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MORTAL KOMBAT: DECEPTION (PS2/X-Box)
Kenshi Character FAQ
By Jason "PsychoSy" Sizemore (
[email protected])
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KONTENTS
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(A) - Legalese
(B) - Kenshi's History
(C) - Kenshi's Current BIO
(D) - Special Moves
(E) - TAI-CHI
(F) - JUDO
(G) - KATANA
(H) - Fatalities/Hara-Kiri
(I) - STYLE BRANCHING (Basics)
(J) - TIME TO SLICE & DICE!!
(K) - Strategies and Tips
(L) - Change Log
(M) - Credits
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(A) Legalese
***********
"Kenshi", "Mortal Kombat" and all related indicia are
copyrighted and/or registered trademarks of Midway Home
Entertainment, INC. "Playstation" and "X-Box" are
copyrighted by Sony Computer Entertainment of
America and Microsoft Corporation respectively.
This FAQ -- Copyright 2004, Jason Sizemore. This FAQ
can not be used or reproduced without expressed
written permission and credit by the author.
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(B) Kenshi's History
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The blind swordsman Kenshi, who debuted in Mortal Kombat:
Deadly Alliance, makes a return here in Deception sporting
his sentient Katana and Tai Chi. New to Kenshi is the combat
style of Judo and 2 new moves: a telekenetic flurry and
a teleport.
Storywise, Kenshi had been manipulated by Shang Tsung
many years ago into freeing the souls of his ancestors
which Shang Tsung devoured before leaving him for dead. The
event had left Kenshi blind. However, the katana he bears
is sentient and it guided him. At one point, Kenshi finds
out that the event had somewhat liberated a fusion of souls
created by Shao Kahn to obey him without fail. This
fusion of forfeit souls -- Ermac -- taught Kenshi the ways
of telekenesis in exchange for Kenshi's vow to slay Shang
Tsung and liberate the souls of the dead.
Fast Foward to Deadly Alliance, Kenshi travels the realms
in search of Shang Tsung, vowing to slay him. He comes
across the Deadly Alliance in Outworld and spies on them,
hoping to catch Shang Tsung away from Quan Chi long enough to
dispatch him. Kenshi never gets the opportunity for he is
attacked by Mavado and left for dead. Meanwhile, the Deadly
Alliance becomes destroyed by Raiden's sacrificial attempt to
stop Onaga -- the reborn Dragon King and former ruler of
Outworld prior to Shao Kahn. With the Deadly Alliance
apparently destroyed, the souls of the dead were liberated,
some of which returned to Kenshi's sword, some back to
Ermac, and others lingered. At this point, the events
of Kenshi's Bio & Alt Bio within MK: Deception take place.
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(C) Current Kenshi BIO
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<NOTE> This BIO contains embellishments ...
"I laid near death after my fight with Mavado, a member of
the Red Dragon clan. To my relief, Sub-Zero had found me
and aided me on the road to recovery. As my wounds healed,
the souls of my ancestors returned to my blade, which
could only mean one thing: Their voracious captor Shang
Tsung was dead. I don't know how or by whom ... and I
must confess I ceased to care. With he and Quan Chi out
of the way, there's two less evils in the Realms ...
but I sense an even greater evil at work and it
unnerves me.
Anyway, having no more reason to remain in Outworld, I
had made a temporary alliance with my Lin Kuei
companion and together we began our search for a way
back into Earthrealm. Still weary from my wounds,
we eventually arrived at a portal that Sub-Zero had
used upon entering Outworld. To our disappointment,
it was inactive - completely useless. I said
to Sub-Zero that we should set camp for the night - an
idea he emphatically disapproved off for he didn't
want to linger here in Outworld anymore than I did but
I insisted, giving Sub-Zero logical points on the
matter while privately, I had my own ...
