With the 30+ characters that we will likely end up with and the disappointment among online fans, I think it would be fun to see how fans can create a roster if they were limited to only16 characters like in the pre 3D era. Often they were not even necessarily diverse, which to me is the most important thing that NRS lacked in MKX. MK11 seems to be improved, but with 30+ it shouldn't be that hard. Now who would you pick and what kind of characters are they, if you were to pick a maximum of 16 including new ones from all the past games?
Here's mine:
This would close to my favourite characters, but not necessarily. I like the diversity
Fun thread — it’s challenging and interesting to limit yourself.
1. Scorpion: I’m not his biggest fan, but as the icon of the series, you must include him.
2. Sub-Zero: As above.
3. Zombie Liu Kang: I went back and forth on this one, but I went with this being a stand-alone release, and I think an evil and fallen Liu Kang can play like Liu Kang and be interesting. I think fans familiar enough with MK would be intrigued by the series’ protagonist being undead and “cooler.”
4. Cassie Cage: You’re going to need a protagonist. Cassie is interesting enough (I know some will debate this), and her parents could be killed or something. Sets up a fatalistic story for her. She’s in the Sonya Blade/Johnny Cage role.
5. Kitana: A major part of the series, and I think she could step into another major protagonist role. She could be Liu Kang’s adversary and maybe a mentor for Cassie and some other heroes.
6. Mileena: I think she’d be a cool inclusion as a rival for Kitana. You’ve got the Sub-Zero/Scorpion dynamic with them.
7. Jacqui: A lot of people will hate this, but in my storyline she goes insane and kills her father, Sonya, Johnny Cage and Takeda. She could use a lot of Jax’s power moves. Sets her up to be something for Cassie to take down.
8. Erron Black: I just think he’s cool, alright?
I had Raiden and Quan Chi in my initial list. Raider is super-iconic, but I kind of might toggle with the idea of having this be about his death and their being little hope for good. I kind of had it “set out of time,” so you can tell the Sub-Zero/Quan Chi/Scorpion story again, but Iet’s move forward with:
9. Selphina: I’ve had this name in mind for a new sorceress character for years. She can bring the “black magic” element to the game. Fights using a staff and is canonically very powerful.
10. A New Human Crime Lord: I always liked the Mavado/Red Dragon stuff. I think Earthrealm needs some baddies. This character could be connected to and replace Kano some way.
11. A Masked Character That Uses Blades: I guess a next generation substitute for Baraka. They would play differently though — a more elegant fighter. No one really knows who they are or what their agenda initially is.
I’m running out of new character ideas, but I’d probably try to get some more in there. But I guess you can just do Raiden and some other favorites, and replace my new ones with your Quan Chis and Barakas.
I didn’t expect to get shy of 16.


- Reptile
- Human Smoke/Enenra
- Raiden
- Liu Kang
- Kitana
- Sareena
- Shang Tsung
- Reiko
- Scorpion
- Sub Zero
- Havik
- Noob Saibot
- Mileena
- Khameleon
- Fujin
- Frost
- New Sub Boss
- Shao Kahn Final Boss
Yeah quite challenging indeed, but especially to balance between the type of characters. I see plenty of rosters with the mains from trilogy, ninja / palette swaps etc. I know NRS has a bigger roster, but I think we need to cut them a little slack. This is my point of this thread as well. They at least try to make characters who were kind of plain like Skarlet and Jade as in ninjas with copied moves to real fleshed out characters who can hold their own.


