Kain vs. Dante
 

ARENA: Eternal Prison
High above a seemingly bottomless casm, our combatants engage. Smaller patforms lay to the left and right. One miscalculated leap and the unfortunate warrior just took himself out.

Kain stood staring at his foe. Fate has forced these two legendary heroes together. Only at the moment of the other's death may they leave this living Hell that has tortured those unable to leave their fleshy prison. Kain pulled the Soul Reaver from his back, taking a fighting stance. The thrill of the fight could be seen in his vampiric features.

Begin!

Dante stalks a girl he saw on the street for the rest of his waking life, and Kain is defeated.

... No.

In a close-quarters battle, Kain would definitely be the victor. He not only has superb endurance above that of any human or half-human, he can block and dodge. No manner of blade could destroy the Soul Reaver. In addition, if Dante struck, Kain could turn to Mist for a short time and dodge.

Well, I hate doing these things by myself. Once someone posts a [i]real[/] battle strategy, I can have an idea of what to have Kain to do.

Dude. It says so in the writings. And you can't dispute them.

What in God's name are you talking about?

You're going to the 9th level of hell!

Well, the fact that you'll be joining me eventually will help me bare the eternal pain.

Well, since I didn't really like the over-used half demon thing, and vampires are cooler, I am going to say Kain. Kain has all kinds of moves at his disposal, like Mist, Berserk, and Immolate. Dante just has his dumb powers that every average demon has. Kain has the Soul Reaver, which can absorb life energy from Dante if it lands a hit, or pierces him. If Kain gets enough energy charged up, he can use the immolate, which ignites the enemy, in this case, Dante. Besides, why would Dante want to leave home? He should just give up and enjoy the underworld. :D

Kain has far more important powers and abilities than Immolate. Lightning, a wide-range lightning attack would be impossible for Dante to dodge. Kinetic Shackles would allow Kain to chain Dante with pure force of mind. Also, the Soul Reaver doesn't really need to pierce Dante. One or two slashes are fatal to any creature, especially a half-demon. Dante wouldn't stand a chance in a close-quarters confrontation or in a long-distance battle due to Kain's amazing physical and mental strength.

Still, I'm no Dante expert. I'm sure someone can formulate a good strategy for him...that I could destroy.

Vae Victis.

I'm not going to bother with Dante until DMC 3 comes out...

And if he dies in the game? I guess Kain would kinda win by TKO.

No, I mean, Dante will be getting 5 different styles and millions (Or 20 something) of new skills in DMC3, along with 3 different Devil Mode, and new weapons.

Which means, his combat ability will go up indefinitely in like... less than 10 days. (Game is coming out on the 17th in Jap, if nothing goes wrong with the preorder..)

Screw that. Xenosaga Episode II comes out the 15th/16th. That will own all. Even RE4 and Tekken 5.

Kain has appeared in 5 games, three of which he was a main character. He's had a huge assortment of abilities over the centuries he's lived. I will enjoy taking all those new skills of Dante's and shoving them down his throat.

Well, I was playing Xenosaga II recently... where you actually control the AGWS (well, it is not an AGWS since it's not anit-gnosis, but it's a mecha) and move around. Won't spoil it too much though, since you haven't played it.

I can list some of Dante's ability if you wish, including the ones in the upcoming DMC3.

In Devil May Cry one, Dante basically has 3 major weapons: Alastor, Ifrits, and Sparda. Alastor emphasizes on quick and agile moves, the Ifrit gauntlets reigns in melee combat and brings massive destruction, and the Sparda excels in both range and damage.

Along with his sword skill Stinger, Round trip, Sword stabs, and his melee skills Kick13, Magma Drive, Dante can take on any foe anytime.

Dante's real power doesn't show until he turns into Devil Mode, though.
In his Devil Mode with Alastor, he gets a huge boost in agility, and gains the two moves Vortex and Air Raid. That gives him the ability to fly and shoot lightning.

