Luna III (Version 6.2) is one of those patches where skipping everything is difficult. Two of the strongest supports in the game share the stage with a freshly overhauled archon and a still‑relevant Electro carry. With primogems tight and Columbina looming in Version 6.3, pull order matters.
Luna III banner overview
| Phase | Banners | Featured 5★ characters | Notable 4★ | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Rubedo of White Stone Born / Ballad in Goblets | Durin (new), Venti (rerun) | Jahoda (new) | Dec 3 – Dec 23, 2025 |
| Phase 2 | Cornucopia of Contention / Forgefire's Blessing | Varesa (rerun), Xilonen (rerun) | Standard pool | Dec 23, 2025 – Jan 13, 2026 |
All four 5★ units are strong. The question is not “who is bad,” but “who gives the largest upgrade for the average account right now, and who is safer to delay.”
Luna III pull priority (quick ranking)
| Rank | Character | Role | Why they are placed here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durin | Pyro sub‑DPS / support | Best new Pyro enabler, huge RES shred or Melt/Vape buff, flexible teams now and strong Hexerei scaling later. |
| 2 | Xilonen | Universal Geo support | Top‑tier “plug‑in” support: damage buffs, RES shred, shielding, healing; slots into nearly any team. |
| 3 | Venti | Anemo DPS / CC support | Reworked into a real DPS with powerful Hexerei buffs, still the strongest small‑mob grouper. |
| 4 | Varesa | Electro plunging DPS | Top‑end damage and low‑investment teams, but more narrow and easier to replace if you are saving for Columbina. |
That ranking assumes a typical account that:
- Wants at least one strong, future‑proof support.
- Is not already stacked with every meta DPS and universal buffer.
- Is at least considering saving for Columbina in Version 6.3.
If you are a dedicated main of one of these elements or teams, you may reasonably shuffle the order; those nuances are called out under each character.
Durin: the new Pyro backbone
Durin is the headline of Luna III for a reason. He is a 5★ Pyro sword user built around a dual‑stance kit and the Hexerei (Arcane Amplification) system.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Element / weapon | Pyro sword, 5★ |
| Primary role | Off‑field Pyro sub‑DPS and reaction enabler; can be converted to on‑field DPS with buffs |
| Key mechanic | Two “modes” accessed through his Elemental Skill: White state (support) and Black state (Melt/Vape damage) |
| Hexerei interaction | With two Hexerei members, his Burst gains a large damage bonus in both modes |
| RES shred / buffs | White state: Pyro + co‑element RES reduction for non‑Melt/Vape reactions; Black state: Melt/Vape damage bonus |
In practice, that means Durin can be built in two ways:
- White state support: You use him as an off‑field Pyro aura and broad RES shredder for reaction teams like Overload, Burning, or Geo/Crystallize. This is closer to the “universal Pyro Bennett replacement” fantasy, without the hard ATK buff dependency.
- Black state reaction driver: You park him in teams that funnel big single‑target Melt or Vaporize hits into him, leveraging his Melt/Vape bonus and strong Burst for boss phases.
He also has unusually strong self‑batterying: pressing his Skill restores a large chunk of his own Energy, which makes him comfortable in Stygian Onslaught and other no‑energy starts.
When Durin is worth pulling
| Pull if… | Reason |
|---|---|
| Your account lacks a modern Pyro enabler or RES shredder. | He can replace Xiangling / Pyro Traveler in many off‑field Pyro slots while buffing Dendro, Electro, Geo, and Anemo teams. |
| You like Hexerei or expect to build Alice, Nicole, or other future members. | Durin directly benefits from running with two Hexerei characters and is clearly built to anchor that faction. |
| You already own strong carries but want more depth. | He increases ceiling and team flexibility rather than replacing your current main DPS. |
Durin is slightly speculative in the sense that future Hexerei characters will probably push him even higher, but he is already an excellent pull on release. Among the four, he offers the cleanest combination of immediate power and long‑term value.
Xilonen: the safest universal support
Xilonen is the opposite of flashy. She is a Geo support who quietly bundles together almost every team utility you could want.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Element / weapon | Geo, weapon not critical to pull decision |
| Primary role | Universal support / hybrid bruiser |
| Core kit | Damage buffs, elemental RES shred, permanent shielding, solid healing, AoE Geo damage, strong particle generation |
| Constellations | C0 is fully functional; C2 is a meaningful bump; later constellations are lower efficiency |
| Key teams | Top meta squads such as Mavuika–Xilonen–Citlali–Bennett, plus most elemental reaction teams needing a durable buffer |
The important part is how easy she is to use. Casting her Skill is typically enough to deliver most of her value: shields go up, buffs go out, energy flows back into the team. She does not demand precise rotations or locked‑in synergies, which makes her especially comfortable for less mechanically aggressive players.
When Xilonen is worth pulling
- You want one unit that boosts almost everything. If you like switching main DPS frequently, Xilonen keeps working. Geo resonance aside, she is not locked to a single element or region.
- You run or plan to build Natlan carries. She is tuned around current Natlan powerhouses and is already the core support of one of the strongest teams in the game.
- You value survivability. Her shielding and healing mean you can drop a dedicated healer in many teams without becoming fragile.
