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Mastering Baraka: An Expert‘s Guide to Dominating with the Tarkatan Berserker in Mortal Kombat 1

Since being unleashed upon arcade cabinets in 1992, the Mortal Kombat franchise has been defined by its over-the-top violence, dark fantasy universe, and iconic cast of kombatants. Now nearly 30 years later, Mortal Kombat 1 aims to revolutionize the series for a new generation. Boasting a customized variation system, cinematic story mode, and revamped fighting engine, MK1 provides the bloodiest Mortal Kombat experience ever. However, beneath the cutting-edge presentation, classic characters like Baraka persist, bringing their distinct martial arts styles into the modern era.

As a leading fighting game content creator and commentator, I‘ve followed the Mortal Kombat series closely for over a decade. Across multiple games, Baraka has remained one of my personal favorites – a vicious rushdown beast capable of utterly overwhelming opponents once he gets in. Now with MK1‘s arrival on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, it‘s time to revisit the menacing Tarkatan warrior and explore his most optimal combos.

In this guide, we‘ll break down Baraka‘s core combo routes, analyzing how to maximize his damage potential in all situations. Whether you‘re a casual fan just starting out or a seasoned veteran aiming to compete, you‘ll find all the knowledge needed to master Baraka in MK1. Let‘s sharpen our blades and dive in!

A Bloody Legacy – Baraka‘s History in Mortal Kombat

To understand Baraka in MK1, we must first explore his decades-long history within the franchise. Baraka made his debut in Mortal Kombat II, establishing him as one of Shao Kahn‘s most loyal enforcers from the savage Tarkatan race. Wielding long blades extending from his arms, Baraka became an instantly recognizable icon with his fierce fighting style and terrifying visage.

Over a dozen mainstream Mortal Kombat games and appearances across all media, Baraka has cemented his reputation as Outworld‘s relentless foot soldier. As explored throughout the original Mortal Kombat trilogy, Baraka maintains absolute fealty towards Shao Kahn. His allegiance culminates in Mortal Kombat Gold, where Baraka willingly allows the Emperor to eat his brains and fuse with his body.

Baraka sat out several later MK games but triumphantly returned in Mortal Kombat 11 with an updated primal design. Once again, he lived up to his reputation for savagery through bone-cracking kombos and wince-inducing fatalities. Now in MK1, the Tarkatan juggernaut marches on, hungry to inflict carnage with his signature arm blades.

An Arsenal of Agony – Baraka‘s Core Moves and Playstyle

Before diving into combos, let‘s breakdown Baraka‘s core normal and special moves that form the foundation of his offense in MK1. As a ruthless berserker, Baraka specializes in oppressive high-pressure offense and overwhelming rushdown. Once he‘s up close, it‘s nearly impossible to escape his onslaught.

Command Normals

  • B1 – Quick Chop – 7 frame advancing mid, perfect for pressure strings
  • B3 – Tarkatan Stab – 9 frame low poke with great range
  • F4 – Double Slash – Advancing high string, launches on counter hit

Special Moves

  • Chop Chop (DB1) – Fast advancing mid attack, great combo/pressure tool
  • Blade Spin (BF1) – Multi-hit combo ender, can be amped for extra damage
  • Blade Charge (DF2) – Long-range charge, launches opponent for combos

Augmenting his base toolkit, Baraka also gains two customizable special move slots in MK1. Useful options include low and overhead blades (BF4/DF4), a parry (DB2), and command grab (BF2). Combined intelligently, these abilities allow Baraka to attack highs, lows, and both sides simultaneously – a mix-up nightmare!

Now equipped with an understanding of Baraka‘s core movelist, let‘s explore practical combos to maximize his damage potential.

Bread and Gore – Baraka‘s Fundamental Combos

Every skilled Baraka player needs a few simple and reliable combos to rely on in matches. I refer to these as "bread and butter" combos – they form the cornerstone of your offense. Let‘s review some fundamental options:

  • 1,2~BF1 – 7 hits, 22% damage

    • Baraka‘s go-to punish combo. Stand 1 to launch, Standing 2 to link, cancel into EX Blade Spin for the finisher.

  • B3~DB1 – 5 hits, 18% damage

    • Quick low poke cancelled into Chop Chop keeps opponents close.

  • F44~DF2 – 8 hits, 28% damage

    • F44 launches on counter hit for a juggle. Cancel into Blade Charge for midscreen damage.

  • B231, JIP 21~DB1 – 9 hits, 31% damage

    • Corner carry combo. OTG off the ground slam for extended damage.

While simple, these combos should be your default conversions from launchers and pokes. They provide strong reliable damage without difficult inputs. Now let‘s build on that foundation with more advanced routes.

