CHARACTER DESCRIPTION

The Mysterious One V. DMC5‘s puppet character. V has an unorthodox playstyle involving controlling familiars to attack enemies and then dealing the finishing blow himself. He’s a little tricky to get your head around initially, but V is the least complex character in the game once you become proficient with him.

So it is written.

BUTTON LAYOUT

Due to both of V’s familiars having attacks where you can hold down the attack buttons, it is recommended to move Griffon to a trigger so that you can use both familiars with different fingers.

But in any case, you should play with whichever button layout you are most comfortable with.

MOVELIST

Since the full movelist can be viewed at any point through the pause menu, the movelist here will aim to detail more practical uses and/or hidden properties for each move. Also, for the purpose of keeping this movelist concise, the red orb cost of moves and basic abilities that are available on all characters will not be listed here. Please view those in-game.

The damage values listed below are Dante Must Die difficulty Void Mode estimates tested on enemies with normal attack affinity. Lower difficulties increase player damage output and some enemies take more damage from different types of attacks, so please keep that in mind.

V’s Playstyle & Familiars

V fights using his familiars Griffon and Shadow to reduce enemy HP. When an enemy’s HP reaches 0, they get a white aura that indicates that they are ready to be finished off by V’s Cane. Griffon and Shadow have their own HP bars that deplete when they take damage. They recover HP by being close to V. If their HP reaches 0, they are put into a state called Stalemate and are unable to fight. To heal from Stalemate, V must stand close to them as they recharge, or activate Devil Trigger.

V can also expend 1 block of Devil Trigger to empower a familiar and have them Auto Attack for a set time. This is done by holding the Auto Attack button, then pressing either the Griffon or the Shadow buttons. Expending more blocks increases the duration they auto-attack for. This is useful when trying to mount Nightmare, or if you want to turn your brain off.

Special Abilities

Important skills that provide V with utility.

NAME	MOVE DESCRIPTION
Enemy Step	Command: Press the Jump Button when near an enemy while in the air. Use enemies as a stepping stone to cancel any air move at any point. A fundamental component of combos.
The Book	Command: Hold Charge Devil Trigger button. To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wild flower. Devil Trigger gauge constantly charges up as a you read.
Hanging	Command: Press the Jump Button in the air. V’s double jump. Needs Griffon. You can continue to hold Jump to glide.
Switchback	Command: Lock-on + LeftStick Back + Jump Invul dodge that moves backwards. Needs Griffon. Also cancels Griffons actions and calls him back to V.
Forced Move	Command: Lock-on + LeftStick Horizontally + Jump Invul dodge roll that moves sideways . Needs Shadow. Also cancels Shadows actions and calls him back to V.
Promotion	Command: Devil Trigger + Finishing Blow, or Jump Button while in the air near nightmare Mounts Nightmare while its active allowing it to be controlled. Dismount with Devil Trigger + Jump or Jump button while in the air. Check Nightmare’s movelist below.

Cane

Cane skills refer to the Finishing Blow moves for killing demons once their HP has reached 0 and they have the white aura. If you try to finish off an enemy that doesn’t have this aura, V will be unsuccessful and just bounce off of them.

NAME	DMG	MOVE DESCRIPTION
Checkmate	–	Command: Finishing Blow Close range V attack to finish off dying enemies.
Gambit	–	Command: Lock-on + Finishing Blow V teleports to the target and finishes them off.
Touch and Move	–	Command: Finishing Blow after an enemies dies with Checkmate Teleports to the next dying enemy after finishing off one with Checkmate for a chain kill.
Royal Fork	75	Command: Lock-on + LeftStick 360 + Finishing Blow Costs 1 block of DT gauge Finishes off all dying enemies over a wide area. Very useful.

Griffon

V’s flying familiar that deals Pierce Damage. Griffon handles V’s ranged attacks. The Griffon button has no function when Griffon’s HP reaches 0 and is Stalemate.

