There are a lot of fighters in NetherRealm Studio’s latest entry in their iconic fighting franchise, Mortal Kombat 11. This can make picking one to start out with tricky since they all have their own pros or cons. After spending time with each fighter, we have picked five that we found to be the easiest for beginners.
However, we still recommend you try every combatant just to make sure you don’t miss out on one you might enjoy. These are simply our choices for the best characters that entry-level players might want to consider picking up. All of the fighters listed below can and do have a variety of advanced techniques, so don’t view them as lesser. They are simply strong picks for those who have either never played a fighting game or aren’t used to this genre.
(This list is in no particular order.)
1. Scorpion
It’s no surprise that Mortal Kombat’s most recognizable characters is also beginner friendly. Scorpion possesses some of the easiest combos in the entire game, with many of them requiring only three inputs. This makes being able to apply pressure quite easy, as Scorpion has some decent range and can easily close the gap via his Hell Port.
His Spear can drag ranged foes close to you and Death Spin forces your opponent back. A lot of his combos are also easy to Special Move Cancel into. It also helps that you will spend a lot of time with Scorpion both in the campaign and tutorial. This makes it easy to jump into more competitive modes and really start learning how to use him.
2. Kotal Kahn
Looking for more of a burly brawler? Kotal Kahn is a fantastic starting point for anyone who enjoys slower, hard-hitting fighters. Boasting a wealth of Special Moves and easy to execute combos, Kotal can prove to be a terrifying force if played correctly. His sword gives him a surprising amount of range, allowing you to keep aggressive enemies away with ease. Combos like Soleil will blast foes away, while your Special Move Mehtizquia Cut is perfect for punish enemies who miss attacks.
Additionally, Kotal can launch disk at foes from across the screen and call down a beam of light which damages any enemy who stands in it. Even though he lacks a teleportation option, Kotal can close the gap via his Tecuani Maul. This transforms Kotal into a jaguar that rushes across the screen and pounces on your foe. Despite all of these abilities, Kotal is remarkably easy to use and his combos are all fairly simple.
3. Kabal
A personal favorite, Kabal is an excellent choice for those just starting out. His speedy attacks make him a real threat, along with his Nomad Dash which sets opponents up for easy combos. His Buzzsaw is an excellent projectile that does decent damage and his Hook Slam is great for to Special Move Cancelling.
Kabal also boasts a number of strong combos, all of which are quite easy to execute. It’s this simplistic kit that really makes Kabal a great starting point. Despite lacking some of the mechanical skill required for other fighters, Kabal can still be a tough foe to fight. Just make sure not to spam Nomad Dash, as your opponent will be able to counter this strategy just by blocking. Try to use it at the end of combos or if they aren’t paying attention.
4. Erron Black
For those who like to fight at range, Erron Black is a solid beginner fighter that is quite easy to grasp. This gunslinger uses a variety of different gadgets including dynamite, acid bombs, his revolvers, and a rifle. Tied to both his special and normal move set, Erron Black can quickly take control of the match by suppressing his foe. His rifle is especially good at this since you can fire 10 shots without needing to reload. Just make sure to count how many have been fired so you don’t get stuck in the reload animation.
Black also boasts some simple combos such as Dead Man’s Hand, which can be enhanced with other inputs once you get the timing down. This can make Black especially dangerous since you won’t always know how he will finish his combos. Just be careful, as Boot Drop is your only real way to close a lot of space quickly.
5. Liu Kang
Perhaps the most difficult fighter to just pick up on our list, Liu Kang is a fantastic melee fighter that has some nice versatility. While Liu Kang can throw a lot of fireballs from a safe distance, he excels at close range combat. Both Flying Dragon Kick and Bicycle Kick are fantastic for Special Move Cancelling. He also boasts a ton of combos, most of which are quite straightforward. It may take some time to really memorize all his movies, but Lui Kang is still a great entry level fighter.