Special Attacks in Claymore

Definition
Claymore use few named attacks compared to fighters in other shonen manga, though those that have a successful technique can be more powerful than several lesser Claymores. Attacks are developed by training and/or release of yoki.

Attack Techniques
Unusual techniques without a name are named after their user here.

Acute Yoki Sensing
Yoki sensing beyond reading yoma auras: one sees the specific flows and movements within the yoma. Thus giving the Claymore the ability to predict attacks and defend accordingly.
 * User: Clare, Teresa, Galatea, Tabitha, Renee
 * Nature: Defensive
 * First seen: Scene 28, anime Scene 7

First seen used by Teresa, and later adopted by Clare, who practiced the move at length in order to battle an Awakened Being, and eventually Priscilla.

Other Claymores, such as Galatea, Tabitha and Renee, have also demonstrated similar abilities either for reconnaissance (as in the case of Galatea and Renee, both serving as the Organization's "Eyes"), or for directing fellow comrades in battle (in the case of Tabitha against Agatha's true form).

Double Sword Attack

 * User: Undine, Deneve
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First seen: Scene 53, anime Scene 19

The use of two swords together. This technique originates with Undine, whose friend was killed protecting her.

Undine, blaming her own weakness, took her friend's sword and continuously released her yoki to gain huge muscles, thinking they would help her use two swords. But Deneve realizes that Undine's muscles are a facade and unnecessary for any skillful Claymore who can control yoki.

After Undine's death in the Northern Campaign, grieving Deneve takes up Undine's sword in her memory, leaving Undine's friend's sword to mark Undine's grave.

Drill Sword

 * User: Jean, Helen
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First seen: Scene 47, anime Scene 17

Jean's unique attack in which she twists her arm, screw-like, with 19 to 21 turns. As she attacks, her arm unwinds, spinning a sword blade that can drill through any Awakened Being.

Galatea describes Jean as performing "an attack with the most velocity and striking power out of all us Claymores." Her attack pierces Dauf's armor.

In Pieta, Helen immobilizes an insectoid Awaken Being's legs with her extendable arm, allowing Jean to sever the legs in a variant where the unwinding blade whirls like an airplane propeller (Scene 53, anime Scene 19).

Although Helen and Jean were initially hostile to each other in Pieta (Jean later did save Helen from having to euthanize Clare), Helen uses the Drill Sword after the seven-year time-skip.

Gentle Sword

 * User: Audrey


 * Nature: Offensive or Defensive


 * First seen: Scene 69

The name which Riful gave while fighting Rachel and Audrey, this technique allows its wielder to deflect and redirect attacks to any direction she chooses. Audrey would use this move to deflect Riful's tentacles back at her, as well as use it in combination with Rachel's 'Strong Sword', serving as a brace for the latter.

Phantom Mirage

 * User: Miria
 * Nature: Offensive or Defensive
 * First Seen: Scene 28, anime Scene 10

Miria's iconic signature move involves the release of an exceptionally brief and intense burst of yoki, letting her move so fast that afterimages remain in her adversary's vision. Thus the origin of her "Phantom" nickname.

The Phantom Mirage is limited to 20-30 uses in a fight, due to intense strain on mind and body. After the Northern Campaign, Miria displays a new version which does not rely on yoki release, trading speed for a slight increase in controlled movements and, above all else, near limitless use.

Quicksword

 * User: Irene, Clare
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First seen: Scene 36, anime Scene 13

Developed by "Quicksword Irene" ("Ilena" in anime and some manga translations).

One of the most powerful attacks used by Claymores, the Quicksword is a barrage of strikes too fast to follow, which can take down the most skilled opponent. While it failed to penetrate Dauf's hide, and Teresa followed Irene's Quicksword easily, Ophelia, Rigardo and two other Pieta Awakened have all fallen victim to this attack.

As seen against Ophelia, it also provides a nearly impenetrable defense. Irene teaches it to Clare, explaining that Clare must release all her yoki within her sword arm, while preventing it from taking over the rest of her body. Naturally, the Quicksword needs great strength and a calm mind, as Irene possesses.

To speed up Clare's skill with Quicksword, Irene severs her own arm and orders Clare to reattatch it to her own body. After this, the Quicksword becomes Clare's strongest attack, as she controls her former wild lashings to tightly controlled strikes.

Rippling Sword

 * User: Ophelia
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First seen: Scene 35, anima Scene 13

Ophelia claimed to have developed this technique just to acquire the nickname "Rippling Ophelia." But adds that "most of the people who've seen it are dead" (manga). In the anima Ophelia says "no one who's seen it has lived to tell anyone else."

Ophelia uses the flexible quality of her body, similar to Jean and Helen, to vibrate and undulate her sword, resembling a rippling snake. This illusion makes her blows almost impossible to anticipate or block, though Ilena/Irene can stop them easily with the Quicksword.

Sensory Control
While focusing her yoki through-out her body, can blur the vision of the opponent and "...dive into the confused minds of her opponents, and then amplify and send the opponent into a state of insanity, at the deep thoughts sleeping inside her opponent's heart."
 * User: Raftela
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First seen: Scene 107

Shadow Hunter
A technique in which Nina's blade tracks a target by shadowing its yoki and continue to move and slash, till the yoki is extinguished. The full power of this move is not seen, however, as Nina was directly attacked at the time, interfering the technique and preventing her from killing her target.
 * User: Nina
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First seen: Scene 65

Soul Link
Two Claymores align their yoki so that one contains the other's "soul," allowing the other to fight as an Awakened Being without losing her humanity (she can revert to being human after the battle when the "soul" is released back into her body).
 * User: Luciela and Rafaela (failed attempt), Alicia and Beth15095.jpeg
 * Nature: Offensive or Defensive
 * First seen: Scene 62

The original experiment fails with Luciela, when her younger sister, Rafaela, accidentally breaks their link. The fully awakened Luciela becomes an Abyssal One.

The second experiment uses identical twins, Alicia and Beth, raised by the Organization from infancy. Galatea thinks this is a repeat of the first, and uses the phrase "Soul Link." But Rubel reveals the twins have lost almost all individuality (almost no "self" or intellect) and are of one merged-soul—a two-body Claymore in effect.

Here, the link is not as easily broken, unless one the twins is incapacitated (Scene 96), or dies (Scene 98).

Strong Sword

 * User: Rachel
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First seen: Scene 69

The name which Riful gave while fighting Rachel and Audrey, this style of attack involves the claymore digging her sword into the ground, building up potential energy, and releasing with greater power than a normal strike. Rachel uses this attack to cut through Riful's tough skin. For added versatility, she can use Audrey's sword to brace against. Riful criticizes this technique as being too obvious and long to set up.

Windcutter
Lightning-fast attack first shown by "Windcutter Flora," allowing her to draw, slash and re-sheath her sword in an instant. While slower than Quicksword, it is more accurate and needs no yoki, allowing the user to perform continuously without tiring. Deserting the Organization after the Northern Campaign, Clare uses this technique to avoid detection by other Claymores.
 * User: Flora, Clare
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First seen: Scene 51, anime Scene 18

Yoki Manipulation
At the beginning of the series, Clare rescues Raki, but takes a punch through the abdomen from a Yoma. After removing the Yoma's severed arm, Clare uses yoki to close the wound.
 * User: Galatea, Clare, Cynthia, Yuma, Jean
 * Nature: Defensive
 * First seen: Scene 3, anime Scene 1

Claymores can also detect, control and align their yoki with their targets, making possible altering trajectories of attacks (Galatea), assisting healing and regeneration of others (Cynthia), and prevent or reverse a Claymore's awakening (Galatea, Clare, Jean).