⚠️ Message to the Developer (Kubold)
This guide is written with great respect for your work and deep appreciation of the game. It doesn’t claim to be definitive, but hopes to contribute meaningfully — both for you and the community. Below are observations, bugs, and suggestions regarding Tarnavski. I'm open to discussion.

The "Cunning Fox", Tarnavski, is one of the most visually striking and unique fighters in Hellish Quart. However, despite his imposing presence and distinct fighting style, his gameplay currently feels inconsistent and unpolished. This guide was created to analyze Tarnavski in depth — highlighting his strengths, exposing his weaknesses, and pointing out areas that may require refinement or balancing.

I’m currently the #1 Tarnavski player in Survival mode (upd: #2) and the first Tarnavski main to win a community tournament on Discord. I’m not saying this to brag, but to show that I know what I’m talking about.

Now that the introduction is done, let's continue.

Tarnavski is a unique fighter who wields a dussack — a single-edged weapon of the cutlass or sabre type. It was used as a sidearm in Germany and the Habsburg monarchy during the 16th to 17th centuries and also served as a practice weapon. This weapon emphasizes reflexes, rhythm, and circulatr, fast movements. Tarnavski's design clearly reflects these principles, with a skillset that rewards timing, adaptability, and possibly, control of the combat flow.





🩸 A defining trait of Tarnavski’s gameplay is his variable tempo and rhythm. He doesn’t follow a predictable pattern — instead, his moves shift speed and intention mid-flow. As noted by several experienced players in the Discord community, Tarnavski performs best when played reactively and creatively, catching opponents off-guard with unconventional timing and unexpected counters.

• Tarnavski’s side step attacks are highly effective, especially for slipping linear strikes and punishing with quick follow-ups.
  
  
• His long guard transitions — work well against thrusting attacks (particularly when used against rapier users, "punish" combo, is like bread and butter), allowing him to catch the opponent’s blade and respond at the end of the animation.These actions often act as pre-set traps: Tarnavski “invites” the opponent to strike, only to counter with precision during their recovery.
  
  
• His rffs(right foot forward stance) X cut often does 2 things at once. Protecting from some of the countercuts and going around opponents guard.
  
  
• His simpe rffs lg stab works pretty well for stopping pressure of the opponent, or as a counter to some of opponent's stabs.
  
  
• His ideal gameplay centers around chaining attacks and punishing mistakes through counterplay. Most of his strikes are two-part sequences, giving him depth and pressure potential when used correctly.
  
  
• High health and damage output make him dangerous even in double blows, where he often comes out ahead. Or both kill himself and his opponent :D

⚠️

Despite his strengths, Tarnavski has some critical vulnerabilities:
• Not the best stamina. You want to chop nonstop, mixing wth side steps, stabs and traps,but not enough stamina for all of that.
  
  
• Short weapon reach puts him at a disadvantage against long-range fighters.
  
  
• He's an old man, overall movement speed is slow, though his dash is fast and explosive, useful for closing gaps or escaping danger.
  
  
• Many of his attack animations are too slow, which can make him predictable, or being countered if not used strategically.
  
  
• He is highly vulnerable during stance-changing attacks (and he has many of those) — his autoguard does not function during these transitions, leaving him exposed to well-timed strikes.
  
  
• Left foot forvand stance voulnerable against the stabs and right steps moves/cuts
  
  
• He needs good spacing wth his reach and slow movement speed, so you'll play catching game wth noN agressive opponents for 80% of the time.

As in the game’s lore, Cunning Fox Tarnavski is a deceptive and calculating warrior, using creativity and misdirection to confuse and dismantle his enemies. Tarnavski rewards players who think ahead, read their opponent’s intentions, and control the momentum of the fight with layered pressure and clever baiting. He’s not a beginner-friendly fighter — but in the right hands, he’s lethal.

