Duran

Duran
Trials of Mana HD artwork Trials of Mana artwork
First appearance	Trials of Mana (1995)
Latest appearance	Echoes of Mana (2022)
Title(s)	Valsenan Swordsman Oaf (by the Fortune-Teller)
Homeland	Valsena, Kingdom of the Plains
Faction	Hero King Richard
Role	Protagonist
Gender	Male
Relatives	Loki (father) Simone (mother) Wendy (sister) Stella (aunt)
Species	Human
Status	Alive
Voice actor(s)	Jpn: Takuya EguchiToM HD/EoM Eng: Jacob BarrensToM HD

“This isn't over, Crimson Wizard! You ain't gettin' away this time!”

—Square Enix Official Website

Duran is one of the six protagonists in Trials of Mana.

Background

Duran is a mercenary swordsman from Valsena, Kingdom of the Plains who proudly serves the Hero King Richard. Duran's father Loki, a good friend of Richard, was lost in a battle with the Dragon Lord when Duran was still a child. Hearing the bad news from the Hero King himself, her mother, Simone quickly succumbed to an illness, leaving Duran and his little sister Wendy to be raised by their aunt Stella.

History

Trials of Mana

Duran in his opening scene

“YOUNG SWORDSMAN FROM THE KINGDOM OF VALSENA -- Duran is a proud young soldier from Valsena, Kingdom of the Plains. Though he comes across as hot-headed and ready for a fight, the whole kingdom acknowledges his skill with a blade. Duran has nothing but love for his kingdom and respect for the Hero King, a good friend of his departed father, Loki the Golden Knight.”

—Square Enix Official Website

See also: Duran's opening gambit

The young soldier is first seen defeating the Bruiser in the finals of the Sword Mastery Tournament, youth division, effectively winning the competition. He is seen directly praised by the Hero King Richard himself. The night after, while on guard duty at the castle of Valsena, Duran witness a mysterious infiltrator wrecking havoc. Duran tries to fight back, but is no match for the evil wizard's magic and is left for dead. After his recovery, Duran vows to become the best swordsman in the world and to exat his revenge upon the Crimson Wizard. he then leaves for the Holy City Wendel to ask the Priest of Light about changing his class.

Duran shares many story elements with Angela, who hails from Altena, Kingdom of Magicians, who tries to invade Valsena. If either of them is chosen as the main protagonist, the main villain will be the Dragon Lord and the last dungeon will be Dragonsmaw. After his quest is completed, Duran returns to Valsena and is named the next Golden Knight. If Duran is in the party at the end of Angela's campaign, she will overtly hint that she has developed feelings for him.

Circle of Mana

Duran makes a cameo appearance in the online game, along with several Secret of Mana characters. He appears in 20 sets of cards.

