Kung Lao Combos in Mortal Kombat 1 – An In-Depth Guide for Serious Kombatants

Hey there fellow Mortal Kombat fan! If you‘re looking to truly master Kung Lao‘s lethal combos, you‘ve come to the right place. This comprehensive 2800+ word guide will give you everything you need to maximize Kung Lao‘s damage and dominate your opponents.

Who is Kung Lao? A Brief History

Before we get into the combos, let‘s quickly recap Kung Lao‘s background for those unfamiliar with the Hat Trick legend. Kung Lao made his debut in MK2 as a new rival to series protagonist Liu Kang. Wielding his razor-rimmed hat as a deadly weapon, Kung Lao demonstrated graceful martial arts skills complemented by his brutal hat tricks.

He sat out MK3 but returned in MK Gold with his trademark Spin and Dive Kick intact. In later 3D era games like Deadly Alliance his moveset was expanded with the Teleport and Upraise. Recently in MK11 Kung Lao got extra tools like the Vortex Spin and Orb Hat Toss.

Kung Lao‘s legacy lives on in the reimagined MK1 as one of the most stylish and versatile kombatants. Now let‘s break down how to maximize his combo damage!

Kung Lao‘s Core Abilities and Mechanics

To understand Kung Lao‘s combos, you first need to get a handle on his special moves and abilities:

Razor-Rimmed Hat – This metal hat with buzzsaw edges is Kung Lao‘s iconic weapon. He can throw it as a projectile attack or use it up close for cutting strikes. Key properties:

• Mid attack projectile

• Quick 18 frame startup

• Launches opponents for juggle combos

• Amps up normal moves like B3 for extra range

Teleport – Lets Kung Lao vanish and reappear either backwards or forwards. This is essential for extending combos and pressuring opponents. Details:

• 19 frames startup, -2 on block

• Low profile to avoid high attacks

• Cancel normal attacks into Teleport

Dive Kick – A steep diagonal kick angled downwards. Opens up aerial combo routes. Properties:

• 18 frame startup, -13 on block

• Launches airborne opponents for juggle combos

• Hold to delay and adjust timing

Spin – Kung Lao‘s breakdance style signature move. Great for combos and space control. Key traits:

• 15 frame startup, -21 on block

• EX Spin is armored, safe on block

• Launches opponents for follow-up attacks

• Low crush avoids low hits

Let‘s see how these abilities come together into practical combos!

Bread-and-Butter Combos

These fundamental combos work in most matchups and are easy to perform even during tense fights. They provide solid guaranteed damage without complex inputs or timing.

Midscreen BnBs:

• F2, B3~BF1 – 22%

• B4, B4, F3~Spin – 28%

• B3~Upraise, JI2 – 22%

• F4~EX Spin, JI2, Dash, F3~BF1 – 32%

Corner Combos

Apply corner pressure and maximum damage with these sequences:

• F2, 2~Spin, F3~Upraise, JI2, Dash, F3~BF1 – 38%

• B4, B4, F3~EX Spin, Dash, 121~BF1 – 42%

• D2~Spin, 12~Teleport, 121~DB1 – 37%

As you can see, corner combos with EX moves and wall splats can seriously increase Kung Lao‘s damage output compared to midscreen.

Optimal Corner Carry

Carrying opponents into the corner opens up Kung Lao‘s most damaging combos. Some useful sequences for corner carry:

• B14, BF1~MB Teleport – Meter burned teleport carries from midscreen to corner

• JI2, 12~Teleport – Air combo into teleport switches corner sides

• B3~Upraise, Dash 12~BF1 – Upraise juggle into forward teleport

• 212~Spin, BF3~Hat Toss – Spin wall bounces into corner hat projectile

Once in the corner, you can tack on big damage with extended combos.

Max Damage Combos

Here are some of Kung Lao‘s most devastating combos when you need to take off huge chunks of health.

1. F2, Dash 12~Spin, F3~Upraise, JI2, Dash 12~BF1 – 46%

This requires precise dash timing to link Spin into the juggle.

2. B4, BF1~MB Teleport, 121~EX Upraise, JI2, Dash, F3~BF1 – 52%

Meter burned teleport sets up the EX upraise launcher for max juggle damage.

