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Mortal Kombat 1’sKung Lao is a straightforward character with a solid movelist. Even though he seems simple at first, he has some depth that you must consider to make the most of his attacks, leading you to victory.
Learning Kung Lao goes beyond learning his special moves, since you’ll need to know how to apply them and identify the best Kameos available. Doing so can help you master the character and move beyond the basics.
Kung Lao Overview
Kung Lao is a beginner-friendly all-rounderwith very deep tech that makes him a solid choice. Not only does he have a few ranged attacks, but some solid anti-airs and combo extenders that help him deal massive damage in fights.
With that in mind, Kung Lao doesn’t really stand out in any way, but has tools to handle most situations. For instance, if an enemy is staying away from him, you can use your hat attacks to counter them. You also have somefast moves to take down opponents and begin your combos.
Kung Lao is a bit meter-dependent to do his strongest combos, since you’ll want to use his Enhanced Kung-Kussion to extend your combos. On top of that, his normal attacks have decent speed, but sacrifice range, especially compared to characters like Scorpion or Ashrah.
On top of that, Kung Lao can get walled out by a character with heavy projectiles. Because of that,Kung Lao will probably need a reliable Kameo fighter to help him with these areas.
Despite those points, Kung Lao remains a strong character who can see success against most of the cast. You’ll need tothink about your moves and react to your opponent, so keep practicing to see which ones are best in different situations.
Kung Lao Special Moves
Kung Lao has a solid range of special moves, so ensure you take some time to learn the different abilities.Most of them have Enhanced versionsand can get in-depth, such as the Shaolin Spin, so it’s critical for you to memorize each input and see what they offer.
Some of Kung Lao’s specials involve him throwing his hat. Youcan’t use the move again until the hat returnsto your head.
Buzzsaw
Back, Forward, 1
Youthrow your hand forward and deal damage, with the enhanced version doing more damage.
Hat Toss
Down, Backward, 1
You throw your hat forward andcan angle it up or down. You can enhance it to deal more damage.
Shaolin Shimmy
Back, Forward, 2
Youdash forward and hit the enemy repeatedly, with the enhanced version dealing more damage.
Kung-Kussion
Down, Back, 2
You hit the enemy repeatedly.The enhanced version causes the enemy to stand and slowly fall, allowing you to continue the combo.
Shaolin Spin
Down, Up, 3
Youperform a spin attack with Armor activated. The enhanced version deals more damage.
Hold Forward or Backward during Enhanced Shaolin Spin
Soaring Monk
Down, Back, 4
You do an anti-air uppercut, withthe enhanced version dealing more damage and allowing you to start an air combo.
Dive Kick (Air Only)
You dive from the airand deal damage. The enhanced version deals more damage and causes the enemy to bounce, allowing you to combo after it.
Since the game is available on multiple platforms, you shoulduse the following guide to know what each notation means. While some are straightforward, like down and up, you should check the others and apply them to your controls.
Forward: Towards the opponent
Back: Away from the opponent
Kung Lao Tips
As you play Kung Lao, you’ll want tofocus on developing his combos to deal decent damage. For instance, performing a 2, 1, 2, Enhanced Kung-Kussion is a solid string that could lead into more powerful combos, though you shouldn’t perform the enhanced version unless you land one of the other hits.
Kung Lao doesn’t do the best job of staying away from enemies, thoughyou can rely on his hat moves as you need them. Feel free to throw it out as a way to chip down the opponent if they’re low on health and trying to stay away from you.
You’ll see plenty of success with Kung Lao as youmix up your moves. For instance, if you jump in and use your Shaolin Shimmy, enemies may start to block it. Instead, try to hop in and perform a throw or use a low-hitting attack to throw them off.
Kung Lao wants to stay in the enemy’s face when possible, hitting them and utilizing his strong combos in a rushdown fashion. On the other hand, you shouldn’t be afraid to play defensively at times, especially if you notice you’re playing against an impatient player.
Wait for them to throw out an unsafe move or jump in. If theyperform an unsafe move, you have plenty of fast normals to counter them. As for jumping, your Shaolin Spin is a solid ability to prevent enemies from getting an overhead on you, so react to your opponents accordingly.
The Best Kameos For Kung Lao
Since Kung Lao is a jack-of-all-trades, and so you shouldpick a Kameo based on where you struggle with his playstyle. For instance, if you have trouble against characters with a strong zoning game, a ranged or teleport Kameo can be great. On the other hand, one with a ‘get off me’ tool can help you deal with those situations.
If you want some excellent choices, you should tryShujinko, Jax, and Motaro. Shujinko offers you more flexibility, but requires you to recharge him by using neutral Kameo. In exchange, you have more versatility, making him a solid choice for Kung Lao’s playstyle.Shujoku is great if you want to throw your opponent offwhile having a few consistent moves.
Jax has grab attacks that synergize well with Kung Lao’s launchers, such as his Shaolin Spin and Soaring Monk. If you use Jax’s forward Kameo,he’ll grab the opponent, bring them to the ground, and you can continue the combo.
Jax also has an excellent mix-up option through his neutral Kameo, which will deal unblockable damage on the ground. If you want combo extenders and looking to maximize your damage, you can’t go wrong with Jax.
Motaro offers tons of versatility that’ll help you in battles. For instance, you have long-ranged projectiles to help you with those spacing you, and also a teleport to get you closer to the enemy.Motaro is an excellent and balanced Kameo, so try him out.
Kung Lao Fatalities
As you play Kung Lao, you’ll have his first Fatality and willunlock the second one when you reach mastery rank 14 with him. For the first one, you’ll need to stand at mid-distance and close for the second. If you want to practice, go to Learn and choose Fatality to practice.
