Duran

Duran
Title(s)	Soldier of Valsena
Gender	Male
Race	Human
Faction	Valsena
Health	88
Level	1
Status	Protagonist
Location	Valsena, Kingdom of the Plains
Voice Actor(s)	Takuya Eguchi (JP) (Remake)
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"I'm a soldier from Valsena. The name's Duran."

—3D selection

Duran (デュラン, Dyuran) is one of the six playable characters in Trials of Mana.

Profile

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 armour consists of shoulder plates and braces, a harness round his chest, and a helmet covering the front of his head.

Personlaity

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.

Story

"Just you wait, Crimson Wizard! I won't stop until I'm powerful enough to take you down. I will defeat you!"

—Duran

Duran is a mercenary swordsman from Valsena, Kingdom of the Plains (Forcena in the fan-translation) who proudly serves the wise King Richard. Duran's father Loki, a good friend of Richard's, was lost in a battle with the Dragon Lord when Duran was still young. Soon afterwards, Duran's mother succumbed to an illness, leaving Duran and his little sister Wendy to be raised by their aunt Stella.

One night, Duran is on guard duty at the castle of Valsena when the Crimson Wizard attacks the castle. Duran fights back, but is overwhelmed by the wizard's magical abilities and is left for dead. After making his recovery, Duran vows to become the best swordsman in the world and to exact his revenge upon the Crimson Wizard. He then leaves for the Holy City Wendel to ask the Priest of Light about changing classes.

Duran shares many story elements with Angela, who comes from the Magic Kingdom of Altena which tries to invade Valsena. If either of them is chosen as the main protagonist in Trials of Mana, the main villain will be the Dragon Emperor and the final dungeon will be the 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.

Abilities

At first, Duran is a straightforward sword user with above-average Strength and Vitality stats. Upon changing classes, Duran can learn some magic to supplement his physical abilities. His Light classes learn primarily healing magic, whereas his Dark classes mainly focus on adding elemental attributes to weapons. Duran's Light classes have another benefit: they are the only classes capable of equipping shields, which greatly boost the wearer's Evasion stat.

Classes

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
L.1	Fighter
L.18	Knight		Gladiator
L.38	Paladin (The Holy Knight)	Liege (Ruling Knight) (The Prince)	Edelfrei (Swordmaster) (The Gladiator)	Duelist (The Duelist)
Post-Game (remake only)	Divine Hero (Valor Sphere)		Berserker (Valor Sphere)

Knight

Having come to the conclusion that the way of the sword is a means by which to protect others, the Knight builds on this resolve in body and mind. His skill and prowess with a sword increase as he fights, and he learns the value of shields to blunt blows, but he comes to find a light within himself, born of compassion and duty, that can sustain himself and others in times of need.

Gladiator

Seeking to find meaning in the fight, the Gladiator undertakes a journey of seeing struggle and competition underlying within all things in the everyday world. Even into honor and trust, the class ekes out the need to justify their efforts through coming out on top or with satisfying results brought about through proof through tests and testaments of action. To these ends, so has the Gladiator sought the powers of enchanting magic to bestow themselves with power of many varieties, and with a higher aptitude of strength than the Knight.

Paladin

When mortals wish to frighten each other, they tell stories of demons and ghouls. When demons want to scare each other, they tell stories of Paladins. Unrelenting, unshakable, and unstoppable, a Paladin leads his allies with a sword burning with holy light, dealing devastating blows to all who share allegiance with the underworld and healing his allies before death can take them. His skill with a blade is such that he has learned the "Flashing Sword" technique, a skill that strikes foes far and near with incredible force, meaning there is no safe distance to engage the Paladin.

Liege (Lord)

Many swordsmen come to a terrible conclusion after years and years of battles- no amount of skill with a blade can ever make it heal injury. A father to his soldiers, the Liege forgoes the direct attacking power of other swordsmanship paths to expand his knowledge of healing magic, learning to heal himself and allies all at once, as well as removing poisons, illnesses, and other foul ailments. Those who mistake this focus for weakness do so at their own peril- a Liege and his allies are a force that all too often simply will not lay down and die.

Edelfrei (Swordmaster)

Long lived and weathered in a world of battle, the Edelfrei is a class of experience and wisdom through the heat and heart of the fight. Knowing the boundaries of life and death with familiarity, so does the Edelfrei precariously walk in and out of its realm frequently through their edification long done many times before, and does so without fear. Drawing upon lessons and teachings from these experiences, so has the Edelfrei tempered their body and mind to become a lone warrior with their own principles, with sword, body and soul able to act as one with the world as if their being has transformed into forces of nature beyond what can be struck down, and walks onwards to see the next day after the carnage of the day before. Rumors tell of warriors from a realm far from Fa'Diel saw their philosophies and virtues passed into the world long ago, and those who had grown beyond their days as Gladiators saw their destiny encounter their ways into Edelfreis.

Duelist

The meaning of the fight having eluded them long ago, the Duelist seeks but only one thing: Victory. With all matters of honor and code cast to the wayside, for the Duelist, the fight is nothing more but a means to achieve that; a frequent occurrence as but a process and pastime of violent frequency to attain its rewards, graces, and glory at any cost necessary. Walking the narrow and dangerous path of mortal combat with the reaper never far, easily lost in even the most savage instances of carnage and brutality, able to face the most harrowing of battles, and enter storm like tension without a wince, so have Duelists gained a reputation of being fighters of a dark strength steeled from their world of deathly competition and merciless domination, where only the victorious may thrive in their world of kill or be killed, and weakness is only rewarded with death.