1) Scorpion (Fire based character)
2) Sub-Zero (Ice based Character)
3) Sareena (Demonic powers)
4) Fujin (Wind God)
5) Kung-Lao (Slice 'N' Dice Character)
6) Jade (Stealthy Assasin)
7) Rain (Water based character)
8) Takeda (Pretty unique gameplay)
9) Erron Black (Gun shootin' Cowboy)
10) Li Mei (Speedy Magical Character)
11) Shang Tsung (Shape-shifter)
12) Skarlet (Blood magic)
UNLOCKABLE SECRET CHARACTERS
13) Reptile (Acid based character, animalistic)
14) Khameleon (Elusive, animalistic)
15) Havik (Sub-Boss) Savage, aggressive, nasty and chaotic.
16) Nitara (Boss) Blood Queen, Savage and animalistic but also powerful.
And because I cannot follow instructions- SORRY!
DLC 1
17) Liu Kang
18) Kitana
19) Mileena
20) Reiko
DLC 2
21) Sonya Blade
22) Raiden
23) Noob Saibot
24) Tanya


hey
From MK1:
1.Liu Kang - iconic character, protagonist, traditional kung fu, Bruce Lee- inspired character.
2.Sonya- iconic character, stong female, brings modern fighting and gadgets.
3.Raiden - iconic character, major story driving force.
4.Johnny Cage - Iconic character, important story role, comic relief.
5.Scorpion- series mascot
6.Sub-Zero- iconic character, interesting specials and story.
From MK2:
7. Kitana- major character from other realm, interesting moves and story.
8.Shang Tsung- fun villainous character, potential to be smart, menacing, and traitorous threat.
9.Kung Lao- secondary protagonist, interesting move gimmick (hat), iconic character.
From MK3/UMK3:
10. Cyrax- cool design, interesting character progression, introduces more modern, sci-fi, technology.
From MK4:
11. Fujin -long requested by fans.
From Deadly Alliance:
12. Li Mei- long requested by fans, representative from other realm, potential for rags-to-riches story.
From Deception
13. Ashrah- cool design and story. Netherrealm representation.
From MKX:
14. Cassie Cage -new generation protagonist
New characters:
15. Geras- time bending and earth-related character
16. New character- villainous/wild card
Unplayable Boss: Shao Kahn
Unplayable Sub-Boss: Goro
(The playable good guys)
1) Raiden
2) Sub-Zero
3) Johnny Cage
4) Sonya Blade
5) Jax
6) Kenshi
7) Kitana
8) Liu Kang
(The playable bad guys)
9) Kano
10) Kabal
11) Mileena
12) Baraka
13) Reptile
14) Shang Tsung
15) Reiko
16) Scorpion
(Hidden NPC fights)
Quan Chi
Sareena
Havik
The story would be a what if story focusing on Shao Kahn and his army invading Earthrealm.
From MK1:
1.Liu Kang - iconic character, protagonist, traditional kung fu, Bruce Lee- inspired character.
2.Sonya- iconic character, stong female, brings modern fighting and gadgets.
3.Raiden - iconic character, major story driving force.
4.Johnny Cage - Iconic character, important story role, comic relief.
5.Scorpion- series mascot
6.Sub-Zero- iconic character, interesting specials and story.
From MK2:
7. Kitana- major character from other realm, interesting moves and story.
8.Shang Tsung- fun villainous character, potential to be smart, menacing, and traitorous threat.
9.Kung Lao- secondary protagonist, interesting move gimmick (hat), iconic character.
From MK3/UMK3:
10. Cyrax- cool design, interesting character progression, introduces more modern, sci-fi, technology.
From MK4:
11. Fujin -long requested by fans.
From Deadly Alliance:
12. Li Mei- long requested by fans, representative from other realm, potential for rags-to-riches story.
From Deception
13. Ashrah- cool design and story. Netherrealm representation.
From MKX:
14. Cassie Cage -new generation protagonist
New characters:
15. Geras- time bending and earth-related character
16. New character- villainous/wild card
This is a GREAT list! When it gets to the 3D era, I’d probably include Quan Chi, Kenshi and Havik from 4, 5 and 6, but that’s subjective stuff and the Fujin being requested point is sound. It’d be great to sneak Erron Black in somehow. Maybe if MK11 was left out of contention? I think there are plenty of alternates for Cyrax too. As much as MK3 basically defined my childhood, I wonder if just including metal arm Jax is enough modern influence?
I think the reasoning behind this is excellent though.

