Newcomer to the Mortal Kombat series is Geras, and the character has turned out to be a monster of an opponent. The following is going to be a succinct guide to learning the fundamental points for you to build your own Geras skillset.

In general, Geras is a powerhouse with some of the most damaging attacks in the game. In addition, he has numerous strings that can be safely thrown into blocks without the risk of being punished, and many can be cancelled into a special move. If done properly your opponent will never know what is coming and be forced into guessing how the combo is going to end, letting you play mind games while you also thrash them around. Combined with his ability to manipulate time, a variety of excellent throws, and one of the better fatal blows in the game, he is currently one of the most powerful fighters, and as such, a prime candidate for a nerf in the future.

Even if Geras is nerfed at some point, it would take a drastic balance update to remove him from being a top-tier character. We will be covering mainly his tournament variation “The Infinite Warden” in case you want to start prepping for some big-time competition.

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Special Moves To Consider

Sand Simulacrum is useful for a number of reasons. First, teleports and mobility in general are an essential part of professional play. The ability to not be zoned out is crucial, and Geras is particularly strong against opponents who think that spamming projectiles is the best way to play. When used to counter a projectile this move can transition into a crushing blow, dealing nearly a third of their life total as damage.

Shoulder charge is a great mid attack that moves quickly and closes the distance, and as such is the perfect counter for whiff punishing. How often you do so will entirely depend on your opponent, but it is essential to remind them not to make mistakes and can shatter their confidence if you do call them on their errors.

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Playstyle And Infinite Warden Variations

Geras’ command grab is replaced by the choke in this tournament legal variation. Watch this clip here to see how well Geras can corner carry, which we will again see below in watching pro tournament play. Notice how Geras in this form lacks his command grab as well as switch ups compared to other characters, but his overall power level and ability to corner carry more than make up for these other shortfalls.

When the opportunity presents itself, his jump in body splash has a generous hit box, allowing flexibility for when you choose to use it. D + 4 is a good low attack, because it is quick, generally unexpected, and has a good range. 4,2,1,2 is a useful string to employ often, with the initial mid hit clocking in at only 11 frames. This is quicker than some characters, but not all, but it is still a great starting point to learn.

Now watch two of the best players in the world use Geras in an Infinite Warden mirror match. Watch how well they position themselves up close, and how easily they can close the gap with their teleport.

Watching the pros play Geras reveals exactly why the character is so powerful, and again, why he may be ripe for a nerf in the near future. In particular, watch this round and notice how Sonicfox so brutally dominates the round. What changed between the two rounds? Quite simply, Sonicfox demonstrated his superior knowledge of the character and of his opponent, meaning that he knew virtually exactly how to counter every attack, and follow up on every one of his own.

This may seem like an obvious point, but some characters in this game, like Kotal Kahn, are so weak right now that their entire play style is to watch their opponent carefully and look for either repetitive movements or whiffs to punish. Learning to fundamentally understand what your opponent is likely to do while also commanding one of the most powerful characters in the game can make you a force to be reckoned with.

With these fundamental skills practiced until they feel like second nature to you as a player, one can begin looking at more complex strings and combos to really start unlocking Geras’ brutal potential. Check out KeenofKeenz’s tutorial on breaking down these more complex combos in greater detail.

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