With his Ifrit, he gains the really killer moves such as Inferno, an improved Kick13 Combo, and Meteor.

In either of the devil mode, Dante's attack and defend power drastically increases, and he also regenerates health.

During any time in the fight, Dante has access to a variety of firearms. This includes his dual no-recoil pistol Ebony and Ivory, Shotgun, Grenade Lanucher, and Nightmare Beta, a magic-enchanted firearm which resembles the work of a devil. His firearms will be charged with different elements depending on which weapons he's using (Alastor - Lightning, Ifrit - Fire).

There is also the bangle of time which allows Dante to freeze the time at the expense of his Devil Gauge. This can easily to use to exploit the enemies weak spot, and destroy them before they know it.

Devil May Cry 2 doesn't matter... the only thing in DMC2 is, when Dante's life is really low (near death), he will turn into a Super Devil Mode, and with that, he is near invincible.

Devil May Cry 3 however, is a very different story.
Dante has FIVE different fighting style.
Swordmaster - Dante focuses on his sword skills, Aerial Rave, Sword Pierce, Prop Shredder, to slice up the enemies.
Gunslinger - Getting fancy with his firmarms, with Twosome time, Firework and Rainstorm, he destroys the enemies before they even get close.
Trickter - Focusing on agility, with Dashing and Wall Hike, it gives the enemies a hard time to even catch up on Dante.
Royal Guard - This allows Dante to defend and store their energy for later use. When release (Most like as a counter?), the energy will multiple and catch the attackers off-guard.
Quick Silver - Similar to the Bangle of Time (Actually, if you've played VJ, think Slow Motion + Fast Forward), this slows the time around Dante and at the same time boosts his own, giving him a nice edge over the enemies.

Besides all the styles, Dante also has different combos. Namely, the Stylish combo and the Crazy combo. Stylish combo is the combo that we are more familiar with. While the crazy combo is a one hit (or the millions hit in several seconds) finisher, that includes the Million Carats, Hyper Fists, Satellite, Million Stabs, Wild Stomp, and Acid Rain. (Depending on the different weapons)

So far, the known melee weapons are the Rebellion, Agni & Rudra, Cerberus, and Beowulf. And the range ones are his old Ebony and Ivory, Shotgun, and the new Artemis (a laser type of weapon, probably similar to the Nightmare Beta except it's more powerful).

Also, Dante has 3 types of Devil Modes in DMC3, and I'm not sure about the details on that..

Well, that is alot. I need to think about those styles. Guns are no problem for Kain with Telekenesis, but Dante's other skills may prove to be hard to counter. I will get back to you when I have the time.

Before I go, this Devil Mode is kinda like a Limit Break? After an extended period of defending and attacking, he enters this and it boosts his power?

He earns Devil Gauge by just shooting or taunting or fighting. Very easy to fill up in a fight. And he can trigger Devil Mode when he has 3 runes level at the Devil Gauge (8 being the max) (And that's DMC1, DMC2 is different, and DMC3 would likely be different).

So basically, it is the satisfaction that he gains in combat which would fill his Devil gauge.

His Devil Gauge is almost like a bloodlust he starts to feel, probably due to being half-demon.

Okay... Kain's TK is enough to take away Dante's little guns. Say Dante does get off a few shots, Kain can teleport anywhere and just grab the gun with his mind and fling it off the edge and into the seemingly endless gap below.

Devil Mode sounds deadly. However, what use is it if Dante can't get to Kain? Bat form allows Kain to transform into a flock of bats. He can either; 1) fly high into the air until Dante exists DM or 2) actually fly under one of the platforms. Either way, Dante can't reach him.


Suppose Dante attempts that Quck Silver or Bangle of Time (which I remember from the Auron battle long ago) Kain has his own magic almost like that. Slow Time allows Kain to move at normal speed while others speed is reduced by 1/4.

