Editing 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|Yoki]].

==Offensive Techniques==
===[[Blade of Evil]]===
*Users: [[Uranus]], [[Roxanne]]
*First Seen: Scene 117
A fighting style that utilizes every part of the [[Claymore (sword)|claymore]], including the hilt and cross-guard, in attacking the opponent. This technique was looked down upon by other Claymores, seeing it as a crude and desperate fighting style. Roxanne, however, was smitten with the technique (at least initially) and copied it.<ref name="c117">Claymore Manga Scene 117</ref>

===[[Double Sword Style]]===
*Users: [[Undine]], [[Deneve]],
*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.<ref name="c55">Claymore Manga Scene 55</ref> Deneve realized that Undine's muscles were a façade and unnecessary for any skillful Claymore who can control Yoki.<ref name="c51">Claymore Manga Scene 51</ref>

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.<ref name="c60">Claymore Manga Scene 60</ref>

===[[Drill Sword]]===

*Users: [[Jean]], [[Helen]],[[Teresa]]
*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.<ref name="c47">Claymore Manga Scene 47</ref>

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.<ref name="c53">Claymore Manga Scene 53</ref>

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.<ref name="c67">Claymore Manga Scene 67</ref>
===[[Dust Eater]]===
*User: [[Cassandra]],[[Teresa]]
*First Seen: Scene 117
Dust Eater is a strange-looking technique that requires anchoring both feet to the ground and then moving the user's head like a pendulum. Using centrifugal force, the body is swung very close to the ground and the user attacks from this unusual angle, immobilizing the foe by hacking of all limbs.

===[[Elegance]]===
*User: [[Hysteria]]
*First Seen: Scene 116
The Elegance used by Hysteria is considered to be the most beautiful technique of all warriors. According to [[Miria]], this ability is similar to her Phantom Mirage. It requires the a brief burst of Yoki, passing narrowly by an opponents body and getting behind their backs. Hysteria uses this technique offensively and the proximity of the after-image produced is such that it appears as if Hysteria had slipped through her opponent's body.<ref name="c116">Claymore Manga Scene 116</ref>

===[[Quicksword]]===

*User: [[Irene]], [[Clare]],[[Teresa]]
*First Seen: Scene 18, Anime Scene 13

One of the most powerful techniques in the Claymore universe, the Quicksword is a barrage of strikes too fast to follow,<ref name="c18">Claymore Manga Scene 18</ref> which can take down the most skilled of opponents, and at the same time it provides a nearly impenetrable defense. 
While it failed to penetrate Dauf's armor<ref name="c43">Claymore Manga Scene 43</ref> and [[Teresa]] managed to block Irene's Quicksword easily,<ref name="c19">Claymore Manga Scene 19</ref> [[Ophelia]],<ref name="c40">Claymore Manga Scene 40</ref> [[Rigardo]]<ref name="c59">Claymore Manga Scene 59</ref> and two other Pieta [[Awakened Being]]s<ref name="c54">Claymore Manga Scene 54</ref><ref name="a21">Claymore Anime Scene 21</ref> have all fallen because of this technique. It has even proven itself as powerful enough to deal a large amount of damage to [[Cassandra]] , an Abyssal One.

Irene teaches the quicksword to Clare, explaining that Clare must force all of her yoki into her sword arm, while at the same time not letting it awaken. Naturally, the Quicksword needs great strength and a calm mind, as Irene possesses.<ref name="c37">Claymore Manga Scene 37</ref>Clare, however, is a very emotional person on the inside, which keeps her from maintaining the quicksword for extended periods of time, and also keeping her from reaching Irene's level of quicksword. 

To speed up Clare's proficiency with Quicksword, Irene severs her own arm and orders Clare to reattatch it to her own body in place of the arm lost in the battle with Ophelia.<ref name="c38">Claymore Manga Scene 38</ref> After this, the Quicksword becomes Clare's strongest attack, as she learns to turn the wild, random slashes into tightly controlled strikes.<ref name="c48">Claymore Manga Scene 48</ref>

===[[Rippling Sword]]===

*User: [[Ophelia]], [[Teresa]]
*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,<ref name="c35">Claymore Manga Scene 35</ref> though Irene was shown to be able to easily deflect them with the Quicksword.<ref name="c36"/>

===[[Sensory Control]]===
*User: [[Raftela]]
*First Seen: Scene 107
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."<ref name="c107">Claymore Manga Scene 107</ref>

