********************************************************** MORTAL KOMBAT: DECEPTION (PS2/X-Box) Kenshi Character FAQ By Jason "PsychoSy" Sizemore (psychosy@hotmail.com) ********************************************************** ********************************************************** KONTENTS ********************************************************** (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 *********** (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. **************** (B) Kenshi's History **************** 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. ****************** (C) Current Kenshi BIO ****************** 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. ***************** (D) SPECIAL MOVES ***************** 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) = Belly-to-Back Suplex ******************** (E) TAI CHI (Basics) ******************** 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 **************** TAI CHI (Combos) **************** 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) ***************** (F) JUDO (Basics) ***************** 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) **************** JUDO (Combos) **************** 4,4,3 - Groundwork 4,4 - Shinny Kicks 4,4,B+2 - Metal Fury (Pop-Up) ************************* (G) KATANA BLADE (Basics) ************************* 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) ********************* KATANA BLADE (Combos) ********************* 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 ******************** (H) FATALITY!! ******************** "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 *************************** (I) STYLE BRANCHING (Basic) *************************** 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 **************************************** (J) ALRIGHT -- TIME TO SLICE AND DICE!! **************************************** -- 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?!? ^_^ ************************ (K) Strategies & Tips ************************ 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! ************************ (L) Change Log ************************ 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. ************************ Credits ************************ Midway for developing what Deadly Alliance should've been. GameFAQs.Com for mirroring this FAQ.