Fun thread — it’s challenging and interesting to limit yourself.

1. Scorpion: I’m not his biggest fan, but as the icon of the series, you must include him.

2. Sub-Zero: As above.

3. Zombie Liu Kang: I went back and forth on this one, but I went with this being a stand-alone release, and I think an evil and fallen Liu Kang can play like Liu Kang and be interesting. I think fans familiar enough with MK would be intrigued by the series’ protagonist being undead and “cooler.”

4. Cassie Cage: You’re going to need a protagonist. Cassie is interesting enough (I know some will debate this), and her parents could be killed or something. Sets up a fatalistic story for her. She’s in the Sonya Blade/Johnny Cage role.

5. Kitana: A major part of the series, and I think she could step into another major protagonist role. She could be Liu Kang’s adversary and maybe a mentor for Cassie and some other heroes.

6. Mileena: I think she’d be a cool inclusion as a rival for Kitana. You’ve got the Sub-Zero/Scorpion dynamic with them.

7. Jacqui: A lot of people will hate this, but in my storyline she goes insane and kills her father, Sonya, Johnny Cage and Takeda. She could use a lot of Jax’s power moves. Sets her up to be something for Cassie to take down.

8. Erron Black: I just think he’s cool, alright?

I had Raiden and Quan Chi in my initial list. Raider is super-iconic, but I kind of might toggle with the idea of having this be about his death and their being little hope for good. I kind of had it “set out of time,” so you can tell the Sub-Zero/Quan Chi/Scorpion story again, but Iet’s move forward with:

9. Selphina: I’ve had this name in mind for a new sorceress character for years. She can bring the “black magic” element to the game. Fights using a staff and is canonically very powerful.

10. A New Human Crime Lord: I always liked the Mavado/Red Dragon stuff. I think Earthrealm needs some baddies. This character could be connected to and replace Kano some way.

11. A Masked Character That Uses Blades: I guess a next generation substitute for Baraka. They would play differently though — a more elegant fighter. No one really knows who they are or what their agenda initially is.

I’m running out of new character ideas, but I’d probably try to get some more in there. But I guess you can just do Raiden and some other favorites, and replace my new ones with your Quan Chis and Barakas.

I didn’t expect to get shy of 16.

Kintaro and Moloch as sub-bosses.

Shao Kahn as final boss.

No idiotic guest characters.

• Reptile
• Human Smoke/Enenra
• Raiden
• Liu Kang
• Kitana
• Sareena
• Shang Tsung
• Reiko
• Scorpion
• Sub Zero
• Havik
• Noob Saibot
• Mileena
• Khameleon
• Fujin
• Frost
• New Sub Boss
• Shao Kahn Final Boss

1. Scorpion

2. Sub-Zero

3. Raiden

4. Kitana

5. Mileena

6. Sektor

7. Smoke

8. Fujin

9. Tanya

10. Quan Chi

11. Mavado

12. Kenshi

13. Bo' Rai Cho

14. Hotaru

15. New Character (male)

16. New Character (female)

Sub-Boss: Moloch

Boss: Liu Kang

Hm... this is a real challenge

• Scorpion
• Sub Zero
• Raiden
• D'Vorah
• Kotal
• Mileena
• Jade
• Fujin
• Sektor
• Shang Tsung
• Reptile
• Kenshi
• Sindel
• Noob
• Nitara

Yeah quite challenging indeed, but especially to balance between the type of characters. I see plenty of rosters with the mains from trilogy, ninja / palette swaps etc. I know NRS has a bigger roster, but I think we need to cut them a little slack. This is my point of this thread as well. They at least try to make characters who were kind of plain like Skarlet and Jade as in ninjas with copied moves to real fleshed out characters who can hold their own.

1) Scorpion (Fire based character)

2) Sub-Zero (Ice based Character)

3) Sareena (Demonic powers)

4) Fujin (Wind God)

5) Kung-Lao (Slice 'N' Dice Character)

6) Jade (Stealthy Assasin)

7) Rain (Water based character)

8) Takeda (Pretty unique gameplay)

9) Erron Black (Gun shootin' Cowboy)

10) Li Mei (Speedy Magical Character)

11) Shang Tsung (Shape-shifter)

12) Skarlet (Blood magic)

UNLOCKABLE SECRET CHARACTERS

13) Reptile (Acid based character, animalistic)

14) Khameleon (Elusive, animalistic)

15) Havik (Sub-Boss) Savage, aggressive, nasty and chaotic.

16) Nitara (Boss) Blood Queen, Savage and animalistic but also powerful.

And because I cannot follow instructions- SORRY!

DLC 1

17) Liu Kang

18) Kitana

19) Mileena

20) Reiko

DLC 2

21) Sonya Blade

22) Raiden

23) Noob Saibot

24) Tanya

From MK1:

1.Liu Kang - iconic character, protagonist, traditional kung fu, Bruce Lee- inspired character.

2.Sonya- iconic character, stong female, brings modern fighting and gadgets.

3.Raiden - iconic character, major story driving force.

4.Johnny Cage - Iconic character, important story role, comic relief.

5.Scorpion- series mascot

6.Sub-Zero- iconic character, interesting specials and story.