Rank	Attribute	Name	Classes				Quote
UR	力	デュラン	ファイター	グラディエーター	[光]ソードマスター	[闇]デュエリスト	「…わかってるさ。でも行かなきゃ！たとえ罠だとしても、アイツを見捨てるなんてできねえだろう！」 "...I know. But I have to go! Even if it's a trap, I can't abandon him!"
UR	力	デュラン[お正月]	ファイター	グラディエーター	[光]ソードマスター	[闇]デュエリスト	「こういうのはおもいきりが大切なんだ。剣を使うのと同じさ。」 "When it comes to things like this, it's important to be careful. It's just like using a sword."
SUR	力	デュラン [決戦]	ファイター	ナイト	[光]パラディン	[闇]ウォーロード	フォルセナに現れた紅蓮の魔導師にやぶれ、自信を失いかけたデュラン。いつか魔導師に打ち勝つためにと、たった一人で旅に出る…。 Duran is defeated by the Crimson Wizard who appears in Valsena and begins to lose his confidence. He sets out on a journey all by himself, hoping to one day defeat the magician.
SUR	力	デュラン [雪合戦]	ファイター	ナイト	[光]パラディン	[闇]ウォーロード	「挑発しようとしても無駄だぜ。今日の俺はいつもと違うんだ。」 "There's no point in trying to provoke you. I'm different today."
SUR	力	デュラン [自信]	ファイター	グラディエーター	[光]ソードマスター	[闇]デュエリスト	「よし！決めた！俺たちで先回りして、伝説のカカオってのを取りに行こうぜ！」 "Okay! We've decided! Let's go ahead and get the legendary cacao!"
SUR	力	デュラン [聖戦士]	ファイター	ナイト	[光]パラディン	[闇]ウォーロード	「くっ…そこまで言われて後に引けるかよ…！　うおおおおおおっ！！」 "Damn... I wonder if you can back out after hearing that much...! Oooooooooooooo!!"
SUR	力	デュラン [竜殺]	ファイター	ナイト	[光]パラディン	[闇]ウォーロード	「友達か、そうだな大事な戦友だな。」 "A friend, yes, an important comrade."
SUR	力	デュラン [猛攻]	ファイター	グラディエーター	[光]ソードマスター	[闇]デュエリスト	「俺たちはここで負けるわけにはいかないんだ。ここであきらめたら、すべてが終わっちまう、それだけは絶対にさせない！」 "We can't afford to lose here. If we give up here, everything will end, and we will never let that happen!"
SUR	力	デュラン	ファイター	ナイト	[光]パラディン	[闇]ウォーロード	「オレは…強くなる…誰よりも強くなってやる…。……そして……必ず勝つ！」 "I will...become stronger...stronger than anyone else...and...I will definitely win!"
SUR	力	デュラン [闘志]	ファイター	ナイト	[光]パラディン	[闇]ウォーロード	「オレは…強くなる…誰よりも強くなってやる…。……そして……必ず勝つ！」 "I will...become stronger...stronger than anyone else...and...I will definitely win!"
SUR	力	デュラン [クリスマス]	ファイター	ナイト	[光]パラディン	[闇]ウォーロード	「こんなイタズラしても、誰も得しないだろ。それよりも、みんなと遊んだ方が楽しいぞ？」 "No one will benefit from this kind of prank. It's more fun to play with everyone else, right?"
SSUR	力	デュラン	ファイター	ナイト	[光]パラディン	[闇]ウォーロード	「オレは男だ！絶対、逃げねえぞ！そして今度こそあの紅蓮の魔導師に、勝つ！」 "I'm a man! I'll never run away! And this time, I'll beat that Crimson Wizard!"
SSUR	力	デュラン[激闘]	ファイター	ナイト	[光]パラディン	[闇]ウォーロード	「まぁ、いいじゃないか。どんな獣が出ようと、俺たちが何とかしてやるぜ。大丈夫、大丈夫。腕試しに丁度いいぜ。」 "Well, that's fine. No matter what kind of beast appears, we'll do something about it. It's okay, it's okay. It's a good time to test your skills."
SSUR	魔	デュラン＆アンジェラ	孤独な旅立ち	不器用な道連れ	[光]不屈の騎士と魔女王の娘	[闇]似たもの同士	不器用な生き方であることが、時に貫く力となる。互いの強い絆となる。 Sometimes a clumsy way of life becomes the strength to persevere. They form a strong bond with each other.
SSUR	力	デュラン[海賊]	ファイター	ナイト	[光]パラディン	[闇]ウォーロード	「ウェンディ、ジェシカ！　大丈夫だったか！？」 "Wendy, Jessica! Are you okay!?"
SSUR	力	デュラン [覚醒]	ファイター	グラディエーター	[光]ソードマスター	[闇]デュエリスト	「竜帝め、オレを…オヤジを…みんなを、どこまで弄べば気がすむんだ！！」 "Dragon Lord, to what extent do you have to play with me… the old man… everyone!!"
SSUR	力	デュラン[英雄]	ファイター	ナイト	[光]パラディン	[闇]ウォーロード	「随分と探し回ったぞ。逃げ隠れしやがって、卑怯者め！」 "I've been looking all over for you. You coward, running and hiding!"
LGR	力	デュラン [覚醒]	ファイター	グラディエーター	[光]ソードマスター	[闇]デュエリスト	「ペダン軍の精鋭といっても、大したことはないな。オレの剣を止めたければ、今の十倍の兵士を連れてくるんだな！」 "Even though they're the elite of the Pedan army, it's not a big deal. If you want to stop my sword, you'll have to bring ten times as many soldiers as you have now!"
LGR	力	デュラン[無双]	ファイター	グラディエーター	[光]ソードマスター	[闇]デュエリスト	「お前が父さんを操っていたんだな！」 "You were controlling my father!"
LGR	力	デュラン[大決戦]	ファイター	ナイト	[光]パラディン	[闇]ウォーロード	「テメェだけはぶっ飛ばすだけじゃ済まさねえ。二度と泣いたり笑ったり出来ない身体にしてやるぜ！」 "I can't just blow you away. I'll make you never be able to cry or laugh again!"

Echoes of Mana

“Duran is a proud young soldier from Valsena, Kingdom of the Plains. Though he comes across as hot-headed and ready for a fight, the whole kingdom acknowledges his skill with a blade. Duran has nothing but love for his kingdom and respect for the Hero King, a good friend of his departed father, Loki the Golden Knight.”

