MK11 Tier List: Mortal Kombat

Our MK11 Tier List ranks every playable character in the hit fighting game!

Mortal Kombat has cemented itself as one of the most famous—and infamous—games in the industry. Its fast-paced, competitive gameplay paired with the gnarly Fatalities are what players all around the world have come to love. And despite the backlash from concerned parents and teachers, Mortal Kombat continues to sell, to this day.

But underneath its bloody exterior, Mortal Kombat 11 is a game with complicated mechanics. Players must know how to strategize and think on their feet. Otherwise, they won’t last long in competitive matches. And part of crafting a strategy is knowing character skills and match-ups. That’s where our MK11 Tier List comes in handy.

Keep on reading for an in-depth look at the best and worst playable characters of Mortal Kombat 11.

MK11 TIER LIST

S-TIER

• Cetrion
• Fujin
• Jacqui Briggs
• Liu Kang
• The Joker

A-TIER

• Geras
• Jade
• Kollector
• Kotal Khan
• Kung Lao
• Shang Tsung
• Sheeva
• Spawn
• Sub-Zero

B-TIER

• Cassie Cage
• Johnny Cage
• Kano
• Noob Saibot
• Scorpion
• Sindel

C-TIER

• D’Vorah
• Frost
• Kabal
• Kitana
• Nightwolf
• Sonya Blade
• Terminator T-800

D-TIER

• Baraka
• Erron Black
• Jax Briggs
• Mileena
• Raiden
• Rain

F-TIER

• Rambo
• Robocop
• Shao Khan
• Skarlet

Get a cup of coffee as we dig in for tips on using all the characters in our MK11 Tier list on the next page.

MK11 CHARACTERS: TIPS

Now that we’re done with the list, let’s give you some bonus tips for each character in our MK11 Tier List! Let’s start off with our strongest characters placed under S and A-tier.

S-TIER

CETRION

“The Strongest Character in Mortal Kombat 11”

Cetrion is definitely the strongest character in Mortal Kombat 11. No other character is as balanced and well-rounded as she is. Cetrion’s powers come from nature and she can control various elements as she wishes. With her zoning abilities, it’s seemingly impossible to get close to her. And because she has two long-ranged attacks and teleportation skills, she can pummel you from afar. She’s proficient in close combat too, with strong attacks like Deadly Winds and Earthquake. So, if you want to deal with high damage without losing a sliver of health, start practising with Cetrion.

FUJIN

Fujin’s character was based on God of the Wind. He has great range with his normal attack, making him a safe choice for most match-ups. His fast-paced strings and low block advantage make him an excellent choice. It’s also hard to punish him because of his special cancelling abilities and quick combos. You’ll need to practice with him a lot though, as he has a relatively high skill ceiling.

JACQUI BRIGGS

Despite all the nerfs, Jacqui Briggs is still an extremely strong character, capable of dominating the arena. Her grenade launcher has huge damage potential, and she can attack from afar without putting herself at risk thanks to the variations. Pair that with high mobility and you’ve got a nimble damage dealer on your hands. There’s no doubt that you can climb the ranks as a seasoned Jacqui main.

LIU KANG

Liu Kang excels most a zoning and pressuring. His strings and special moves are capable of breaking through the opponent’s block. Plus, his fireball attacks allow you to keep the enemy player on their toes, never allowing them a moment to breathe. And it’s that versatility that lands him so high on the Mortal Kombat 11 Tier List.

THE JOKER

Players who pick up The Joker should expect a playstyle focused on zoning and combo execution. With a whole slew of far-reaching attacks, Joker excels at pushing enemy characters away, then punishing them from a distance. His Fatal Blow skill can also be delayed, allowing players to turn the tide of the match with a few mind tricks.

A-TIER

GERAS

Geras is arguably the best grappler in the game. With high damage output and both backward and forward throws, he can easily dominate the opponent. However, players might struggle with skilled long-ranged opponents. Geras’ Quicksand and Sand Trap skills are great for getting up close and personal with the opponent. However, it requires precise execution that many starting players might have difficulties with.

JADE

Jade is an excellent zoner with a decent defense arsenal, giving players more freedom to experiment with her moveset. Though her damage output is lower, compared to other characters, her assassin combos can be deadly, when executed correctly. She’s good choice for juggling, but not recommended for newbies to the game.

KOLLECTOR

Kollector’s moveset covers both long-ranged and close-ranged attacks. From a distance, players can throw chakrams or set their enemy aflame. Up close, Kollector excels at grappling and throwing. However, while both these skillsets are useful, they can fall short against a skilled zoner or any character who can defend against projectiles.

