Summoned Swords
Summoned Swords also known as Phantom Blades[1] or Mirage Blades are magically generated blades, appearing in Devil May Cry, Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, Devil May Cry 4, and Devil May Cry 5.[2]
First introduced in final battle against Nelo Angelo in DMC1, they returned in battles against Vergil on hardest difficulty mode – Dante Must Die, in DMC3, utilized in both offensive and defensive formations.[3][4] Similar techniques were also used by Angelo Credo in DMC4 and Urizen in DMC5.
Summoned Swords became playable Vergil's main means of ranged attacks since DMC3SE, while also continuing to be used in formations. Nero gains the ability to use Summoned Swords, in Devil Trigger exclusively, in DMC4 and 5.[5] Dante obtains his counterpart of the technique – Mirage Swords, used in multiple formations complementing his various battle styles, along with Devil Sword Dante in DMC5.
Appearance[]
Nelo Angelo[]
Nelo Angelo's Summoned Swords look like blue-green, spectral swords with blue-purple electricity. Moments after impaling, they will shatter.
Vergil[]
In Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition, Vergil's Summoned Swords look like a blue-green, spectral replica of Force Edge that appear in a puff of blue and purple fire or smoke. They shatter after piercing the enemy releasing more a puff of blue-purple smoke. In Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition, Vergil's Summoned Swords have a much more blue color and appear in a flash light rather than the smoke or flame. Starting in Devil May Cry 5, Vergil can use a Summoned Sword as a melee weapon, known as Mirage Edge.
Nero[]
Nero's Summoned Swords look like curved, two pointed shuriken with spikes protruding from the center. They glow light blue. While hovering around Nero they will spin. After being embedded in an enemy for a short amount of time, they will disappear in a blue-white smoke. In Devil May Cry 5, after awakening his true Devil Trigger, Nero's Summoned Swords now look like kukri blades.
File[]
Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition[]
File (Vergil) — Guns — Summoned Swords
English version
Summoned Swords
Summon magically generated swords.
Japanese version
幻影剣
魔力によって剣を生成する技
Wiki translation
Phantom Swords
Technique of creating swords by means of demonic power.
Devil May Cry 5 and Special Edition[]
DMC5SE Official website — Vergil
English version
Mirage Blade
Never a fan of firearms, Vergil instead relies on these piercing projectiles of demonic energy. While effective as a long-range attack, they're also capable of binding enemies or contributing to combo chains. Foes trapped in a storm of these blades will find no reprieve, only death.[6]
Japanese version
幻影剣
銃器を好まないバージルが、その代わりとなる魔力で生み出した飛剣。遠距離攻撃に用いるだけでなく、敵の拘束やコンボの追撃など、使い方は多種多彩。幻影の刃の嵐に巻き込まれた敵は、ただ、必殺の一太刀に断たれるのを待つばかりだ。[7]
Gameplay[]
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening[]
Vergil's Summoned Swords are his equivalent for guns. However, unlike guns, they do not recoil and therefore cannot cause him to hover in mid-air. When using Spiral Swords, the Devil Trigger gauge is reduced by two full runes. Furthermore, because summoning the swords does not interrupt the current action, they can be used at any time, even during recovery animations and combos. Spiral Swords serve as a useful defensive technique, shielding Vergil from harm while performing attacks with long start-up or recovery.
As a boss, Vergil only uses Summoned Swords in "Dante Must Die" mode. Alternatively, during fights, Vergil will use the Spiral Swords if the player hasn't received any damage from him. He will create a shield around him, which pushes the player away and will create the Spiral Swords while saying "Don't get so cocky.". The player can then use Nevan's Jam Session to destroy all of Vergil's swords as he's summoning them.
Because Devil Trigger is a vital resource to expend for Vergil's alternate techniques with the swords, making use of his gimmicks to refill Devil Trigger runes is rather vital (e.g. using his Yamato taunt and/or allowing him to sheath the blade and the end of certain animations).
Devil May Cry 4[]
Nero's Summoned Swords function in much the same way as Vergil's, however; they can only be used while Nero is in Devil Trigger. Unlike Vergil, Nero will fire his Blue Rose in addition to the Summoned Swords, and using them affects his Devil Trigger Gauge; the gauge will deplete faster when Nero uses this skill. Because using Summoned Swords does not interrupt actions, Nero can use them while performing any action, including Buster, for additional damage.

