How does Dante know how to use any weapon he comes across?

[Exejpgwmv]

(This applies to both the new and old one.)

He grew up in the slums for most of his childhood and teenage life, so how exactly does he know how to use a giant scythe?
Or three stick ice nunchucks?
Him being extremely skilled with Rebellion and E&I makes sense, he grew up with the things, but not all the others. (Guns are excused though, well, except for Pandora.)
His natural abilities don't explain it because: Strength, speed, and stamina does not automatically make you skillful at any weapon you just so happen to pick up.


So, the only thing I can think of that explains this is this fan theory I made:

Dante is a "Combatant Genius".
Which basically means that just by analyzing the weight, shape, and texture of a weapon(and possibly feeling it's "magical potential"), he can accurately guess the best way to use a weapon. Which explains how after acquiring a move/ability, or seeing a vision of one, or how ever the f*ck the Divinity Statues work, he can do the move or ability almost perfectly.

----------------------------------------------Full on head-canon incoming.-----------------------------------------------------------

This can also explain why, in DmC, Dante got the shape shifting sword but not Vegil. His parents might have know he had this trait/ability and gave him the weapon that best fit him.
And if Vergil didn't have this ability/trait, and Sparda & Eva knew, it would explain why he was given the unchanging(But powerful.) Yamato to specialize with.


(I am very well aware that I am mostly likely over-thinking things and that it's probably just for game-play convenience, but I don't care, I just like to speculate about these kind of things.)

 

[Chancey289]

Because it's a video game and no one wants to play as a Dante who can't use his weapons in stylish fashion.

 

[KRSkull]

That is an interesting theory. And i think that its really logical and the things Cerberus says after you defeat him can support your theory.

Spoiler

Cerberus: You have proven your strength. I acknowledge your ability. Take my soul and go forth. You have my blessing.

And another reason why i think that your theory is logical is because of his Devil Trigger in DMC3.

Spoiler

The appearance of the Devil Trigger form is dependent on the Devil Arm the character is wielding at the time of assumption

 

[Gel]

DMC Dante didn't grow in the slums: DMC2 novel hints he trained when was a kid with his Dad ( and Vergil). When Eva died , it seems he was adopted by a lady, being this hinted in Anime.

 

[Lord Nero]

''Him being extremely skilled with E&I makes sense, he grew up with the things.''
As far as I know, Dante had the Ebony and Ivory custom-made (shortly before DMC3, I guess) -- the DMC wikia says this too. So he didn't really grow up with those.

It's not impossible for him to have trained at being a demon hunter. Yeah, he got his Devil May Cry shop, but what exactly did he do before that? Or better yet, what does he do in the time he doesn't have customers? Now, I haven't watched the anime, but it seems to me quite possible he either goes to some martial arts gym at times, or his shop has a section designed for practicing with all kinds of weapons.
And if he indeed trained with Sparda and Vergil when he was a kid, well... I suppose that explains much of it. Even in DmC, it's shown Dante practiced with Vergil.

It's an interesting idea, though. Dante doesn't know all weapon moves from the start, he indeed needs Divinity Statues (also called Watchers of Time). ''It bears the likeness of the omniscient god of time and space, which resembles a lioness-headed woman holding an hourglass. If it is offered the blood of demons it will bestow the player with 'ancient ways of war'.''
It's either just a gameplay mechanic or it makes some kind of sense. Divinity Statues might be beyond time and space and see every possible dimension. They might record some kind of history of what demons have done with the weapons in the past, or what they will do in the future. It might be that the demons Dante and Vergil kill were already killed in 'past lives', and so their souls have, in the past, turned into the same weapons Dante uses. In essence, Dante learns those skills from the people who used those weapons in the past. The defeated demons' bodies change (they are reincarnated), but they keep (part of) their souls.

 

[Exejpgwmv]

It's not impossible for him to have trained at being a demon hunter. Yeah, he got his Devil May Cry shop, but what exactly did he do before that? Or better yet, what does he do in the time he doesn't have customers? Now, I haven't watched the anime, but it seems to me quite possible he either goes to some martial arts gym at times, or his shop has a section designed for practicing with all kinds of weapons.

Sorry, but it would take decades to become so proficient at such a wide variety of weapons.
And him training as a kid only explains how he knows how to use Rebellion and Yamato, not all the other weapons he comes across.

Because it's a video game and no one wants to play as a Dante who can't use his weapons in stylish fashion.

Like I said at the bottom of my post:
(I am very well aware that I am mostly likely over-thinking things and that it's probably just for game-play convenience, but I don't care, I just like to speculate about these kind of things.)

 

[Viper]

I always thought that once he has a certain devil arm equipped, there would be a telepathic link between him and the soul the weapon was made from, and through that he would know how to activate something or how to make certain moves. The reason why he is so fast at perfecting the moves he sees in his mind could come from the fast adaptability of demonic specie (or just Sparda bloodline) as a necessity in dangerous life.
But that's just my vision of things.

