Special Attacks in Claymore

Claymore use a relatively small number of named attacks compared to fighters in other shonen manga, and those who possess a unique technique tend to be more powerful than other Claymores. Attacks are developed by training and/or release of yoki.

Acute Yoki Sensing

 * 330211.jpg: Teresa, Clare
 * Nature: Defensive
 * First Seen: Scene 28, Anime Scene 7

Involves sensing the flow, size and movement of yoki within a yoma or Claymore, thus giving the user the ability to predict attacks and defend accordingly.

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

Double Sword Style

 * Users: Undine, Deneve
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First Seen: Scene 53, Anime Scene 19

As the name implies, it simply is a fighting style that utilizes two swords. This style was used by Undine, whose friend was killed protecting her. Undine, blaming her own weakness, took up her friend's sword and continuously released her yoki to gain huge muscles even outside of combat so as to get the Organization's approval in carrying two swords. Deneve realized that Undine's muscles were a façade and unnecessary for any skillful Claymore who can control yoki.

After Undine's death in the Northern Campaign, Deneve adopts the style, taking up Undine's sword in her memory and leaving Undine's friend's sword to mark Undine's grave.

Drill Sword



 * Users: Jean, Helen
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First Seen: Scene 47, Anime Scene 17

Jean's trademark technique which involves winding up her arm for a total of 21 rotations. As she attacks, her arm unwinds, spinning the blade in her hand. Galatea described the Drill Sword as the attack with the most striking power and velocity among all techniques in the present generation Claymores. The attack was strong enough to pierce Dauf's armor.

In Pieta, Jean showed a variant of the technique, in which the blade is allowed to spin like a propeller. This was done by orienting the blade perpendicular to the long axis of the arm.

After the Northern Campaign, Helen began to use the Drill Sword. The natural flexibility of Helen's arms allowed her to use the technique with much less preparation time as compared to Jean.

Gentle Sword



 * User: Audrey
 * Nature: Offensive or Defensive
 * First Seen: Scene 69

The technique itself has no name. It was Riful who gave the technique a name during her fight with Audrey and Rachel.

The technique allows the user to deflect and redirect attacks to any direction she chooses. The technique can be used purely as a pure defensive measure, as well as in an offensive manner. It can also be used as a brace for Rachel's "Strong Sword."

Phantom Mirage

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

Miria's 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 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

One of the most powerful techniques in the Claymore universe, the Quicksword is a barrage of strikes too fast to follow, which can take down the most skilled of opponents. While it failed to penetrate Dauf's hide and Teresa managed to block Irene's Quicksword easily, Ophelia, Rigardo and two other Pieta Awakened Beings have all fallen because of this technique.

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 proficiency 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 learns to turn the wild slashes into tightly controlled strikes.

Rippling Sword



 * User: Ophelia
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First Seen: Scene 35, Anime Scene 13

Ophelia claimed to have developed this technique just to acquire a nickname, expressing jealousy for those who have them. She adds, however that the nickname hasn't become well-known as "most of the people who've seen it are dead."

Ophelia uses the flexible quality of her body to vibrate and undulate her sword, making it resemble a rippling snake. This illusion makes her blows almost impossible to anticipate or block, though Irene was shown to be able to easily deflect them with the Quicksword.

Sensory Control
While focusing her yoki throughout her body, Raftela can blur an opponent's vision 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

 * User: Nina
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First Seen: Scene 65

The technique entails Nina's blade following a specific yoki, slashing continuously until the yoki is extinguished. The blade's movement can be surmised to be quite fast, as it managed to wound Cassandra, a former No. 1 who presumably possesses a good amount of agility, albeit it has been stated that her skills match only those of an average No. 5 when not using a specific technique.

The technique leaves the user open for attacks, however, and requires Nina to have ample backup to protect her while the technique is active.

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 Beth, unnamed twin trainees
 * 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

 * Claymore-699126.jpg: 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
*User: Flora, Clare
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First seen: Scene 51, anime Scene 18

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.

Yoki Manipulation
*User: Galatea, Clare, Cynthia, Yuma, Jean, Renee.
 * Nature: Defensive
 * First seen: Scene 3, anime Scene 1

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.

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).

The Elegant Technique
The Elegant technique is considered to be the most beautiful technique of all warriors. According to Miria, Hysteria's ability is similar to her Phantom Mirage technique, it requires the usage of a large amount of Yoki to increase her speed. Hysteria uses this technique offensively as she steps forward, slips past an opponent's side and then moves behind them. The proximity of the after-image is such that it appears as if Hysteria had slipped through her opponent's body. Hysteria's ability is more accurate than Miria's Phantom Mirage and the speed is roughly similar which makes it an advanced technique over Phantom Mirage.
 * User: HysteriaElegant.png
 * Nature: Offensive
 * First seen: Claymore Chapter 116