This section will break down the most effective techniques and combos in Tarnavski’s arsenal. These moves are essential for success in battle and are often the key to victory in a fight.
But keep in mind that all my observations and movement usage tips are based on my personal playstyle, which, by the way, can also vary depending on the opponent's behavior or the specific character you're facing in battle. There is no one-size-fits-all, foolproof playstyle for this character that will work in every situation. It’s very important to be able to adapt and adjust.

🪓🥩🔪

These moves are like infantry in the army — they work well for breaking through. If you want to charge and test your opponent's defenses, some of them can even be chained with Tarnavski's attack linking perk

Example of chain chopper:

🐾🕳️ 🐾
These moves have a peculiar tempo. The crux of mastering these moves lies in timing — you really need to set them up properly before using them. Having a strong sense of their range, rhythm, and when to use them.

Right foot forvard

---

Good if you time it well. You can even catch your opponent's blade with yours and riposte with the second part of the animation. Tarnavski also takes a few steps forward, so this move can be used for pressure. Additionally, many characters' autoguard tends to be too high for the trajectory of the blade, so it goes straight under it and hits the face or hands. (Don't forget to take a few steps to the right to make the angle of the attack even harder for the autoguard.)

---

The same applies when catching the blade here. It also works well if you throw it preemptively against some of the opponent’s left-side step attacks (cause it hits their legs on the end of animation). If they try to counter it too early or too late, here chopped off opponents' hands.

---

Very dangerous move, it’s fast, thanks to the added step he takes, covering a great distance.

Part #1: Your bash against thrusts. Hellish Quart has a blade beat animation that staggers characters for a few seconds, allowing Part #2 to finish the fight. If they somehow survive, here’s the cherry on top: the fast Part #3.
Part #1 also works as a small, stunning, low-damage snap cut if you land it on the head or limbs (but its hard to pull of), so don’t forget about Part #2.
It's very precise in timing with the blade beats (and remember that your autoguard/long guard doesn't work when you're pressing the button), but you can still train it to perfection. (also keep in mind that not all characters have same blade beat animation, and on some of them it is just broken, so this cobmo works perfectly not on evryone).

---

One of the character's primary tools, the thrust offers good range and animation speed for its move set. It’s effective at interrupting the opponent’s barrage of attacks, dealing lethal damage to the arms. With proper timing, it can also serve as a counter to the thrusts of many other characters (though I wouldn't recommend competing with rapiers or Jan's attacks).
Overall, it may not be the best thrust in the game, but it’s a reliable and useful option in any duel.

Also try dash (or scary double dash) forward Y variation of this thrust. Its a surprise attack and can achive you few flags in the match! The closer you are for the dash thrust, the better! Example

---

Side steps

⬅️💃➡️
Right foot forvard

---

It's fast, has excellent reach, and often goes deep enough into the opponent’s right side to bypass autoguard. Depending on the distance and timing, it can strike the face, right arm, hand, armpit — or even the back of the head with the final of the arc's trajectory, dealing lethal damage.

This move works well both as a counter and as an opener. Tarna’s body leans deep to the left during the attack, helping him avoid linear strikes — he even ducks slightly, so you evading and attaking in the same time. It becomes especially effective when used with a side dash or as part of a side-step chain.

You can merge this move well with many other moves, making it even more devastating.
And yes — you should chain your side steps.
Its still can be countered, so be unpredictable.
One more example

---

A fast move, good for intercepting some of the opponent's forward cuts. 50 % of the times It hits the face or arm, so it's not the deadliest move, but it's better to use it in combination with something else. You can also chain this move 2 or 3 times which could be effective against shield users, going around andgle, preferable for shealds autoguard.

---

This one is slower, but has a bigger, mostly horizontal arc in the animation. Strangely, it feels good when used as a counter to an opponent’s right-side steps, dealing deadly damage to the arms. It’s also good to use with your chained side steps.

---

🛡️🗿🛡️

Right foot forvard

It’s a great neutral! A simple cut, slow, but it has a long and dangerous animation with great reach, thanks to a little stretch at the end. It’s best used as a counter when the opponent whiffs while you're stepping off with 3 or 4 Tarnavski steps. It can also deal lethal damage to the legs if you position yourself slightly to the right.

