Carl is a puppet character focusing on strong setplay and amazing mixup potential. Carl's Drive is tied to his doll, Nirvana. Moving Nirvana and using her attacks drains her the Doll Gauge. With Nirvana, Carl is capable of amazing pressure, looping unblockables and strong okizeme. Carl must track Nirvana's position at all times, as he strongly relies on her for neutral and offense. Without Nirvana, Carl's weaknesses become much more apparent. He has low life and no true reversal. Additionally his grounded movement is rather committal without Nirvana. This means that Carl must play around Nirvana properly at all times.
Carl is a difficult character requiring tight execution and good awareness. Thankfully, this comes with a high skill ceiling. Carl rewards players with a strong offensive gameplan and solid neutral.
Carl's Drive revolves around controlling Nirvana.
- Hold the D button to activate Nirvana, release D to deactivate.
- While active, she can move forward by holding any forward/backward direction (including diagonals).
- Nirvana will attack by releasing the D button while either holding a direction or after completing the inputs for one of her special moves.
- Note that the directional inputs required for moves is based on Carl's current facing, not necessarily Nirvana's. For example: If Carl is facing right and Nirvana is facing left, pressing D, inputting 623 and releasing D will give you Con Brio, not Volante.
Nirvana has her own life bar. It goes down when Nirvana is active, uses an attack, or gets hit by the opponent. If Nirvana's life bar reaches zero, she will be disabled and slowly recover health, and is unusable until her health is full (plus a small recovery animation).
Other than her Distortion Drives and Astral Heat, Nirvana's moves act independently of Carl, meaning Carl is free to move while Nirvana is attacking. However, if Carl blocks or gets hit, most of Nirvana's moves will stop and she will deactivate, and she can't be activated until Carl recovers from the blockstun or hitstun. Carl's overdrive grants Nirvana a power up. Nirvana recovers faster from her moves and many of her moves gain new properties. Nirvana's walk speed is also faster and her meter recovery speed is also increased. Carl also has access to a new distortion drive during OD.Health | |
10,000 | |
Prejump | |
4F | |
Backdash | |
22F (1~7F Inv All, 2~17 airborne) | |
Forward Dash | |
23F | |
Unique Movement Options | |
Vivace | |
Fastest Attack | |
Reversals | |
Fatal Starters | |
Normal Moves
5A
- A fairly standard jab. Hits crouchers.
- Has a very long cancel window, making it good for staggers.
5B
- One of Carl's most important normals for combos and pressure.
- Jump cancellable on block, which allows him to easily set-up airdash high-low mixups with the doll.
- Has somewhat short reach, but its range has be increased by cancelling into it from a dash.
5C
- A long poke with a disjointed hitbox.
- Also a staple move in combos and pressure.
2A
- Like 5A, 2A also has a very long cancel window, making it good for staggers.
2B
A general purpose low poke. Sadly lacks much of its utility from previous games now Nirvana has no standing overhead, but still not without use.
2C
- Carl's other anti-air normal. Although its invincibility frames start later than 6A, its smaller vertical hurtbox during startup makes this a very useful anti-air (arguably even better than 6A) in some situations.
6A
- Your go to Anti air
- The hitbox on Carl's 6A extends slightly behind his head which can sometimes catch your opponent if they try to cross you up.
6B
- Standing low, Carl steps forwards before attacking, giving it more range, but making it slightly more vulnerable to being jabbed out of.
- 6B spins your opponent in place on counter hit which gives you a lot of time to combo into it .
6C
- Carl's standing overhead, used with Nirvana's 3D attack to make for an unblockable setup.
- Fatal on counter hit.
3C
- 3C is usually used to combo into distortion
- Slide kick move, Carl is moved forwards somewhat
- Can low profile a number of moves, leads to good damage on counterhit.
j.A
- Your go to air to air normal to win air superiority, but not used inside of combos.
- Not the best jump-in move.
j.B
- Air to air move, mostly used as combo filler.
j.C
- Launches opponent downwards on air hit, usually used for ending air combos, Ideally forcing your opponent to tech in front of Nirvana for wakeup pressure.
- Can be varied with j.2C as your jump-in moves.
j.2C
- Main air to ground move for Carl
- Near symmetrical hitbox makes it ideal for crossups.