Advanced Kombos – Optimizing Baraka‘s Damage

Once you‘ve mastered Baraka‘s fundamentals, it‘s time to maximize his damage output. The following advanced kombos require tighter execution but push Baraka‘s potential to the limit:

  • 21~DF2EX, B31, Dash 21~DF2 – 10 hits, 37%

    • Launch with EX Blade Charge, Chop Chop juggle, dash in for extended combo.

  • 21~DF2EX, B31, 21~DF2, JK~DB1 – 11 hits, 42%

    • Same start, end with jump kick into Chop Chop for corner carry.

  • F3, B31~BF3, 21~DF2 – 11 hits, 39%

    • Use F3‘s counter hit launch for big damage juggle combo.

  • JI2, 21~DF2EX, 21~DF2 – 8 hits, 36%

    • Anti-air opponent with JI2, juggle combo for optimal damage.

  • B31, JIP, B31~DB1 – 9 hits, 32%

    • Knockdown into jump punch pick up, switch sides with Chop Chop.

With strict timing, these advanced combos maximize every opportunity by extending juggles and increasing damage. Now let‘s discuss how Baraka can turn the tide instantly with his deadly fatal blows.

Fatal Destruction – Baraka‘s FB Combos

Introduced in MK11, fatal blows provide tremendous comeback potential when used intelligently. The following combos allow Baraka to cash out his FB attack for over 35% damage:

  • 21~FB – 11 hits, 38%

    • Simple FB punish combo. Launch into extended blades cancelled into fatal blow.

  • 21~DF2EX, FB – 12 hits, 43%

    • Boost damage by adding an EX special before the FB.

  • B31, FB – 11 hits, 37%

    • Counter hit low poke straight into fatal blow creates openings.

  • JI2, JIP, FB – 12 hits, 41%

    • Anti-air to juggle into fatal blow makes opponents hesitate to jump.

Saving fatal blow for the right moment can instantly swing a close match. Look for opportunities to unleash these devastating game-ending kombos.

Kustom Killer Instinct – Optimizing Baraka‘s Variations

A key strategic element added in MK11 and expanded in MK1 is the kustom variation system. This lets you tailor kombatants to your preferred playstyle by selecting from special moves, weapons, and other modifiers. For Baraka, certain abilities synergize extremely well together when krafting deadlier kustom loadouts.

Here are two vicious Baraka builds to try:

War Beast

  • Chop Chop (DB1) – Core combo/pressure tool
  • Spine Burst (BF4) – Fast overhead attack
  • Command Grab (BF2) – Grabs mid attacks for 50/50 mix-ups

Ruthless Aggression

  • Blade Charge (DF2) – Launcher for combos
  • Low Blade Slide (BF3) – Quick low poke with great range
  • Blade Parry (DB2) – Counters zoning and projectiles

Leverage these tailored loadouts to enhance Baraka‘s offense, defense, and kombos. Experiment to find your own perfect kustom kreations!

Matchup Mastery – Fighting the Kompetition

Now equipped with kombos optimized for any situation, let‘s discuss how Baraka stacks up against MK1‘s diverse cast of kombatants. A key part of mastery is understanding matchups – capitalizing on advantages against certain opponents while navigating disadvantaged fights.

Strong Matchups

  • Jax – Baraka outranges Jax and can exploit his slowness. Use low pokes and command grab mix-ups.

  • Kotal Kahn – Baraka can bypass Kotal‘s defense with armored and low-hitting specials.

  • Shang Tsung – Rushdown beats zoning. Get in Tsung‘s face and don‘t let up.

Bad Matchups

  • Sonya – Her quick advancing normals can interrupt Baraka‘s slower attacks. Play a patient neutral game.

  • Geras – Geras outranges Baraka up close and can escape pressure with sand traps. Use interactables to get in.

  • Raiden – Bait and punish teleports. Save fatal blow to counter his zone-breaking fatal.

Truly mastering Baraka means tailoring your gameplan opponent to opponent. Apply the combos and strategies outlined in this guide to overcome any adversary.

Conclusion – Wreak Havoc with the Renegade Tarkatan

Thanks for joining me on this in-depth exploration of Baraka‘s lethal kombos and kustomizations. Whether you enjoy casually smashing faces in the story mode or competing intensely online, the insight provided empowers you to maximize Baraka‘s potential. Now get out there, unleash the beast within, and slice the kompetition to bloody ribbons!

If you enjoyed this breakdown, feel free to check out my similar guides for other members of the MK1 kast such as Raiden, Skarlet, and newcomer Geras. I‘ll see you at the next Mortal Kombat tournament – long live Baraka!

Sources:

  • Mortal Kombat official character bios
  • Frame data from dustloop.com and own analysis
  • Combos from Tournament footage and personal experience
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