Character Roster#
The launch roster of Mortal Kombat 1 consists of 24 playable fighters, plus Kameo assist characters and post-release additions. This page compiles the verified roster and HP groupings; move lists, tier evaluations and playstyle breakdowns for individual fighters are not fully covered by official or verifiable sources, and this site does not speculate.
Launch Roster (24 Fighters)#
The official press release confirmed 24 launch fighters and named the following 23:
| # | Fighter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liu Kang | Core figure of the new timeline; the fire god of the setting |
| 2 | Scorpion | Classic character |
| 3 | Sub-Zero | Classic character |
| 4 | Raiden | Classic character |
| 5 | Kung Lao | Classic character |
| 6 | Kitana | Classic character |
| 7 | Mileena | Classic character |
| 8 | Johnny Cage | Classic character |
| 9 | Kenshi | Classic character |
| 10 | Smoke | Classic character |
| 11 | Rain | Classic character |
| 12 | Li Mei | Classic character |
| 13 | Tanya | Classic character |
| 14 | Baraka | Classic character |
| 15 | Geras | Returning from Mortal Kombat 11 |
| 16 | Reptile | Classic character |
| 17 | Ashrah | From Mortal Kombat: Deception |
| 18 | Havik | Classic character; Khaos Reigns adds a Titan Havik storyline |
| 19 | General Shao | A “general” rather than emperor in this game’s new timeline |
| 20 | Sindel | Classic character |
| 21 | Reiko | Classic character |
| 22 | Shang Tsung | Pre-order bonus fighter; his Titan Shang Tsung form anchors the story threat |
| 23 | Nitara | Voiced by actress Megan Fox |
The official launch count is 24; the press release names 23 of them, with the remaining 1 deferred to the in-game roster page.
HP Groupings#
Defensive data compiled by the SuperCombo Wiki shows most fighters at 1000 HP, with the exceptions grouped below:
| HP | Fighters |
|---|---|
| 1100 HP | General Shao, Havik, Conan |
| 1000 HP | Most fighters (baseline) |
| 950 HP | Geras, Johnny Cage, Sindel, T-1000 |
| 900 HP | Nitara, Quan Chi |
What this table means in practice:
- 1100 HP group: against the same 35-point Fatal Blow cap, the relative cost of eating one is lower on a 1100 HP fighter;
- 900 HP group: Nitara and Quan Chi have the least margin for error and take the highest proportional hit from a 35-point Fatal Blow;
- Fatal Blow unlocks at 300 HP (30% of the baseline) — the actual HP at the unlock line differs between health pools.
Kombat Pack Fighters#
The Kombat Pack bundled with the Premium Edition contains the following early-access fighters:
| Fighter | Type |
|---|---|
| Quan Chi | Playable fighter |
| Ermac | Playable fighter |
| Takeda | Playable fighter |
| Peacemaker | Playable fighter (DC crossover) |
| Omni-Man | Playable fighter (Invincible crossover) |
| Homelander | Playable fighter (The Boys crossover) |
| Ferra, Johnny Cage, Khameleon, Mavado, Tremor | Kameo assist characters |
The Kombat Pack also includes a Johnny Cage skin voiced by and modeled on Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Guest Characters#
The Ultimate Edition collects MK11 and Mortal Kombat X crossover content; the verified appearances:
| Fighter | Source |
|---|---|
| Conan the Barbarian | Guest fighter |
| Ghostface (Scream) | Guest fighter |
| Cyrax | MK series crossover inclusion |
| T-1000 (Terminator 2) | Verified in the HP grouping data (950 HP group) |
| MKII movie skins | Crossover skin content |
The full additions list for Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition is not covered here; defer to official announcements.
Kameo Assist Characters#
Beyond the main roster, Kameo fighters join as support (chosen before each match, not directly playable). Kameo fighters verified in the HP modifier data:
| Kameo | Team HP modifier |
|---|---|
| Jax, Shujinko | +100 |
| Darrius, Ferra, Sareena, Sub-Zero, Tremor | +50 |
| Goro, Kano, Stryker, Khameleon, Mavado | -50 |
For the complete Kameo list and mechanics, see the Kameo System page.
Tier Evaluations: Not Covered Statement#
Earlier pages on this site once offered “S/A/B/C/D tier lists”, “beginner rankings” and “character comparison star tables” — that content was unverified fabrication and has been deleted entirely. Reliable ways to judge fighter strength:
| Route | Notes |
|---|---|
| In-game move list | First-hand data: inputs, frames, hitboxes |
| Training mode testing | Verify combos and defensive interactions yourself |
| SuperCombo Wiki | Community-maintained competitive data and character pages |
| Tournaments and community discussion | Character performance under real competitive conditions |
Absent an authoritative tiering source, any “best character ranking” should be treated as personal opinion or outdated information.
Fighter Selection Advice#
No rankings here, but there are decision dimensions grounded in verified data:
- Health dimension: want margin for error? Look at the 1100 HP group (General Shao, Havik, Conan); accept high-risk low-health play with the 900 HP group (Nitara, Quan Chi);
- Kameo HP math: pairing Jax/Shujinko (+100) lifts a 900 HP fighter to the 1000 baseline; stacking negative-modifier Kameos squeezes it further (team range 850–1200);
- Crossover preference: fans of film crossovers can watch for Peacemaker, Omni-Man, Homelander, Conan, Ghostface and T-1000;
- Nostalgia angle: how classic characters (Scorpion, Sub-Zero and so on) relate to their new-timeline identities is covered on the Story & Lore page.
Not Covered Notes#
The following are not fully covered by official or verifiable sources, and this site does not speculate:
- Move inputs, frame data and damage values for each fighter;
- Tier placements and matchup spreads;
- Character unlock conditions (other than Shang Tsung as a pre-order bonus);
- The 24th launch fighter beyond the 23 named in the press release.
Related pages: Kameo System, Combo Guide, Tips Guide.