Among Dante’s many combat styles in Devil May Cry 5, the Royal Guard style stands as one of the most rewarding yet challenging mechanics to master. Unlike the Trickster style, which prioritizes evasive maneuvers to dodge incoming attacks, Royal Guard dares players to stand their ground, parry, and counter their enemies with devastating force. While it may seem counterintuitive at first, those who dedicate time to mastering Royal Guard can utterly trivialize the game’s toughest encounters, turning even the deadliest bosses into mere playthings. This guide will walk you through the mechanics of Royal Guard and how to use it effectively.
1. The Basics of Royal Guard – Blocking and Meter Management
At its core, Royal Guard revolves around blocking incoming attacks and building up the Royal Guard meter for a devastating counterattack. To block, simply press and hold the Style button while standing still. Dante will absorb attacks as long as he has Devil Trigger gauge available. However, if you run out of Devil Trigger, your guard will break, leaving you vulnerable to enemy attacks. This is why managing your Devil Trigger and your timing is critical to effective use of Royal Guard.
As you successfully block, your Royal Guard meter (displayed around the style icon) fills up. This energy can be unleashed through counterattacks that deal massive damage, rewarding patient and skillful play.
However, simply blocking is just the beginning.
2. The Advanced Technique: Royal Block
For those who want to take their Royal Guard skills to the next level, Royal Block is an advanced technique that completely negates damage and builds both Devil Trigger and the Royal Guard meter. To execute a Royal Block, you must time your block precisely as an enemy’s attack lands.
Why is this important? Unlike regular blocking:
- Royal Blocks do not consume Devil Trigger, meaning you can block infinitely as long as your timing is perfect.
- The Royal Guard meter fills up significantly faster, allowing for more devastating counterattacks.
- You gain a boost to your Style Rank, rewarding you for playing skillfully.
When you level up Royal Guard, you can even Royal Block in mid-air, making it an invaluable defensive tool across all situations.
3. Unleashing the Power: Release and Royal Release
While blocking is an essential part of Royal Guard, the true power of this style lies in its counterattack mechanics. These allow you to unleash stored energy from your Royal Guard meter in a powerful explosion that devastates enemies.
- Release: Holding Lock-On, tilting forward on the left stick, and pressing the Style button will unleash all stored energy from your Royal Guard meter in one powerful blast. The more energy stored, the more damage dealt. This move is incredibly effective against both standard enemies and bosses, often dealing immense damage in a single strike.
- Royal Release: A higher-level version of Release, Royal Release requires precise timing. If you execute Release at the exact moment an enemy attack connects, your counterattack will deal even greater damage and often launch enemies into the air. This technique is difficult to master but is one of the highest-damage attacks in the game, rewarding those who dedicate themselves to perfecting it.
The strategy many skilled players use is to continuously block and build up their Royal Guard meter, then unleash a fully charged Release or Royal Release at the perfect moment to destroy even the toughest foes.
4. Royal Revenge – A Unique Counterattack
Another powerful mechanic in Royal Guard is Royal Revenge, a move that allows Dante to counter enemy attacks without taking damage.
To execute Royal Revenge:
- Hold Lock-On
- Press back on the left stick
- Press and hold the Style button
Dante will enter a stance where he will automatically counter-attack any incoming attack, whether it’s melee or a projectile. Each successful counter will consume one stock of the Royal Guard meter, dealing moderate damage while maintaining your defensive stance.
This move is particularly useful against enemies that rely on ranged attacks, as it allows you to nullify projectiles and strike back immediately. However, it does require a portion of your Royal Guard meter, so make sure you have enough built up before using it.
5. Training Your Royal Guard Skills
Unlike other styles that can be picked up and used effectively right away, Royal Guard demands practice. You need to learn enemy attack patterns and master your timing to execute Royal Blocks and counterattacks consistently. The best way to do this is by using The Void, the game’s training mode.
A great starting point is the Proto Angelo enemy. His attacks are slow and well-telegraphed, making him the perfect enemy to practice Royal Blocking against. Start by only focusing on blocking without attacking, so you get used to the rhythm of his strikes. As you improve, move on to faster enemies and those that use projectiles, gradually increasing the challenge.
The better you get at predicting enemy movements and blocking with precision, the more you will unlock Royal Guard’s true potential.
6. Royal Guard: The Key to Destroying Bosses
While Royal Guard is useful against standard enemies, it truly shines against bosses. Some encounters on Dante Must Die difficulty would be nearly impossible without proper use of Royal Guard.
By continuously blocking and building up your Royal Guard meter, you can unleash devastating Release and Royal Release attacks that deal massive damage, cutting down bosses in record time. The risk-reward nature of Royal Guard makes it one of the most skillful and satisfying mechanics in the entire game, and those who master it will find even the hardest fights much easier to handle.
Final Thoughts
Royal Guard is not a style for the faint of heart. Unlike Trickster, which provides immediate benefits, Royal Guard requires patience, skill, and an understanding of enemy attack patterns. However, once mastered, it becomes an unstoppable force, allowing you to counter enemies with pinpoint accuracy and deal some of the highest damage in the game.
If you’re looking to elevate your Devil May Cry 5 gameplay and truly dominate even the toughest challenges, mastering Royal Guard is one of the best ways to do so. So, jump into The Void, start practicing your Royal Blocks, and get ready to parry your way to victory!
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