The King of Fighters '98/Clark

File:Clark98 stance.gif

Introduction

Clark, also known as The Wearer Of The Black Glove, is the arch-nemesis of Michael Jackson, also known as The Wearer Of The White Glove. Both were born at the beginning of time itself to balance the Universe in good vs evil, and their struggle continues to this day. It is not clear which represents good and which represents evil.

Colors

Gameplay Overview

Clark is an in-close attack/throw mixup-based character. His far pokes are not on the level of Ralf's, but his jump-in A is slightly better for up-close hops than anything Ralf has. Of course as you'll notice, he has more throw options, including an instant super throw. Clark is a mid-tier character, and a good choice for a beginner. He does have some opportunities to combo into his super if you have the execution, though.

In-depth Analysis

Movelist

	Frames	Advantage	Cancel	Block	Hitbox		Notes
Standing Close
	4/4/5	+3/+1	C	HL			Identical to far A.
	2/5/5	+2/0	C	HL			You can chain cr.A off of this move, especially when it is used as a meaty. Chain: starter
	3/4*7/16	-3/-5	C/-	HL/HL			First hit is fast and cancelable, making it your main combo tool into backbreaker. Hits everyone crouching.
	9/3/21	-4/-6	-	HL
Standing Far
	4/4/5	+3/+1	C	HL			Not as ridiculous as Ralf's, but still good. Can be anti-air vs short hop. Good vs early anti-air. Can combo it after a cr.B. Chain: repeatable
	3/5/5	+2/0	-	HL			Chain: ender
	11/6/21	-7/-9	-	HL			Same story here, but worse. Whiffs on standard-size crouchers, and much slower than Ralf's. It is simply 'okay'.
	8/4/16	0/-2	-	HL			Pretty nice move. Hits normal-sized crouchers, and can be an early anti-air as well. His best far poke.
+	22/5/16	KD/+1	S	HL
Crouching
	4/4/5	+3/+1	C	HL			Standard shit, use for some combos into a backbreaker. Chain: ender
	4/5/6	+1/-1	-	L			The move of choice if you want to link into a backbreaker. Clark needs something of a high/low game to catch alternate guard, and this is it. Chain: repeatable
	5/9/9	+4/0	-	HL			Not cancelable like Ralf's, and the hitbox isn't as good, but it is still a solid ground poke.
	7/7/17	KD/-6	-	L
Jump
	3/7/-	-/-	-	H			Clark's best jump-in, especially from short hops. Fast, pretty damn nice priority.
	3/5/-	-/-	-	H
	6/5/-	-/-	-	H			Use for max-damage dizzy combos only. Could be used for air-to-air, but jumping D is better for that.
	4/7/-	-/-	-	H			Great for air-to-air, obviously better when they are above you. Short hopping with this is a great anti-air, especially against higher jumps like Choi's.
+	13/4/-	KD/-	-	HL			Much faster than Ralf's and a fantastic jump-in move, one of the best jump CD in the game. It is also good air-to-air if they are below you.
Neutral Jump
	3/5/-	-/-	-	H
	11/3/-	-/-	-	H
Command Normals
f +	13/4/22	-6/-8	S	HL			Relatively fast, very meaty cancelable move, no matter how it's performed. This move is useful as an anti-mash/anti-jump setup chained from a cr.A and canceled into a backbreaker (ie cr.A > f + B > hcf + K). You can mixup with cr.A, dp + K, but alternate guard kills that mixup, so you have to mix in cr.B links and other things as well.
Special Moves
dp +	9/13/19+13	KD/-	> qcf + P	-			Napalm Stretch - dp + P Clark jumps into the air, attempting to throw his opponent not very useful, unless it is done very early in the opponent's jump Invincible: Frame 1-2.
dp +	9/13/19+15	KD/-	> qcf + P	-
dp +	11/1/49	KD/-	> qcf + P	HL			Frankensteiner - dp + K Invincibility: Complete startup. has a lot of recovery time if it misses, but since it is so delayed, it can be used as an anti-air
dp +	16/1/54	KD/-	> qcf + P	HL
hcf +	0/1/40	KD/-	> qcf + P	Grab			Super Argentine Backbreaker - hcf + K instant command throw which does good damage can be followed up with the Flashing Elbow qcf + P hard knockdown
hcf +	-/-/-	-/-		Grab			Super Arabian Burglary B.B. - hcf + A Clark runs almost half screen to throw the opponent hard knockdown can be followed up by the Flashing Elbow qcf + P
hcf +	-/-/-	-/-		Grab			Rolling Cradle - hcf + C Clark runs almost fullscreen to throw the opponent hard knockdown can be followed up by the Flashing Elbow qcf + P
qcf +	14/11/24	KD		-			Flashing Elbow - qcf + P (after dp + P, dp + K, hcf + K or hcf + P) runs up and elbows the opponent who is already on the ground hard knockdown
DMs
hcf hcf +	13/24/10	KD/-		Grab			Running Three - hcf hcf + K Clark runs up to throw the opponent Invincibility: Complete startup. Lower body invincibility: Complete run forward. The active period is the run forward. When the opponent is in range, it cancels to a move with the following data: B: 4/1/38, D: 4/1/39.
hcf hcf +	14/24/14	KD/-		Grab
hcb hcb +	0/1/28	KD/-		Grab			Ultra Argentine Backbreaker - hcb hcb + P instant throw with good range and damage hard knockdown
SDM
MAX: hcf hcf +		KD/-		Grab			Running Three - MAX: hcf hcf + K Clark runs up to throw the opponent Invincibility: Complete startup. Lower body invincibility: Complete run forward. The active period is the run forward. When the opponent is in range, it cancels to a move with the following data: 4/1/39.
MAX: hcb hcb +	0/1/33	KD/-		Grab			Ultra Argentine Backbreaker - MAX: hcb hcb + P same properties as the DM version, but more damage (about 50%) hard knockdown

Normal Throws

• b or f + C - Breakable, forward knockdown, face forward, rollable.