Sub-Zero grunted and cursed beneath his breath while
removing his armor and I assumed that is was heavy. I
lended him a hand and discovered that it had been
dented, scratched, and blackened from battle. He had
told me of Hotaru, a very powerful and militant
warrior from Seido who was a loyalist to Onaga - the
new ruler of this realm (Ahh, so the greater evil
I sense has a name and a physical form of a mutated
dragon, does it?) and he had attacked Sub-Zero for
slaying a troop of Tarkatan militia.
The ninja had thought he had defeated him ...
What this cold-hearted Lin Kuei didn't know was that I
had sensed a presence on our backtrail for the past few
days ... waiting ... tensing for that perfect moment,
that precious opportunity of ambush to present itself.
Was it Mavado? Could he have possibly known that I had
survived his onslught and was now intending to finish
what he had started? For his sake, I hope not as I'm
determined to strew his guts all around Outworld twice
over if it comes to that, hence my reason to set camp in
the first place - to smoke him or whoever it is that
is tracking us out into the open. Let him come and
seize that opportuntity.
When he does ... I'll seize mine.
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(D) SPECIAL MOVES
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B,D,B, 1 = Tele-Slam
F,F, 2 = Tele-Shove
D,B, 4 = Tele-Throw
B,F, 3 = Tele-Flurry
D,B, 3 = Mind Warp (TelePort)
<R1> = Belly-to-Back Suplex
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(E) TAI CHI (Basics)
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1 - Mid Palm Strike
B + 1 - Rising Spade Hand
F + 1 - Pushing Hands
D + 1 - Fist Strike
2 - Chopping Strike
B + 2 - Quick Uppercut
D + 2 - Rising Uppercut
3 - Straight Kick
D + 3 - Low Lean Kick
4 - Spinning Roundhouse
D + 4 - Low Spin Kick
B + 4 - Standing Sweep
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TAI CHI (Combos)
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1, 1 - Empty & Full
B+2,3 - Blind Justice
2,2,2,3 - Play It By Ear
2,2,2,1,1 - Dark Fists
2,2,2,B+1 - Fading Light (Pop-Up)
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(F) JUDO (Basics)
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1 - Suplex
B + 1 - Thrusting Palms
D + 1 - Low Palm Strike
2 - Tripping Throw
B + 2 - Standing Uppercut
D + 2 - Rising Uppercut
3 - Back Kick
B + 3 - Backward Shin Kick
D + 3 - Spinning Knee Kick (Poke-Sweep)
4 - Snapping Side Kick
B + 4 - Roundhouse Wheel-Kick
D + 4 - Low Ankle Kick (Poke-Sweep)
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JUDO (Combos)
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4,4,3 - Groundwork
4,4 - Shinny Kicks
4,4,B+2 - Metal Fury (Pop-Up)
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(G) KATANA BLADE (Basics)
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1 - Gut Slice
D + 1 - Downward Slash
2 - Chin Slicer
U + 2 - Rising Slice (Pop-Up)
D + 2 - Slicing Uppercut
3 - Painful Swing
B + 3 - Leg Cutter (Sweep)
D + 3 - Piercing Blade
4 - Twisting Edge
D + 4 - Sweeping Blade (Poke-Sweep)
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KATANA BLADE (Combos)
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2,2 - Daybreak
2,2,1 - Legacy of Steel
2,2,3 - Mad Dog
2,2,3,3 - War Path
2,2,4 - Feel The Steel
3,3, - Silent Slice
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(H) FATALITY!!
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"Ginzu Warrior!!"
F,F,B,B + 2 (One Jump Away)
"The Mourning Stretch"
U,F,B,F + 2 (One Jump Away)
"Who Needs Entrails?" HARA-KIRI
D,B,B,F + 4
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(I) STYLE BRANCHING (Basic)
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All of Kenshi's "Style Branching" combos are listed
below. Some of them are "canned" combos, which means
they're listed in the game's movelist. Others however
are my own concoctions. First, we'll get the "canned"
combos out of the way and then move on to my more
advanced "Ginzu Grasshoppah!" combos! :-)
First off, here's a small legend:
[CS] -- "Change Styles" - Results in an Auto-Hit
{CS} -- Manual "Change Style" -- doesn't add a
hit by itself. Used mostly after Pop-Up attacks
so that the resulting juggles will be in a
different fighting style.