NAME	DMG	MOVE DESCRIPTION
Bullet	4	Command: Griffon button Griffon shoots lightning balls that can be rapid-fired.
Blockade	Lv1:50 Lv2:90 Lv3:125	Command: Hold the Griffon button, then release Griffon releases lighting pillars. The damage and area of effect increases with each level of charge.
Flank Attack	75	Command: Lock-on + LeftStick Forward + Griffon button Griffon swoops down and bashes the target, launching them upwards.
Double Check	Lv1:80+ Lv2:140+ Lv3:170+	Command: Lock-on + LeftStick Back-To-Forward + Griffon button Griffon releases lighting bolts that pincer closed. The damage and number of pincers increases with each level of charge.
Round Robin	Lv1:50 Lv2:100 Lv3:137	Command: Lock-on + LeftStick Back+ Griffon button Griffon teleports to V’s position and releases an area of effect lighting blast that causes knockback. The damage and area of effect increases with each level of charge.

Shadow

V’s feline familiar that deals Slash Damage. Shadow handles V’s melee attacks. The Shadow button has no function when Shadow’s HP reaches 0 and is in Stalemate.

NAME	DMG	MOVE DESCRIPTION
Shadow Combo A	125	Command: Shadow button x3 Quick 3 hit combo from shadow.
Shadow Combo B	280	Command: Shadow button, delay, Shadow button x2 3 hit combo from shadow that covers a wide area and ends in knockback.
Shadow Combo C	350	Command: Shadow button x2, delay, Shadow button repeatedly Shadow bashes the enemies repeatedly with the final hit causing knockback.
Breakthrough	100	Command: Lock-on + LeftStick Forward + Shadow button Shadow travels under the ground whipping enemies above.
Hedgehog	75+	Command: Hold Shadow button, then release when shadow glows Shadow becomes a ball of spikes that jut outwards causing knockback. When leveled up, needles pop out of the floor after the Hedgehog and these can launch if they catch an enemy.
Arbiter	60	Command: Lock-on + LeftStick Back+ Shadow button Shadow backflips and slashes upwards with his tail. Launches enemies. You can hold the button to send Shadow into the air, or press the Shadow button afterwards to have Shadow poke at the enemy from the ground.
Skewer	250	Command: Lock-on + LeftStick Back-To-Forward + Shadow button Very long range stab attack with long startup. Inflicts Guard Break and causes knockback. Also counts as a Hard Knockdown. V can also stand on the Needle causing Shadow to stay still for a bit after the attack. You can charge Hedgehog during this attack since it takes long.
Bayonet	100	Command: Shadow button while Shadow is in the Air Shadow becomes a spinning axe swinging on enemies in the air.
Guillotine	240, 260	Command: Lock-on + LeftStick Forward or Back + Shadow button while Shadow is in the Air Shadow becomes a spinning axe and swings to the ground. If you hold forward, Shadow performs a forward dive towards the ground. If you hold back, Shadow goes directly downwards and ground bounces. You can charge Hedgehog during this attack since it’s active for long.

Nightmare

V’s Devil Trigger. He calls fourth a hulking golem of darkness that auto-attacks or can be mounted and controlled by pressing the Jump Button near Nightmare, or Devil Trigger + Finishing Blow. Dismount Nightmare while riding with Devil Trigger + Jump or Jump Button while in the air.

Devil Trigger activation also restores other familiars if they have 0 HP. V’s defense is increased while Nightmare is active. V can also purchase skills that make white orbs and green orbs more likely to drop while Nightmare is active.

