Melty Blood/MBTL/Powered Ciel/Combos

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#MBTL_PC

Notation Help
Disclaimer: Combos are written by various writers, so notation may differ slightly from this notation. For more information, see Glossary and Controls
X > Y	X input is cancelled into Y.
X, Y	X input is linked into Y, meaning Y is done after X's recovery period.
X+Y	Buttons "X" and "Y" must be input simultaneously.
X/Y	Input "X" or "Y" can be used.
dl	There should be delay before inputting "X".
w.X or Xw	Attack "X" should whiff and not hit the opponent.
j.X	Button "X" is input while jumping or in the air.
dj.X	Button "X" is input after a double jump.
jc	Jump cancel the previous action. Will occasionally be omitted due to being obvious. Will occasionally be notated with 7/9 to indicate backwards/forwards.
sj	Perform a superjump, which is performed by inputting 2~8.
sjc	Superjump cancel the previous action.
IAD	Instant Air Dash.
AT	Air throw, often used as a combo ender that leads to knockdown.
md.X	Perform a micro-dash before performing "X". Unused in favor of writing "microdash."
tk.X	Indicates the motion "X" is input immediately after leaving the ground. Stands for tiger knee.
(X)	Input "X" is optional. Typically the combo will be easier if omitted.
[X]	Input "X" is held down. Also can be known as "Increase" or "IC" for short. Depending on the character, this can indicate that this button is held down and not released until indicated by the release notation.
]X[	Input "X" is released. Will only appear if a button is previously held down.
{X}	Button "X" should only be held down briefly to partially charge the attack, instead of the full increased version.
X(#)	Attack "X" should only hit # of times.
X~Y	This notation has two meanings. Use attack "X" with "Y" follow-up input. Input "X" then within a few frames, input "Y". Usually used for option selects.
(...) OR (...)	Use only one between the two alternative routes.
RB1/2	The first or second hit of Rapid Beat auto combo.
CH	The first attack must be Counter Hit.
FC	The first attack must be Fatal Counter.
MD	Perform a Moon Drive, which is inputted by pressing 5B+C.
Heat	Perform Heat, which is performed by inputting A+B+C.
AD	Perform an Arc Drive, which is performed by inputting 236B+C. Characters with more than one Arc Drive will have theirs notated by input.
LA	Perform a Last Arc, which is performed by inputting A+B+C+D or successfully Shielding in Blood Heat.

Combos are ordered from least to most difficult within their individual sections. These are not all guaranteed to be optimal and are subject to change as more labbing gets done.

Starter Combos

Combo	Damage	Cost	Meter Gain	Location
2A > 2B > 2C > 5C(2)CC > j.C > AT	2497 dmg		?% Opp: ?%	Anywhere
Very simple auto combo from a 2A confirm that ends in an air throw, giving you a hard knockdown. You can fit in up to more 2As at the start if you need more confirm time but it'll lower your damage a lot. This combo, and others like it that end in air throw, can have some extra stuff tacked on: see the Advanced Combo section or the Combo Theory section for more on that.
2A > 2B > 2CC > 5C(2) > 236B~B~X	2839 dmg		?% Opp: ?%	Anywhere
2A combo confirm that doesn't use autocombo. Though you can substitute other rekkas aside from 236B~B~X combinations after 5C(2), most of them do less damage. In the corner, you'll want to substitute the 2B for a 5B or else you'll have to delay the second 2C (see Combo Theory section below as to why).
2A > 2B > 2CC > 5C(2) > 236[A] > link 5BBB > j.B > AT	3094 dmg		?% Opp: ?%	Anywhere
A variant of the previous combo that uses charged 236[A] instead of 236B to get more damage out, acting as a more advanced version of the first combo above. Getting the 5B to hit after 236[A] requires some careful timing, as most characters will be right on the edge of its range; to make this easier, don't immediately mash 5C after the second 2C, as the cancel window on the second 2C is wide enough to let the enemy get a little closer before you do 5C(2).
j.A/B/C(2)/[C](2) > AT > j.236A/B > j.236C	2187 (j.A starter) - 2382 dmg (j.[C](2) starter)	1 Magic Circuit	?% Opp: ?%	Anywhere
Max damage off of an air normal when you hit an opponent air-to-air. Your damage will vary depending on which normal you hit with, and you can press A, B, or C after your normal of choice to attempt the air throw. Note that the air throw can and will whiff if you're not close to the opponent. You can get slightly more damage if you hit with j.[C](2) but that's a big risk.