Decent speed, but very short reach. It’s best used as a counter against descending, fast left-side strikes, hoping to catch the inner side of the opponent’s forearm or wrist. It works great against Bara’s left side step attack, as well as his trickshot.

Left foot forvard
It's great! It’s fast, and at a certain distance (depending on the opponent’s character), it can go around the guard and usually hit the side of the head. It can also be paired with this one as a follow-up.:
Also one of Tarnavski's best neutrals. It has decent reach and a wide circular arc in the animation. I tend to use it as a stopper for the opponent’s attacks, throwing it preemptively to catch and reach their wrists, or hit the head if the opponent goes for left side steps or left dashes. Think of it as an active defense move.

Active neutrals defence example

These moves are still a decent option, but their certain flaws make them unreliable in many cases, so the choice to use them entirely depends on the specific situation and moment. In other words, they can still be used, but it's better to strictly limit them to the appropriate circumstances.



For "Complete the Circle", the first part of the move can work well as a counter if the opponent preemptively strikes at the legs and wiffs, leaving their head exposed (or performs any other move that leaves their skull unprotected), as the move has a strictly vertical trajectory. However, this move doesn't have good reach, or the fastest animation speed and comes with a gigantic recovery window (time that you cant do any movements of attacks, and your autoguard dosent work) if you miss the target or fail to at least hit the opponent's autoguard. The second part of the move can be used as an unexpected surprise. From the right distance, you perform the first move, and if the opponent falls for the bait, you finish with an upward strike. However, the lethal effect will only occur if you land the hit very precisely on the wrist or hand.

"Complete Antycircle" has a same use and problems with a little twist, literally. You can use the first part of the combo as a counter to high downward strikes or as a bait for the second part of the combo. However, the second part has only a 50% chance to succeed. ( and its also changer your stace!!) If it doesn’t hit the head or wrist, it’s likely to hit the opponent’s autoguard or sword, which gets in the way while the enemy tries to counter your bait. So this combo is a coin flip — you either dead or victorious. Ave, Caesar, morituri te salutant...

---

Back Y is extremely useful as your interrupting move. It has lightning speed, hitting the arm or face. It's great for stopping pressure from the opponent (after you block his strike), or mixing it up with YOUR pressure moves . But keep in mind that it has short reach.

---

Both slices have identical animations (but we'll talk about that later). It’s more of a distance trap move. With a diagonal downward arc of the trajectory, it’s better to take a few steps to the right before using it. It’s best to use if you see that the opponent whiffs one of their own slow and wide cuts, because your high guard will warn them of what you're about to use. Good reach and speed of animation, but changes stance, and have good ol huge recovery window.

They are not entierly bad, but their reech and speed dosent allow to consistently(!) use them for something.

This and all subsequent sections are dedicated not only to players planning to play as Tarnavski, but also to the developer.

These moves are completely useless. I’ve tried using them against bots, in tournaments, casual matches, and as counters against specific moves of certain characters. I couldn’t find a single use for them that works consistently. These moves are entirely useless — dead weight in the character's moveset.

---

If you ever fighted sheald characters, you know how important that is to strike their legs. And having 2 of leg dedicated strikes so useles, its just diabolical. They have huge wind up phase, slow speed and no proper reach. As Tarna main, i want to have proper leg strikes so bad...
Fix: Stretch on the end of move, animation speed tweak.

---

Tarnavski pretends that he doesn’t have a sword, but a shank in his hands, performing two quick thrusts with his short weapon, quickly jumping back after the second. This move has neither speed nor proper range. To land a thrust, you need to be right up close to the opponent, (or maybe a mirecle(!), snipe to extended wrist) when they are already in a position to grab you, push you, or hit you with "forward Y" to strike Tarnavski’s face.
More often than not, the opponent only needs to take a step forward and deliver a chopping strike to Tarnavski's head. Even if they miss, they will still hit the thrust itself, after which the blade beat animation gives them all the time they need for a follow-up.