• b or f + D - Breakable, reverse knockdown, back turned, un-rollable.

• d or b or f + C/D in air - Unbreakable, forward knockdown, face forward, un-rollable.

D throw preferred, since the C throw is punishable in the corner if they roll it. But really both of them are horrible.

His air throw is great, and is a good anti-air option.

Special Moves

• Vulcan Punch (P rapidly, f to move) - Dumb crap move, never use it. Well, you can catch a lucky anti-air by mashing from a block string or something but I wouldn't recommend it. It's not nearly as good as Ralf's and Ralf's ain't all that.

• Super Argentine Backbreaker > Flashing Elbow (hcf + K > qcf + P) - Instant command throw. Really short whiff animation, shorter than Ralf's. It is virtually impossible to punish on reaction when done from a blocked attack, and sometimes not at all. Good for meter building as you'd imagine. This is of course his main combo and damage tool. Use off empty short hops, comboed from cl.C or linked from cr.B, etc. Great wakeups as well, you can even setup safejumps from it.

• Napalm Stretch > Flashing Elbow (aka Palmer Splits) (dp + P > qcf + P) - Anti-air 'grab', though it can be air blocked. It's more of a show-off move, since it's horrible on block/whiff.

• Super Arabian Burglary B.B. > Flashing Elbow / Rolling Cradle > Flashing Elbow (hcf + A > qcf + P / hcf + C > qcf + P) - Running grabs, C version travels further than A. Generally I recommend getting used to buffering his normal backbreaker from a run instead of using this, since you'd have more options after you start running. Still, can be used to more easily punish moves that require a long-range fast attack, like some A DP's on whiff/hit. It has invincibility to lows near the end.

• Frankensteiner > Flashing Elbow (dp + K > qcf + P) - Slow invincible throw. You can use this as a reversal, or as a delayed throw option on your opponent's wakeup. You can also use it as a tick if they don't know how to alternate guard. The big problem with this throw is that they recovery is very bad, so if someone sees it or guesses right, you're gonna lose a lot of hp.

Desperation Moves

• Ultra Argentine Backbreaker (hcb hcb + P) - Instant super throw. Similar to any other instant super throw, really. Can be used as a reversal, etc. MAX version does more damage.

• Running Three aka Run In Dis Yard (hcf hcf + K) - Some small invincibility on startup, and completely invulnerable to lows. You can always jump out, unless it's guaranteed (landing from a jump does not make it guaranteed). MAX version behaves the same and does more damage.

Fastest Attacks

• 0F: C throw; D throw; hcf + K; (S)DM hcb hcb + P
• 1F: -
• 2F: cl.B
• 3F: cl.C; st.B
• 4F: cl.A; st.A; cr.A; cr.B
• 5F: cr.C
• 6F: -
• 7F: cr.D
• 8F: st.D
• 9F: cl.D; dp + P
• 10F: -

Combos

• Best jump-ins:
  • j.A

• cl.B / (cr.B / cl.B, cr.A) / st.A >
  • (S)DM Ultra Argentine Backbreaker (hcb hcb + P)
  • Super Argentine Backbreaker > Flashing Elbow (hcf + K > qcf + P)

• cl.C (1 hit) / f + B >
  • (S)DM Ultra Argentine Backbreaker (hcb hcb + P)
  • (S)DM hcf hcf + K
  • Super Argentine Backbreaker > Flashing Elbow (hcf + K > qcf + P)
  • hcf + C > qcf + P
  • hcf + A > qcf + P

• cl.C (1 hit) > f + B

• cr.B / st.B,
  • (S)DM Ultra Argentine Backbreaker (hcb hcb + P)
  • Super Argentine Backbreaker > Flashing Elbow (hcf + K > qcf + P)

Link combo. Normally you will not be in range to link hcf + K from st.B, but its is possible if opponent enter in close range after the move started - example if they are rolling next to you. Super has more range and can link form st.B in normal situations.

• For shits, counter-hit: st.CD > A Napalm Stretch > Flashing Elbow (dp + A > qcf + P)

His DM hcb hcb + P deals more damage than DM hcf hcf + K, but SDM hcf hcf + K deals more damage than SDM hcb hcb + P.

• Simple buffers:
  • cl.A / cl.B / cl.C (1 hit) > (S)DM hcb hcb + P
    • hcb + A/B/C > hcb + P

Strategy Corner

• MAX: cl.C (1 hit) > + K > + P

deals just a tiny less damage (~ 1/2 cl.A) than

• cl.C (1 hit) > DM + P

Keep this in mind, when you need to decide whether to trigger MAX or keep meter for a DM.