Despite his long history in the series, Rain was nowhere to be found in Mortal Kombat 11's base roster. The release of Shang Tsung in the MK11 Kombat Pack 1 brought Rain back, just not in the way players had hoped. The sorcerer could transform into Rain and use his Super Roundhouse kick. Long time fans were no doubt pleased that the Prince of Edenia returned in full force with the launch of Ultimate and Kombat Pack 2 DLC. Now that he has asserted his climatological dominance over the competition for a few months, Competition Center casters Ketchup and Mustard have issued a beginner’s guide for how to play Rain. Let's learn more about the character's lore, tier list placement, and Kustom Variations.
Character Overview
Rain made his Mortal Kombat debut in Mortal Kombat 3 Ultimate as a red herring inserted by the developers (Ed Boon is a huge Prince fan, hence the “Purple Rain” parallels). He became playable in Mortal Kombat Trilogy, introduced as a half-god with control of lightning, water, and a nifty katar blade, making him a powerful foe in an already fantastical world. Rain’s status as a deity is further on display in Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, via his ability to cast Shocking Bolts, issue mind control orbs, and open up portals that serve as teleports or projectiles. His skill set is complimented by water-based attacks like Water Ball (a trap and space-closing move), Geyser Palm (anti-air defense), and Hydro Boost (an elevating move that when amplified can open up combo opportunities).
Since Rain has only been active for two months, many players are still labbing him in the tournament circuit. Rain has yet to secure any major tournament wins, although the community believes he is one of the strongest characters in the game, with EventHub placing the character in 5th place out of 37 overall on the MK11 tier list. This is a 6% increase over the last month, meaning that players are swiftly getting a handle on Rain’s playstyle in context with the rest of the roster.
A recent Mortal Kombat Reddit post collected feedback on the character so far, with many comments noting that his combo-extending capabilities are the highlight of his design (not to mention his overall aesthetic). Some troubling spots come with his higher learning curve, shorter range, and difficulty against zoners. In the hands of a skilled player, however, Rain can prove to be a formidable opponent (as seen on display by Ninjakilla below).
Rain Kustom Variation Picks
Rain is generally a rushdown character, reliant on hit-and-run strategy and good variation picks to help build combo strings. When creating a custom variation, it’s important to consider how you want to extend combos by choosing the best moves based on your playstyle. Ketchup and Mustard’s guide focuses on the pros’ most common special moves and their overall impact on the meta so far.
| Katar Toss | ← → △ | Fast standalone projectile, can be a mid when amplified |
| Geyser Kick | ← → ○ | Repositions opponent on hit, lands full combo when amplified |
| Argus Plunge | ← → × | Charge attack with extra damage on amplify (Crushing blow/armor break) |
| Hydro Boost | ← → ○ | Replacement for Geyser Kick, increased air attack pressure |
| Water Ball | ← → △ | Replacement for Katar Toss, increases directionals and damage |
| Tidal Wave | ↓ ← × | Pushback on amplify, mixup option for close-range attacks |
| Geyser Palm | ↓ ← × | One slot equip option for confirmable combo strings |
Whichever way you go with your Kustom build, you’re bound to find a combo that feels quick and natural to you, though it may take a few trial runs to get down. With Rain’s stocks on the rise, now is the best time to get to know the Prince of Edenia and enter the next Open Series event to show him off to the world.