Raiden packs extreme voltage into his fighting style as the immortal god of thunder. Yet, harnessing this Fujin champion’s storm-charged arsenal in Mortal Kombat 11 requires dedicated practice.
This guide details advanced tactics, brutal variations, and electrifying gear to help you turn Raiden into an unstoppable force.
Charging Up Raiden’s Core Abilities
Raiden’s innate connection to lightning makes electricity his most valuable asset. Several of his special moves channel the raw power of storms into attacks, while his Raijin variation also boosts these thunder-based talents even further.
You can keep opponents on their toes by mastering moves like the lightning bolt-firing Thunder Bolt and the teleporting Sparkport. Raiden’s electric fly and dive kick provide additional tools for getting in the face of foes or evading danger. However, his most devastating base attacks utilize lightning traps like the Shock Trap and Static Discharge. These temporarily turn parts of the stage into dangerous zappers.
With all his voltage-amped abilities, Raiden favors an aggressive playstyle, capitalizing on pressure and mixes. Endless chains of normals to specials allow you to lock enemies down. And by continuing combos across the stage with teleports, Raiden’s corner carry is top-tier. Just remain wary of overextending yourself and getting countered by crafty opponents.
Strategies for Offensive Domination
Playing Raiden means balancing offense and defense. Here are some tips for maximizing his pressure game:
- After landing a hit confirm, carry the combo into Static Discharge, then mix up rest and pressure with throws and lows for continued damage.
- Use back throws to position opponents in Shock Traps for extra punishment.
- Cancel special moves into Sparkport teleports to cross up the opponent or escape bad situations.
- Jump dive kick after a teleport to catch opponents trying to retaliate.
With smart reads and relentless aggression, you can overwhelm the opposition through Raiden’s storm-powered pressure. Save enough stamina to block or evade significant punishment attempts after combo strings.
Bolstering Defense With Spacing And Movement
While offense is his strength, Raiden still boasts techniques to help defensively as well:
- Backdash or wave dash out of range when the opponent charges up, then punish their whiffed attack.
- After blocking in the corner, teleport behind the enemy and counter.
- Use the pushback from Shock Trap zones to create space safely.
- Delay wakeup timing to throw off okizeme pressure after being knocked down.
With proper positional awareness and movement, you can land more easily against reckless opponents. Carefully placed traps also limit the enemy’s approach options. Just stay unpredictable and alert.
Custom Variations And Gear For Next-Level Raiden
Beyond honing fundamentals with the base fighter, Raiden’s custom variations and obtainable gear add more layers of strategic depth. Here are some standout picks:
- Raijin – Augments thunder moves and adds lightning rods for juggling. It is excellent for offense and combo extensions.
- Thunder Wave – Gains projectiles and lightning bursts with unique properties to diversify his game.
- Storm Cell – Reworks electric fly and teleport for new combo routes. Focuses on tricky cross-ups.
- Deadly Storm/Thunderstruck – Legendary gear that boosts combo-ending Super Damage or reduces Lightning Rod cooldown for juggle-heavy offense.
With personalized variations and leveled-up equipment, you can hyperfocus Raiden’s playstyle to suit your competitive needs. But remember to experiment across all his custom builds to keep opponents guessing during Ranked sets!
Conclusion
Raiden thrives on constantly pushing forward behind electrifying pressure, mixes, and mobility. Master these advanced tactics and customize Raiden’s moveset to overwhelm foes with your own Divine Fury.
While defense remains critical, Raiden shows no mercy once he starts storming the enemy with relentless attacks.
So charge up your otherworldly abilities, then let the thunder reign without restraint!
