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InMortal Kombat 1, taunts are mocking moves that players use to provoke or instill fear in their opponents. While they have been present in the franchise before, taunts have undergone slight changes inMK1, leaving players curious about the process of teasing.
In contrast toMortal Kombat 11, where mocking animations were primarily Kosmetic items, they have now become an integral part of a Kombatants’ default moveset, enabling in-game provocation. This guide aims to clarify these recent changes, offeringinstructions on performing a tauntand providing tips for unlocking new ones.
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How to Do a Taunt
To taunt the opponent inMortal Kombat 1, players will need topress down four times. On the controller, this can be done using both the D-pad and the left joystick. On PC, players can tease the enemy bypressing the D or down arrow key. Essentially, teabagging results in a taunt.
When Should You Taunt?
Since provocations are not cancelable moves, players should tauntwhen certain the opponent won’t attack. Otherwise, they risk being vulnerable to grabs and Kounters for a minimum of three seconds. The optimal moment to tease is right before executing a Fatality, even though this may eliminatethe opportunity for a Fatality.
How to Unlock New Taunts
Master Ranks grants MK1 players access to additional mocking moves, and to acquire new taunts, players mustlevel up their characters. When reachingMaster Ranks4, 8, 12, 17, 22, 26, and 29, players unlock fresh taunts that are added to the character’s move list.
By default, each Kombatant comes with up to four teases. However, players can get seven more animations through the Mastery Ranks, increasing the total number of mocks to 10-11.
Taunting Frame Data
Considering thatMK1’s cutscenes are locked at 30 FPS, doing a taunt will take at least 90 frames. On average, mocking animations are 3 seconds long, giving the opponent a good chunk of invincible frames—which can go as high as 180 frames.
To minimize risk, it is generally advisable to avoid taunting unless the player is confident in the outcome. Mocking moves should only be performed when the enemy is stunned or positioned on the opposite side of the arena.
Nitara has some of the shortest basic taunts, making her a good option for risk-free mocking.
Mortal Kombat 1is available now for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
