Character Variations

Character Variations are a new game mechanic that debuted in Mortal Kombat X.

Overview

Each character has three different variations a player can choose from after selecting a character. Variations can include a unique set of attacks, special moves, or weapons that are only exclusive to that variation. Some Brutalities are also exclusive to certain variations as a character must be capable of performing move to enact the finisher.

Though variations play a key element to the character's abilities and attributes, it is entirely optional to play without one. To do so, simply hit Up twice and then press Y/Triangle, depending on your system.

Character variations return in Mortal Kombat 11, albeit slightly revised. Each character now has only two initial variations, but the player can now make custom variations. Competitively, two preset variations can be used.

List of Variations

NOTE: All physical attribute additions and changes are based on the character's default attire without a variation selected.

Character	Variation	Description	Physical Attribute(s)
Alien	Acidic Tarkatan Konjurer	Gains Acid Blood, Erosive Blood, Exo Sting, and Exo Splash. Gains Tarkatan Rush, Chop Chop, Chop Chop Shop, Blade Spin, and Spinner. Gains Ovomorph, Advanced Ovomorph, Drone Drop, and Drone Slam.	Smooth cranium based on Drone caste; Acidic blood dripping from tail. Ridged cranium based on Warrior caste; Tarkatan Blades extended. Wide, jagged cranium based on Praetorian caste.
Bo' Rai Cho	Bartitsu Dragon's Breath Drunken Master	Gains Spinning Kane, Flying Kick, and attacks utilizing his Staff. Gains Fire Spit, Up Fire Spit, and Ground Fire. Gains Head Dive, Spinning Fists, Multi-Slap, and Drink.	Cane is secured to his waist. Flask glows orange. Flask glows green.
Cassie Cage	Hollywood Brawler Spec Ops	Gains stylish Air Akimbo Gunshots and Nut Kracker. Gains Take Down, Air Power Slam, and Bow Breaker. Gains various Air Strikes and The American Way.	Wears a pair of sunglasses. Gloves are now yellow. Headset is added onto her right ear, a tactical device is secured onto the right side of her waist.
D'Vorah	Brood Mother Swarm Queen Venomous	Gains Krawler and Bug Blast. Gains Vortex Swarm and Wasp Grenade. Gains Bug Burst and Ovipostior based attacks poison the opponent.	Hood is removed. Insects flies around her body, stingers become black with red tips. A green, noxious substance is leaking out of her hands and from the scales on her legs.
Ermac	Mystic Spectral Master of Souls	Gains an improved Tele-lift and the Tele-Choke. Gains the ability to fly and unique attacks from the air. Gains Soul Ball and the ability to disappear to avoid damage.	Gloves and lower, inner portion of his jacket emit a green glow. A glowing, green gem is placed on his chest. Three soul orbs flow around his body.
Erron Black	Marksman Gunslinger Outlaw	Gains unique Special Attacks utilizing a Long Rifle. Gains Standoff Stance and multiple trick shots with revolvers. Gains unique attacks utilizing a salvaged Tarkatan Arm Blade.	Long Rifle is holstered on his back. Cowboy hat is placed on his head. Tarkatan arm blade is secured on his back.
Ferra & Torr	Ruthless Vicious Lackey	Gains Pain and Gain ability to increase Torr's damage. Gains Boss Toss and Gut Ripper. An enhanced Torr fights solo as Ferra watches from the sidelines.	Torr's mask is white in color. Red feathers are added onto Ferra's helmet. 4 sharp spikes are added to Ferra's back. Ferra is unmounted from Torr's back.
Goro	Dragon Fangs Kuatan Warrior Tigrar Fury	Gains unique attacks utilizing Bladed Gauntlets. Gains powerful Ground Pound and Chest Charge. Gains Flame Ball and Dragon Breath.	Bladed gauntlets are added onto his forearms. A Shokan helmet is added on his head. Markings on his back illuminate in a fiery aura.
Jacqui	Shotgun Full Auto High Tech	Gains medium range Shotgun Blast and Low Shotgun Blast. Gains long range Machine Gun and Rocket attacks. Gains short range Plasma Blasts and Plasma Gauntlet Buff.	Gauntlets are white in color. Portable machine guns are mounted on the gauntlets. Gauntlets are now advanced, covered with white metallic plates and illuminated in blue lights.