-- FROM TAI CHI --
2,2,2,[CS],4,B+2 - Blind Man Owning
2,2,2,[CS],4,3 - I Can Hear You!
2,2,2,[CS],4,[CS],2,3,3 - YEAH!
-- FROM JUDO --
4,4,[CS],2,1 - Bloody Blade
4,4,[CS],2,4 - Turning Death
4,4,[CS],2,3,3 - Blind Swordsman
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(J) ALRIGHT -- TIME TO SLICE AND DICE!!
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-- FROM TAI-CHI --
"Juggle That Newb!"
(8 Hits - 24%)
2,2,2,B+1 ... B+1 ...B,F+3
"My Most Pit!"
(7 Hits - 27%)
2,2,2,B+1 ...[Tele-Slam], B+2,3
"Eat These Uppercuts!"
(6 hits - 22%)
2,2,2,B+1 ... B+1 ...{CS} B+3
"Eddy Gordo Who?!?"
(10 Hits - 28%)
2,2,2,B+1 ...[Tele-Slam], 2,2,2,1,1
"Pinata Buster!"
(10 Hits - 22%)
2,2,2,[CS],4,B+2 ... B+2 ...4,4,B+2
"Ron Popeil Is My Daddy!"
(10 Hits - 22%)
2,2,2,[CS],4,B+2 ... B+2{CS} ... 2,2,3,3
"I Also Do Circumcision!"
(10 Hits - 23%)
2,2,2,[CS],4,B+2 ... B+2{CS} ... 2,2,4
"Cordination, Grasshoppah!!" (credit to SSJLee)
(7-8 Hits = 30-33% Damage)
B+1 ... 2 ... 2 ... 2, TK Slam, 2 ... 2 + TK Throw (*)
(*)NOTE: Haven't performed or confirmed this myself but
SSJLee explains that to "Make sure there's a pause
between each 2 or else Kenshi will end up doing his
2,2,2 combo which screws this combo up" hence my
naming it "Cordination, Grasshoppah!!" -- you'll
probably need good cordination to pull this one
off!
-- FROM JUDO --
"Bruises & Contusions Vol 1"
(7 Hits - 23%)
4,4,B+2 ...[Tele-Slam] ... 4,4,B+2
"Bruises & Contusions Vol 2"
(7 Hits - 20%)
4,4,B+2 ... B+2 ... 4,4,B+2
"GIT IN DAT CORNER!!"
(4 Hits - 17%)
4,4,B+2 ... [Tele-Shove]
"AND STAY IN DAT CORNER!!"
(7 Hits - 19%)
4,4,B+2 ... B+2 ... B,F + 3
"Grrrr! GIT OUTTA DAT CORNER!!"
(5 Hits - 16%)
4,4,B+2 ... B+2 ... D,B + 4
"Outta My Personal Space!"
(6 Hits - 20%)
4,4,B+2 ... B+2 {CS}{CS} B+2,3
"j00 l33t h4x0r!!"
(7 Hits - 22%)
4,4,B+2 ...{CS}U+2 ... 2,2,3,3
"Told Ya I Do Circumcision!"
(7 Hits - 23%)
4,4,B+2 ...{CS}U+2 ... 2,2,4
That's should be plenty to get you started on the
road to owning with the blind man. Oh sure, I've got
more combos I could've added to this section ... but
I can't give all my advantages away now can I?!? ^_^
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(K) Strategies & Tips
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Kenshi, in the right hands, can be one formidable
foe. For one, he has unpredictability potential as
well as opportunities to fight both the long range
and the close range battle. His most usefull
weapons in his arsenal are his B+4 poke sweep from
Tai Chi that can damn near cancel out anything the
enemy tries at close range (sometimes, unfortunately
at a sacrifice). For example, he can poke sweep
Scorpion out of his flame kick, Sub-Zero out of his
Cold Shoulder, and can shut down possible throw
attempts provided that you backdash beforehand. Just
keep in mind that both of you may wind up getting
hit (especially online). Another good method to use
while giving the blind man a whirl is his B+2,3
two-hit combo from Tai Chi against players who like
to keep things up close an personal. This results
in a backhanded knuckle sandwich followed closely by
a shoulder slam that's very quick and difficult to
block, thus sending the opponent reeling back in a
ball (even if they duck the knuckle sandwich).