KOTAL KHAN

After multiple complaints from the fanbase, Kotal Kahn’s moveset has been reworked. Now, he’s a beast in the hands of a skilled player. His command grab gives him a significant advantage with crazy amounts of damage. He now also has better zoning abilities. That said, his damage output still isn’t as powerful as the characters in S-Tier.

KUNG LAO

Kung Lao’s bladed hat allows for some deadly efficient zoning attacks. Players can use the headpiece to unleash projectile attacks, knock enemies down, or even trap them. Plus, his damage and combo potential are great. He can stun the opponent and immediately execute a flurry of attacks, giving the enemy player no room to breathe.

SHANG TSUNG

Shang Tsung is another excellent zoner, with a wide range of attacks and high damage potential to boot. His attacks are quick, meaning players can quickly execute their combos. Plus, the good mix of close-, mid-, and long-ranged attacks make him extremely versatile. The only reason he isn’t in S-Tier is because his mobility leaves much to be desired.

SHEEVA

Sheeva excels most in close-range combat, with grappling moves and throws that deal a ton of damage. Outside of her specials, her normal attacks on their own also do a significant amount of damage. The only downside is her lack of long-ranged options. Dragon stance is a good option for this, but players can fall short with it when matched up against skilled blockers.

SPAWN

Yet another great zoner, Spawn can also deal some of the best damage in the game. Pair that with far-reaching normal attacks and skills that push opponents away, and you’ve got an excellent mid-ranged fighter. Really, his only downside is the high skill ceiling.

SUB-ZERO

Thanks to the custom variations, Sub-Zero can do great damage and execute his combos, while evading punishment. He has some amazing corner combo potential because of his high mobility and decent range. At close-range, however, players might suffer from skilled grapplers and well-timed throws.

Let’s continue for our average joes on the next page.

MK11 CHARACTERS: TIPS

Of course, everyone wants to have the best of the best. But the characters under our B and C- Tier are also quite beneficial in their different ways based on your playstyle. Some are defensive players, some are really strong but lack other skills, and some are just hard to play but handy when you learn how to handle.

B-TIER

CASSIE CAGE

One of the Cages in the game: Cassie Cage. Cassandra Carlton (Cassie) Cage, the only daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade. She’s really good up close and her damage potential is quite high. The downside is she can’t rely on her normal attacks and must rely on skills. Still, she’s a low-risk choice, making her ideal for defensive players.

JOHNNY CAGE

Johnny Cage used to be one of the strongest characters in the game. But he’s been nerfed multiple times, making him a more balanced character without any big exploits. Despite this, he still has well-rounded stats, and he excels at ranged combat.

KANO

Kano has extremely high combo potential. He has good command grabs and great mix-ups, making him a powerful pick. However, as with most grapplers in the game, he can struggle with ranged attackers and zoners who can evade his grapples.

NOOB SAIBOT

Noob Saibot’s appeal is the low-risk, high-reward factor. He has different playstyles that you can interchange to fit your playstyle. Plus, he can deal damage while actively avoiding potential counterattacks. Despite his below-average mobility, Noob Saibot’s insane damage potential more than makes up for it. That is if you know how to use him.

SCORPION

One of the most iconic characters of the game, Scorpion benefits from the game’s custom variations. His teleportation ability gives him high mobility. Plus, he has a decent arsenal of ranged attacks and high damage potential. The only downside is the lack of zoning capabilities.

SINDEL

With high range and high damage, Sindel is great for attacking at a safe distance. But with the custom variations, she has more flexibility. She’s now a more well-rounded character, with decent close-ranged attacks. However, her movestep still leans on being for ranged offense, which can limit playability.

C-TIER

D’VORAH

D’Vorah is one of the infamously hard characters to play. But learning how to play her well can be rewarding. She shines most in her long-ranged attacks. With an arsenal of trap-style attacks, she can also control the flow of battle by forcing the enemy player to account for all the variables she sets down. But again, extremely high skill ceiling.

FROST

Frost is not as good as the ones higher on the list, but she’s a safe option. Like Sub-Zero, she can also freeze opponents to death. She can deal damage without taking risks, which fits quite nicely with the current Meta. However, her stats are all only passable.

KABAL

Kabal has great mobility and his combos are on par with some of the strongest heroes in this list, but his lack of mix-ups makes him a situational pick. Veteran players can very quickly foresee what Kabal will do next, then use that foresight to shoot down any of his follow-up attacks.

KITANA

Kitana has a lot of potential to be a powerful zoner. However, she has a bug that limits the number of strings she can use. Despite that, she has high damage potential from her stance changes and mix-ups. If you can circumvent the bug, she can dominate match-ups.

NIGHTWOLF

Nightwolf is an exceptional grappler with balanced stats. He has a very strong command grab as well as a versatile skill set. His balanced stats and moveset, however, is also his weakness as he doesn’t excel in any category as other characters do.