Jason	Unstoppable Slasher Relentless	Adds Punishment, Rise and Resurrection. Adds Bloodshed, Machete Toss and Psycho Slash. Adds Pursuit and Lake Mist.	Chain is placed around his neck, with the lower portion of it draped. A machete is wielded in his right hand. Mask is metallic and darker in color.
Jax	Pumped Up Heavy Weapons Wrestler	Gains enhanced Ground Pound and interactive Gotcha Grab. Gains a Rocket Launcher and Submachine Gun. Gains the Multi-Slam, Back Breaker, and Grab Kombos.	Purple lights pulsates throughout his cybernetic arms. Rocket launcher and submachine gun is secured onto his back and waist, respectively. Orange lights pulsate throughout his cybernetic arms, which are darker in color.
Johnny Cage	A-List Fisticuffs Stunt Double	Can charge Normal and Special Attacks for increased damage. Gains Fist Bump, Flashy Kombos, and Normal Attacks. Gains the ability to create Stunt Double Mimics.	Bandages around his forearms are now black. Brass knuckles with "CAGE" engraved on them are placed onto his hands. Sunglasses are green in color.
Kano	Cybernetic Commando Cutthroat	Gains multiple Eye Laser and grenade attacks. Gains the Choke Grab, Power Slam, and High/Low Parry. Gains Knife attacks and Power Up move.	Cybernetic equipment and grenades emits a red glow, Bowie Knives are removed and combat knives are secured on either side of his waist. Cybernetic equipment and grenades emits a yellow glow. Cybernetic equipment and grenades emits a blue glow.
Kenshi	Kenjutsu Balanced Possessed	Gains Telekinetic Push, Slam, and Toss. Gains the ability to project images of himself to attack. Gains the ability to summon Demons from his shattered blade.	Blindfold is removed, revealing his blue, glowing eyes. Hilt and sheath of the Sento is blue. The Sento is cracked with a red, glowing hue covering the cracked portions of the sword, sheath is removed.
Kitana	Mournful Royal Storm Assassin	Gains unique Special Attacks utilizing Jade's Glaive and Staff. Gains Fan-Nado, Bounce Back and Square Boost. Gains Assassin Strike, Princess Parry, and Sharpen.	Jade's Glaive and staff are secured on her back and waist, respectively. Mask is removed, hair sticks emits a blue glow. Attire is now prominently black, black face paint is added around her eyes.
Kotal Kahn	Blood God War God Sun God	Summons Crystal, Obsidian and Blood Totems. Gains crushing Macuahuitl based attacks Gains God Choke Command Grab and Soul Scorch.	Tattoos and eyes emits a red glow, a set of sickles are secured on the back of his pauldrons. Tattoos emits a blue glow, a Macuahuitl is placed on his back. Tattoos and eyes emits a yellow glow, a set of sickles are secured on the back of his pauldrons.
Kung Jin	Shaolin Ancestral Bojutsu	Gains Chakram based Normal and Special Attacks. Gains the ability to empower arrows with ancestral spirits. Gains unique Staff based Special Attacks.	An illuminated Chakram is secured on his right hip. Quiver is larger and the nock of his arrows glow white. Dragon ornament on the staff end of his bow illuminate in a fiery glow.
Kung Lao	Buzz Saw Tempest Hat Trick	Gains multiple Hat Grinder Special Attacks. Gains an Orbiting Hat Shield for offense and defense. Gains the ability to place Hat Traps that can be recalled.	Spiked razors are added around the brim of his hat. Bladed brim of his hat emits a blue glow. White Lotus symbol on his shirt and kanji on his loincloth emits a blue glow.
Leatherface	Pretty Lady Killer Butcher	Gains Saw Toss, Up Saw Toss, and Low Saw Toss. Gains Berzerker Stance. Gains Gut Slice, Blood Bath, and attacks utilizing his mallet.	Wears a business suit and a white mask with makeup on it. Wears a dark grey shirt and a beige mask. Wears a dark red shirt with a brown mask and black arm wraps.
Liu Kang	Dragon's Fire Flame Fist Dualist	Gains Empowered Dragon Fireballs and Flying Kick. Gains Dragon Parry, Windmill Punch and Shaolin Flame. Can switch between Light and Dark forms to heal or harm.	Black, distinctive face paint is added onto his face. Forearm guards are red. Headband and belt are gray.
Mileena	Ethereal Piercing Ravenous	Gains the ability to Teleport forward, backwards, or in place. Gains unique attacks utilizing her Sai. Gains High/Low Pounce and additional biting attacks.	Skin complexion is paler in color, red markings are added onto her arms. Sais emit a purple glow and are secured on her back. Veil is removed.
