Mortal Kombat 1 Best Moves Raiden – An In-Depth Guide

If you’re looking for some spicy new characters to pick up in Mortal Kombat 1, look no further than Raiden himself. This powerful fighter made his debut in the original 1992 Mortal Kombat game and has made his mark since then. Being able to generate lightning, Raiden has some of the coolest combos out there. If this is something you’re interested in, we’ve got the perfect guide to Raiden and his best moves and combos for you to use in Mortal Kombat 1.

Best Moves For Raiden in Mortal Kombat 1

One of the top reasons Raiden has such a high pick rate is due to ease of learning his combos. No matter what skill floor you’re at, you’ll still be able to do decently well with Raiden, executing his lightning-powered combos in the blink of an eye.

Like every other fighter, his basic inputs consist of basic attacks, aerial attacks, throws, special moves, fatal blows, brutalities, and fatalities. So, without further waiting, let’s get right into his combos.

Best Combo Starters for Raiden

First off, you have your combo starters. These are basic combos you can use to just deal a bit of chip damage or start a chain combo attack.

Electric Orb

This is Raiden’s most basic combo move, Electric Orb (Down + Forward + Front Punch). Using it will temporarily incapacitate the enemy and allow you to use any follow-up combo move. If you’re new to the game, you can even keep spamming this small combo to whittle down your enemy into Brutality.

Razzle Dazzle

Teleportation has always been a highly acclaimed skill for any character in Mortal Kombat, and Raiden pulls it off with this combo, Razzle Dazzle (Down + Back + Back Punch). Similar to the first combo, it is a front punch, and back punch into movement input with the difference being that Raiden teleports behind the enemy to shock them and knock them down.

Electric Fly

With Electric Fly (Back + Forward + Front Kick), Raiden kicks the enemy twice, followed by a lightning thrust towards them. This combo pushes the enemy quite far back and knocks them, allowing Raiden to get out of tight spots.

Electromagnetic Storm

Electromagnetic Storm (Down + Back + Front Kick) is probably Raiden’s coolest starter combo, and we’re sure you’ll agree once you see it. Raiden moves forward to strike the enemy twice before generating a lightning aura around him that constantly damages the enemy and prevents them from using any moves.

If your enemy keeps charging at you or has built up a tempo advantage, this combo is great to give you some breathing room and break their tempo.

Best Basic Moves for Raiden

Now that we’ve covered most of Raiden’s combo starters, we’re going to move on to some basic combos you can use to inflict some real, consistent damage. Pulling off any of these in a fight should help turn the tide in your favor.

He Can Slap + Electric Fly

This is Raiden’s first basic combo move (Forward + Up + Back Punch + Front Punch + Back Punch + Back + Forward + Front Kick). It’s pretty simple when you look at it, with Raiden kicking the enemy twice, sending them airborne. Once they’re airborne, you’ll jump as well, striking them thrice before using your lightning thrust move. As we mentioned before, this is a great way to get out of corners and knock your opponent backward.

Double Strike + Quick Learner + Shocker

If you’re in the mood for some acrobatics that deal a fair amount of damage, this combo should do the trick (Forward + Front Kick + Back Kick + Forward + Back Punch + Back Punch + Down + Forward + Back Punch). It’s a bit longer than the first one, meaning it’ll require more input. You first use a double kick combo to launch the enemy into the air. You then strike them once before using a bicycle kick to knock them down. Before they hit the ground, you punch them again before shooting a lightning punch straight through them.

Best Advanced Moves for Raiden

That was it for the basic and starter combos you can learn. Now we’re going towards the harder stuff that will take time to understand but can deal tons of damage if executed correctly.

Double Strike + Double Strike + Quick Learner + Shocker + Shocker

Nothing beats a simple combo that can be executed twice to deal double damage (Forward + Front Kick + Back Kick + Forward + Front Kick + Back Kick + Forward + Back Punch + Back Punch + Down + Forward + Back Punch + Front Kick + Down + Forward + Back Punch). You start with a double two-punch-bicycle kick combo before keeping them in the air and hitting them with two burst lightning punches. This is a 14-hit combo and deals quite a lot of damage.

Deadly Current + Shocker + Jax Kombo Extension + Double Strike + Quick Learner + Shocker 

Ever thought about dealing half the enemy’s health bar in one smooth combo? Well, that’s exactly what this combo does, plus it brings Jax in as well, which is why it’s known as a Jax Kombo Extension (Back Punch + Back Kick + Back Punch + Front Punch + Down + Forward + Back Punch + Jax Kameo Assist + Forward + Front Kick + Back Kick + Forward + Forward + Back Punch + Back Punch + Down + Forward + Back Punch). You probably understand the inputs yourself by now if you’re learning this combo. It uses Jax twice, as well as some simple chain combos, so your opponent is not allowed to move at all.

Whirlwind + Shocker + Quick Learner + Shocker 

This combo is used as a counter-attack when your opponent performs an aerial attack (Jump + Back Punch + Back Punch + Back Kick + Down + Forward + Back Punch + Forward + Back Punch + Back Punch + Down + Forward + Back Punch). When you see their jump animation starting, jump to counter it and strike them first. This stuns them in the air before bringing them down to receive a flurry of punches before knocking them down.

The Basic + Electromagnetic Storm + Double Strike + Power Overload + Shocker + Shocker 

If you don’t like repeating the same moves, this combo really showcases Raiden’s lightning control and capabilities (Forward + Back Kick + Front Kick + Down + Back + Front Kick + Front Kick + Forward + Front Kick + Back Kick + Back Punch + Back Kick + Back Punch + Down + Forward + Back Punch + Back Kick + Down + Forward + Back Punch). When inputting these commands, you generate a lightning field, a lightning cloud burst, a lightning strike knockdown, as well as your basic lightning thrust. If you’re going for show-off points, you’ll get them using this combo.

The Basics + Forward Command + Back Command

For those of you who love bringing Jax into the mix with Raiden, you should have this combo at your fingertips (Forward + Back Kick + Front Kick + Forward + Back). In this combo, you’ll Raiden summon lightning to strike the foe twice before Jax deals a devastating blow to finish them.

For more guides and information on Mortal Kombat 1, check out these related pieces from our team: Mortal Kombat 1 Best Characters for Beginners and Does Mortal Kombat 1 have a Story Mode.