A potential rival for Nero in a DMC6?

[Ronin]

With Nero in charge of protecting humanity after Dante, while his uncle & father seal themselves in the Demon World to make up for lost times they had as children, would be nice for Nero to have further development if had himself a rival to fight.

Whether such a new character can be human, demon, half-breed or something else.

All depending what type of person this rival character would be, if they have a connection with Nero or not and what weapons & powers this rival would have to counter Nero's powers & abilities.

Would you like its main weapon to be a sword, a glaive, a spear/staff? Anything?

And what of its firearms?

You all figure out how!

 

[berto]

As long as it's not some less than impressive wanker who's looking to take Sparda's power to become a god, I think that'll be a step in the right direction. At least Arkham was interesting. Arius and Sanctus were so mediocre they were silly.

 

[Ronin]

As long as it's not some less than impressive wanker who's looking to take Sparda's power to become a god, I think that'll be a step in the right direction. At least Arkham was interesting. Arius and Sanctus were so mediocre they were silly.

This rival that I'm looking for will involve exterminating all demons (including hybrids) indiscriminately, until realizing this rival had been wrong about demons like Sparda - including his descendants.

 

[ef9dante_oSsshea]

Not sure who would be powerful enough to rival him outside of the sparda twins, if they are the top dogs power wise and he is a close second then nobody else can match nero. A rival has to be similar in power and skill in order for it to be a rivalry, so it would have to be a demon king of old or something that was imprisoned etc.

If i had a preference, it would maybe be a cambion that came from mundus and a human who is evil at first but redeemable. Like piccolo junior in dragonball and early dbz

 

[V's patron]

@berto mentioned Nero as thin skinned so I'd pitch a rival that can mess with him and out think him.

we haven't had a smart villian since Arkham.

someone like Heimdall from GOW Ragnarok would be fun.

 

[berto]

This rival that I'm looking for will involve exterminating all demons (including hybrids) indiscriminately, until realizing this rival had been wrong about demons like Sparda - including his descendants.

So, you already have something in mind.

I'd pitch a rival that can mess with him and out think him.

Yeah... For a character who insults every opponent he meets to cry for a month about being called deathweight is... He's just lucky everyone he's fought against has no imagination for insults, otherwise he'd spend the who fight trying to win just to throw the insult back.

 

[ef9dante_oSsshea]

All a demon needs is some playground insults and nero will go into airplane mode mid fight

 

[Ronin]

So, you already have something in mind.


Yeah... For a character who insults every opponent he meets to cry for a month about being called deathweight is... He's just lucky everyone he's fought against has no imagination for insults, otherwise he'd spend the who fight trying to win just to throw the insult back.

I have someone in mind alright!

A former knight of the Order of the Sword who has issues with Nero, not only with his abilities but also for Kyrie's attention. The knight ends up kicked out by Credo and becomes Agnus' assistant instead, only to end up a flawed subject in the Ascension Ceremony.

Unable to return to Agnus while Fortuna was in chaos due to demons & later the Order collapsing, the former knight becomes a mercenary, forming his own group to hunt demons, as well as finding a way to restore his humanity & get control of his newfound powers. When hearing about Nero and that he is revealed to be one of Sparda's children, he vows to defeat him and rid the world of demons (& hybrids as well).

Do like some vibes of GOW's Heimdall for him. But what weapons would fit this one though?

What do you think so far?

 

[berto]

What do you think so far?

Personal advice? I'd lean in to the whole cult mentality of Fortuna being central to this figure. Fortuna was a cult. Read the LN. There was a huge thing there about how when people became possessed the order sent people like Nero to kill them off, quietly, but people still knew. Everyone was aware but they'd choose to let them get killed, be it family or friend. The stigma they placed on demonic association was almost like any historical instance where neighbors turned on each other to save their bacons or just to garner favor. Well, maybe not that exactly, but you get the picture. Fortuna has a very established creed and people will turn on their love ones if they suspect them of demonic anything. Think witch hunt or a 'he's in league with the devil' kind of accusation. Having someone from Fortuna who was a 'true believer' would definitely have a beef against Nero and definitely want to keep Kyrie away from a creature like that, preserving her purity, perhaps.

Also, don't forget, that was Lady's stance in DMC3 so you really want to establish a notable difference between the two.

 

[Ronin]

Personal advice? I'd lean in to the whole cult mentality of Fortuna being central to this figure. Fortuna was a cult. Read the LN. There was a huge thing there about how when people became possessed the order sent people like Nero to kill them off, quietly, but people still knew. Everyone was aware but they'd choose to let them get killed, be it family or friend. The stigma they placed on demonic association was almost like any historical instance where neighbors turned on each other to save their bacons or just to garner favor. Well, maybe not that exactly, but you get the picture. Fortuna has a very established creed and people will turn on their love ones if they suspect them of demonic anything. Think witch hunt or a 'he's in league with the devil' kind of accusation. Having someone from Fortuna who was a 'true believer' would definitely have a beef against Nero and definitely want to keep Kyrie away from a creature like that, preserving her purity, perhaps.

