Let’s be real for a second. When Ninja Theory dropped the reboot in 2013, the internet basically went into a collective meltdown. Most of the hate was aimed at Dante’s hair or his new "edgy" attitude, but if you look closer, the real shift was in the tools of the trade. Specifically, the DmC Devil May Cry Ebony and Ivory pistols.
In the classic series, these guns are precision instruments of death, customized by the legendary gunsmith Nell Goldstein. In the reboot? They’re something else entirely. They look different, they feel different, and honestly, they play a much more specific role in your combo game than they ever did in the original titles.
People love to dunk on the "Donte" era, but those pistols actually had some of the most fluid mechanics in the franchise. You just had to know how to use them.
The Design Shift: From Gunsmithing to Limbo Art
If you’ve played the original games, you know Ebony and Ivory as heavily modified M1911s. They have wood grips, Victorian lady portraits, and those weirdly specific "For Tony Redgrave" engravings. They look like something a very skilled, very obsessed human would build.
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The DmC Devil May Cry Ebony and Ivory versions threw all that out the window.
These guns look... biological? Or maybe just "Limbo-fied." They’ve got these sweeping, curved lines and ornate engravings that look more like they were grown in a demon's garden than machined in a shop. There’s no wood here. It’s all sleek, dark metal and silver filigree.
Basically, they fit the "Nephilim" aesthetic of the reboot. Since this Dante is half-angel and half-demon, his gear doesn't look like human military hardware. It looks like ancient artifacts. Some fans hated this, calling them "toy-like," but in the context of Limbo City’s distorted reality, they actually make a lot of sense.
How DmC Devil May Cry Ebony and Ivory Actually Play
In the old games, you could basically mash the fire button to keep an enemy in the air, but the reboot changed the rhythm. It wasn't just about "pew pew" anymore.
The Ricoshot Mechanic
This is arguably the coolest thing about the reboot pistols. Instead of just firing faster, you can charge up a Ricoshot. Dante infuses the bullet with demonic energy, and when it hits, it bounces between enemies.
It’s not just for damage. It’s a crowd control tool. If you’re getting swarmed by Stygian grunts, one well-placed Ricoshot can stagger the whole pack, giving you enough breathing room to switch to the Arbiter axe or Osiris scythe.
Gravity-Defying Stunts
Then there’s the Rainstorm and Inverse Rainstorm.
- Rainstorm: You’re in the air, you spin like a vertical fan, and you spray lead downwards. Classic.
- Inverse Rainstorm: This is the ground-to-air version where Dante spirals upward.
In the DmC: Definitive Edition (the 2015 update), Ninja Theory actually tweaked these because the community complained they felt a bit sluggish. They bumped the fire rate by 300% before the "style scaling" kicks in, meaning you can actually use the pistols to build a decent rank now.
The "Infinite Ammo" Problem (and the Lore)
One thing that always bugs people: where do the bullets come from?
In the classic lore, it’s implied Dante’s demonic energy creates the ammo, or he just reloads so fast you can't see it. In DmC Devil May Cry, the explanation is even looser. Since the guns are essentially part of Dante's Nephilim heritage—right alongside Rebellion—they’re less "firearms" and more "extensions of his will."
Think of them like the Angel Lift or Demon Pull. They aren't tools he picked up at a pawn shop; they are manifestations of his power. This is why they work in Limbo, a world made of thoughts and memories, just as well as they work in the real world.
Why the Reboot Guns Still Matter in 2026
Even though Capcom eventually went back to the "Classic" Dante for Devil May Cry 5, you can see the reboot's DNA everywhere. The way the gunslinger style evolved in later games owes a lot to the experimentation Ninja Theory did with DmC Devil May Cry Ebony and Ivory.
The fluidity of switching from gunfire to a grapple was a game-changer. It removed the "clunk" that sometimes plagued the older titles. If you go back and play the Definitive Edition today, you’ll realize the combat holds up surprisingly well. The pistols aren't just there to keep the combo meter from dropping; they’re integral to how you move through the arena.
Actionable Tips for Mastering the Twin Pistols
If you're jumping back into Limbo City, don't just mash the fire button. That’s how you get a "D" rank. Try this instead:
- Cancel into Ricoshot: Don't wait for the animation to end. Use the Ricoshot to cancel out of a heavy Arbiter swing. It covers your recovery frames.
- Abuse the Auto-Lock: Unlike the sword, Ebony and Ivory have a very aggressive auto-lock in this game. Use them to "ping" flying enemies (like Pathos) while you're busy dealing with ground threats.
- The Rainstorm Float: If you're about to fall into a pit or a hazard, trigger Rainstorm. It slows your descent just enough to let your Angel Boost cooldown reset. It’s a literal lifesaver.
- Style Padding: In the Definitive Edition, you can fire way more shots before the game penalizes your style points. Use this to keep your "SSS" alive while you’re repositioning.
Honestly, the reboot gets a bad rap, but the weapon design—especially the twin pistols—was top-tier. They might not have the "For Tony Redgrave" charm, but they’ve got a flow that’s hard to beat.
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Your Next Step: Load up the DmC: Definitive Edition, head into the Bloody Palace, and try to clear a floor using only Ricoshot and Rainstorm. It’ll force you to learn the timing of enemy staggers and prove just how versatile these "edgy" pistols really are.