Fix: A classic thrust extends the model forward, providing the necessary reach. Why not do the same here? Right now, this move is just a meme.

---

It has almost the same animation as forward So what is the point of that move, if its the same, just move slow? Its not crushing through the guard, it dosend have bigger trajectory arc, its just same move wth different input.
Fix: new move?

---

Same problem as wth Stab, Stab. Reach of this move is so short, that you have to be at grabbing range for it to land. Its nice animation, but yet, its also slow and changes the stance, so the opponent have million opportunities for punishing that move, if youll ever be that close to use it to begin wth...
Fix: Extend his hand wth the sword for better reach, aniimation speed tweak. Or just change animation to classic sabre trick shot, that all charracters have...

---

Same here. Its slow, its short. You need to be timing god, very close, or be extreamly lucky for hitting something wth it.
Fix: I think only speed of animation tweak can help.

---

Nothing bad wth the reach here, but slow wind up fhase destroing intencion behind why that move was created. Wth how slow it is, you can block nothing wth it. And if youll just preemptively spamm it in hopes for some strikes to land on it, you be punnished in your recovery window. It sads me the most, that i cant use it in a fights!
Fix: Animation speed tweak.

---

Huge wind up phase, and they complitely miss the position of your opponent. Also they have short reach, so no point in using them any way.

---

I wright them in keyboard inputs!

#1 Broken Stance / “stance‑switch” bug
If you cancel an attack on the exact frame (window of only a few ms), Tarnavski drops into a Broken Stance—known in Discord as the stance‑switch bug. It has been present since the character’s release (so, for years).



2# Missing animation – LFF long stance, Forward + H
Left‑foot‑forward long stance: pressing Forward + H triggers no animation.

3#Missing animation – RFF long stance,  ↓ + Y
Right‑foot‑forward long stance: pressing ↓ + Y triggers no animation.

4#
While Tired, →→ + Y (thrust) still executes in both LFF and RFF.
Personally i like this bug, fun for role‑play - but still a bug. Lore accurate Cunning Fox pretends that he's tired, to lower someone’s guard. Then he suddenly dash forward and throw sneaky thrust! :D

5#
In Low Guard (LFF), press ↓ ← while holding Space : Tarnavski enters another broken stance. His torso stays perfectly steady while moving and auto‑guard no longer reacts.


6# (not tested, not proved, just IMO*)
I think the way Tarnavski’s torso leans/shifts when he moves backward interferes too much with his auto‑block. Many times, while he retreating, the opponent’s blade clips his hand or the unprotected side of his body. You can see this because Tarnavski blocks much better when he stands still.

You could fix the bug by giving Tarnavski’s torso more stability during movement (compare Barabasz’s backward step and how consistently he blocks regardless of motion), or by tweaking Tarnavski’s auto‑block logic to account for the opponent’s strike distance—similar to the recent Hassan block adjustment.

7# (tested, dosent need video proof)
Tarnavski's "powreful" perk was removed long lime ago wth one of the updetes, and he dosent have guard crushing moves right now. But i bellive there was said that some of the moves should have that mechanick, like Hassan's →→ + T "Guard crusher", or Zera's → + T/ ↑↑ (dash) + T (Btw, Zera's guard crushing strikes ofishially have not described in the update list, and they vere added recently!) Kubold, please confirm whether any of Tarnavski’s attacks are still meant to crush guard.

8# Lff lg → H Ignores guards! (Tested both on 120 simulation rate and on 60)

"↓ ← ↑" is ok, works only wth "→" input

1). (distance and angle almoust dosent matter) 90% of the times going thrugh/under autoguard of: Yandrek, Samuel, Kalkstain, Isabella, Tarnavski, Connor, Marie, Jacek, Laslo.

2). Characters that can block it, depending on distance, stance and angle: Barabasz, Jan, Dynis, Marina.