- On hit/block, Carl bounces and recovers in the air, animation 26.
- Combo stable due to its relativly good damage and ability to cancel into j.214C to get back onto the ground fast.
Drive Moves
Many of Nirvana's attacks have much less recovery and are more comboable when Carl activates his Overdrive. The major changes will be defined in brief detail in the move description. For the frame data of a specific OD-enhanced move, please refer to Carl's frame data. All drive moves may also be performed when Carl is airborne. Doll activation / deactivation has startup and needs to be accounted for!
6D
- Your go-to Nirvana move
- Simple, effective, easily timed to fill in gaps in your block strings.
- Causes a groundslide if opponent was hit in the air
3D
Nirvana's low attack, used in combination with Carl's standing overhead to make unblockable attacks. Note that only the first hit is a low.
4D
- Frametrap move, used to fish for counterhits.
- Grants fatal on counter hit.
2D
- Multihit attack to keep your opponent pinned down blocking, or to deal decent damage during combos.
- Very expensive move.
Nirvana's new move replacing her old overhead punch, meaning Carl has much less access to unblockable setups now, but instead gains a very powerful combo move that you can use to force mixups on your opponent.
8D
- The infamous clap, no longer unblockable, but still needs barrier.
- Excellent anti-crossup anti-air
- Long untechable time, allowing for various combos.
La Campanella
22D
- Teleports Nirvana to just behind Carl's location (Or directly below him if Carl is airborne)
- Used to recover Nirvana when she is too far away and sometimes to reposition Nirvana during some combos.
- Can be used while Nirvana is in hitstun to prevent easy kills on her.
Con Brio
623D
- Anti air attack that covers a huge space, must be barrier blocked in the air.
- Big up front damage, but rather expensive to use.
Con Anima
63214D
- Nirvana runs forward with her arms raised, if she catches your opponent, they will get slammed to the ground for a hard knockdown with no bounce, meaning you need to use the throw animation time to get carl into position quickly.
- Cannot catch airborne opponents.
- Combo throw, unlike previous versions, this move can be comboed into and cannot be throw rejected under any circumstances. However it does not gain 100% minimum damage
- Despite being a throw this can actually be blocked for some reason
- Fatal Counter
Con Fuoco
41236D
- Multi-hit attack that covers a lot of horizontal ground and deals a lot of damage, but is expensive to use
Volante
421D
- Projectile attack, Nirvana launches a large orb that accelerates with time
- Sometimes used point blank in some combos
- Can be used with Nirvana offscreen for a surprise attack
Universal Mechanics
Forward Throw
5/6B+C
- Ground bounces
Back Throw
4B+C
- Ground bounces, but on the other side from Carl, followups are very similar to forward throw
Air Throw
j.B+C
- Launches opponent downwards, useful for sending them down towards Nirvana for followups.
Counter Assault
When blocking 6A+B
- Same animation as old 6c.
The infamous dangerous defense. With Nirivana positioned behind an opponent, Carl can combo out of his CA using 6D to switch sides and immediately start pressure.
Crush Trigger
5A+B (Chargeable)
- Mostly used to stall for Nirvana, in corner combos and in Carl's unblockable
Specials
Vivace
236A/B
- Dodge move used to switch sides with your opponent or get out of some situations where you might get separated from Ada .
- The A version Can pass through opponents from frame 1-18 while the B version Can pass through opponents from frame 1-24 but be careful since you still can be throw out of both versions.
- The A version is Projectile invul from frame 1-16, while the B version has head and upper Body invul from frame 1-30
- When used when Nirvana is attacking, can be used to cross up your opponent by forcing them to swap the direction they're blocking in
- Generous Head and Body invulnerability on the B version, while it isn't projectile invulnerable like the A version, it can still low profile a lot of projectile attacks.
- Carl is in a Counterhit state throughout both moves.
Cantabile
623C
- Looks like a low attack, but isn't.
- on hit, launches opponent into the air and towards Carl, enabling easy followups with both Nirvana and Carl, as appropriate.
- On block goes into 37F recovery animation.
Allegretto
j.214C
- Keeps carls current air momentum (allowing for some funky movment with dash or j.2C), then stops Carl's momentum in the air and makes him recoil slightly, common air combo filler. Ends the air combo unless Nirvana can get her own hit in afterwards.
- Hits appear in 4F intervals, each hit has 8 Active Frames.
Distortion Drives
Laetabilis Cantata
632146C
- General purpose damage dealing distortion, but be wary that it can be hit out of after the superflash.
- Projectile does not disappear on hit, leading to favourable trades.
Rhapsody of Memories
236236D (air OK)
- Nirvana attacks in a long string of attacks. During this time, Nirvana cannot be interrupted by hitting her or hitting Carl.
- Active Frames for the normal version are: 3 (12) 3 (12) 3 (9) 3 (12) 3 (12) 3 (12) 6 (9) 6 (20) 5 (26) 5 (38) 6.
- Active Frames for the OD version are: 2(8)2(8)2(6)2(8)2(8)2(6)2(8)2(8)2(6)2(8)2(8)2(8)4(6)4(6)4(6)4(21)5(24)5(54)6
- Carl has total animation 10+(40 Flash)+69 on the ground and 10+(40 Flash)+53 in the air;
Not the most damaging Distortion Drive, but it doesn't need to be. Often used on block to basically force Carl's opponent to stay still and block while Carl can freely try a number of mixup options to try and open them up. Be wary that you aren't completely impervious to damage while in this state since a number of moves can both hit Carl and launch the player to safety if timed correctly.
Fermata
214214D (air OK)
Carl has total animation 1+(103 Flash)+42 on the ground and 1+(103 Flash)+36 in the air. Both ground and air versions have Invul 1~1 All
- Nirvana does one big slow uppercut, launches opponent very high
- Very easy to block on reaction, so best left for a big damage combo ender.
Arpeggio of Oblivion
During OD 632146D
- Very similar to Relius' Vol Tedo Distortion Drive
- Only available during Overdrive
- Nirvana cannot be interrupted during the move
- First hit Minimum Damage 10%. Second hit Minimum Damage 25%.
- Carl Immediately begins recovery animation on block for 46F
One of the few Overdrive-only distortion drives. Nothing particularly exciting, but it does make for a very highly damaging combo ender.
Exceed Accel
Symphony of Lament
ABCD during Overdrive
- Carl's only reversal option, can be his only way to get out of trouble when isolated from Nirvana.
- Behaves like all Exceed Accels
- 10% minimum damage
- EA start up Slow: 20
Fast 10.
Astral Heat
Deus Ex Machina
64641236D
- Nirvana teleports in front of Carl and opens up a portal which contains the hitbox that starts the move.
- If it fails, Nirvana's gauge is depleted entirely.
External References
- A video featuring Unblockables
- Another video guide on Carl Unblockables
- A collection of Twitter videos showing various tech
- A guide to beating Carl's defensive options(mostly outdated)
- NOTE: Wakeup Doll options are no longer possible as of CF2.
- A guide to disabling Nirvana
- A video guide on dealing with Nirvana's normals in neutral
- Japanese Name: カルル=クローバー
- Japanese Wiki
- Japanese BBS
- Arcade Profile Dan Rankings
- Amane Nishiki [★]
- Arakune [★]
- Azrael [★]
- Bang Shishigami [★]
- Bullet [★]
- Carl Clover [★]
- Celica A. Mercury [★]
- Es [★]
- Hakumen [★]
- Hazama [★]
- Hibiki Kohaku [★]
- Iron Tager [★]
- Izanami [★]
- Izayoi [★]
- Jin Kisaragi [★]
- Jubei [★]
- Kagura Mutsuki [★]
- Kokonoe [★]
- Lambda-11 [★]
- Litchi Faye Ling [★]
- Mai Natsume [★]
- Makoto Nanaya [★]
- Mu-12[★]
- Naoto Kurogane [★]
- Nine the Phantom [★]
- Noel Vermillion [★]
- Nu-13 [★]
- Platinum the Trinity [★]
- Rachel Alucard [★]
- Ragna the Bloodedge [★]
- Relius Clover [★]
- Susano'o [★]
- Taokaka [★]
- Tsubaki Yayoi[★]
- Valkenhayn R. Hellsing [★]
- Yuuki Terumi [★]
Click [★] for character's full frame data
• HUD •
Controls •
Frame Data & System Data •
Patch Notes •
• Movement/Canceling •
Offense •
Defense •
Damage/Combo •
Attack Attributes •
Gauges •
Misc •