Alexis Kestler
Welcome fellow fighter! If you‘re looking to dish out the most gruesome and violent finishes in Mortal Kombat 11, then this guide will teach you everything you need to know about executing brutalities.
As a long-time Mortal Kombat fanatic and tournament player, I‘ve mastered the nuances of brutalities and want to pass on my knowledge to you. This extensive walkthrough will take you from brutality basics to advanced setups, with plenty of tips and tricks along the way.
So get ready for some disturbed, over-the-top cinematic carnage!
What Are Brutalities in Mortal Kombat 11?
For those new to the concept, brutalities are unique finisher moves that allow you to end a match by violently maiming your opponent in creative ways. They go beyond the standard fatalities by incorporating elements of the battle into the finishing sequence.
To perform a brutality, you need to fulfill certain requirements that vary based on the character and the brutality. These requirements typically involve things like:
- Landing the final hit with a certain move or combo
- Having a certain amount of health left
- Not blocking within a time limit
- Being a certain distance from the opponent
- Pressing directions on the D-pad/joystick during the final hit
- And more…
If you fulfill all the conditions, the brutality animation will occur instead of the standard "finish him/her" victory screen.
So brutalities take timing, execution, and strategy to accomplish. But the payoff is witnessing excessive displays of bloodshed that push the boundaries of good taste (in the best way possible!).
How to Find Brutality Requirements
Before unleashing a brutality, you need to know what‘s required to pull it off. Here‘s where to find all the gory details:
1. Open the Moves List – This can be accessed via the pause menu in all game modes.
2. Select "Finishers" – This brings up fatalities, fatal blows, and brutalities.
3. Choose "Brutalities" – You‘ll see a list of the brutalities available for your character.
4. Switch to "Advanced View" – This shows the specific conditions for the brutality selected.
The advanced view is absolutely vital, as it spells out things like necessary buttons presses, positioning, combo strings, and details that must happen earlier in the match. Study each brutality‘s advanced requirements carefully!
Useful Brutality Requirement Icons
The advanced movelist utilizes icons to convey requirements at a glance:
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← → ↑ ↓ – D-pad directions
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H – Must hold this button
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~ – Don‘t block for set amount of time
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↺ – Perform this many times during match
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] – Final hit must come from this distance
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● – This amount of health remaining
Familiarize yourself with these icons to quickly identify brutality conditions!
Brutality Setup and Strategy Tips
Executing brutalities isn‘t just about nailing the final blow. You need to set yourself up for success earlier in the match. Here are some of my best tips:
Start combo strings required for the brutality – Many brutalities require hitting the opponent with a certain combo string during the match. Get these combo strings started early so you can finish them off later.
Use meter for amplified moves – Some brutalities need amplified/powered-up special moves. Build meter and save it for this purpose.
Whittle down the opponent‘s health – Brutalities may require the opponent to have a certain percentage of health left. Chip away at their health bar strategically.
Don‘t randomly block – Numerous brutalities will fail if you block right before the finishing blow. Be judicious with blocking.
Manage distance from the opponent – Certain brutalities rely on specific spacing. Maneuver your fighter into position as the match progresses.
Fulfill unique conditionals – Requirements like "don‘t get hit for 7 seconds" can take forethought to accomplish.
With the right setup, you‘ll be primed to unleash the perfect finishing sequence!
Recommended Beginner Brutalities
Just starting out with brutalities? Here are some solid options that are relatively easy to perform:
Scorpion – Hell-Ferno: ↺ Perform 10 Spear Hits, End with Hell-Ferno (Down + Front Kick). Great starter brutality with an easy condition.
Sub-Zero – Frozen Dinner: ~ Don‘t Get Hit for 7 Seconds Before Final Blow, End with Toward Back Kick. Simple timing-based brutality.
Cassie Cage – Between the Eyes: End with Between the Eyes (Back + Front Punch). Minimal requirements.
Kung Lao – Spin Cycle: End with Spin Cycle Without Blocking. Easy "don‘t block" brutality.
Liu Kang – Hot Foot: Connect Hot Foot Krushing Blow Earlier in Match, End with Hot Foot. Nice combo-based brutality.
Once you get those down, try branching out into more complex ones!
Advanced Brutality Setups and Combos
For those ready to take their brutality game to the next level, here are some advanced tips for spectacular, pro-style finishers:
Combo into launchers – Juggle combos work great for brutalities requiring airborne final hits. Launch them up then finish the job.
Teleport cancel – Characters with teleports like Scorpion can cancel into them for surprise final blows.
Jump-in attacks – Leap at the opponent with jump kicks to meet elevation requirements.
projectiles – Barrages of projectiles can help restrict the opponent‘s movement for ideal spacing.
Krushing blows – These extra-damaging attacks are great finishers for some brutalities.
Fatal blow cancel – Cancel a fatal blow into another special move for trickier brutalities.
Play mind games – Condition them to expect one move then pivot into the brutality finisher.
With the right setup, creativity, and dexterity, you can pull off the most jaw-dropping brutality finishes that will make your opponent rage quit!
Top 5 Most Satisfying Brutalities
Want to see maximum carnage? Here are my picks for the most spine-tinglingly satisfying brutalities in MK11:
Kung Lao – Grinder – Splitter Hat slices off arms, legs, and head in quick succession
Kano – Just the Tip – Laser eye cauterizes the torso from top to bottom
D‘Vorah – Tater Tots – Ovipositors puncture and rupture the eyes in gruesome detail
Frost – Overhead Ice Bash – Enormous ice gavel shatters the skull and upper body
Cassie Cage – Bad Bitch – Bat with spikes bashes the head into literal chunks
As you can see, balancing creativity, shock value, and visual impact make for insane brutalities. Now get out there and mutilate some kombatants!
Brutality Tips to Remember
Here are the key brutality tips to commit to memory:
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Read each brutality‘s requirements in the advanced movelist
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Set up conditions during the match like combo strings and health draining
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Manage spacing, blocking, and other factors
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Go for launchers, cancels, krushing blows, and other advanced combos
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Explore each character‘s most jaw-dropping brutalities
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Have fun experimenting with gruesome finishers!
I hope these brutality secrets help you get the most out of MK11‘s craziest finisher moves. This is just the tip of the iceberg, so keep honing your skills. Brutalities represent the pinnacle of over-the-top spectacle that makes Mortal Kombat incredible. Enjoy unleashing some deadly new combos online or against friends and prove you‘re the ultimate MK champion!