Advanced Combos

Combo	Damage	Cost	Meter Gain	Location
2A > 2B > 2CC > 5C(2) > 236[A] > 5BBB > j.B > AT > j.236A/B > j.236C	3689 dmg	1 Magic Circuit	?% Opp: ?%	Anywhere
Cashout combo from a 2A confirm. Using j.236A/B > j.236C after an air throw is pretty much one of your most damaging ways of finishing an air throw combo as PCiel and one you should feel free to make liberal use of, as j.236C causes a hard knockdown and enables you to keep oki up and running once you've landed.
2A > 2B > 5C(2) > 4C(1) > 236[A] > 2CC > dl.3B > j.3B > 5BBB > j.AA	3196 dmg		85.04% Opp: 46.72%	Anywhere
Bounce-bonus combo from a 2A confirm. While it does less damage, it has better corner carry from midscreen and you can still burn resources after AT to push the damage further. Note for dl.3B you'll know if you got it right if the dl.3B hits twice, and the 5B after j.3B needs to be almost as soon as you land in order to make use of the bounce bonus. Inputting the jump cancel prior to j.3B as a 7 will bring you backward a little more and retain your side. Works with 2AA starter if you omit 4C(1); works with 2AAA starter if you omit 4C(1) and do 5C(1) instead of 5C(2).
2A > 2B > 5C(2) > 4C(1) > 236[A] > 2CC > dl.3B > j.3B > 5BB > 236A~B~B~66C	3717 dmg	1 Magic Circuit	-15% Opp: 62.27%	Anywhere
Same as the above, but adds a metered ender for more carry. Nearly sends the opponent from one corner to the other.
5[B] > j.7[C] > land663C > j.3B > 2B > 2CC > 236A~C > 5C(2) > 3B > j.BB	3981 dmg		101% Opp: ?%	Corner
Corner 5[B] confirm. Builds a bar of magic circuit by itself. Requires proper height control on 2B 2CC 236A~C; the delay timing for the 2C in 2B 2CC requires partial charging the 2C.
IADj.B > 2A > 5C > 4C > 236A~C > dl.5B > 2CC > 3C > j.AA	3485 dmg		83.37% Opp: 44.04%	Corner
Corner IAD j.B confirm. Delay 5B as late as possible.

Combo Theory

Generally speaking, getting solid combos out of Powered Ciel is relatively straightforward, but requires a few considerations depending on where you're at in the screen and what you're doing. If you're looking to maximize damage, you'll want to set up situations where you can use 236[A] as part of your grounded confirms, which means using 2B > 5C or 2B > 2C in your confirm chains so that you have the untech time to use it. If you have the Magic Circuit to spare and need a hard knockdown while on the ground, you can use 214C or 623C to end your combos after using special moves; 214C is more reliable at both close and mid-range at the cost of doing less damage, while 623C requires you to be up-close and personal with your opponent if you're expecting a hit but gives more damage.

You can also use the 66C EX Edge extension to 236A/B~A/B~X as a combo finisher if you so happen to be using those moves, but it will leave you with a ton of distance between you and your opponent so it may not be super helpful for staying near them unless they're already in or near the corner.

Using 2C and 2C > 2C

PCiel's 2C is a generally strong button for her due to its reach and because of 2C > 2C's vacuum effect. Whenever possible, at least 2C, if not 2C > 2C, should be a part of any confirm you get on a grounded opponent. For basic combos, 2C > 2C can give setups for going into 5B, 5C(2), or even more complex combos that don't use up your bounce bonus by going for 3B. Even if you hit with a faraway 2C or 2C > 2C that prevents most of those options, a max range 2C > 2C has enough hitstun to allow for 6B+C, which itself will allow for a 5A or 5B link into autocombo or other tricks.

You'll want to be careful when using 2B > 2C > 2C strings, though. At midscreen, it doesn't affect anything, but in the corner, 2B's properties as a sweep means that trying to land a successful 2C > 2C after a 2B will require a delay on the second 2C, as 2B will knock the opponent into the air and force the second 2C to whiff, unless it's delayed enough to catch the enemy falling. You can use 2B > 5C as a substitute instead if you would prefer to avoid the delay on the second 2C.

3B and j.3B

3B's launch properties allow for a number of interesting combo routes. It's jump cancelable, so for simple conversions from it you can just jump, do an air normal into air throw, and do the usual things. You can also get a little cheeky and do things like 3B > j.[C], then land and do 236B~B~X and cash out with an EX Edge for damage.

Where things really get interesting, though, is using j.3B after 3B. Its unique velocity brings PCiel downward while also knocking the opponent down, which gets you close enough to and taking advantage of Bounce Bonus. For something like grounded, raw-ish confirms into 3B (e.g., 2B > 3B > j.3B), you can pick them up off the ground with 2A > 5BBB and go from there, but certain combos will let you actually work 3B > j.3B into them for high damage--these are usually more difficult, but the improved corner carry can make it worth the risk. If you're trying for those, it's generally best to go for 2CC > dl.3B > j.3B for best results.

Comboing after Air Throw

PCiel's air throw, when it hits, is basically treated as if you hit with a normal attack insofar as cancel windows go, so you can cancel her airthrow almost immediately after it hits. However, since she can't chain or jump cancel her air normals, this basically leaves her with only special moves, Moon Skills, or EX Edges as cancel options after an air throw. The usual way to set this up after an air throw is AT > Special Move > EX Edge or AT > Moon Skill.

If you're looking for a hard knockdown & don't have the Magic Circuit to spare, or if you just don't want to spend resources yet, then it's best to not combo after air throw at all. If you're trying to conserve Magic Circuit overall but don't mind burning a little Moon Gauge, AT > Moon Skill is preferable, ideally j.6B+C. It won't give a hard knockdown, but it brings the opponent back to the ground, and for bonus points you can 236B+C at the moment PCiel lands from the j6.B+C if you have the 3 Magic Circuit for Arc Drive. j.4B+C will also hit after air throw, but will leave PCiel too high up for anything else even as the opponent recovers & will put some space between the both of you.

On the other hand, if you're fine with burning Magic Circuits, AT > j.236A/B or j.214A/B > j.236C is your next best bet for max damage. Unlike the j.6B+C ender, it will give a hard knockdown in addition to being fantastic for damage, and if you have Awakening & 4 Magic Circuits you can combo j.236C into 236B+C just like the j.6B+C ender.