If resources are limited and you are deciding between her and Durin, Durin usually wins for raw account progression and Hexerei scaling, but Xilonen is the lower‑risk, lower‑maintenance choice. It is difficult to regret having her at C0.
Venti: buffed archon for AoE and Hexerei
Venti returns in Luna III with something he has not had in years: a real set of buffs tailored to the modern game.
| Aspect | New Luna III reality |
|---|---|
| Classification | Hexerei character, Anemo bow user |
| Core strengths | Still unmatched small‑mob grouping with his Burst; now also a legitimate Anemo DPS option |
| Buff updates | Elemental Burst boosts Anemo damage for swirling characters; Normal Attacks become Anemo‑infused and hit harder |
| Hexerei synergy | If an on‑field Hexerei teammate swirls inside his Burst, both that character and Venti’s Burst damage ramp up |
| Weapon | New signature bow pushes his DPS further, especially in on‑field Anemo builds |
| Constellation value | C2/C4/C6 remain his high‑impact breakpoints; earlier odd constellations are more incremental |
There are two ways to think about Venti now:
- Character‑first: If you enjoy Mondstadt, Hexerei theming, and crowd‑control chaos in the overworld, he is more fun and impactful now than in any recent rerun.
- Meta‑first: His best moments still appear in content with many light enemies. In boss‑heavy floors, Kazuha or Sucrose often bring more consistent value.
When Venti is worth pulling
- You do not own him yet and enjoy AoE content or exploration.
- You want to lean into Hexerei teams with Durin, Sucrose, Mona, Fischl, or future members.
- You already have him at C1/C3/C5 and want to complete a specific high‑impact constellation.
For a strictly efficiency‑driven account, he sits below Durin and Xilonen. For Mondstadt or archon collectors, Luna III is the best window to pick him up in years.
Varesa: low‑investment Electro carry with caveats
Varesa is an Electro catalyst DPS built around aerial plunges during her Nightsoul state. She is still a top‑tier damage dealer, but now faces stiffer competition from newer reaction‑focused carries.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Element / weapon | Electro catalyst, 5★ |
| Primary role | On‑field plunging DPS with Nightsoul mechanic |
| Best reactions | Primarily Overload; limited access to other Electro reaction archetypes |
| Key supports | Chevreuse, Xiangling, Iansan, Bennett; many of her strongest teams are 4★‑heavy |
| Investment profile | Very strong at C0; constellations are relatively low value per primogem |
| Relative ranking | Top‑three DPS for the patch in raw output when fully supported |
Her big selling point is efficiency. For players short on 5★ carries, she can anchor a high‑performing team built largely from 4★ units, assuming you have or can reasonably chase the right constellations on Chevreuse and Iansan.
When Varesa is worth pulling
| Scenario | Pull or skip? | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| You lack a strong Electro main DPS and are struggling in Spiral Abyss. | Pull | Her low‑investment Overload cores delete shields and bosses quickly using mostly 4★ teammates. |
| You already own Flins, Ineffa, or other modern carries and are saving for Columbina. | Skip | Upcoming Luna‑reaction teams can match or surpass her output while doubling as future‑proof options. |
| You are a dedicated Varesa fan. | Pull | Her kit is still fun and stylish, and nothing else plays quite like Nightsoul plunges. |
The main trap is chasing her constellations. The incremental damage gains are not large enough to justify heavy spending for most players; that budget is better held for supports like Columbina or future region‑defining buffers.
How Luna III priorities change by player type
Different players should not all follow the same ranking. Two examples:
| Player type | Recommended order | Logic |
|---|---|---|
| Low‑spend / F2P, weak supports, no Electro carry | 1. Xilonen 2. Varesa 3. Durin 4. Venti | Xilonen stabilizes almost every team. Varesa gives a cheap high‑DPS squad. Durin becomes more valuable as Hexerei pieces arrive. |
| Veteran with deep DPS roster, eyeing Columbina | 1. Durin 2. Xilonen 3. Venti 4. Varesa | Durin slots into many teams and scales with future Hexerei. Xilonen is optional but strong. Varesa overlaps with existing carries. |
Columbina also changes the calculus. If you can realistically only afford one 5★ between Luna III and Luna IV, it is entirely reasonable to skip this patch and aim at her instead. In that case, only pull now if a specific unit both fills a glaring hole and is a favorite.
Practical pull planning for Luna III
A few simple rules make Luna III easier to navigate:
- Count your functional teams, not your 5★ count. If you still only have one Spiral Abyss‑ready squad, prioritize a support or carry that completes a second team: Durin, Xilonen, or Varesa.
- Avoid chasing weapons unless your roster is already broad. Durin and Venti’s signature weapons are strong, but they are luxuries next to a missing core unit.
- Remember pity and upcoming banners. If you are close to hard pity and undecided, picking up Durin or Xilonen now is safer than gambling later on stacked future banners.
Luna III is generous in raw power. Durin reshapes Pyro and Hexerei teams, Xilonen props up almost anything, Venti finally feels like an archon again, and Varesa remains a rare low‑investment Electro nuke. The right choice is the one that patches your real weaknesses while still leaving room to chase the characters you care about most in Luna IV and beyond.