From MK2:

7. Kitana- major character from other realm, interesting moves and story.

8.Shang Tsung- fun villainous character, potential to be smart, menacing, and traitorous threat.

9.Kung Lao- secondary protagonist, interesting move gimmick (hat), iconic character.

From MK3/UMK3:

10. Cyrax- cool design, interesting character progression, introduces more modern, sci-fi, technology.

From MK4:

11. Fujin -long requested by fans.

From Deadly Alliance:

12. Li Mei- long requested by fans, representative from other realm, potential for rags-to-riches story.

From Deception

13. Ashrah- cool design and story. Netherrealm representation.

From MKX:

14. Cassie Cage -new generation protagonist

New characters:

15. Geras- time bending and earth-related character

16. New character- villainous/wild card

Unplayable Boss: Shao Kahn

Unplayable Sub-Boss: Goro

(The playable good guys)

1) Raiden

2) Sub-Zero

3) Johnny Cage

4) Sonya Blade

5) Jax

6) Kenshi

7) Kitana

8) Liu Kang

(The playable bad guys)

9) Kano

10) Kabal

11) Mileena

12) Baraka

13) Reptile

14) Shang Tsung

15) Reiko

16) Scorpion

(Hidden NPC fights)

Quan Chi

Sareena

Havik

The story would be a what if story focusing on Shao Kahn and his army invading Earthrealm.

1.Sub zero

2.scorpion

3.kung lao

4.raiden

5.noob saibot

6.kabal

7.ermac

8.smoke

9.cyrax

10.takeda

11.baraka

12.havik

13.Quan chi

14.Rain

15.tremor

16.Jade

This is a GREAT list! When it gets to the 3D era, I’d probably include Quan Chi, Kenshi and Havik from 4, 5 and 6, but that’s subjective stuff and the Fujin being requested point is sound. It’d be great to sneak Erron Black in somehow. Maybe if MK11 was left out of contention? I think there are plenty of alternates for Cyrax too. As much as MK3 basically defined my childhood, I wonder if just including metal arm Jax is enough modern influence?

I think the reasoning behind this is excellent though.

The 16 Characters I would Choose would be;

1. Scorpion

2. Sub-Zero

3. Raiden

4. Kotal Kahn

5. D'Vorah

6. Erron Black

7. Cassie Cage

8. Sektor

9. Mileena

10. Skarlet

11. Rain

12. Kai

13. Kenshi

14. Takeda

15. Reiko

16. Shang Tsung

This is a very good idea for a thread, as it's difficult to narrow it down to 16. I admit mine could be more diverse (if I could add one more, it'd be a cyborg) but I tried to come up with something fun and interesting that I could also base a story around.

And if NRS made a 16-slot roster, here's what you'd get. ;)

I'd just come up with a separate chapter, with its own characters; telling a new story that details other aspects of the MKU that are usually only briefly mentioned or unexplored. Something that takes place on the outer edges of normal storylines, in the peripheral. I'd introduce a bunch of new characters, and add some more obscure ones, and a couple of staples.

01. Lifen (an original 'good' female character from Outworld that I came up with)
02. Zumurrud (Lifen's tormented sister who's part cybernetic)
03. Buyakko (a young male Tigrar Shokan with white fur who grows up in Earthrealm and is therefor 'good')
04. Shang Tsung (not in his young form, but ancient looking)
05. Yeren (original character based off of Big trouble in Little China's "Chinese wildman", a monster character)
06. Iorogomu or Io (original character; hybrid with a female upper body and a spider's lower half)
07. Mureene (original character; female Tarkatan who was used by Tsung to create Mileena)
08. Batzorig/Karbrac (new male Tarkatan)
09. Shr Lin (founder of the Lin Kuei: possibly a Cryomancer and ancestor to Kuai Liang and Bi Han)
10. Yuudai (based on the concept art for Deadly Alliance's "The Undead General", ghost samurai type)
11. Grum (based on the MK comics; a giant, six-armed Shokan, minus the nunchucks)
12. Nitara (somewhat redesigned)
13. Mavado
14. Kenshi
15. Cassandra Cage
16. Jacqueline Briggs (redesigned and reinterpreted)

I'd leave Scorpion and Sub-Zero out, which will never happen.

My ideal small roster would probably be-

1. Kung Lao

2. Mileena

3. Kenshi

4. Liu Kang

5. Scorpion

6. Sub-Zero

7. Jade

8. Raiden

9. Shao Kahn

10. Quan Chi

11. Motaro

12. Kitana

13. Rain

14. Mavado (Might seem like a bit of a random pick, but I just really like his cape. It'd be cool to see what NR could do with him)

15. Havik

16. Onaga

1. Scorpion

2. Sub-zero

3. Raiden

4. Liu Kang

5. Johnny Cage

6.Jax

7.Sonya Blade

8. Reptile

9. Kitana

10. Goro

11.Havik

12. Minleena

13 Jade

14 Smoke

15. ermac

16.Bakara

Reptile

Kung Lao

Kitana

Quan Chi

Sektor

Tanya

Nightwolf

Kenshi

Sindel

Jax

Kotal Kahn

Cetrion

Drahmin

Taven

Motaro

Shinnok

Interesting topic.

1. