Capcom shipped Devil May Cry 5 on 8 March 2019 on the RE Engine, eleven years after Devil May Cry 4. The campaign is a prologue plus 20 missions that rotate between three playable characters: Nero with the Red Queen and single-use Devil Breaker arms, the physically useless summoner V, and Dante with four switchable styles and six Devil Arms. Vergil came to the PC version as a separate 4.99 dollar character on 15 December 2020, playable in story missions, the Void and Bloody Palace.
Combat in Devil May Cry 5 rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works (and how they interact) is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.
Core Combat Mechanics
1. Style rank from D to SSS
The meter climbs from Dismal through Crazy, Blast, Alright, Sweet, Savage and Smokin Sexy Style as you land varied attacks, and it drops if you repeat one move or take a hit. Rank feeds directly into the Red Orb payout on the mission results screen.
Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.
2. Nero's Exceed and Devil Breakers
Tapping the Exceed trigger at the instant a Red Queen swing connects fills a rev tank and adds fire damage to the next attack, and a three-tank MAX-Act is what separates a competent Nero from a good one. Devil Breakers are consumable prosthetic arms that shatter when Nero is hit, so his loadout physically degrades over a mission.
Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.
3. Dante's four switchable styles
Trickster, Swordmaster, Gunslinger and Royalguard sit on the d-pad and swap mid combo. Trickster handles spacing with dashes and Air Trick, Swordmaster adds moves to whichever Devil Arm is equipped, Gunslinger does the same for firearms, and Royalguard blocks and stores incoming damage to release as a single counter.
Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.
4. V fighting through familiars
V never deals meaningful damage himself. Griffon covers ranged lightning, Shadow handles melee as a shapeshifting panther, and Nightmare is a golem summoned with Devil Trigger. V has to walk over a downed enemy and finish it personally with his cane, which is what makes his crowd control positioning matter.
Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.
5. Devil Trigger and Sin Devil Trigger
Devil Trigger burns gauge for damage, speed and health regeneration on hit. Dante's Sin Devil Trigger is a second, deeper transformation that spends three full Devil Trigger bars, and Vergil's version pairs with his Concentration gauge, which fills when he moves deliberately and empties when he flails or gets hit.
Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.
How These Mechanics Combine
Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:
Style rank from D to SSS + Nero's Exceed and Devil Breakers
The meter climbs from Dismal through Crazy, Blast, Alright, Sweet, Savage and Smokin Sexy Style as you land varied attacks, and it drops if you repeat one move or take a hit. When combined with Nero's Exceed and Devil Breakers, tapping the exceed trigger at the instant a red queen swing connects fills a rev tank and adds fire damage to the next attack, and a three-tank max-act is what separates a competent nero from a good one. This combination is the core of every effective build.
Dante's four switchable styles + V fighting through familiars
Trickster, Swordmaster, Gunslinger and Royalguard sit on the d-pad and swap mid combo. Paired with V fighting through familiars, v never deals meaningful damage himself. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.
Devil Trigger and Sin Devil Trigger as a Multiplier
Devil Trigger burns gauge for damage, speed and health regeneration on hit. Dante's Sin Devil Trigger is a second, deeper transformation that spends three full Devil Trigger bars, and Vergil's version pairs with his Concentration gauge, which fills when he moves deliberately and empties when he flails or gets hit. This system amplifies everything else. The better your Devil Trigger and Sin Devil Trigger optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.
Combat by Role
Each role approaches combat differently:
Nero (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Red Queen Primary mechanic: Style rank from D to SSS
Nero offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
V (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Gerbera Primary mechanic: Nero's Exceed and Devil Breakers
V offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Dante (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Balrog Primary mechanic: Dante's four switchable styles
Dante offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Vergil (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Dr. Faust Primary mechanic: V fighting through familiars
Vergil offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Dante's four combat styles (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Yamato Primary mechanic: Devil Trigger and Sin Devil Trigger
Dante's four combat styles offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Advanced Combat Techniques
Damage Optimization
- Match your weapons to your role's stat priorities
- Exploit Style rank from D to SSS for maximum damage windows
- Chain Nero's Exceed and Devil Breakers and Dante's four switchable styles for combo damage
- Use V fighting through familiars to create openings
Survivability
- Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
- Learn MAX-Act rather than settling for single revs. Tapping Exceed at the exact frame the Red Queen connects banks a rev, and hitting three in a row triggers MAX-Act, which roughly triples the damage on the following attack. It is the largest free damage increase available to Nero and costs no Red Orbs.
- Position using Style rank from D to SSS to control spacing
- Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort
Boss Combat
Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.
- Phase awareness: Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
- Patience over aggression: One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
- Build preparation: Swap gear and weapons for specific fights when needed
Common Combat Mistakes
- Button mashing: Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
- Ignoring Nero's Exceed and Devil Breakers: This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
- Wrong weapons for the situation: Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
- Not learning from deaths: Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
- Overcommitting: Trading hits works in Mission 2: Qliphoth but will get you killed in Bloody Palace.
More Devil May Cry 5 Guides
- Devil May Cry 5 Devil May Cry 5 Overview
- Devil May Cry 5 Best Builds
- Devil May Cry 5 Tier List
- Devil May Cry 5 Walkthrough
- Devil May Cry 5 Beginner's Guide
- Devil May Cry 5 Tips & Tricks
- Devil May Cry 5 Weapons Guide
- Devil May Cry 5 Boss Guide
- Devil May Cry 5 Maps & Locations
- Devil May Cry 5 Crafting Guide
- Devil May Cry 5 Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Devil May Cry 5, check out these related guides:
- Helldivers 2 Combat Guide: action game with similar mechanics
- Black Myth: Wukong Combat Guide: action game with similar mechanics
- Monster Hunter Wilds Combat Guide: action game with similar mechanics