SONYA BLADE

Sonya Blade has enjoyed some playtime in the competitive scene, with her great parring and her cancels that guarantee a level of safety. Her rings can extend combos and have great versatility. But her only problem is that there is no safe way to start a combo with her.

TERMINATOR T-800

Terminator T-800 is a strong character with a high skill ceiling. But with some practice, you can unlock his full potential. Unfortunately, though, his attacks leave him open to being punished, and his damage is limited compared to other characters.

Next is D and F of our MK11 Tier List.

MK11 CHARACTERS: TIPS

Now we’re on the last two tiers on our MK11 Tier List. Some would probably wonder why we skipped “E tier,” lol. To put it simply, we replaced E with F because it could be easier to be remembered as FAILED or characters you should avoid.

D-TIER

BARAKA

Baraka is an elite warrior of the Tarkatan race and indeed, one of the most violently driven members of the Mortal Kombat Franchise. He has insane damage potential, but his other stats suffer to make up for it. Plus, some of his best attacks are in different variations, limiting his potential. Still, in the hands of a skilled player, he can execute some great mix-ups.

ERRON BLACK

For the most part, Erron Black has a balanced set of stats. However, with below average mobility, players can struggle to deal damage with him. Upside is that his cancel is lightning fast, making him very dangerous up close. He also has great projectile attacks and mix-ups.

JAX BRIGGS

Major Jackson “Jax” Briggs is a member of OIA or Outer World Investigation Agency from USA. When it comes to Jax, if you are good at mashing up the buttons, then you can deal some serious damage. He also has some pretty hefty strings. The only problem is that it’s hard to execute them correctly and reliably. The same goes for his command grabs.

MILEENA

Mileena is excellent at pushing opponents back and keeping them at a distance. She has a good mix of both close- and long-ranged attacks. However, with her low damage potential, most match-ups can be difficult to win.

RAIDEN

Raiden has a damaging moveset and amazing projectiles, making him great from any distance. However, after being nerfed, and the introduction of custom variations, there are now many, better alternatives.

RAIN

Rain “Prince of Edenia” has some of the best mobility in the game, but his low damage keeps him from being a viable character option. He also isn’t the best option for blocking incoming damage. So, you’ll need to be very careful when getting close to your opponent.

F-TIER

RAMBO

Rambo is one of the newest characters to be added to the game but, unfortunately, he is weak compared to the other characters (many of the people he is fighting are almost gods so it makes sense). Rambo’s damage is low and his mobility is subpar. Also, his powerful attacks are scattered across variations, making him difficult to work with.

ROBOCOP

Who would believe that the mighty Robocop would be one of the last characters on this list? He’s best described as average. He has below-average damage potential and slow attacks. Though he has decent zoning capabilities, these aren’t worth much if he has no damage to back it up. He is just average at most things. Even with the recent changes he received, it’s quite hard to rank him any higher than that (and impossible to rank him lower).

SHAO KHAN

The funny thing with Shao Kahn is that even his best string is very weak. His strings and overall attack power are subpar, at best. It’s primarily because he is extremely slow, making it difficult to land hits on the opponent. So, despite his high damage potential, even veteran players can struggle to successfully execute attacks.

SKARLET

Although Skarlet is very satisfying to play, with far-reaching abilities, and good zoning, slow recovery time gives her opponent plenty of opportunity to punish her mistakes. Pair that with a below average damage potential, and it’s no surprise she’s at the bottom of our Mortal Kombat 11 Tier List.

Mortal Kombat 11 Tier List: Match-ups

Now that player’s custom variations are now playable in the competitive environment, the game’s meta has grown that much more complicated. People are testing what works and what doesn’t against skilled players, trying to find out who the most “broken characters” are.

However, match-ups and character selection are more complicated than simply picking the “broken characters.” What is considered the optimum strategy for the time is to pick characters that do well specifically against your opponent. And if you don’t know who your opponent will pick, opt for the characters that do well in most match-ups (like the S- or even A-Tier characters in this Mortal Kombat 11 Tier List!).

CONCLUSION

Mortal Kombat is a fighting game that relies heavily on strategy, skill, and split-second decisions. To really excel in the competitive scene, you’ll need to study every character. Understand what they can do to you and what you can do to them. That’s what it takes to master Mortal Kombat 11, and all the other titles in the franchise. But if you’re just looking for some casual fun, then this MK11 Tier List should help you figure out which among the playable characters you want to try.

Remember! This list will be updated as the game changes, so stick around to learn more about your favorite characters. Good luck and stay kool.

P.S., if you enjoyed this tier list, check out our other tier lists on Overwatch and Apex Legends.