WayOfLoci

A guide/commentary on how to beat Cagney Carnation from the Floral Fury stage without taking damage in Cuphead.

This is on the Regular difficulty in Cuphead, using the Peashooter weapon and the Smoke Dash charm.

Cagney Carnation tips

Phase 1

– Good spot to damage and react to Cagney’s moves is below the third platform or closest to Cagney.

– Mob spawning 0:26, fires off several coloured seeds that spawn different mobs;

> Purple seed, spawns a floor plant

> Pink seed, spawns a flying orange flower that fires parry-able projectiles

> Blue seed, spawns floating green plants

I would first get rid of all mobs before continuing to damage Cagney, avoid both the falling seeds and mobs.

– Screen clear 0:51, Cagney extends head on either the floor or platform level. Be on the opposite level to the attack and you can still attack and do damage during this.

– Projectile spawn 0:56,

> Blue boomerang, always begins on the platform level and returns on the floor level. Be on the opposite level, or jump over on the platform level.

> Acorns, being below the third platform is a great position for avoiding this as you can travel left on the floor, jump and smoke dash right. This loop avoids all acorns. If out of position using smoke dash is good for avoiding the last two but wouldn’t recommend for avoiding the first one.

Phase 2

– Thorn spikes 1:13, keep an eye below the platforms to indicate which ones will have thorns spiking through and jump to free platforms. Keep an eye on the fired projectiles during this, using smoke dash if needed.

– Projectiles 1:19, fires off circular projectiles with pink ones that can be parried. Easy to jump over with main threat being aware of where the spikes will appear on the platforms. Using a special move e.g. Peashooter mega blast can be useful for a mid air pause to avoid the projectiles if jumped at an incorrect time.

– Position, trying to keep to the left-most platform as possible to give as much time to react to the projectiles.