss.
• For artifacts, the usual Attack Percentage main-stat for Sands and Physical Damage Bonus main-stat for Goblet are recommended. You’d also want to have as many crit-sub-stats as possible.
• For Diluc’s Circlet, the easiest option is to go with Crit-damage main-stat due to his ascension passive stat bonus. Achieving 1:2 or 1:3 crit-stat ratio is an amazing feat and will turn your Diluc into a Pyro damage-dealing monster.

Diluc smashing the life out of the Primo Geovishap using The Unforged

The Unforged is also a great weapon for Diluc, giving him a huge attack boost, which will be further boosted when protected by a shield. However, this weapon is quite rare. If you happen to have this weapon in your inventory, you might consider using it.

What The Unforged Excels in:

• Has a high base attack.
• Gives additional Attack through sub stat.
• Increases attack further on-hit and when protected by a shield.

The Unforged was last seen during patch 1.1 accompanying Zhongli’s banner. For this reason, only a few people can get their hands on this weapon. This weapon is most usable in fights where you are protected by a shield, like in the Spiral Abyss, because it increases your shield strength by 20% to 40% depending on what refinement rank the weapon has. The Unforged also boosts the user’s attack by 4% at refinement rank 1 and 8% at refinement rank 5. This weapon stacks up to five times and one stack is gained every time an enemy is hit by an attack. 

The attack boost is further increased by 100% when the user is protected by a shield. This is why some people think that The Unforged is better than Wolf’s Gravestone. These two weapons are being compared since they have the same 608 base attack and the same sub stat which is 49.6% attack at level 90. However, this weapon was only placed on the number 2 spot because of its rarity and low availability.     

Build Details:

• Like Skyward Pride and Prototype Archaic, farming for artifacts with this weapon will be quite hard, but the Attack stats that this weapon will provide you will help you a lot.
• For artifacts, the usual Attack Percentage main-stat for Sands and Physical Damage Bonus main-stat for Goblet are recommended. You’d also want to have as many crit-sub-stats as possible.
• For his Circlet, you’d have to choose between a Crit-damage or a Crit-rate main-stat with the sub-stat of the other. The easiest option is to go with Crit-damage main-stat due to Diluc’s ascension passive stat bonus. 
• Try to have at least one good shielder like Zhongli, Diona, or Noelle to maximize this weapon’s passive.

1. Wolf’s Gravestone

Diluc obliterates every enemy using the Wolf's Gravestone

Blackcliff Slasher was a budget “cosplay” Diluc weapon, but if you’re ready to spend some Primogems and real-life money or have this weapon lying around somewhere in your inventory, Wolf’s Gravestone is the best-looking weapon for Diluc and is also the one that he will benefit the most from.

What Wolf’s Gravestone Excels in:

• Has a high base attack.
• Gives bonus attack stats through sub-stat.
• Enhances attack stat on hit.
• Increases attack further when attacking an enemy with low health.

Wolf’s Gravestone is a Standard 5-star weapon, similar to the Skyward Pride. This weapon was a rate-up weapon together with the Staff of Homa, on which a lot of people spent their money. That’s why I believe that a lot of people have this weapon in their inventory. As mentioned earlier, this weapon has the same attributes as The Unforged which is 608 base attacks and 49.6% attack sub stat. 

The amazing thing about this weapon is that aside from its attack sub stat, it also increases the user’s attack by 20% at refinement rank 1 and 40% at refinement rank 5. Not only that but hitting opponents with below 30% also increases the user’s attack by 40% at refinement rank 1 up to 80% at refinement rank 5, this has a 12-second duration and a 30-second cooldown. 

The mentioned passive syncs well with Diluc’s Constellation 1 passive. Which boosts his damage output by 15% when attacking an enemy above 50% health. Meaning Diluc will almost have an attack boost every time. In conclusion, Wolf’s Gravestone gives Diluc a lot of attack boost. It is also available at every weapon banner since it is a Standard 5-star weapon, which is why it is still better than The Unforged, and other claymores in this list. 

Build Details:

• Weapons with Attack Percentage sub-stats are generally good for all characters but lack the crit-stats that most DPS need. Nevertheless, Wolf’s Gravestone will give Diluc a huge attack stat boost.
• For artifacts, the usual Attack Percentage main-stat for Sands and Physical Damage Bonus main-stat for Goblet are recommended. You’d also want to have as many crit-sub-stats as possible.
• For his Circlet, the easiest option is to go with Crit-damage main-stat due to Diluc’s ascension passive stat bonus. 

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