—Square Enix Official Website

Duran is a character and drawable unit. He currently has four known variants.

See also: Duran (Thrilling Blade Flash)

See also: Duran (Trusted Shield)

See also: Duran (Valiant Dawnbringer)

See also: Duran (Young Soldier of Valsena)

General information

Physical appearance

Duran is a young man with a head of long red hair and blue eyes, and is described as resembling his father Loki. Duran's default outfit consists of light blue shirtless top, trousers held up with a broad belt, and dark calf-high boots. The remake design adds a dark undershirt and gives the trousers two layers fastened at the waist with buckles. His armor consists of shoulder plates and braces, a harness round his chest, and a helmet covering the front of his head.

Personality

Duran is portrayed as a straightforward character, steadfastly loyal to his friends and liege, and determined to protect them. His faith in his strength, fostered by his wish to protect his sister and aunt Stella in Loki's place, makes him prone to anxiety and depression when he meets foes beyond his strength.

In the remake, Duran's dominating attitude is one of self-confidence bordering on brashness, and a straightforward world view that give him difficulties understanding complex or esoteric concepts.

Profile and statistics

In the 2D version, Duran starts with high Strength and Stamina, average Dexterity, and low Intellect, Spirit and Luck, making him a decent damage dealer early on. Should the player chooses to go to his light path, the swordsman will gain the unique ability to equip shields, greatly boosting his Evasion stat. He also inherits restorative magic, making his light path focusing overall on defensive strategies. His dark path enhances his natural affinity for offensive power, making him raise his strength higher than his light path. He also learns multiple elemental saber magic, making him able to penetrate enemy's defense even better.

In the HD remake, Duran's initial class remains largely the same, having excellent Stamina, high Strength, average Luck, and low Intellect and Magic. He can now inflict even more damage by equipping offensive abilities like Counter and Break Armor. His light path is still geared toward more defensive power, as all of his light classes' locked abilities enhances his defense or increases his healing magic potency. His dark path, however, is even more offensive than his previous incarnation, as he gains several abilities capable of boosting his saber magic, while others focus instead on diminishing an enemy's defense.

Character Class

Below is a list of Duran's classes. The first class change takes place at Level 18, while the second one takes place at Level 38, with the latter requiring specific items acquired from ??? Seeds.

Level	Light		Dark
Lv. 1	Fighter
Lv. 18	Knight		Gladiator
Lv. 38	Paladin (Knight Tag)	Liege (Prince Tag)	Edelfrei (Battler Tag)	Duelist (Duelist Tag)
Post-Game (remake only)	Divine Hero (Valor Sphere)		Berserker (Valor Sphere)

Note: Class 4 path is dependent upon the path of the Class 2 switch. All Class 3 abilities learnt are retained.

Class Strikes

Below is a list of skill attacks Duran learns across his different classes:

Level	Light		Dark
Lv. 1	Cross Cut (Fighter)
Lv. 18	Triple Slash (Knight)		Spin Slash (Gladiator)
Lv. 38	Glint Slash (Paladin)	Magic Rend (Liege)	Hollow Slash (Edelfrei)	Quakebringer (Duelist)
Post-Game (remake only)	Radiant Rend (Divine Hero)		Hellion Fury (Berserker)

Locked Abilities

Below is a list of locked abilities Duran inherits upon class change:

Level	Light		Dark
Lv. 18	Bear It Knight		Indomitable Gladiator
Lv. 38	Protective Light Paladin	Sanctum Liege	Mastery Edelfrei	Adrenaline Rush Duelist
Post-Game	Super Healing Divine Hero		Frenzy Berserker

Note: Locked abilities are exclusive to the HD remake.

Moves

Duran learns moves that can change the elemental properties of the characters' attacks, although his Light classes can also learn healing moves.

Below is a table of moves Duran learns across his different classes:

Level	Light		Dark
Lv. 1	n/a (Fighter)
Lv. 18	Healing Light (Knight)		Stone Saber Lightning Saber Ice Saber Flame Saber (Gladiator)
Lv. 38	Light Saber (Paladin)	Twinkle Rain Healing Light + (Liege)	Stone Saber + Lightning Saber + Ice Saber + Flame Saber + Moon Saber Leaf Saber (Edelfrei)	Dark Saber (Duelist)

Note: Duran gains the ability to multi-target with Healing Light when he changes class into a Liege. Likewise, his Saber moves will also gain the ability to multi-target when he changes class into an Edelfrei.

Abilities

Below is a list of abilites Duran can learn depending on his current class: Note: Locked abilities are exclusive to the HD remake.