Dante has no gun, but a blade he still possesses. However, charging Kain would not be wise. Kain's Mist form shields him from sight. Also, he can dodge and block extremely well. All the while, his Rage meter goes up. When that happens, watch out Dante! Immolate! Anyway, I think it could be long over before that becomes necessary. Dante may be quick, but speed is insignificant when your foe can teleport.

Kain could teleport to another platform and, Dante who probably could get out a gun at this point, might start firing at him. Still, no use. Dante can't have infinite ammo and Kain seems to have no limit on how much he can teleport. Once Dante is out of his precious shells, Kain can blast him with Soul Reaver Energy Attack. If Dante wanted to get close to actually strike Kain down with his blade, he'd have to run and jump. Hit him with Slow Time at that point, and it is definitely over.

Obviously never played DMC before, because long live the ammo...its infinite buddy. And your talk about him exhausting his devil mode wouldn't matter. Dante invokes it, he can change in and out of it at will.

Big deal. I already said, Kain's TK will dispose of those pesky firearms. The battle takes place miles above a very hard landing and Kain only needs a second to grab the gun and hurl it into the depths.

Devil Mode may help Dante, but it won't help him if he can't get to Kain to strike a blow. Slow Time, teleportation, Energy Bolt, Mist form and Kain's own agillity and power will make it as if Dante was no more a concern than a pesky Sarafan Guard.

Here is a good way to see the battle.

Dante pulled out a gun and fired it right at Kain. Kain teleported to the area five feet to the right of where he had been. He grabbed Dante's gun with Telekenesis and it flew into the casm below. Dante changed into Devil Mode and charged at Kain. His speed was incredible. Kain Jumped from the central platform to a smaller one on the edge. Dante switched running and began to run to where Kain was. As he jumped, Kain hit him with TK.

Dante was pulled helplessly towards Kain. Kain grabbled him by the throat and began to squeeze, his claw-like nails digging into Dante's sweet flesh. Dante went to strike out, but Kain tossed Dante all the way back onto the center platform. Dante scrambled to his feet, but Kain teleported and was behind Dante. The blade pierced Dante's chest. To be sure Dante was done for, Kain plunged his fangs into Dante's neck.

Telekinesis can't disarm anyone...
It is one thing to move stuff and open locks and operates lever with it (whatever, I've never played Legacy of Kain), but to take something off someone's hand is a very different story, because he will have a very tight grip on it.

So the firearms will definitely be still in the game. Nightmare Beta and Artemis (as they say right now) both shoot homing laser, and Dante carries the Nightmare Beta almost like an arm armor (pretty impossible to loose grip on).

I'd also doubt that Mist would be of any use against Dante. After he has spotted Kain, in order for Kain for effectively use the Mist form is to first get out of the sight of Dante and turns to Mist form. But Dante being the Demon Hunter, and have hunted a huge variety of demon and phantoms, one will assume that he can sense a powerful vampire (or vampire-like thing) far away.

Dante's Magma Drive and Stinger are both guard breakers, and both can be easily followed by a series of attack. (For Magma Drive, Kick13 combo. For Stinger, 5 slash combo or 2 slashes + million stabs.)

And, Dante is familiar with enemy with the ability to teleport. (Despair)

Can't go into details on the DMC3 things yet. Not too sure how they work.

Kain disarmed a man of his staff in a scene in Legacy of Kain: Defiance. It is well in his power to do this.

Dante can keep his damn Nightmare Beta and Artemis. Dante may be familiar with dark creatures that can teleport, but he can't stop it. Kain can teleport right by Dante and have the lasers destroy their own master. Of course, Kain msut go by Dante and keep an eye on the lasers. Kain's TK can pick up enemies and toss them around like dolls. He would not only be by Dante to lure the lasers back to him, he could use Dante's body and throw it right at them.

Uh...duh. Kain could teleport and change into Mist the instant he re-apprears somewhere else, out of the sight of Dante. He'll have virtually vanished from Dante's sight. Dante may have awesome senses, but Kain's stealth attack while in Mist are deadly.

