Carl
Overview​
Carl is the primary protagonist of Dungeon Crawler Carl. A former US Coast Guard marine technician from Seattle, he survived the Transformation by being outside his apartment building in freezing temperatures, retrieving his ex-girlfriend's cat. He entered the dungeon with the cat, Princess Donut, and the two became companions throughout Floors 1 and 2.
First Appearance​
Book 1, Chapter 1
Known Aliases​
- Crawler #4,122
- Royal Bodyguard of Princess Donut (informal)
Description​
- Age: 27 at the time of the Transformation
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: approximately 230 pounds, naturally muscular
- Former US Coast Guard marine technician (MK rating)
- Smokes Marlboro Reds; carries a Zippo lighter
Stats (at dungeon entry)​
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Strength | 6 |
| Intelligence | 3 |
| Constitution | 5 |
| Dexterity | 5 |
| Charisma | 4 |
Best pre-dungeon skill: Basic Electrical Repair (level 6).
Role in the Story So Far​
Carl survived the alien Transformation of Earth by being outside when all buildings were destroyed. He ran toward a dungeon entrance spotlight and descended into Dungeon Floor 1, carrying Princess Donut. As Crawler #4,122, he was among the first 5,000 people to enter any dungeon entrance worldwide.
On Floor 1, Carl trained with Mordecai at the Tutorial Guild, learned the dungeon's rules and viewer-rating system, and fought his way through goblin encounters. He allied with Frank Q. (an ICE agent), then with a larger group — Brandon, Chris, Yolanda, and Imani — to defeat the Floor 1 Borough Boss: the Ball of Swine. He was a founding member of the group known as the Royal Court of Princess Donut.
On Floor 2, Carl acquired a goblin-derived steam motorcycle (chopper) and built a bomb-launching device he called the MOAB to defeat a Rage Elemental. He survived a critical injury during the Krakaren neighborhood boss fight, rescued by Donut. By the end of Floor 2, his ratings reached 124.8 Trillion views, 2.1 Trillion followers, and 234 Billion favorites.
Carl ended Floor 2 at Level 13. His race and class remain unselected; that choice will occur on Floor 3.
Known Relationships​
- Princess Donut — companion; they entered the dungeon together and fight as a team
- Beatrice (Bea) — ex-girlfriend; they broke up days before the Transformation; she was likely in the Bahamas when Earth was destroyed
- Mordecai — tutorial guide on Floors 1 and 2
- Odette — intergalactic talk show host who advises Carl and interviews him between floors
- Zev — PR agent who communicates via private chat
- Prince Maestro — Carl publicly challenged him to single combat on Odette's show
Loadout by Floor​
End of Floor 1​
Equipped Gear
| Item | Slot | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Enchanted Nightgaunt Cloak | Cloak | +2 Dex, +1 Con; shadow camouflage |
| Enchanted Trollskin Shirt of the Forsaken | Chest | +4 Con, poison resistance, damage reflection |
| Enchanted Toe Ring of the Splatter Skunk | Toe | +3 Powerful Strike, Spray attack |
| Enchanted Spiked Kneepads of the Shade Gnoll Riot Forces | Legs | 10% damage reflect, cancels momentum attacks |
| Enchanted War Gauntlet of Grull | Hand | +2 Iron Punch, 2% stun chance; transforms into spiked gauntlet |
| Enchanted Shuriken | Inventory | Ninja stars (x50 at acquisition) |
| Goblin Copper Chopper | Vehicle | Steam-powered motorcycle; sidecar removed on Floor 2 |
Tattoos
| Tattoo | Location | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Goblin Pass | Forearm | Removes goblin hostility; free passage through goblin territory |
| Unknown dagger tattoo | Neck | Received from Asshole's Box (ch 19); effect unresolved |
Notable Skills (end of Floor 1)
| Skill | Level |
|---|---|
| Basic Electrical Repair | 6 |
| Pugilism | 4 |
| Unarmed Combat | 3+ |
| Smush | 3 |
| Iron Punch | 3 |
| Explosives Handling | 5 |
| IED | 3 |
| Determine Value | 1 |
End of Floor 2 (End of Book 1)​
Gear Changes from Floor 1
| Change | Item |
|---|---|
| Added | Enchanted Pedicure Kit of the Sylph — nightly foot care; +15% barefoot damage, +3 Smush, trap alarm buff |
| Added | Enchanted BigBoi Boxers — grants Protective Shell spell |
| Destroyed | Goblin Copper Chopper — sacrificed into the Floor 3 stairwell |
| Destroyed | MOAB — lost with the chopper |
Spells
| Spell | Source |
|---|---|
| Protective Shell | Enchanted BigBoi Boxers (item-based; 30-hour cooldown) |
Notable Skills (end of Floor 2)
| Skill | Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pugilism | 6+ | +25% bare-knuckle damage per level |
| Unarmed Combat | 6 | |
| Smush | 5 | +3 bonus from Pedicure Kit while active |
| Iron Punch | 5 | +2 bonus from War Gauntlet (effective 7) |
| Powerful Strike | 3+ | +3 bonus from Toe Ring |
| Explosives Handling | 7 | |
| Dangerous Explosives Handling | 7 | |
| Goblin Explosives | 5 | |
| IED | 7 | |
| Locomotion (Chopper Piloting) | 5 | |
| Slingshot | 5 | Grounds flying enemies |
| Determine Value | 2 |
Level at end of Book 1: 13. Race and class unselected; choice occurs on Floor 3.
Appearances​
Book 1: All chapters
Citations​
Book 1, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 20, 26, 35, 40, 47, Epilogue