Guide
How the kit works
Set up your teammates first. If Last Lightfall is available, you can use it before entering her skill state: it grants Bond of Life and deals AoE Electro DMG.
Use Hunter's Vigil to enter Night Vigil. Normal Attacks become Swift Hunt shots that deal Electro DMG, and Charged Attacks are unavailable. Below 100% of max HP in Bond of Life, the shots grant Bond of Life and pierce opponents. Use the skill again for Impale the Night, a lunge that heals and grows stronger when she has Bond of Life. At 100% or more, the Pact version has a larger area, more damage and stronger healing.
Watch the Bond of Life value rather than firing indefinitely: aim to use the empowered lunge when it reaches the threshold. Leaving the field ends Night Vigil. Other healing is converted into Bond of Life during the state; after unlocking Lawful Remuneration, that conversion is 100%.
Dark-Shattering Flame increases her Normal Attack Electro DMG and Last Lightfall damage after Electro-related reactions, up to three stacks. Lawful Remuneration can also grant up to 20% CRIT Rate when her Bond of Life changes at or above the 100% threshold.
Build and why
Use four pieces of Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy. Its two-piece bonus gives 18% ATK, while changes to Bond of Life grant 18% damage for 6 seconds, up to three stacks. Clorinde's shots and lunges make that condition fit her rotation.
Four pieces of Thundering Fury are an alternative for reaction teams: the set boosts several Electro reactions and can reduce skill cooldown when the listed reactions or Quicken occur. Echoes of an Offering is another option, with a chance to increase Normal Attack damage on hit. Gladiator's Finale is simpler: its four-piece bonus gives a Sword user 35% Normal Attack DMG.
For main stats, choose ATK Percentage or Elemental Mastery on sands, Electro DMG Bonus or ATK Percentage on the goblet, and CRIT DMG or CRIT Rate on the circlet. Favor CRIT DMG, CRIT Rate, ATK Percentage, Elemental Mastery and Energy Recharge on substats, in that order. Account for the CRIT Rate from her passive when balancing the circlet.
Absolution is the first weapon choice: it gives CRIT DMG and increases damage when Bond of Life rises. Haran Geppaku Futsu rewards using teammates' skills before Clorinde's skill, adding Normal Attack DMG. Uraku Misugiri also boosts Normal Attack DMG, with a stronger effect after a nearby active character deals Geo DMG. Its Elemental Skill DMG bonus does not apply to her skill's attacks, which count as Normal Attack DMG.
Leveling priority
A sensible leveling order is Hunter's Vigil, then Last Lightfall, then Oath of Hunting Shadows (NA). The skill determines the attacks used during Night Vigil, while the Burst adds its own AoE damage. The basic attack talent covers her attacks outside that state.
For ascension, collect Lumitoile, Fontemer Unihorn and the Vajrada Amethyst materials, along with Transoceanic Pearl, Transoceanic Chunk, Xenochromatic Crystal and Mora. Talent upgrades also use those three enemy materials and Mora, plus Teachings of Justice, Guide to Justice, Philosophies of Justice, Everamber and Crown of Insight.
Constellations worth it
Now, As We Face the Perils of the Long Night (C2) is the standout upgrade. It strengthens Dark-Shattering Flame from 20% to 30% of ATK per stack, raises its damage-increase cap to 2,700 and grants interruption resistance at three stacks.
And So Shall I Never Despair (C6) is another substantial option: after the skill it gives 10% CRIT Rate and 70% CRIT DMG for 12 seconds. During Night Vigil it can summon damaging Shades, and it reduces incoming damage and increases interruption resistance under the stated conditions.
From This Day, I Pass the Candle's Shadow-Veil (C1) is worth considering for its two coordinated Electro attacks when her Normal Attack Electro DMG hits during Night Vigil. They can trigger once every 1.2 seconds. C3, C4 and C5 can be skipped if those specific skill-level or Burst bonuses are not your goal; the base kit already has the shot and lunge loop.
Common mistakes
Do not switch away in the middle of Night Vigil unless you are ready to end it. Set up the rest of the team first, then give Clorinde room to shoot and lunge.
Do not expect outside healing to restore her HP normally during that state, or assume every lunge has the same strength. Check Bond of Life before using it. Finally, avoid building only for Elemental Skill DMG: her skill's shots and lunge are counted as Normal Attack DMG.
