Although there are plenty of powerful enemies throughout the course of The Season of the Cryomancer, Arctic Sub-Zero is easily the pick of the bunch. Mortal Kombat 1 players will square off against him upon reaching the end of the Rampart mesa, and it is easily one of the toughest encounters that Season 3 of Invasions Mode has to offer.
Mortal Kombat 1: How to Solve Every Klue in Season 3 of Invasions Mode
Solving all the Klues in Season 3 of Invasions Mode will require some out-of-the-box thinking. That, or the help of a good MK1 Klue solutions guide.
To be clear, much of the Arctic Sub-Zero fight is relatively straightforward, but there are a few unique mechanics that will likely catch some players off guard, including a devastating one-hit kill attack. Once Mortal Kombat 1 players come to understand these new mechanics, though, beating Arctic Sub-Zero isn't actually that bad.
Arctic Sub-Zero Basic Strategy & Fight Mechanics
There are four distinct phases to the Arctic Sub-Zero fight, the first of which plays out just like any other encounter. However, the second sees Sub-Zero using a few new attacks. Players should duck under the ice javelin and can counter the barrage of snowballs by getting behind Sub-Zero as he prepares to start throwing them. If the latter isn't possible for whatever reason, the snowballs can be blocked for minimal damage. Much like the Nitara fight at the end of Season 2, it's only after players have depleted the enemy's health bar for a second time that things really start to get crazy.
At the beginning of phase three, Arctic Sub-Zero will begin to charge an instakill move that can't be disrupted with regular attacks. However, Players can dodge Sub-Zero's Brutality fairly easily if they jump right before the moment of impact, or they can use Talismans to cancel the attack altogether. He'll use this periodically throughout the phase as well as a more powerful version of his snowball attack from the previous one, so players should remain vigilant.
Once players have whittled Sub-Zero's health down to its final slither, he'll begin to charge another instakill attack. This one is undodgeable, though, and the icy aura surrounding him makes it impossible for players to get close enough to disrupt it. At this point, players should turn their attention to the nearby bucket and should hit the bucket once it starts to glow. If done correctly, the water in the bucket will turn into an ice spear and impale Sub-Zero, mirroring the character's death in the first Mortal Kombat movie. For those wondering, this is also what the "Use the element which brings life." message was referring to at the beginning of the fight.
How to Beat Arctic Sub-Zero in Season 3 of Invasions Mode
The fastest way to beat Arctic Sub-Zero is by using the Frostfart talisman, which can be obtained by completing the BIG BANG Klue in the Rampart mesa. If players pair this with an Ethereal Talisman, they'll be able to repeatedly fire projectiles at Sub-Zero by pressing in the right analog stick and then kick the bucket during the final phase to complete the fight. For those who prefer a less cheesy strategy, there are a few ways to make the fight much easier.
Omni-Man is an excellent choice for the Arctic Sub-Zero fight as he has two attacks that can nullify two of Sub-Zero's deadliest moves. Viltrumite Stance (Down, Back, Front Kick) causes Omni-Man to hover, allowing him to dodge Sub-Zero's Brutality with ease, while his Around the World overhead (Forward + Back Punch) allows players to get behind their opponent, which can make dodging Sub-Zero's snowball barrage considerably easier. For those who have it, it's also a good idea to equip the Frostfart talisman, if only to disrupt Sub-Zero's instakill attack.
Mortal Kombat 1
- Developer(s)
- NetherRealm Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Bros. Games
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS5 , Switch , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- September 19, 2023