Class Strikes

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

Level	Light		Dark
L.1	Cross Cut (Fighter)
L.18	Triple Slash (Knight)		Spin Slash (Gladiator)
L.38	Glint Slash (Paladin)	Magic Rend (Liege)	Hollow Slash (Edelfrei)	Quakebringer (Duelist)

Spells

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

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

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

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

Equipment

Weapons

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

Name	Cost	Location	Class
Bronze Sword	42	Starting Weapon	--
Iron Sword	100	Astoria, Wendel, Maia	--
Gladius	210	Dwarf Village, Valsena	--
Broadsword	276	Byzel, Palo, Jad	--
Saber	585	Ghost Ship, Palo	--
Steel Sword	1000	Dark Priest Village	--
Bastard Sword	1690	Elrand, Sultan, Deen	--
Silver Blade	2820	Mintos	--
Estoc	3400	Mintos	Knight
Falchion	3380	Mintos	Gladiator
Flamberge	3410	Diorre	--
Colichemarde	3480	Diorre	Knight
Shamshir	3440	Diorre	Gladiator
Palestorm	4535	Altena, Deen, Mintos	--
Mythril Sword	4830	Altena, Deen, Mintos	Knight
Katzbalger	5070	Altena, Deen, Mintos	Gladiator
Balmung	7735	Cats	--
Várar Sword	8430	Cats	Knight
Kusanagi Blade	8440	Cats	Gladiator
Tyrfing	17470	Cats	--
Rapier	18800	Cats	Knight
Muramasa Blade	18670	Cats	Gladiator
Claiomh Solais	21870	Pedan	--
Excalibur	34670	Pedan	Knight
Levatein	34470	Pedan	Gladiator
Dragonbane	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Knight/Gladiator
Brave Blade	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Paladin
Sigmund	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Liege
Ragnarok	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Edelfrei
Deathbringer	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Duelist

Armor

Name	Cost	Location	Class
Quilted Leather	22	Starting Armor	--
Hard Leather	65	Wendel, Maia	--
Bezant Mail	154	Dwarf Village, Valsena	--
Lamelar Armor	220	Byzel, Palo	--
Hauberk	276	Ghost Ship, Palo	--
Half Plate	378	Valsena	--
Plate Mail	800	Elrand, Sultan, Deen, Mintos, Diorre	--
Lunula Mail	1450	Mintos	--
Reflex	1970	Diorre	--
Pegasus Armor	2600	Altena, Deen, Mintos	--
Leonis Plate	3155	Cats	--
Knight Mail	4830	Cats	Knight
Swordsman's Armor	4935	Cats	Gladiator
Gold Armor	8400	Pedan	Knight
Platinum Armor	8430	Pedan	Gladiator
Dragon's Mail	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Knight/Gladiator
Hero's Armor	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Paladin
Protect Armor	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Liege
Master's Armor	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Edelfrei
Skeleton Mail	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Duelist

Helmets

Name	Cost	Location	Class
Leather Visor	58	Maia	--
Headgear	215	Jad	--
Studded Helm	1100	Deen	--
Visored Helm	1750	Diorre	--
Horned Helm	2350	Cats	--
Silver Sallet	3415	Cats	--
Beryl Armet	5070	Pedan	--
Dragon Helm	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Knight/Gladiator
Hero's Crown	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Paladin
Protection Helm	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Liege
Rising Moon Helm	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Edelfrei
Skull Head	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Duelist

Accessories

Name	Cost	Location	Class
Leather Gauntlet	98	Valsena	--
Steel Gauntlet	154	Jad	--
Gauntlet	820	Deen	--
Strength Armband	1690	Deen, Mintos	--
Knight's Crest	2260	Cats	Knight
Swordsman's Armband	2000	Cats	Gladiator
Dragon Ring	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Knight/Gladiator
War King's Crest	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Paladin/Liege
Sword King's Armlet	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Edelfrei/Duelist

Shields

• Note: Duran is granted the ability to equip shields only in his Light classes (Knight/Paladin/Liege).

Name	Cost	Location	Class
Water Dragon Shield	4000	Valsena	Knight
Red Heat Shield	4000	Valsena	Knight
Thunder God Shield	4000	Valsena	Knight
Earth Shield	4000	Valsena	Knight
Gold Shield	3380	Elrand, Sultan	Knight
Dragon Shield	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Knight
Sacred Shield	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Paladin
Oath Shield	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Liege
Adamant Shield	--	Weapon/Armor Seed	Liege

Gallery

Official artwork of Duran in his Paladin class.

Official artwork of Duran in his Duelist class.

Official artwork of Duran attempting to face off against the Crimson Wizard for the first time.

Chibi art from guidebook

Artwork from the 2020 remake's cover

Render of Duran in his starting class from the remake

Render of Duran in his Knight class from the remake

Render of Duran in his Knight class from the remake

Render of Duran in his Gladiator class from the remake

Render of Duran in his Gladiator class from the remake

Render of Duran in his Leige class from the remake

Render of Duran in his Paladan class from the remake

Render of Duran in his Duelist class from the remake

Render of Duran in his Edelfrei class from the remake

Key Artwork for Duran and Angela's storyline for the remake

Render of Duran in his Divine Hero class from the remake

Render of Duran in his Berserker class from the remake

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, 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.