Mortal Kombat 1 (2023) – The Ultimate Kitana Combo Guide

Mortal Kombat 1 transports players to a reimagined universe crafted by Fire God Liu Kang. This new timeline alters the fates of iconic characters, presenting them in unique ways. Among the standout fighters is Kitana, the fan-wielding princess of Outworld. With an overhauled moveset and powerful combo potential, Kitana is a force to be reckoned with in MK1.

In this extensive guide, we‘ll break down everything you need to know to master Kitana‘s combos in Mortal Kombat 1 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Whether you‘re a novice or a seasoned kombatant, these combos will help you dominate the opposition and secure victory.

Understanding Kitana‘s Playstyle in MK1

Kitana is a well-rounded character with excellent reach thanks to her razor-sharp fan blades. Her strength lies in controlling space, applying pressure with quick attacks, and executing lengthy combos. Kitana‘s special moves, such as her Square Wave and Fan-Nado, allow her to keep opponents at a distance while setting up opportunities to deal massive damage.

MK1 developer NetherRealm Studios has crafted Kitana‘s normals and specials to excel at whiff punishing and hit-confirming into damaging combos. Her pokes, like standing 1 and back 2, have deceptively long range and can lead to full combos on hit. Kitana‘s combo paths have been greatly expanded compared to previous titles, making her incredibly rewarding for players who love styling on opponents with flashy strings.

At Final Kombat 2023, SonicFox showcased Kitana‘s incredible comeback potential by landing multiple Fatal Blow combos in the grand finals. "Kitana‘s damage output is insane in this game," they remarked in the post-match interview. "She can easily delete 40-50% of your health off a single touch, which is wild for a relatively honest character. I think she‘s going to be a menace this season."

Source: Dot Esports

To excel with Kitana, players must patiently find openings with her normals and specials, then convert those stray hits into devastating combo sequences. Let‘s first review the basic notation system that will be used throughout this guide.

Mortal Kombat Combo Notation Explained

If you‘re new to Mortal Kombat or fighting game notation, fear not! We‘ll quickly run through the conventions used in this guide so you can easily follow along.

So a combo written as f2, 4 ~ df2, f+Kameo would translate to:

1. Press forward + triangle / Y (f2)
2. Press circle / B (4)
3. Quickly cancel into down-forward + triangle / Y (df2)
4. Immediately press forward + Assist (f+Kameo)

Got it? Good! On to the combos.

Basic Kitana Combos (Bread and Butter)

These essential combos are the foundation of Kitana‘s offense. Master these first:

1. 1, 1, 2 ~ bf1
   Damage: 94 | Meter Gain: 10
2. b2, 4 ~ db2
   Damage: 103 | Meter Gain: 20
3. f2, 4 ~ df2
   Damage: 105 | Meter Gain: 20
4. 2, 4, 1, 2 ~ db1
   Damage: 112 | Meter Gain: 16
5. j2, j1, 1, 2 ~ db1
   Damage: 123 | Meter Gain: 20

These combos are your best friends when trying to convert stray hits into decent damage. b2, 4 ~ db2 is a fantastic punish combo as it comes out fast and knocks the opponent away. f2, 4 ~ df2 is great for applying safe pressure and hit-confirming. And her jumping combo j2, j1, 1, 2 ~ db1 leads to a knockdown, letting you start your offense.

Study the frame data of Kitana‘s main pokes and hitboxes to get a feel for your best combo starters at various ranges. For example, b2 has a massive 3.8 meter range according to the MK1 Frame Data Companion App. This makes it an excellent tool for frustrating opponents from afar.

b2 Frame Data
Startup: 13
Hit: +2
Block: -7 
Range: 3.8m

Practice these combos in training mode until you can perform them smoothly. You should be able to land them at least 9 times out of 10 before hopping online.

Intermediate Kitana Combos

Ready to take your Kitana combos to the next level? These intermediate combos expand on the basics with more damaging paths and tricky cancels.

6. 1, 1, b2, 4 ~ db1, j1, j1, 1, 2
   Damage: 245 | Meter Gain: 24
7. f2, 4 ~ df2, f+Kameo, dash, 1, 1 ~ db1, j1, 1, 2
   Damage: 286 | Meter Gain: 34
8. 2, 4, 1, 2 ~ db1, b2, 4 ~ df2, u+Kameo, j1, 1, 2
   Damage: 302 | Meter Gain: 36
9. 1, 1, 2 ~ u+Kameo, 4 ~ db1, j1, 1, 2 (Scorpion)
   Damage: 268 | Meter Gain: 30
10. b3, 4 ~ u+Kameo, 4 ~ db1, j1, 1, 2 (Scorpion)
    Damage: 255 | Meter Gain: 32

These combos are all about using Kitana‘s quickest normals to create openings and then blending them together for maximum damage. You‘ll also start incorporating Kameo cancels to extend combos even further.

Pay attention to specific cancel windows for moves like db1 and db2. Certain combos only work if you input the next attack at the last possible frame, known as a just-frame cancel (denoted by [b] or [f]). These are tricky at first but become muscle memory with practice.

Also take note of which moves lead to a hard knockdown, like 1, 1 ~ db1 and b2, 4 ~ df2. You can use these to set up vortex situations and start your next combo sequence.