Level	Light		Dark
Lv. 1	Counter Break Armor Defensive Quick Heal Retain Damage CS Boost Lucky Break Provoke (Fighter)
Lv. 18	Counter II Charger Defensive II Recovery II Fortitude II Healing MP Saver Critical Smash Survive (Knight)		Attack Saber Charger Victory Heal Weak Point Guard Saber Broken Lines Survive (Gladiator)
Lv. 38	Attack Help II Charger II Guard Auto-HP Heal II Heal Damage CS Boost III Cure Miracle (Paladin)	Attack Boost All II Charger II Defense Boost All MGC Boost All Heal Upgrade Heal CS Boost II Critical Smash II Cure (Liege)	Attack Saber II Offensive Stance Defensive Stance Fraction Weak Point All Victory MP Boost II Concentrate Flourish (Edelfrei)	Wound Rage Victory Heal II Fraction Guard Saber II Victory MP Boost Flourish Forsake II (Duelist)
Post-game	Attack Boost All III Attack Help II Ward Off III Defense Boost All II Heal II MGC Boost All II Damage CS Boost IV Critical Smash III Cure II (Divine Hero)		Wound II Rage II Victory Heal III Weak Point II Weak Point All II Victory CS Boost III Flourish II Concentrate II (Berserker)

Equipment

Duran comes to wield swords. As he progresses in terms of classes, light classes bear swords of fair and identical construction akin to the Mana Sword for symbols of honor and united varieties of power, while dark classes come to bear swords for their relentless destructive and cutting features for pure power and a dominant edge in combat.

Weapons Bronze Sword Iron Sword Gladius Broad Sword Saber Steel Sword Bastard Sword Silver Blade Estoc (Light) Falchion (Dark) Flamberge Colichemarde (Light) Shamshir (Dark) Pale Storm Mythril Sword (Light) Katzbalger (Dark) Balmung Várar Sword (Light) Herald Sword (Dark) Tyrfing Rapier (Light) Muramasa (Dark) Claiomh Solais Excalibur (Light) Laevateinn (Dark) Dragonsbane (Light/Dark) Brave Blade (Paladin) Sigmund (Liege) Ragnarok (Edelfrei) Deathbringer (Duelist) Triumph Blade (Divine Hero) Hrunting (Berseker)

Body Armor Patch Vest Stiff Leathers Common Mail Lamellar Armor Hauberk Half-Plate Plate Armor Luna Mail Reflex Armor Pegasus Mail Leonis Armor Knight Mail (Light) Knight Vest (Dark) Gold Armor (Light) Silver Armor (Light) Dragon Mail (Light/Dark) Hero Armor (Paladin) Guard Armor (Liege) Master Armor (Edelfrei) Skeleton Armor (Duelist) Believer Armor (Divine Hero) Wolf Guard (Duelist)

Headgear Hide Visor Head Gear Studded Helm Helm Visor Horned Helm Silver Sallet Beryl Armlet Dragon Helm (Light/Dark) Hero Crown (Paladin) Guard Helm (Liege) Moonrise Hat (Edelfrei) Skullhead (Duelist) Oracle Helmet (Divine Hero) Garmrhelm (Berserker) Accessories Hide Bracer Steel Bracer Gauntlet Strong Armlet Knight Crest (Light) Knight Band (Dark) Dragon Ring (Light/Dark) Battle Crest (Paladin/Liege) King Gloves (Edelfrei/Duelist) Warrior Crest (Divine Hero) Blade Crest (Berserker)

Shields Guardian Shield (Light) Knight Shield (Light) Serpent Ward (Light) Scorch Ward (Light) Thunder Ward (Light) Earth Shield (Light) Gold Shield (Light) Dragon Ward (Light) Mystic Ward (Paladin) Oath Shield (Liege) Terralex Ward (Liege) Goddess Shield (Divine Hero)

Non-Mana appearances

Final Fantasy Brave Exvius

Duran appears in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius as a rare summon.

Last Cloudia

Riesz appears as a Soldier with non-elemental and Fire attacks.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Duran.

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  Trials of Mana artwork

• 

  Echoes of Mana artwork

Trivia

• Duran's choices of the Light Knight or the Dark Gladiator as job class choices may be a mythology gag to the first installment of Seiken Densetsu/Sword of Mana/Adventures of Mana, in where the Gemma Knights are to protect the world, while the protagonist is introduced as a gladiator fighting for their lives as indulgent bloodsport in the arenas of the Vandole Empire.
• The name of Duran's Dark-Light class, Edelfrei, meaning "free noble", is named for a type of German noble, or knight, who was entitled to particularly high amount of atonement reparations from a guilty party.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	デュラン Dyuran	Duran
Spanish	Durán
French	Duran
German	Durand