NAME	DMG	MOVE DESCRIPTION
Nightmare Combo A	525	Command: Finishing Blow x3 while mounting Nightmare Slow 3 hit combo. Inflicts Guard Break on all hits. Final hit is a huge uppercut that launches enemies.
Nightmare Combo B	400+	Command: Finishing Blow x2, delay, Finishing Blow repeatedly while mounting Nightmare Changes the final hit of the combo into a Haggar spin that deals damage and causes knockback on the final hit. Inflicts Guard Break on all hits.
Domination	1151	Command: Hold Finishing Blow during Illegal Move while mounting Nightmare Charge a gigantic laser which deals a lot of damage and causes knockback. Inflicts Guard Break.
Strongpoint	175	Command: Lock-on + LeftStick Forward + Finishing Blow while mounting Nightmare Razes the ground horizontally with a fine laser that causes explosions launching the enemy upwards. Inflicts Guard Break.
Critical Position	175	Command: Hold Finishing Blow during Strongpoint while mounting Nightmare Razes the ground vertically with a fine laser that causes explosions launching the enemy upwards. Inflicts Guard Break.
Desperado	175	Command: Finishing Blow while Jumping and mounting Nightmare Double axe handle slam the ground blowing back all enemies causing knockback. Inflicts Guard Break.
Illegal Move	–	Command: Lock-on + LeftStick Back-To-Forward + Finishing Blow, or Lock-on + Forward Twice while mounting Nightmare Teleports close to the target. Very useful given how slow Nightmare moves around.

Taunts

NAME	DMG	MOVE DESCRIPTION
Provocation	–	Command: Taunt Button Performs a taunt depending on your current style ranking.
Air Provocation	–	Command: Taunt Button while in Air Below SS, taunts while in the air. SS and above jumps and falls to the ground. Very concise and great for gaining more DT in-between book reading sessions.
EX Provocation	–	Command: Hold L3+Taunt Button Taunt awarded for wasting money. The meme dance taunt. Extremely long but gains a fair bit of style.
Special Provocation	70+	Command: Press L3+Taunt Button Taunt awarded for clearing Bloody Palace with V. Swings his Cane like a lightsaber. Can kill demons with white aura if the attack lands. Awkward to use.

STANDOUT MOVES

Invulnerability Skills

Abilities and moves that have invul frames on them allowing you to avoid damage.

Jump
Switchback
Forced Move
Illegal Move

Parrying

Shadow attacks

Hard Knockdown

Moves that ground enemies hard. This is a special knockdown for specific enemies like Hell Judecca that teleports out of other knockdowns.

Skewer

Guard Break

Moves that break shields, and break through blocking enemies defenses.

Skewer
All Nightmare abilities

Launchers

Moves that launch enemies upwards and let you combo them in the air.

Flank Attack
Hedgehog needles
Arbiter
Nightmare – Combo A
Nightmare – Strongpoint
Nightmare – Critical Position

Ground Bounce

Moves that hit enemies downwards and they bounce into the air off the floor. Less useful on Heavier enemies or when enemies are in Devil Trigger.

Guillotine

Crowd Control

Useful knowledge for Legendary Dark Knight difficulty.

Blockade Lv3
Double Check Lv3
Shadow Combo B
Hedgehog
Nightmare Attacks

V’S DIFFICULTY

V has the smallest movelist in the game. He does not have access to a lot of the tools needed to build robust strategies around facing certain demons. This kinds of leads him into approaching a lot of situations in roughly the same way hoping it’ll work out. If it doesn’t work out? Throw Nightmare at it.

Below is a list of concepts that constitute to V’s difficulty:

Getting used to the flow of book reading, air taunting intermittently, attacking with a familiar while charging the other and vice versa
Reacting to familiars who are about to get hit, and calling them to safety with the corresponding dodge move
Meter management
Situational Awareness including keeping track of familiar position, HP and Devil Trigger gauge
Not being invul during Finishers
V feels helpless if both familiars die and you don’t have DT gauge.
Average damage. Below average without Nightmare
No reliable access to inflicting Heavy Stun on demons
No reliable access to inflicting Crumple Stun on demons
Honestly, combo potential is not very good because there’s no fast way to cancel familiar attacks, and he has a limited moveset
Special moves for familiars are always performed with directions to the lock-on target relative to V’s position. Not the familiar’s.