Combos #9 and #10 utilize Scorpion‘s Kameo attack to add on extra damage. Kameo attacks are incredibly versatile combo extenders that you should experiment with in each matchup. More on that later!

Advanced Kitana Combos

Think you can handle Kitana‘s most technical and damaging combos? Give these a shot:

11. b2, 4 ~ db1 [b], j1, 1 ~ db1 [b], 1, 1 ~ db1 ~ b+Kameo, j3, 4 (Jax)
    Damage: 422 | Meter Gain: 56
    Difficulty: ???????????????
12. 2, 4, 1, 2 ~ db1, j1, 1 ~ db1 [b], 4 ~ db1 [b], 1, 1 ~ db1 ~ b+Kameo, bdf4 [b] (Jax)
    Damage: 446 | Meter Gain: 60
    Difficulty: ???????????????
13. db3 (EX), j2, b2, 4 ~ db1 [b], j1, 1, 2 ~ b+Kameo, j3, 4 (Jax)
    Damage: 432 | Meter Gain: 40
    Difficulty: ???????????????
14. 2, 4, 1, 2 ~ df2, b+Kameo, b2, 4 ~ db1, j1, 1 ~ db1 ~ b+Kameo, j3, 4 (Jax)
    Damage: 462 | Meter Gain: 62
    Difficulty: ???????????????
15. b2, 4 ~ db1 [b], bf1 (EX), FB
    Damage: 494 | Meter Used: 3 bars
    Difficulty: ???????????????

As you can see from the difficulty ratings, these combos require intense precision and dexterity to pull off consistently. Just-frame cancels, instant air Kameos, and tight link timings abound. But if you can master them, you‘ll be dishing out over 400 damage from a single touch!

The majority of these advanced combos utilize Jax‘s Kameo attack to set up big damage or nasty vortex situations in the corner. His multi-hitting wind bomb special is perfect for this, allowing you to juggle the opponent with jump attacks afterward. Kitana is arguably the best Jax Kameo user in the game.

Combo #15 is a devastating Fatal Blow combo that showcases the synergy between Kitana‘s specials and Kameos. Landing this in a tournament will definitely get the crowd hyped!

"When I‘m playing Kitana, I‘m always fishing for stray hits to convert into huge damage," says Combo Breaker 2022 Champion Ninjakilla. "Her optimal combos take a lot of work, but that‘s the level you need to compete at to win majors. It‘s so satisfying to pull them off though!"

Source: Kitana Combo Evolution Spreadsheet

As you can see, Kitana‘s overall damage potential in MK1 is significantly higher than previous entries. This makes learning her optimal combos well worth the effort!

Kitana Matchup Combo Tips

• Vs. Liu Kang: b1, 4 ~ db2 is your best punish combo as it gets you out of his pressure strings safely. Use standing 1 or 2 to interrupt his fireball game.
• Vs. Sub-Zero: Watch out for his slide. You can full punish it with 2, 4, 1 ~ df2, b+Kameo for big damage. Whiffing d3 at mid-range can bait him to slide early.
• Vs. Scorpion: Scorpion players love to teleport, so use db1 to punish them hard. In the neutral, f2 and b3 help keep him honest.
• Vs. Raiden: Raiden struggles against Kitana‘s air mobility. Utilize more jump-in combos than usual and transition into Fan Lift juggles.
• Vs. Kitana: The mirror match is all about patience and hit-confirming into full combos. Watch your opponent‘s tendencies and use db1 or db2 to punish their unsafe moves on block.

For more in-depth matchup tips, consult PND Mustard‘s Kitana Matchup Chart.

Conclusion

Kitana‘s combo game in Mortal Kombat 1 is a thrilling blend of technique, precision, and creativity. With her diverse moveset and deadly Kameo synergies, she can go toe-to-toe with any character on the roster.

"Kitana is the complete package in MK1," praises RZR|Perfect Legend. "She has everything you want in a fighter – space control, huge damage, mix-ups, and comeback potential. I honestly think she‘s a top 5 character in this game."

But as rewarding as her combos are, they‘re only one facet of mastering the character. You‘ll also need to shore up your fundamentals, study frame data, and continually adapt your strategies.

Take time to review the combos in this guide and gradually work your way up to the harder routes. Don‘t be afraid to innovate and come up with your own flashy sequences too!

We‘ll leave you with some wise words from the legendary SonicFox at Final Kombat 2023:

"All of Kitana‘s tools just feel so good in this game. Her combos, pokes, specials – they all have a strong purpose. So when I‘m labbing her, I‘m not just trying to find the biggest damage possible. I‘m thinking of how to best fit each combo to the situation, whether that‘s positioning, meter usage, or whatever. Once you have that down, then you try to style on people [laughs]."

So that‘s your cue to hit the lab and start leveling up your Kitana gameplay! Practice diligently, share your combos with the world, and most importantly, have fun!

Want More Kontent?

• The History of Kitana‘s Designs
• Kitana Lore & Trivia You Probably Didn‘t Know
• All of Kitana‘s Deadly Finishers in MK1
• 10 Pro Tips to Excel With Kitana

Until next time, may your fans stay sharp and your combos ever flashy!

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