Nero's Summoned Swords in-game.
If he fires a Charged Shot, multiple Summoned Swords will appear simultaneously before skewering the enemy in quick succession, reminiscent of Vergil's Blistering Swords technique. The number of Summoned Swords in a Charged shot increase by 2 per level, with the Level 3 Charged shot giving a total of 6 Summoned Swords. Furthermore, Nero is allowed to "charge" his Summoned Swords during a Buster giving additional simultaneous swords during the sequence.
In several attacks, like the Maximum Bet and Showdown, Nero can utilize the Summoned Swords even without using the Blue Rose.
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition[]
Vergil's Summoned Swords-related moves from Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening return, with most of their properties from said game being unaltered. Spiral Swords is no longer needs to be active to use Blistering Swords and Storm Swords. While using Spiral Swords, you can fire Summoned Swords separately. Summoned Swords will no longer fire during recovery animations and taunts. Vergil gains a new move called Heavy Rain Swords which immobilizes enemies with a storm of swords from above.
Summoned Swords have also become more integral to his gameplay as he can now warp towards any that have first been embedded by them and can also use this in place of Nero's Devil Bringer by latching onto glowing skulls, based on the reboot-version of Vergil via his Angel Lift.
Yamato Combo B and Rapid Slash (only in Devil Trigger) can create a Summoned Sword to impale any enemies hit based on the "Embed" versions of reboot-Vergil's techniques, which unlike reboot-Vergil can then detonate after Vergil is allowed to sheathe his sword during certain animations, with the range of animations being expanded while having DT active.
Devil May Cry 5 and Special Edition[]
Nero's Summoned Swords function in much the same way as they did in Devil May Cry 4.
Vergil's Summoned Swords are renamed to Mirage Blades in the English version of Devil May Cry 5 and its Special Edition. Overall however, they function the same as in the prior game. Though one major difference is via a likely nerf, is that the swords' sizes seem to be much smaller than in prior games. Despite this, techniques such as Spiral Swords are spaced enough to cover the same amount of range as older versions.
Movesets[]
Devil May Cry 4 – Nero
Action | Command | Description |
---|---|---|
Summoned Swords (幻影剣 Gen'eitō?, lit. "Phantom Blades") | PS: ![]() |
Hurl magically generated swords at the enemy. |
Devil May Cry 5 – Nero
Action | Command | Description |
---|---|---|
Summoned Swords (幻影剣 Gen'eitō?, lit. "Phantom Blades") | In DT, PS: ![]() Xbox: ![]() PC: ![]() |
Use demonic power to summon blades and send them flying at your foe. More blades appear during Charge Shot for additional attacks. |
Devil May Cry 5 – Vergil
Action | Command | Description |
---|---|---|
Mirage Blade (幻影剣 Gen'eiken?, lit. "Phantom Swords") | PS: ![]() Xbox: ![]() PC: ![]() |
Launch swords created from demonic power. Mirage Blade 2 ( ![]() Mirage Blade 3 ( ![]() Levels 2 and 3 increase the number of Mirage Blades that can be summoned, and strengthens skills that use them. |
Spiral Blades (円陣幻影剣 Enjin Gen'eiken?, lit. "Circle Array Phantom Swords") | PS: Hold ![]() Xbox: Hold ![]() PC: Hold ![]() |
![]() Creates a ring of Mirage Blades around you that acts as a shield. Consumes DT Gauge when performed. The blades each have their own amount of hits they take/deal out before they break, and the array will vanish on its own after a certain amount of time passes. |
Storm Blades (烈風幻影剣 Reppū Gen'eiken?, lit. "Gale Phantom Swords") | PS: ![]() ![]() ![]() Xbox: ![]() ![]() ![]() PC: ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() Countless swords surround an enemy, then pincer-attack all at once, launching them into the air. Consumes DT Gauge when performed. |
Blistering Blades (急襲幻影剣 Kyūshū Gen'eiken?, lit. "Sudden Raid Phantom Swords") | PS: ![]() ![]() ![]() Xbox: ![]() ![]() ![]() PC: ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() Create swords around you that launch themselves at your enemy one after another Consumes DT Gauge when performed. |
Heavy Rain Blades (五月雨幻影剣 Samidare Gen'eiken?, lit. "Five Month Rain Phantom Swords") | PS: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Xbox: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() PC: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() Creates a deadly rainfall of Mirage Blades above your enemy's head, temporarily pinning them in place. Consumes DT Gauge when performed. |
Similar Abilities[]
Angelo Credo[]

Angelo Credo using summoned swords against Nero
Angelo Credo can conjure golden gladii. He uses them in a manner similar to Vergil's storm swords/blades attack. They can be broken by activating Devil Trigger near them or simply batting them away with a melee weapon. He can also summon a javelin which he throws at Nero.