3). Thanks to recent guard fix, Hassan block's this cut all of the times.

1#
Second part of the combo is a cut, not a thrust.

2#

For the bloking cut the only(!) working input rn is lff long guard down Y. (wth any uther inputs he just thrusts)/
Thou it would be so nice if list was correct and it was just neutral Y or T! For all folks using the right side of the keyboard wth it simutanious pressed buttons limitations.

3#
Why is here slice 2, if we have same animations, we ether have missing animation or incorrectly written move. (in correct way it should look like this)

4#
We have many moves wth nice, different animations that should be in list as separate moves.

After analyzing all of his moves and playstyle, I came to the conclusion that, despite the variety of his animations and his striking appearance, Tarnavski is still incomplete. You could win competetive duels wth him, but he lack's too many things to being S tier, or even A tier.

So what does Tarnavski need? My answer is - speed!

No, it's not about movement speed. His movement speed is fine for his character. Cunning fox misleads with his deceptively slow, calculated steps, only to suddenly close the distance with a dash, throw a four-part combo, and execute a surprise thrust.

What Tarnavski must have is attack animation speed. Some players have said that he's fast enough, but I disagree. That’s just the feeling that arises because of the contrast with his movement speed. There was update wth correction of his wind-ups before attacks, but his animations is still too slow.

In my opinion, Tarnavski is the slowest character with a saber-like weapon! Just think about where he stands in terms of speed: Dynis - Hassan - Laslo - Barabasz - Gedeon - Jacek - Samuel - Tarnavski. He’s at the very end!

And I believe this is an undeserved position. From the perspective of realism and game logic.

If we think from a realism and historical standpoint, the weight of the dussack didn’t differ much from a saber (although it’s true that there were heavier versions). Yes, his dussak, as you can see, has quite a big guard, and blade wide, but its also SO SHORT! (Incert that what she said joke here).
If we consider Tarnavski’s age and physique, he’s probably not much older than Gedeon and doesn’t have the same issues with weight (and, by the way, Gedeon’s attack animations, movement speed, are much faster than Tarnavski’s where is logic in that?).

Right now, from a gameplay perspective — Tarnavski is a sneaky, attack linking tank, that moves slow, but hits hard. But how significant is that in a game, where nearly every hit on a right pard of the budy of the opponent can be lethal? It’s much more important to hit first!!!

So what’s stopping him from hitting faster?

Tarnavski has a short blade, and his movement speed could be better, he dosent have stances wth strong autoguard, his stamina is garbage... If he doesn’t have the weapon length reach, ms, stamina, or anything else, then at least let him have faster attack speeds!

I can’t stop thinking about the difference in how Hassan felt before and after the release. He was absolutely two different characters in terms of attack speed. Before the release, I didn’t like Hassan, but after the changes, I started enjoying the speed of his cutting attacks and animations. From tier B, Hassan become atleast tier A!

Most of the player's that i know, consider Tarna unpopular and weak (if we dont account my strugles to play his as good as i can).

In conclusion, I would just say that to make Tarnavski more popular character, most of his animations, especially all of his forward cut combos, need a speed boost.

Clearly, Kubold showed lots of love for Tarnavski. That’s why I love Tarnavski so much.

But... I TO TYLE?!

Tarnavski needs some MORE.

I would like to thank (and also promote) the Discord community, without which this guide wouldn’t have been possible. I also want to express my gratitude to everyone for their help with the game, for the interesting and exciting duels, events, and simply for the cozy and enjoyable time spent together.

Join us, and here you can participate in PvP, find worthy opponents, learn more about the game, and connect with others.

Here is the link: https://discord.gg/bpCXb4aJ

AI FAN ARTS:
(Fighting Eev's Geddy be like:)

(Tarna mirror)

(Tarna wants your blood for Kubold)

(Abandoned by his creator, sad Tarna sits in a desert, waiting to be fixed)

(Tarna is STRONK)

(Crabnavski skin, WHEN?!)

(OVER 9000)

(Tarna won the tournay)