Also, don't forget, that was Lady's stance in DMC3 so you really want to establish a notable difference between the two.

Sounds interesting.

I’d imagine the next adventure will be another outside of Fortuna.

Still would be nice to see an offspring of Mundus come into the picture too.

 

[V's patron]

I don't mind returning to Fortuna and having the rival be a social reformer that Nero initially supported but grows to disagree with.

it's similar to Basilio's dynamic with Louis from Metaphor Refantazio.

Nero being an outcast in Fortuna is an interesting trait but poorly explored. This felt like a way of doing it justice.

the problem with my idea is source of powers. I'm fine with him being powered by technology or having another source ie psychic or connected to angels.

 

[Ronin]

Doubt they’ll have angels in this DMC universe

 

[V's patron]

Doubt they’ll have angels in this DMC universe

ehh it's an option to consider. plus you can always introduce them if you want.

the dev team is fluid when it comes to continuity.

 

[Ronin]

ehh it's an option to consider. plus you can always introduce them if you want.

the dev team is fluid when it comes to continuity.

Maybe. If they'll add Christian mythology into it more.

Plus I'd imagine Nero's rival would remind him of Credo so much.

 

[V's patron]

I had an idea where Kyrie dies in the intro but spends the game as a ghost.

the plot hook is Nero racing to find a device or spell that can resurrect the dead.

so the rival is someone like Shuyin of FF10-2- a man grieving for his lost love and willing to hurt others in the process.

Dracula from Castlevania Netflix also works as a reference.

this character could be a male demon who loved a human. It echoes Sparda and Eva but with less of a fairytale vibe.

 

[ef9dante_oSsshea]

A demon who is a battle rapper, he can drop bars during the fight that will make nero fumble and become weak at the knees

 

[Lain]

Personally I think what might be interesting would be a character who hits a little too close to home that it unnerves Nero. Namely you have him encounter a fellow Devil Hunter who also has some distant demonic heritage and they hunt demons for money in a similar vein to the Devil May Cry shop. But where the two people differ is that unlike Nero, this person isn't fighting the forces of Hell because of any notion of it being the right thing to do or helping people in need - instead for them it is only a business model and if you can't pay upfront then he won't lift a finger to help even if demons are slaughtering people right in front of him. Their cold demeanor and criticisms of Nero forces him to question why he continues to be a Devil Hunter after the Order's collapse and if he set up his branch of Devil May Cry for the right reasons.

 

[V's patron]

Personally I think what might be interesting would be a character who hits a little too close to home that it unnerves Nero. Namely you have him encounter a fellow Devil Hunter who also has some distant demonic heritage and they hunt demons for money in a similar vein to the Devil May Cry shop. But where the two people differ is that unlike Nero, this person isn't fighting the forces of Hell because of any notion of it being the right thing to do or helping people in need - instead for them it is only a business model and if you can't pay upfront then he won't lift a finger to help even if demons are slaughtering people right in front of him. Their cold demeanor and criticisms of Nero forces him to question why he continues to be a Devil Hunter after the Order's collapse and if he set up his branch of Devil May Cry for the right reasons.

Your description made me think of Dynamo or Vile from Megaman X.

maybe this story could be more episodic than the other games which feel like movies?

 

[Ronin]

Personally I think what might be interesting would be a character who hits a little too close to home that it unnerves Nero. Namely you have him encounter a fellow Devil Hunter who also has some distant demonic heritage and they hunt demons for money in a similar vein to the Devil May Cry shop. But where the two people differ is that unlike Nero, this person isn't fighting the forces of Hell because of any notion of it being the right thing to do or helping people in need - instead for them it is only a business model and if you can't pay upfront then he won't lift a finger to help even if demons are slaughtering people right in front of him. Their cold demeanor and criticisms of Nero forces him to question why he continues to be a Devil Hunter after the Order's collapse and if he set up his branch of Devil May Cry for the right reasons.

Your description made me think of Dynamo or Vile from Megaman X.

maybe this story could be more episodic than the other games which feel like movies?

Sounds like an interesting choice for a rival. Could picture this character being outside of Sparda's family - whether its by Mundus' bloodline or from another demon/demoness who's following Sparda's example. Still wish it was someone from the old Order who despised Nero.

Let's not also forget Nero would question himself why he took up Dante's role as humanity's protector after his uncle & father left.

I'd imagine the guy being hired by some corporation who's after the money & doesn't care about humanity's lives.

For such a hunter/huntress, I would question this one's abilities and what weapons they'll take up to battle Nero's arsenal & powers?

 

[V's patron]

@Ronin
I saw @Lain suggestion as a human hunter reliant on tech.