Urizen[]
Urizen summons swords covered with multiple spikes, usually in conjunction with his time dilation bubble. They are purplish-pink in color and disappear magically out of thin air after attacking. They are weak to firearms.
Dante[]

Dante uses escort sword formation to defend against Griffon's lightning.
After getting the Devil Sword Dante, he gets the ability to create fiery red swords from the split center of the blade. They are employed with the skill "Swords Formation". The behavior of the swords vary depending on the style currently toggled; Chaser for Swordsmaster, Interceptor for Gunslinger, Reactor for Trickster and Escort for Royalguard.
Other Appearances[]
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3[]
The Summoned Swords appear in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, as one of Vergil's Hyper Combo moves. In their default state they resemble the Spiral Swords but they can be reconfigured (by sacrificing another bar of meter) to operate as the Storm Swords or the Blistering Swords. In addition to these is his LV3 Hyper Combo Dark Angel, which has him summon swords behind the enemy in rapid fashion as he repeatedly slices them with Yamato, only raining down on them after sheathing his sword.
Gallery[]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ Devil May Cry, File - Enemy - Nelo Angelo
- ↑ Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition, Guns File — Summoned Swords: "Summon magically generated swords."
- ↑ Devil May Cry, Enemy File — Nelo Angelo: "By determining which way the phantom blades target, they can be easily dodged."
- ↑ Devil May Cry, Enemy File — Nelo Angelo: "The phantom blades protect the knight by circling around him. Destroy the phantom blades and create an opening to attack."
- ↑ Devil May Cry 4, Yamato — Summoned Swords: "Summon a magical blade and fling it towards a foe, piercing the enemy through sheer force of will. While in Devil Trigger mode, press
."
- ↑ Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition | CAPCOM (US)
- ↑ Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition | CAPCOM (JP)
Devil May Cry | |
---|---|
Characters | Dante - Eva - Mundus - Sparda - Trish |
Bosses | Griffon - Nelo Angelo (Greatsword, Summoned Swords) - Nightmare - Phantom |
Lesser Demons | Beelzebub - Blade - Fetish - Frost - Kyklops - Marionette - Nobody - Plasma - Sargasso - Shadow - Sin Scissors & Scythe |
Devil Arms | Alastor - Force Edge & Sparda - Ifrit - Yamato |
Guns | Ebony & Ivory - Grenadegun - Luce & Ombra - Needlegun - Nightmare-β - Shotgun |
Techniques | Charged Shot - Devil Trigger - Jump Cancel - Slash Cancelling |
Items | Bangle of Time - Key Items - Perfect Amulet |
Objects | Karnival - Red Orb Cache (Locations) - Red Orb Crystals |
Locations | Dante's Office - Mallet Island (Broken Bridge) - Mirror World - Underworld |
Music | Dante's Selection - Seeds of Love |
Concepts | Devil Hunter - Jackpot |
Miscellaneous | Clear Bonus Art - HD Awards - Transcript - Walkthrough |
Related Media | 3142 Graphic Arts - Comic - Memorial Album "Precious Tears" - Sound DVD Book - The Sacred Heart - Trial Edition |
This box: view • talk • edit |
Gameplay | |
---|---|
Interface | Gauges - Map - Stylish Rank - Vitality Gauge |
Gameplay Features | Difficulty Mode - Bloody Palace - Costumes - Extra Bonus - Gameplay Extras - Secret Missions |
Techniques | Actions - Air Hike - Air Raid - Buster - Charged Shot - Crazy Combo - Devil Trigger - Distorted Combo - Jump Cancel - Just Combo - Kick 13 - Slash Cancelling - Stinger - Summoned Swords - Taunt |
Styles | Dark Slayer Style - Doppelganger Style - Gunslinger Style - Quicksilver Style - Royalguard Style - Swordmaster Style - Trickster Style |
Objects | Blood Clot - Divinity Statue - Items - Key Items - Orbs - Sealed Doors - Trigger Devices |
This box: view • talk • edit |