===[[Shadow Hunter]]===
*User: [[Nina]]
*First Seen: Scene 65

The technique entails Nina's blade following a specific Yoki, slashing continuously until the Yoki is extinguished.<ref name="c65">Claymore Manga Scene 65</ref> The blade's movement can be surmised to be quite fast, as it managed to wound [[Cassandra]], a former No. 1 who can be presumed to possess good agility, albeit it has been stated that her skills match only those of an average No. 5 when not using a specific technique.<ref name="c117"/>

The technique leaves the user open for attacks, however, and requires Nina to have ample backup to protect her while the technique is active.<ref name="c65"/>

===[[Strong Sword]]===
*User: [[Rachel]]
*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 attack involves the user digging her sword into the ground, building up potential energy, and then releasing the strike. The end result is a slash with much greater power and speed than normally possible. Rachel used this attack to cut through Riful's tough body. For added versatility, she can use Audrey's sword to brace against. Riful criticizes this technique as being too obvious and having too long a set-up period.<ref name="c69">Claymore Manga Scene 69</ref>

===[[Windcutter]]===

*Users: [[Flora]], Clare,[[Teresa]]
*First Seen: Scene 51, Anime Scene 18

A light-speed attack created by "Windcutter Flora" in which the user draws her sword, slashes and resheaths her sword in an instant.<ref name="c51"/> While slower than the Quicksword, it is more accurate and fundamentally requires no Yoki to perform, allowing the user to perform continuously without tiring.

After the Northern Campaign, Clare adopts the technique.<ref name="c67"/>

==Defensive Techniques==
===[[Acute Yoki Sensing]]===
*Users: [[Teresa]], Clare
*First Seen: Scene 28, Anime Scene 7

Involves sensing the flow, size and movement of Yoki within a [[yoma|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]].<ref name="c28">Claymore Manga Scene 28</ref>

===[[Yoki Manipulation]]===

*User: [[Galatea]], Clare, [[Cynthia]], [[Yuma]], [[Renee|Renée]] (Presumed), [[Jean]]
*First Seen: Scene 3, Anime Scene 1

At the beginning of the series, when Clare rescued [[Raki]] from a yoma, she took a hit through the abdomen. After removing the Yoma's severed arm, Clare used Yoki to close the wound.<ref name="c23">Claymore Manga Scene 23</ref>

Claymores can also detect, control and align their Yoki with their targets, making possible altering trajectories of attacks (Galatea),<ref name="c44">Claymore Manga Scene 44</ref> assisting healing and regeneration of others (Cynthia, Yuma), and prevent or reverse a Claymore's Awakening (Galatea, Clare, Jean).

==Techniques Classified as Both Offensive and Defensive==
===[[Gentle Sword]]===

*User: [[Audrey]]
*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]],Teresa
*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. In her battle with Hysteria, Miria demonstrates a new variant involving momentary awakening in order to gain even more tremendous speed, but at high strain and risk.

===[[Soul Link]]===
*Users: [[Luciela]] and [[Rafaela]] (failed attempt), [[Alicia]] and [[Beth]], [[Unnamed Twins|unnamed twin trainees]] and [[Miata]] , [[Galatea]] and [[Clarice]]
*First Seen: Scene 62
Two Claymores align their Yoki so that one can "entrust her soul" to the other, allowing her 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.

The original experiment failed with Luciela, when her younger sister, Rafaela, accidentally broke their link. The fully awakened Luciela, then, became an [[Abyssal One]].

The second experiment used identical twins, Alicia and Beth, raised by the Organization from infancy. Galatea thought this was a repeat of the first, and used the phrase "Soul Link," but [[Rubel]] revealed that the twins have lost almost all individuality, with almost no sense of self or intellect. They were essentially one merged soul—a two-body Claymore in effect. Here, the link is not as easily broken, unless one the twins is incapacitated or dies.

===[[Winged Technique]]===


*User: [[Anastasia]]
*First Seen: Scene 111
This unnamed technique was created by "Winged Anastasia" and requires her to surround the area with strands of her hair like clotheslines. Although they cannot restrict opponents' movements, the strands are strong enough to support a single person's weight, allowing Anastasia to stand on or leap from them and manuever through the air as if she was capable of flight. It is noted by her, though, that if her hair is cut or if the workings of the technique are successfully deduced by the opponent, it will be rendered entirely useless.

==References==

{{Reflist|3}}
[[Category:Yoki]]
[[Category:Special Attacks in Claymore]]
[[Category:Technique]]