The 16 Characters I would Choose would be;
1. Scorpion
2. Sub-Zero
3. Raiden
4. Kotal Kahn
5. D'Vorah
6. Erron Black
7. Cassie Cage
8. Sektor
9. Mileena
10. Skarlet
11. Rain
12. Kai
13. Kenshi
14. Takeda
15. Reiko
16. Shang Tsung

This is a very good idea for a thread, as it's difficult to narrow it down to 16. I admit mine could be more diverse (if I could add one more, it'd be a cyborg) but I tried to come up with something fun and interesting that I could also base a story around.

And if NRS made a 16-slot roster, here's what you'd get. ;)
I'd just come up with a separate chapter, with its own characters; telling a new story that details other aspects of the MKU that are usually only briefly mentioned or unexplored. Something that takes place on the outer edges of normal storylines, in the peripheral. I'd introduce a bunch of new characters, and add some more obscure ones, and a couple of staples.
01. Lifen (an original 'good' female character from Outworld that I came up with)
02. Zumurrud (Lifen's tormented sister who's part cybernetic)
03. Buyakko (a young male Tigrar Shokan with white fur who grows up in Earthrealm and is therefor 'good')
04. Shang Tsung (not in his young form, but ancient looking)
05. Yeren (original character based off of Big trouble in Little China's "Chinese wildman", a monster character)
06. Iorogomu or Io (original character; hybrid with a female upper body and a spider's lower half)
07. Mureene (original character; female Tarkatan who was used by Tsung to create Mileena)
08. Batzorig/Karbrac (new male Tarkatan)
09. Shr Lin (founder of the Lin Kuei: possibly a Cryomancer and ancestor to Kuai Liang and Bi Han)
10. Yuudai (based on the concept art for Deadly Alliance's "The Undead General", ghost samurai type)
11. Grum (based on the MK comics; a giant, six-armed Shokan, minus the nunchucks)
12. Nitara (somewhat redesigned)
13. Mavado
14. Kenshi
15. Cassandra Cage
16. Jacqueline Briggs (redesigned and reinterpreted)
_________________________
No Cage? No sale!
I'd leave Scorpion and Sub-Zero out, which will never happen.
My ideal small roster would probably be-
1. Kung Lao
2. Mileena
3. Kenshi
4. Liu Kang
5. Scorpion
6. Sub-Zero
7. Jade
8. Raiden
9. Shao Kahn
10. Quan Chi
11. Motaro
12. Kitana
13. Rain
14. Mavado (Might seem like a bit of a random pick, but I just really like his cape. It'd be cool to see what NR could do with him)
15. Havik
16. Onaga
1. Scorpion
2. Sub-zero
3. Raiden
4. Liu Kang
5. Johnny Cage
6.Jax
7.Sonya Blade
8. Reptile
9. Kitana
10. Goro
11.Havik
12. Minleena
13 Jade
14 Smoke
15. ermac
16.Bakara

Interesting topic.
1. Scorpion
2. Sub-Zero
3. Kung-Lao
4. Fujin
5. Liu-Kang
6. D'Vorah
7. Kotal Kahn
8. Li-Mei
9. Cassie Cage
10. Skarlet
11. Reiko
12. Hotaru
13. Ashrah
14. Baraka
15. Quan Chi
16. Daegon
Boss: Onaga the Dragon King (unplayable)
Sub Boss: Geras (playable)

1. Reptile
2. Khameleon
3. Goro
4. Quan Chi
5. Raiden
6. Fujin
7. Kai
8. Liu Kang
9. Kitana
10. Scorpion
11. Sub-Zero
12. Johnny Cage
13. Sonya Blade
14. Kia
15. Jataaka
16. Sareena
Things I Hope to see More of in MK1!!
And if NRS made a 16-slot roster, here's what you'd get. ;)
I Like This Roster Just Replace Sonya With Shang Tsung and Kotal Kahn with Shao Kahn I Think It would Work Welll With MK12's Story. Divorah Being Quan Chi's Spy Maybe Ther is a 2nd part Story DLC with Frost Shinnok and Quan Chi as DLC Where Divorah Makes a deal with Frost or Kano (The Black Dragon) to Rez Quan Chi and Shinnok as Cyborg's with free will.