Fighting game franchises hold a special place in the gaming world because ones with a great plot, characters, and gaming mechanics often earn a grand fan base and much-awaited sequels. One of the famous examples of this can be found in Mortal Kombat, the iconic franchise of brutal hand-to-hand combat that first released in 1992 and led to Mortal Kombat 11 a few decades down the road.

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With the constant success of the franchise, it's no surprise that Mortal Kombat 11 remains just as embraced as ever. Alongside the game's lore, its unique characters are a huge driving force behind the franchise's appeal. Here's a list of the top 10 fighters in Mortal Kombat 11 based on the performance results among the game's most talented players.

Updated on April 28th, 2023 by Hodey Johns: It's true that Mortal Kobat constantly receives patches and nerfs. The slightest change, even the single frame of an attack animation, can jettison characters up and down the list. And yet this practical evolution takes a backseat to another change; players after years with the game are constantly learning to counter the best kombatants the game has to offer, thus taking their place on the throne with new characters. These new champion fighters are then, in turn, studied and countered by elite gamers. This latest update is based on the results of the most recent tournaments and win rates among those who play professionally.

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11 Scorpion

Mortal Kombat 11 Scorpion Intro

Despite Scorpion having some of the most iconic catchphrases and animations with his grabs and chain, it's actually his magic and swordplay that shine in competitive play. He's able to flip which end of the screen he's on in almost an instant, making him impossible to corner and forcing players to protect their backsides at all times.

In the hands of a master, Scorpion is also brutal when it comes to launching players into the air and killing them before they can hit the ground. Even with a sliver of health left, Scorpion is a threat to drain the enemy of their entire health bar in seconds.

10 Robocop

Mortal Kombat 11 Robocop Prepares To Shoot

Players that don't like to use combos will find that Robocop's normal attacks are slow and weak, making him impossible to recommend for gamers that haven't memorized the skills. But gamers that do take this time will find he's tough to beat.

His combos go between near-instant gunshots to melee strikes with extended range. There are some great mods for the game that can make the game more balanced which is nice because Robocop's combos in the hands of an AI or a pro gamer are unfair.

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8 Kano

Mortal Kombat 11 Kano Drinks Before Fatality

When high-level gamers need to dominate from the air, the choice is Kano. Great other fighting games usually don't consider how much of the game is spent in the air, where Kano is at his best. His cannonball attack has persisted throughout the franchise and still strikes fear into the hearts of the opposition.

On the ground, he's still got a host of ranged abilities and strong blows. Kano can use his moves for mobility in addition to damage, so he's a top choice for gamers who know how to use the location interactions to their advantage.

7 Geras

Mortal Kombat 11 Geras Cracks His Neck

Pro players have a unique knack for countering attacks. Because they have memorized every move from every character, the best gamers can block any incoming strike from a standstill. Most characters settle for blocking and this is where Geras shines; he can immediately counter and grapple in a split second.

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Geras is especially unique among professionals. He's either the "main" pick for pros or not used much at all. It takes a special kind of gamer to know when and what can be countered and grabbed which is why this fighting franchise is so difficult to master.

6 Kabal

Mortal Kombat 11 Kabal Blades Intro

Kabal may not be the most classic choice for fans of the franchise but he's plenty capable of holding his own against them. Kabal combined blazing speed and teleportation, keeping opponents trying to guess which direction and angle the next blow is coming from.

Pros usually pick up on animations from even the speediest characters but Kabal has a few moves that can be executed faster than this reaction time, making him a top choice for players with heightened reflexes that want to push the action.

5 Liu Kang

Mortal Kombat 11 Liu Kang Intro

For a long time, Liu Kang was the default choice among top-tier gamers. His primary melee skills are often countered by ranged attackers but there is still nobody more lethal and able to juggle a foe when getting into melee range.

Beginners learning to play the game should do everything they can to stay out of his grip. Pro players are great jugglers but even intermediate gamers will find that he's got a few combos that can end the fight as soon as the enemy loses their footing.

4 The Joker

Mortal Kombat 11 The Joker Machine Gun Fatality

While most heroes in the game have established their power through the lore, characters are added through DLC that have nothing to do with the Mortal Kombat universe. Even so, they are always immensely fun but unpredictable. The Joker is the most unpredictable of them all.

The Joker won several tournaments for years because his moves are deceptive. He'll step back and a chair goes flying forward. He ducks and something falls. While experts are no longer fooled by his moves, he's diverse enough to be a top-five character in any tournament and still dominates the casual circuits.

3 Sub-Zero

Mortal Kombat 11 Sub-Zero Blizzard Intro

Regardless of which engine the series uses, Sub-Zero remains a terrifying visage of ice and death. Being able to use spells on melee attacks as well as medium and long ranges means there is no safe place to go when he takes the field.

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But it's not just the damage that is the issue. Sub-Zero's attacks have ice and slow opponents down or freeze them outright. Those who haven't witnessed a tournament may not be aware, but getting slowed or frozen even once is often a death sentence.

2 Jacqui Briggs

Mortal Kombat 11 Jacqui Briggs Intro

Briggs is the strongest counter to the top character used by pros, so she becomes heavily used in tournaments. But she's not simply a one-counter kind of character, she's plenty elite on her own for gamers that can master the tricky timing on her ranged skills.

These ranged blows hit like a truck and some character animations aren't able to close the gap in time before she can unleash her nastiest combos. She's also not shabby in melee combat, so even players who weather the storm to get up close are in for a tough fight.

1 Cetrion

Mortal Kombat 11 Cetrion Butterfly Intro

Cetrion has established herself as the premier choice in Mortal Kombat 11 for a solid reason. The Deadly Alliance looks to be on the horizon for the franchise but Cetrion and the Elder Gods have the lead right now. Every character has a counter yet Cetrion challenges that truth as much as anyone.

Her skills are ranged, forcing characters back and to stay back. Head-to-head against other ranged heroes, she's one of the few that can juggle opponents in the air for what seems like forever. Players who happen to choose a counter such as Jacqui Briggs or Sub-Zero still find they need to play almost perfectly because once they're knocked off their feet, the fight is over.

Mortal Kombat 11 is available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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