Mortal Kombat 1 Characters Tier List (August 2025)

Mortal Kombat 1 key art

Mortal Kombat 1 key art

In the August Update for Mortal Kombat 1, players have witnessed lots of changes in the game. NetherRealm, the developer of Mortal Kombat, did not just make a few minor changes for fans, as a lot of issues were fixed, including changes to the fighters in the game.  

Some player-favourite characters still remain at the top of their game without any major changes, while others have taken a big buff from the developer. At the same time, several underdogs have finally received the nerf.

This is why in this article, we will go through the updated tier list for every character after this patch. You will see who is now dominating, who has dropped in power, and which fighters might be worth trying out if you want a fresh strategy.

Mortal Kombat 1 Characters Tier List: August

Mortal Kombat 1 tier list
expand image
Credit: NetherRealm Studios

We have prepared this tier list after looking closely at the August balance patch for Mortal Kombat 1 and covering every minor detail of how it changed each character.

In this, we considered many factors like the buffs and nerfs in the update, how well each fighter works with different cameos, feedback from active players and their gameplay videos, and how these characters perform in real matches and tournaments.

Rank
Characters
S Tier
Shao, Ghostface, Reiko, Scorpion, Sub-Zero
A Tier
Kung Lao, Peacemaker, T-1000, Johnny Cage
B Tier
Homelander, Ermac, Havik, Rain, Ashrah, Quan Chi, Omni-Man
C Tier
Tanya, Mileena, Nitara, Shang Tsung, Smoke, Reptile, Sektor, Li Mei, Liu Kang, Baraka
D Tier
Sindel, Cyrax

How the Patch Changed the Fighters

Mortal Kombat 1 characters
expand image
Credit: NetherRealm Studios

The August patch made some strong characters much weaker. For example, characters like Cyrax now gain less meter, and her projectiles lose against most other ranged attacks during the fight, which is very disappointing for so many fans, so she has to get in close to fight from now on.

Havik was also faced with a nerf, as his low attack is now unsafe, his throws deal less damage during attacks, and he lost an important overhead move. And, if we talk about our beloved Homelander, he cannot do some of his old combos anymore, which lowers his damage. T-1000 lost his overhead attack and now depends more on throws and low attacks, with less damage overall.

Some characters stood out after the buffs in this patch. Kenshi is one of the biggest winners. He can now recover much faster after certain moves and cancel into special attacks more smoothly. This means he can keep constant pressure on opponents, chain longer combos, and leave fewer openings for counterattacks.

Li Mei has also become a lot more dangerous. Her Sky Lantern attack now hits overhead, which forces opponents to block differently. This change opens up sneaky mixups and makes her corner pressure far scarier. Both characters feel sharper, faster, and much more threatening than before.

Though this tier list is giving you a clear path and acting as a helpful guide, your gameplay will depend on your skills. A lower-tier list character can still beat an upper-tier list one if used smartly and if you have enough practice with it. Use this list as direction, but let your skill be the real difference.

For more like this, stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com, the best website for gaming guides.