Summary
- Clive excels in mid-range fights with his sword cuts and Eikon skills for strong control.
- Use Clive's various launchers to catch opponents off guard and maximize combo potential.
- Take advantage of Torgal for extra damage, Pile Driver for versatility, and Heat Smash for strategic attacks.
After weeks of speculation and rumors, the final DLC character for Season 1 of Tekken 8 it was finally announced at the Game Awards. Despite Tifa being at the top of many people's wish lists, the spot would instead be taken by another Final Fantasy character — Clive Rosfield from the sixteenth main game.

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Clive would be released just days after the announcement, with Tekken players begin to understand the basics of this blade protagonist fairly quickly. However, it has already become clear that Clive, with his magical abilities and elemental attacks, is much different from everything. Tekken 8 has seen so far, so it's worth keeping these handy tips in mind when trying to use it in practice and in a real fight.
8 Prioritize his mid-range attacks
Clive is proving to be one of the best midrange characters in the game
Simply put, Clive is one of the best middleweight fighters in the game. His big sword slashes and Eikon's far-reaching abilities allow him to control the neutral game with ease. For example, Prominence, which is a double sword slash, is almost a full-screen attack that is incredibly difficult for the enemy to avoid.
Many of his basic sword attacks also have absurd range, such as his 2 back, which is a big move that can be thrown incredibly quickly. As a result, keep Clive at medium to long range as that's where he'll be most effective as he excels at keeping enemies at bay with his powerful weapons.
7 Alternate between Clive's launchers
Clive has several launchers that can catch the enemy by surprise
Echo Breaker, Wyrm Killer and Stone Smite – these are just a few examples of the many moves that can lead to launchers that Clive has hidden up his sleeve. However, while some will activate during a sidestep, others require Clive to stand still or engage the enemy first.

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As a result, it can be a good idea to mix them up in the middle of a battle to play mind games with your opponent, forcing them to guess where the launch will come from. Of course, given Clive's combo potential, launching an enemy can inevitably result in the complete annihilation of a good stack of their health, making him a real force to be reckoned with.
Torgal can be used to extend combos and carry an opponent to the wall
Clive brings his trusty canine companion Torgal to the fray, and while he can only be called in for a quick attack, he can help either drive an opponent to the wall or simply push them back when they get too close much. The most common way to use Torgal is through the Fine Hound move, where he will spring into action after Clive deals some damage with his blade, launching the enemy to the other side of the screen.
Since Clive excels at this range, Torgal can be used as a keep away device to punish the opponent and keep them on their toes. This extra damage from Torgal also has the potential to activate a wall break, leading to even longer combos.
5 Radiantly use the Backflip as a wall extender
Radiant Backflip presses the enemy against the wall to open up new combo potential
Radiant Backflip is Clive's Wings of Light 3 attack which sees him sprout wings and perform a backflip. This special move can be a little risky to throw in neutral, but when the enemy is near a wall, it can launch them high enough to start or extend a combo.
It also gives Clive plenty of time to pull off a few extra moves after he's done, thanks to the quick, snappy animation. Clive has some decent combo extensions when the enemy is pushed against a wall, but the Radiant Backflip proved to be one of the most effective for its speed and reliability.
4 Watch out for Zantetsuken
Clive can charge his deadly Zantetsuken ability with specific attacks
Zantetsuken is a powerful attack that Clive can unleash after raising the bar seen below the health bar. This bar can reach up to five stacks, but can only be charged by using specific attacks. However, since a fully charged Zantetsuken will melt the enemy's health bar, Clive players should always try to charge it up so that they can perform a quick finisher on their opponent.

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The easiest way to fill this meter is through Clive's Soul Cleaver, which is a mid-range sword slash that's already a staple part of Clive's toolkit, meaning he'll probably get thrown a lot in anyway. during a match. Many of these moves will also increase Clive's meter even if the enemy blocks, which is why it's so worth learning what these moves are – and how to charge Clive's Zantetsuken as quickly as possible to end a match with style.
3 Don't be afraid to dump the pile driver
A mid-range attack that is incredibly versatile and has a huge Hitbox
Pile Driver is Clive's +1 +2 downward attack that can be used in his regular stance. The reason it gets a special mention is because of how versatile it is as an attack, as not only can it easily extend a combo thanks to its large hitbox, but it can also knock over an opponent who is already on the floor and will push back. to prevent them from recovering too quickly.
Additionally, since Pile Driver is also a mid-attack knock down, it means that if it lands, it shuts down the opponent's offense completely. Needless to say, this should always be one of Clive's go-to moves considering how powerful he is in action.
2 Take good advantage of his Heat Smash
Clive's Heat Smash is extremely safe to throw, even if the opponent blocks
Clive's Heat Smash ability will see him unleash Phoenix power as flames swirl around him. If this lands, it sends the opponent up and deals major damage, but even if they manage to block, it'll still be powerful enough to send them back a decent distance, and it's also a plus on blocking, leaving Let Clive do whatever he wants. after the attack has been used.
Therefore, it is much less risky to cast Clive's Heat Smash compared to a lot of characters in the game. It's also worth noting that Clive has another Heat Smash-like ability, Phoenix Shift, which is a bit more difficult to use, but also results in a floor break.
1 Activate Phoenix Shift to unlock more moves
Gives Clive some tricky attacks and moves with high mobility
Clive can enter Phoenix Shift in a few different ways, but by far the easiest is via 1.1 – also known as Double Blow. When in this mode, Clive will gain some sneaky moves that can catch the opponent off guard, along with a devastating long-range attack known as the Bolt Boot.
Bolt Boot is a mid-attack that sees Clive teleport across the stage before knocking the opponent down, but what's most impressive is that Clive is block-safe, meaning there's virtually no risk of- throw him out. Learning how to activate Phoenix Shift and familiarizing yourself with Clive's additional moves in this state can help turn the tide of an intense battle.

Tekken 8
- ISSUED
- January 26, 2024
- OpenCritic rating
- Strong