3. 212~EX Spin, Delay Dash 12~Teleport, 121~DB1 – 48%

Delay the dash slightly to connect the teleport in the corner. Must be frame perfect!

4. JI2, Land 12~Spin, Dash 12~Teleport, 121~DB1 – 50%

Extremely difficult due to the tight air-to-air link timing. Massive damage if executed properly!

Reset Combos

Reset combos let you extend sequences by dropping the opponent and starting a new string. Here are some examples:

1. B4, BF1~MB Teleport, Dash Throw – 36%

Teleport to set up a throw reset, leads to new combo options.

2. JI2, Land B4~Spin, Dash 12~Upraise, Run Forward – 40%

B4 to Spin resets into Run for continued pressure.

3. F4~EX Spin, 121~DB1~BF1, F3~Throw – 42%

Cancelling DB1 into BF1 teleport creates a reset into throw.

Timing is key on these to catch opponents before they recover.

Combos into Fatal Blow

Fatal Blows are the ultimate combo finishers. Here are enders that set up Kung Lao‘s FB:

1. B3~Upraise, JI2, Dash 12~FB – 38%

2. F4~EX Spin, Dash 121~FB – 44%

3. D2~EX Spin, Dash 121~DB1~FB – 48%

As you can see, a clean launcher into FB can tack on nearly 50% extra damage!

Now let‘s discuss how to counter specific opponents.

Tailoring Combos to Counter Characters

You can strategically alter combos to exploit matchup advantages:

vs Sheeva – Use low hat toss (B3) to go under her high stance

vs Mileena – Punish rolls with U2 anti-air combos

vs Jade – Teleport combos to punish zoning

vs Liu Kang – Use low pokes to beat his high parry

Customizing your combo choices will give you a strategic edge in any matchup!

Applying Combos in Real Matches

It‘s one thing to do combos in practice, but far more challenging in actual matches. Here are some tips:

• Learn combo breakpoints – Know when you can safely stop a combo with a reset or projectile.

• react quickly – Seize every combo opportunity that presents itself.

• Use safe starters – Begin combos with low-risk pokes to avoid being punished.

• Stay calm – Resist the urge to rush, breathe, and execute the inputs smoothly.

• Be unpredictable – Vary your combo routes so opponents can‘t easily break them.

With experience, you‘ll be able to effortlessly convert hits into Kung Lao‘s deadly combos!

Advanced Combat Strategy Tips

Here are some pro-level tips to take your Kung Lao gameplay to the next level:

• Master dash cancels into special moves for surprise attacks

• Use delayed Teleport to fake out opponents and punish whiffed moves

• Cancel unsafe strings into Teleport to stay safe

• Throw Razor Hat then teleport behind opponents for sneaky crosses

• Use Spin, Hat Toss and Upraise to control space and limit opponent movement

Apply these tricks and your opponents will be completely outfoxed!

Kung Lao vs The Competition

A common question – how does Kung Lao stack up against other top tiers in terms of combo potential? Let‘s compare:

vs Liu Kang – Liu has more combo launchers, but Kung Lao gets greater corner carry. Overall damage is similar.

vs Kitana – Her long normals give superior range, but Kung Lao has more juggle potential off Spin. Even match-up.

vs Johnny Cage – Johnny‘s got flashier combos, but Kung Lao‘s corner damage can‘t be matched. Kung Lao wins.

vs Jax – Jax has the damage thanks to Gotcha Grab, but his combos are predictable. Kung Lao takes it.

So you can see Kung Lao holds his own against MK‘s best!

Now let‘s wrap up with some final thoughts.

Conclusion

Phew, that was an epic deep dive into Kung Lao‘s deadly combos! To recap, mastering corner carry, optimal juggle timing, resets, and other advanced tactics will maximize your damage with the Shaolin legend. While difficult, his most technical combos reward dedication with over 50% damage and incredible style.

I hope this guide has helped explain the ins and outs of Kung Lao‘s versatile combos so you can start unleashing his true kombat potential. The key is practice – drill those combos until they become second nature. With some commitment, you‘ll be whirling opponents around the arena in no time. Thanks for reading and remember to keep on honing those hat trick combos!