 

[Lord Nero]

Sorry, but it would take decades to become so proficient at such a wide variety of weapons.
And him training as a kid only explains how he knows how to use Rebellion and Yamato, not all the other weapons he comes across.

Decades? Why? Doesn't it depend on how often and how long you train? I doubt it would take years just to be proficient with weapons like the gauntlets if you're at it for hours each day. And for all we know, they trained with more weapons than just the Rebellion and the Yamato, so that point is invalid.
And if Dante is such a master at using weapons according to you, being able to just look at weapons and be proficient with them immediately, then it wouldn't take him (or Vergil) decades to become proficient with those weapons. So I'm willing to give some credit to your idea, but I doubt Dante hasn't ever trained and just knows instinctively how to use nunchakus and longswords and whatnot.

Also: ''Which basically means that just by analyzing the weight, shape, and texture of a weapon(and possibly feeling it's "magical potential"), he can accurately guess the best way to use a weapon.''
There is no 'best' way to use a weapon, only good ways and bad ways. There are only fighting styles. Skills. Nobody in real life is able to wield a weapon with skill just by measuring its weight, shape, and texture.

 

[Exejpgwmv]

but I doubt Dante hasn't ever trained and just knows instinctively how to use nunchakus and longswords and whatnot.

I didn't say whatever training he might have had and overall fighting experience didn't factor in.
And I didn't say it was "instinctive" either, just that he was very good at analyzing and predicting.

There is no 'best' way to use a weapon

Fine then: The most optimal way for him to use a weapon.

Nobody in real life is able to wield a weapon with skill just by measuring its weight, shape, and texture.

Well then lucky me that Dante is neither a real life person or bound by human limitations.

 

[Lord Nero]

I didn't say whatever training he might have had and overall fighting experience didn't factor in.
And I didn't say it was "instinctive" either, just that he was very good at analyzing and predicting.


Fine then: The most optimal way for him to use a weapon.


Well then lucky me that Dante is neither a real life person or bound by human limitations.

- There is no analyzing and predicting in knowing how to use a weapon. Learning to use it takes time and skill. Nobody just ''measures a weapon's weight, shape, and texture'' and goes 'oh well now I know exactly how to use it'. Nonsense.

- There is no 'optimal' way to use weapons, only ways that work and ways that don't. Why italicize 'him', as though Dante can't be held to the same standards as anyone else?

- That doesn't make sense. You were the one comparing Dante to real life people, saying that it would take years to master these weapons, and that it makes sense he's skilled with the Rebellion since he grew up with it. Also: ''His natural abilities don't explain it because: Strength, speed, and stamina does not automatically make you skillful at any weapon you just so happen to pick up.''
So you're contradicting yourself. And why compare Dante to 'you' (anyone) if ''Dante isn't bound by human limitations''?
Either Dante's proficiency can be explained logically, and he can be compared to real life people, or he cannot. If you say that he can't be compared to actual people, then what is the point of the thread's question? No need to reply btw, I have things to do.

 

[KRSkull]

You know looking at what you guys have posted in this thread. And going to youtube and saw DMC3 videos. And i noticed two things. i have already mentioned one of the things i noticed in the reply i posted earlier.

The seconds thing the way Vergil got Beowulf. What if Dante and Vergil don't just take the demons souls what if they absorb knowledge from the demons?

 

[Dante's Stalker]

I honestly thought he just winged it, really. And made it look cool.

 

[Viper]

I honestly thought he just winged it, really. And made it look cool.

He could wing it with Agni and Rudra, they are just fancier swords (though one could say they helped him move his arms, seeing as they have always been sentient swords moving their hosts), or some other sword or a gun, but how do you do it with Cerberus and not end up in fetal position on the floor cause one rod ended up going the wrong way?

Excuse me, I'm going to be quite busy laughing at this image... XD

 

[Exejpgwmv]

Excuse me, I'm going to be quite busy laughing at this image... XD

I will pay any amount of money for a comic of that happening. :thumbsup:

 

[WolfOD64]

I always thought that once he has a certain devil arm equipped, there would be a telepathic link between him and the soul the weapon was made from, and through that he would know how to activate something or how to make certain moves. The reason why he is so fast at perfecting the moves he sees in his mind could come from the fast adaptability of demonic specie (or just Sparda bloodline) as a necessity in dangerous life.
But that's just my vision of things.

Yeah, that was what I always assumed....it's the same logic the Onimusha games use whenever the protagonist obtains a new elemental weapon.
But since Dante has more experience with wielding Rebellion and other such zweihanders the most, I think it's safe to assume that his prowess in wielding them overshadows whatever combat abilities he inherits from newly-obtained weapons. Even in games like DMC3 and DMC4, where Dante has a more expanded arsenal with each level, he's always shown exclusively using Rebellion in the cutscenes. which might indicate that he's more skilled at wielding it.