"This is the power of Sparda!"

[Foxtrot94]

Who do you think handled Sparda's power better? Sanctus or Arkham?

I think Arkham. He actually went to the Netherworld and managed to channel Sparda's power through Force Edge into his body. And transformed into Sparda's DT, even though he later turned into that blob thing:

Sanctus instead, got the Sparda sword, yes, but didn't turn into Sparda like Arkham, just into an uglier version of himself:

 

[Viper]

He may have just turned into an uglier version of himself, a mark of how self-centered he actually was, but Sanctus sure gave me a much harder time than blob!Arkham with his floating, shield, sending flames to run through me, etc. In fact, if it weren't for his demon dolphins to spice things up, Arkham would have been a joke of a boss with how easy it is to hit him.

In reality, they are probably more or less on the same level, Arkham wanted to become Sparda, whereas Sanctus just wanted to use him, hence the difference in appearance.

 

[Foxtrot94]

I was speaking lore wise.

Sanctus Diabolica wasn't that hard for Nero to dispatch. A slash and a stab were enough.

Arkham instead, seemed to be a match for Dante. He was pretty tired and weakened after the first half of the fight, Arkham had the advantage and even mocked Dante pointing out that his half breed power was not enough. It took a team up with Vergil to beat him.
The two together completely destroy him, but still, Arkham was about to beat Dante 1 on 1.

 

[Viper]

I was speaking lore wise.

Sanctus Diabolica wasn't that hard for Nero to dispatch. A slash and a stab were enough.

Arkham instead, seemed to be a match for Dante. He was pretty tired and weakened after the first half of the fight, Arkham had the advantage and even mocked Dante pointing out that his half breed power was not enough. It took a team up with Vergil to beat him.
The two together completely destroy him, but still, Arkham was about to beat Dante 1 on 1.

Umm, I remember far more slashes and stabs and even some devil bringer punches, but if we are going by cutscenes alone, then yes it was just one slash, one DB powered slam and a stab dealt to a person weakened by battle and loss of faith and done by someone who is very much motivated by his need to save the love of his life.
It is possible they are on the same level of power, but they used it in different way. By that I mean they upgraded different abilities, one put more points in health and defense, other in attack.
In that case, Dante (and later on Vergil) took longer to break through Arkhams defense till he was finally down, while Nero had to focus more on simply evading Sanctus' attacks and his own attacks dealt more damage in comparison.

 

[Foxtrot94]

Weakened by battle, exactly. Arkham didn't get weakened. He was very well holding his ground against Dante, and it's pretty safe to assume that he would have beaten him if Vergil hadn't shown up to join the fight.
And for the record, his tendril attack and grab attack deal a sh!t ton of damage.

Sanctus however, after an initial good performance (he managed to block Nero's Yamato wave and send it back at him), quickly lost his ground dramatically. Which didn't happen in Arkham vs Dante. It was Dante the one who was losing and weakening.

 

[Viper]

In Sanctus' defense, he did move far more than the blob that just flailed around.
Also, he is far older than Arkham. While I don't know how power of Sparda really works, I have a feeling it affects strength and defense far more than stamina, so a middle-aged man would have a better base than an old geezer.
Also, there is the fact that Dante fought Arkham after conquering the tower and it's quirkiest part, whereas Nero managed to take a nap in between.

I'm still of the opinion it's just the matter of different approach than different level, but we are just going to go in circles now, so I'm out. XD

 

[DoomSlayer87_Sss]

Dante was only tired from exerting himself fox , he wasn't injured in a y way so arkham wouldn't have beaten him, his powerwas defence and endurance and that is why vergils help secured the win as there com ined attack power overwhelmed him

 

[Foxtrot94]

Dante was only tired from exerting himself fox

Maybe, but even then, Dante was getting more and more tired over time, while Arkham wasn't. So he couldn't win the fight.
But given Dante's regen capabilities, yeah maybe Arkham couldn't win either. Maybe it would have been a draw.

I still think Arkham handled Sparda's power a little better than Sanctus.

 

[Demi-fiend]

Dante was only tired from exerting himself fox

I doubt that. The only time he was that "tired" was when fighting with Vergil.

 

[DoomSlayer87_Sss]

I agree , and i think it would have stayed a stalemate , weirdly though dante didn't dt during the fight canon wise , that may have made a big difference.

 

[Foxtrot94]

weirdly though dante didn't dt during the fight canon wise , that may have made a big difference.

That's true.

 

[Demi-fiend]

If he was "tired" as you say, then he wouldn't have had the energy to DT in the first place. It's assumed that he already DT'd during the fight (because if he was that desperate, then how could he not?), then went back to human form when his reserves were spent.

 

[DoomSlayer87_Sss]

Assumed isn't fact though

 

[Demi-fiend]

Assumed isn't fact though

He was tired. He had already used his DT.

In the boss fight with Beowulf Vergil, Vergil waited until then to use DT instead of during the first boss fight. Thus, canonically, Dante would've DT'd as well. He would've done the same with someone close to Sparda's power level (like Force Edge'd Arkham).

 

[Foxtrot94]

Arkham wasn't even close to Sparda's power level though.

 

[Demi-fiend]

Arkham wasn't even close to Sparda's power level though.

He was powerful enough to make Dante tired. And let's not forget, he managed to deflect Vergil's Yamato when Vergil himself was tired when in half-demon form. As a False Sparda, he was second place to a fully-recovered, Force Edge equipped Desperation Devil Triggered Vergil as a boss.

Was he as powerful as Sparda? No, but he didn't have to be in order to keep Dante at bay.

Dante needed Vergil just to defeat Arkham. You said it yourself. It would've been a stalemate at best.

 

[Foxtrot94]

He was powerful enough to make Dante tired. And let's not forget, he managed to deflect Vergil's Yamato when Vergil himself was tired when in half-demon form. As a False Sparda, he was second place to a fully-recovered, Force Edge equipped Desperation Devil Triggered Vergil as a boss.

Was he as powerful as Sparda? No, but he didn't have to be in order to keep Dante at bay.

Dante needed Vergil just to defeat Arkham. You said it yourself. It would've been a stalemate at best.

I know. I just corrected you on that sentence.

 

[Demi-fiend]

I know. I just corrected you on that sentence.

It was a generalization. Someone who was "closest" to Sparda's power level in "relative" terms (at that moment in time).

 

[Absent Nova]

Well from my DMD experiences, Arkham is the clear choice. That fight against that blob was horrible and even worse when Vergil showed up. Where as Sanctus Diabolicus was cannon foder.