Li Mei is one of the most exciting and underestimated characters in Mortal Kombat 1. With her quick, hard-hitting moves and tricky combo potential, she can overwhelm opponents in the right hands. In this in-depth guide, we‘ll break down Li Mei‘s best combos in MK1 to help you maximize her damage and optimize her playstyle. Whether you‘re a casual player or hardcore competitive MK fan, these tips will take your Li Mei gameplay to the next level. Let‘s dive in!
An Introduction to Li Mei
For those new to the character, Li Mei is an Outworld refugee who utilizes swift, graceful martial arts in her fighting style. Introduced in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, she was impressively brought to life in MK1 with a revamped look and expanded moveset.
Li Mei‘s key strengths are her speed, combo ability, and unpredictable mix-ups. She lacks raw power, but makes up for it with tricky rushdown pressure and evasive maneuvers. Mastering her combos is key to getting the most out of Li Mei.
Here‘s a quick overview of her core combo tools:
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Fast punch and kick strings for hit confirms into launchers
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Low and overhead mix-up starters to open up defenses
-Launcher specials like BF1 Flying Kick and BF4 Flipping Heel Kick
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DB4 Leg Grab for ground bounce combos
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Air throws and U3+4 anti-airs for juggle extensions
Now let‘s explore how to put those tools together into impactful combos!
Bread and Butter Combos
When first learning Li Mei, focus on nailing down these fundamental combos:
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124 – BF1 – Her go-to punch string into Flying Kick launcher. Easy 24% damage.
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F421 – B34 – Leads to the low-starting B34 for mix-ups.
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4312 – DB3 – Ends in a pop-up for juggle extensions.
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B34 – 21 – Low starter into fast high punch.
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F43 – 21 – Quick mid into high punch.
Practice these sequences until they become muscle memory. They‘ll form the core of more advanced combos later.
Juggling Combos
Once you have the launchers down, work on extending your air juggles with:
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124 – BF1 – JI3 – DB4 – Bounce off Flying Kick for extra hits. 32% damage.
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B34 – BF4,4 – Double kick juggle off flip kick.
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F43 – BF1~DB4 – Cancel Flying Kick into Leg Grab for ground bounce.
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4312 – DB3 – UF3 – Pop-up into air throw for big damage.
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F421 – 124 – BF1~U3+4 – Anti-air for a launcher reset.
These add crucial damage to your launch combo endings. Experiment with string cancels, air throws, and ground bounces to maximize your juggle potential.
Corner Pressure Combos
When you have opponents trapped in the corner, overwhelm them with these rushdown block strings into high damage finishers:
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F43 – 21 – DB2, J134 – End with corner kicks for 38% damage.
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B34 – BF1 EX – Backdash – 43 – BF4 – Resets combo with flip kick.
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124 – BF1, D1 – B3 – Carries from midscreen into the corner.
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124 – BF4, K – DB2, J212- K – Optimal corner damage off flip kick ender.
Li Mei excels at locking foes down in the corner, so make the most of it with non-stop pressure into crushing combo finishers.
Fatal Blow Combos
Li Mei‘s Fatal Blow provides the perfect counterattack. Set it up with these combos:
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12 – FB – Punish whiffed attacks with instant Fatal Blow.
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DB2 – F43, J212 – BF1 EX – FB – Charge Fatal Blow off a launcher.
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J134 – U3+4 – FB – Anti-air opponent into cinematic FB.
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F43, J212 – BF1 EX, 4 – FB – Delay FB activation for surprise factor.
Bait out unsafe moves from your opponent, then make them pay with Li Mei‘s epic Fatal Blow cinematic for nearly 40% damage.
Advanced Techniques
Once you have the fundamentals down, elevate your gameplay with these advanced tactics:
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Flawless Block Punishes – Use U2 elbow strikes or 124 strings to punish unsafe moves.
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Kounter Attacks – Punish whiffs with F2 overhead axe kicks or ranged DB1 knife throws.
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Kancel Attacks – Cancel unsafe strings into DB3 staff strikes or BF2 riot baton attacks.
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Super Meter – Use meter to enhance Flying Kick or Flipping Heel Kick for extra juggle potential.
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Krushing Blows – Land 124 KB gut punch or B34 KB groin kick for huge damage.
Take your combos to the next level by integrating these advanced mechanics into your gameplan.
So there you have it – everything you need to maximize combos with Li Mei in MK1. With these tips, you‘ll have the tools to pressure opponents, extend combos, and deal crushing damage. Now get out there and unleash her potential against the competition!