Still, forget Mist. It is not Kain's only form. Let's see Dante hit a raging wolf with greater speed and agillity than even Kain in normal vampire form. The wolf can charge at its enemies and leap to rip out their throat. It can leap high in the air and avoid the bullets being fired at it.


What use are those attacks if Dante can't get near Kain? He'd have to catch Kain first. Kain cannot only slow time, but he can Jump or teleport to other locations on other platforms. Dante will have to chase after, plus take, even if it is only for a second, a leap to reach the next platform. Kain could nail him with a typical Energy Bolt or Soul Reaver Energy Attack. Say Kain let him lands. He gets his footing and runs at Kain. Kain, using teleportation, appears right behind Dante as he lands and chops his head off.

Say Dante doesn't get caught off-guard. He could very well turn and shoot/strike at Kain. Kain's Mist-dodge ability allows him to enter Mist form for a second to add to his already formiddable speed to dodge an attack. All he needs after he dodges is to run Dante through.

Kain has too many long-range attacks to need to stand by Dante. With teleport and Jump, he can cover great distances. Dante needs his guns, which I'll allow him to keep, and he can launch himself into the air with that attack you mentioned earlier. Shoot that lightning from that gun of his during Devil Mode. Who cares? Having already been airborne, Dante is vulnerable to Telekenesis and Kain's most powerful magic attack, Lightning.

Well, in a scene, energy bolt bounces off from Dante even when he's in non-devil form, and swords impale him yet he can still walk steadily and pull it out, while the wound heals instantly. (If you take scenes into account, Dante would have no weakness whatsoever.)

A charged up Nightmare Beta is far more deadly than you think. When charged, it can release up to 20 beams and every shot would bounce off the wall and platforms creating more beams.

What I usually love to do is freeze time when a enemy exposes the weakspot, and either charge up nightmare beta, or go near and uses Kick13 continuously.

There's a demon called "Shadow" in DMC, and it has to be one of the most cunning, agile, and deadly enemy I've ever seen... Dante can take on three of those at the same time without take a scratch.

And the fact is Dante can very well react to any teleporting demon. The Despair in DMC2 for example (I forgot the full name) almost abuses teleportation, yet teleport does not mean a sure hit.

In his Alastor Devil Mode... he's pretty much charged with lightning. When in the air, he shoots lightning (not from a gun...), and can charge into the enemy as a Vortex of lightning, and is invulnerable when doing so.

As for agility, Dante has wall hike and air hike, which allows him for a second jump, covering a much further distance.

Well, Dante may create those beams with the Nightmare Beta, but he'll obviously do it so they won't hit him. Thus, Kain can just stick close to Dante. And, if multiple beams come flying at Kain from every way possible, he can either; a) teleport b) Jump or c) use Bat form. That isn't a concern.

Kain has a blade with the power of Time. It is called the Time Reaver. I believe his Time Reaver could cancel Dante's freezing time, just as Dante could cancel Kain's manipulation of time with his own items.

Kain is the most evil character I have ever seen. Kain can take on 3 Sarafan Knights. The Sarafan Knights cannot be hit by Kain until they start to attack. Thus, Kain must time blocking and striking perfectly or he'll be cut to ribbons. Kain can also take on Hylden Warriors and Hylden. The Hylden, both normal and Warriors, possess a devastating combo that can totally mess up Kain. Dante may be able to take on multiple Shadow, but Kain's main point in Blood Omen 2 is precisely timed blocking and striking.

Kain does not need to teleport by Dante to strike him with the Soul Reaver/Reaver. He can teleport away as a defensive move. Or, he can teleport away and charge to attack Dante with powerful spells like Lightning or the Soul Reaver's own energy attack. Teleporting from platform to platform gives him the edge since Dante, no matter how quick and how much he can jump, cannot keep up. It might strike some as cowardice, but Kain can watch Dante leap from platform to platform and time a perfect spell in which to knock Dante to his doom.

