The last few Netherrealm games have all featured an additional, rotating single-player mode, which allows one to play single-player combat with different whacky modifiers. Moreover, players can grind these modes for tons of gear, skins, and other collectibles. Mortal Kombat 1 features a new rendition of these called invasions.

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Invasions in Mortal Kombat 1 are a well-thought-out feature. This mode features a lot of variety and depth. The fact that players exclusively get gears and skins from completing different trials is a big plus when compared to Mortal Kombat 1’s predecessor. However, this game mode still needs a lot of balancing and quality-of-life adjustments. One of the big new changes in the invasion mode is the introduction of elemental damage types. These damage types each have their pro and cons, as they are strong against certain other damage types and vice versa. Every character and kameo is classified in these damage types, and they are all laid out and ranked below.

Updated May 14, 2024 by Musaab Ahmed: Mortal Kombat 1 has been out for nearly nine months now. While its core gameplay and the story mode received near universal praise, the Invasions mode bore the brunt of the criticism. Admittedly, the game's main PvE mode had a ton of bugs as well as some key flaws, but it has been the subject of constant updates and improvements ever since. Most of the changes have been well received.

Not only have key bugs and glitches been patched out of the game, the progression system has become much more streamlined and some of the more tedious elements have been toned down. These changes have affected the Invasions mode meta and this article has been updated to reflect that.

10 Physical

Lack Of Extra Damage Is This Type's Downfall

• Smoke
• Baraka
• Geras
• Jax Kameo
• Kung Lao Kameo

Physical is one of the weaker damage types in the game for a multitude of reasons. The first is the fact it is the only elemental type that doesn’t deal extra damage to any other category, making it limited in offense. Secondly, it deals less damage to Blood, which makes the offense of the characters in this category somewhat stunted.

It does have a saving grace in the form that Baraka is an incredibly easy character with high damage, and the Jax Kameo is pretty strong, too.

9 Ice

Basically The Sub Zero Damage Type

• Sub Zero
• Rain
• Frost Kameo
• Sub Zero Kameo

Ice is a double-edged sword, and it is extremely situational. Only two characters are part of this damage type, which makes it hard to take advantage of its less damage from boon. It takes less damage from Ice and Acid; that’s a total of four characters, which is pitifully low.

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Ice deals more damage to Fire and Acid. Considering Fire has the most characters and kameos combined, this is a very useful niche. However, it also takes more damage from Fire and deals less damage to physical and ice. Physical has a ton of characters, too. This means Ice has very specific strengths, and its weaknesses can easily be taken advantage of, making it a weaker damage type.

8 Electric

Electric Has Some Strong Characters But Apparent Weaknesses

• Rain
• Raiden
• Liu Kang
• Stryker Kameo

Electric has access to some of the easiest and most versatile characters in the game, such as the new Raiden. It does have a fatal flaw, though: Electric does not take less damage from any other damage type, making it a squishy archetype.

Moreover, Electric deals less damage to Dark, which is a problem as Dark has some of the most annoying and powerful characters in the game. The likes of Kenshi and Mileena can be frustrating to play against in the hands of a difficult A.I.

7 Acid

Limited But Underrated Damage Type

• Shang Tsung
• Reptile

There are only two acid characters, which means the only time it takes less damage is against these two characters. On the flip side, Acid deals extra damage to both Physical and Lightning, making it very strong against a ton of opponents. It also only takes more damage from ice, a niche and weak damage type, so it's not too much of a drawback.

Reptile is also one of the easier characters to master and has a lot of easy and exploitable moves that are perfect for invasions. Reptile's air combos in conjunction with his variety of zoning options and his invisible ability make him a reliable option for harder stages where there are tons of modifiers and conditions. Shang Tsung, while not as easy to learn, has the extremely useful ability to clone himself into his enemy, allowing players to get out of tough matchups and switch to characters they know better.

6 Chaos

Strong Counter To The Best Damage Types

• General Shao
• Havik
• Shujinko Kameo

There are a few Chaos characters, but it deals more damage to both Blood and Magic, making it a very solid option. Moreover, taking less damage from Magic makes it the perfect counter to one of the strongest types in the game. Its only drawback is taking more damage from both dark and energy.

5 Energy

• Tanya
• Johnny Cage
• Li Mei
• Cyrax Kameo
• Kano Kameo
• Sonya Kameo
• Motaro Kameo

Energy has access to tons of different kameos, and all three characters under the damage type are unique. It does more damage to Chaos, which isn’t the best, but taking less damage from Dark is quite a useful boon. However, being weak against Blood and Magic makes it a middle-of-the-pack damage type.

It does, however, have access to a ton of great kameos which players can theory-craft with and make a strong team composition. Motaro is especially one of the best kameos for innovative playstyles in PvE modes.

4 Blood

The Fun-Focused Damage Type

• Shang Tsung
• Reiko
• Nitara
• Havik

Some of the most fun-to-use characters in invasion mode are in the Blood damage type. This damage type is a mixed bag as it takes more damage from two different damage types while dealing with Fire, which is one of the stronger damage types in the game.

Havik's incredible combo potential shines in PvE modes, especially all the different setups for the newer kameos. Nitara and Reiko, while difficult to use, are still solid characters who can make invasions a breeze.

3 Fire

The Bread & Butter Damage Type

• Scorpion
• Liu Kang
• Ashrah
• Sareena Kameo
• Sektor Kameo
• Scorpion Kameo
• Stryker Kameo

Fire has access to tons of great characters as well as the best kameos in the game. The likes of Liu Kang and Ashrah are easy-entry characters that have an all-round kit and no clear weaknesses. This makes it one of the better options for most players. It also takes less damage from Blood and other Fire types, making it a solid allrounder.

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Fire only being effective against Ice is its big weakness, as there are only a few ice characters in the game. Overall, it’s a solid and reliable damage type.

2 Magic

Understated Yet Powerful

• Kitana
• Sindel
• Kung Lao
• Kameo Kung Lao

Magic is one of the best damage types in the game. It has access to some of the best characters for invasion mode out there. Its only weakness is taking extra damage to both Blood and Chaos. But it more than makes it for it for dealing extra damage to both Energy and Dark while taking less damage from Dark as well. This makes magic one of the most reliable damage types in the game.

1 Dark

The Strongest Damage Type By Far

• Mileena
• Smoke
• Kenshi
• Ashrah

Dark is the best damage type in the game, as it has by far the best characters for Invasion matches. Mileena, Kenshi, Smoke, and Ashrah are all top-tier characters and have received a lot of love in this game.

Dark also takes less damage from both Chaos and Electric while dealing more damage to Chaos, making it a very solid damage type. It has weaknesses, too, but these are mainly countered by just how good the characters in this category are.

Mortal Kombat 1

Platform(s)

PC , PS5 , Switch , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

September 19, 2023

Developer(s)

NetherRealm Studios

Genre(s)

Fighting