Raiden is a weird one. In Mortal Kombat X, he’s not just the guy who yells gibberish while flying across the screen. He’s actually a high-pressure monster that can delete half a health bar if you blink at the wrong time. But honestly, most people just pick him because they remember him from the movies or they like the hat.
They play him like a zoner. Big mistake.
If you're playing Mortal Kombat X Raiden by sitting back and throwing lightning bolts, you're basically giving the match away. He is a corner-carry king. He wants to be in your face. He wants to force you into a guessing game that you probably won't win.
The Three Faces of Thunder
The variation system in MKX really changed how the Thunder God functions. You can't just learn one moveset and call it a day. Each version of Raiden plays like a completely different character, and if you pick the wrong one for your playstyle, you're gonna have a bad time.
Thunder God: The Damage Dealer
This is the one you see most often in competitive play. Why? Because the pressure is relentless. It adds extra hits to his basic strings, like the Heavenly Hand (1, 2, 1, 2) or Sudden Energy (2, 2, Forward + 1).
These extra lightning strikes aren't just for show. They make his strings safe on block. If your opponent tries to poke out after a string, they usually get zapped. It's also a meter-building machine. You can pull off a 50% damage combo in the corner with just one bar of meter if you’ve got the execution down.
Displacer: The Mobility Freak
If you hate being zoned out by characters like Full Auto Jacqui or Grandmaster Sub-Zero, Displacer is your best friend. It replaces his standard moves with a manual teleport.
You can teleport in the air. You can teleport behind them. You can even cancel moves into a teleport to stay safe. It's all about the "mind games." You make the opponent afraid to press buttons because you might literally disappear and reappear behind them for a full punish. It’s arguably his most "badass" looking variation, but the damage output is lower than Thunder God.
Master of Storms: The Lab Monster
Okay, let’s be real—nobody uses Master of Storms. Except for the people who really know what they're doing.
This variation lets you place static orbs on the screen. If you connect two orbs, a beam of lightning forms between them. It’s basically a trap. You can trap an opponent in the corner and they literally cannot move without getting stunned. It’s hard to set up, but against characters like Kung Jin who love to jump around, it’s a total nightmare.
How to Actually Win with Raiden
You need to get them to the corner. That is your only goal.
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Raiden’s Electric Fly (Back, Forward, 3) is one of the best corner-carry tools in the game. If you land a hit-confirm mid-screen, you can usually cancel into the Fly and push your opponent halfway across the arena.
Once they’re in the corner, Raiden becomes a vortex character. You start mixing up his overheads and lows.
- The Overhead: Back + 2. It’s a bit slow, but it leads to massive damage.
- The Low: Back + 3. It’s a quick sweep that catches people who are expecting the overhead.
If you alternate these correctly, your opponent has to guess. If they guess wrong, they lose 30-40% of their health. If they guess right, you’re usually safe enough (especially in Thunder God) to just try it again.
The "Superman" Problem
We’ve all been there. You see a gap, you input the Electric Fly, and you get blocked.
In MKX, a blocked Fly is a death sentence. You are stuck in a recovery animation for what feels like an eternity. A seasoned player will punish you with their most optimal combo. Never use the Fly as a "random" move in neutral. It’s a combo ender. Period.
The Story Nobody Noticed
People love to complain about Raiden’s role in the MKX story. They say he’s "incompetent" or that he "screwed up the timeline."
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But look at the context. By the end of the MKX story mode, Raiden has literally absorbed the corruption of the Jinsei to save Earthrealm. This isn't just a plot point; it’s a tragedy. He essentially sacrifices his sanity and his "goodness" to protect the realm because the Elder Gods are useless.
This leads to the Dark Raiden teaser at the very end. His eyes turn red, his lightning turns red, and he delivers Shinnok’s severed (but still living) head to Liu Kang and Kitana in the Netherrealm. It’s a total "anti-hero" turn that set the stage for the next game. If you think Raiden is the "bad guy," you're missing the point. He's a desperate protector who ran out of options.
Practical Tips for Your Next Match
If you want to start winning tonight, stop mashing. Raiden requires "hit-confirming." This means you start a string, and only if you see the first hit connect do you input the special move.
- Practice the 1, 2, 1 string. It’s fast and easy to confirm.
- Learn the Sparkport timing. If you’re playing Displacer, don’t just teleport randomly. Use it after a projectile to close the gap.
- Abuse the D4. His Down + 4 (Low Poke) has incredible range. Use it to keep opponents away and "reset" the neutral when things get too chaotic.
- Manage your meter. Raiden is extremely meter-dependent. Don't waste your X-Ray. It looks cool, but using those three bars for three separate Enhanced (EX) moves will win you way more matches.
Raiden isn't the easiest character to master in Mortal Kombat X, but he’s one of the most rewarding. Once you stop playing like a novice and start utilizing his corner pressure and variation-specific tools, you’ll realize why he’s stayed a top-tier threat for so long.
Go into the Lab. Set the AI to "Block Random." Practice your hit-confirms into Electric Fly. Once you can do that 10 times in a row without failing, you're ready to take the Thunder God online.