In the air Dante is vulnerable to TK. One the ground it may be tougher for Kain to control him, but if Dante is already airborne, then its a simple flick of the wrist and Dante is either crashing into a platform or flying at Kain, who is ready to attack him with his blade or magic. Say Dante does get off a few lightning shots at Kain, Kain can simply jump left and right. Unless these are totally huge bolts that will destroy the ground? Somehow, I think not. Say he charges at Kain as a vortex of lightning, that sounds cool, but it won't matter. He can obviously not stay that way forever. Kain can turn into Bat form and I'd like to see Dante precisely hit a flock of speeding bats that can, as I said earlier, simply take shelter under a platform.

Dante is wishing for death if he stays in the air too long, and in a blade-to-blade contest with both characters' strength at the maximum, Kain's TK comes into effect again as it would only require the tiniest mental push for a lunging Dante to loose his footing. Even if it is only for a second, that second is enough for Kain.

Not necessarily true. In Defiance, Kain disarms Moebius with TK. The staff that Moebius uses is his only method of defense, therefore he's holding onto it for dear life most of the time. Kain TK-tossed it with ease.

The counter-argument to that is the Ifrit Gauntlets. They're attched to his arms, so they can't really be snatched off. Plus, Kain like every Vampire in Nosgoth has no special defenses against fire.

Dante's optimum setup would probably have to be Ifrit and the Nightmare Beta, because that way he can't be disarmed and he's got a weapon that deals normal damage to Kain.

However, using that setup puts Dante at a disadvantage because he's not as fast with Ifrit, and Nightmare Beta burns Devil Gauge power use.

Great match-up, these two. I honestly can't decide who I think would win.

Nothing much else to say. Any Dante fans out there? Post or our dear friend si dead.

"But I am dead.... As are you." ~Kain

More of a stall than anything...
Wait for DMC3 like I've said! Only a week from now.

Very well then. Play your DMC3. Upon learning of Dante's knew skills, you can post here and perhaps things will gorw more interesting. However, I'll show you just how powerful Kain is, as he rips apart Dante and his new powers.

Doesn't dante have like holy water or something? =/

Well, a Nosgothic vampire is very different than a regular vampire. Any kind of water can hurt vampires.

I was not planning to use items in the fight.... Or else it would be "Untouchable!" And Dante is invincible.

Dante can choose from six different styles, and if I'm to include his past abilities (Bangle of Time, Amulet of ____ from DMC2), he'd be too much.

First style is Trickster. With this style, Dante can do 3 dashes (which pretty much evade any attack on ground), and wall hike, which allows him to walk on wall for a short period of time. There's also the Air Star and Air Trick. With Air Star and Air Hike, he can do a double jump and follow by an air dash. (That makes mid-air dodging very easy) With Air Trick... well, Air Trick allows Dante to teleport right above his enemy, and from there, he can follow up with any of his deadly attack.

Then there is Swordmaster. The skills with Rebellion will probably need more space in order to be effective, so I'll forget that.

With the Cerberus though... first, the Cerberus is Ice-enchanted, and it has a pretty good reach. Just by swinging it, and along with the moves Windmill and Revolver, enemies cannot even go near him. (Of course, if they are in melee range, they won't be able to escape.) The true power of Cerberus reveals in Swordmaster style. With Ice Age, Dante will create a huge sphere of Ice around himself, freezing anything that comes nearby. And he can also use Million Carats, which is a move that makes ice shreds fall down from the sky.

Agni and Rudra can call forth Fire and Wind. His ultimate move with this weapon is Tempest, which call forth a Tempest by wielding the weapons in a high speed. But I won't go too far into that. And I'm not going to touch on Nevan, because it's lightning-charged. (But it's a bass, which adds a lot of style points.)

Finally, with the Beowulf... a gauntlet plus footwears which wields the power of light. (By defeating the Demon Angel Beowulf) Dante can shoot out bolt of light, cast an inferno-like attack, only it's with Light (and it's called Volcano), and it excels in melee range combat. That means, if Kain is ever caught in a melee range, he'll be done for.