Predator	Warrior Hunter Hish-Qu-Ten	Adds Yautja Strike, Dread Slam, and Self-Detonate. Adds Medi-Kit and Snag. Adds Plasma Shot and Plasma Caster.	Bio-mask is removed. Armor plates are metallic and darker in color. Plasma Caster is secured onto his shoulder.
Quan Chi	Warlock Summoner Sorcerer	Gains the ability portals to attack from all angles. Gains the ability to summon a Netherrealm Bat to attack. Gains magical fields that augment self or cripple opponent.	Glowing, green skeletal hands are secured on his back, skull within his chest armor emit a green glow. Eyes and spikes on his pauldrons emit a red glow. Eyes and markings emit a purple glow.
Raiden	Thunder God Displacer Master of Storms	Gains additional hits to electrical attacks and Enhanced Lighting. Gains the use of Teleport and Sparkport. Gains the ability to place Static Traps.	Lightning surges throughout his gauntlets. Lightning surges throughout his body. Glowing symbols and electricity emits from his Hat, which has been altered to a different variant.
Reptile	Noxious Deceptive Nimble	Gains a persistent noxious cloud that inflicts unblockable damage. Gains various stages of invisibility. Gains the ability to increase speed and slow the opponent.	A green, insect polluted noxious cloud surrounds his body. Mask is removed. A snake is enfolded around his waist.
Scorpion	Ninjutsu Hellfire Inferno	Gains unique attacks utilizing Dual Swords. Gains Hell Ball, Demon Fire and Flame Aura. Gains the ability to summon a Demonic Minion.	A pair of swords are secured onto his back. Arms emit a fiery aura. A skull is draped on the right side of his waist.
Shinnok	Necromancer Imposter Bone Shaper	Gains unique Special Attacks utilizing a giant skeletal hand. Gains the ability to steal his opponent's Special Attacks. Summons various deadly skeletal weapons.	Flesh of his forearms are removed, exposing the bones within. The gems throughout his attire emits a red glow. A green, glowing staff handle is secured to the right side of his waist.
Sonya Blade	Special Forces Covert Ops Demolition	Can call in a Special Forces Drone for additional attacks. Gains the Garrote Parry and Military Stance. Gains various Explosive and Disruptor Grenades.	Tactical armband emits a green glow. Black, camouflaged face paint is added onto her face. Grenade cartridge bands are secured on either thigh.
Sub-Zero	Cryomancer Unbreakable Grandmaster	Gains the ability to create Ice Weapons. Gains defensive Frozen Aura and Barrier of Frost. Gains an Ice Clone that can be thrown or used as a shield.	Arms illuminate in a blue aura. Mask is covered in a layer of ice. An illuminated Lin Kuei medallion is fixed onto the right of his torso.
Takeda	Ronin Shirai Ryu Lasher	Gains unique attacks utilizing dual Pulse Blades. Gains Shirai Ryu inspired attacks, such as Quick Phase. Gains attacks utilizing Charged Energy Whips.	Yellow Pulse Blade hilts are fixed onto his gauntlets. A grey, skull embellished mask covers his mouth. Whip equipment pulsates an orange glow.
Tanya	Kobu Jutsu Pyromancer Dragon Naginata	Gains Tonfa toss, Blade Dive, and attacks utilizing her Tonfas. Gains Dark Shroud, Low Fireball, and High Fireball. Gains Staff Stance, Swing Kick, and attacks utilizing her Staff.	Tonfas are secured on either side of her waist. Orange, glowing streaks are marked throughout her body. A Naginata is secured on her back.
Tremor	Aftershock Crystalline Metallic	Gains Earth Shake and Air Earth Shake. Gains Krystallization and Summon Krystal. Gains Lava Skin and Gold Skin.	Mask is removed. Rock formation throughout his torso and arms emits a glowing, teal aura. Rock formation throughout his torso and arms are gold in color.
Triborg	Smoke (LK-7T2) Sektor (LK-9T9) Cyrax (LK-4D4) Cyber Sub-Zero (LK-52O)	Gains Smoke's Specials and Abilities. Gains Sektor's Specials and Abilities. Gains Cyrax's Specials and Abilities. Gains Cyber Sub-Zero's Specials and Abilities (hidden variation).	Takes on the appearance of Smoke (black body with red lights). Takes on the appearance of Sektor (red body with blue lights). Takes on the appearance of Cyrax (yellow body with green lights). Resembles Smoke but is blue with blue lights.