Kenshi's Lift-Slam should be used sparingly. In other
words, don't you dare open the match with it or try
it as a mid-range desperation move as it can be
easily blocked/sidestepped. The recovery time lasts
about 3.5 to 4 seconds, giving your opponent ample
time to capitalize on your idiocy. Therefore, for
best results, use Kenshi's Lift-Slam while the enemy
is already airborne from a combo or if you're
dealing with a total noob - it's a lock then!
Kenshi's Tele-throw is probably the best midrange
(sometimes long range) tool as it can snatch teleporters
like Noob-Smoke, Kobra, and Jade as they tend to leave
a smoke trail a split second before actually
teleporting. You'll either grab them immediately from
within the smoke cloud or snatch them as they
materialize behind you (which looks kinda funky, but
works!)
As for unpredictability/desperation moves, look no
further than Kenshi's Tele-Shove, Tele-Flurry, and
his Mind-Warp teleport. The former two can snag
both the unsuspecting jumper and the crouching
tiger (which if timed correctly from within a pop-up
combo can send the enemy into a death-trap like the
Falling Cliffs or the two respective meatgrinders
in the Lower Mines and the Slaughterhouse stages) while
the latter is best used from within the Judo stance
for a quick 4,4,B+3 combo or Judo toss (keep in mind
Kenshi has two throws from Judo which are better than
his basic throw since he actually lunges forward,
increasing his chances of actually grabbing the
enemy). His throws are great desperation moves when
in a pinch or when you absolutely have to get out of
a corner but I certainly wouldn't rely on them as
Kenshi's got an excellent low-hitting gameplan in
the form of variously ankle kicks and poke-sweeps. Also
keep in mind that Kenshi's two kicks from the Judo
stance (4,4) can hit the enemy from Face-Off distance
(although the added B+3 uppercut may whiff unless
you're really close).
Don't be afraid to mix up your fighting style moves with
the Mind Warp though as most people only anticpate
Kenshi players to only pull off the first 3 hits of his
combo arsenal. Thus, they may stop blocking after the third
hit, leaving themselves open if you managed to punch in
the remaining hits to the combo. Their only choice to stop
the Ginzu Warrior from hacking them up is a Breaker ... but
a smart Kenshi player will deviate from a defensive/offensive
style off and on during any given match, thus making the
enemy waste all three of his Breakers very quickly. Trust
me ... not having Breakers against a well-versed Kenshi
player can be a really depressive thing so here's to hoping
you've got life insurance and a healthy supply of Prozac
handy! ^_^
The only drawback to using Kenshi effectively is he does
have a medium-to-strong learning curve. In other words, he's
a very difficult player to use but once you've got him all
figured out, the rewards he'll bring you far outweigh all
the difficulties you may face in mastering him. Pound for
pound, Kenshi is probably the most balanced and reliable
fighter in Mortal Kombat: Deception with the uncanny
ability to fold his opponents as if they were a piece of
lawn furniture just as long as *YOU* have the hand-eye
cordination!
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(L) Change Log
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Version 1.0 -- First Release; must finish section (K) later.
Version 1.5 - Second Release; re-formatted the FAQ a bit
and added the total hits and damage percentage to the
style branching combos. Section K should show up in the
next release.
Version 2.0 - Third Release; added the Tips & Tricks
section as well as a 30%+ damange combo posted on
GameFaq's boards by SSJLee.
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Credits
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Midway for developing what Deadly Alliance should've been.
GameFAQs.Com for mirroring this FAQ.
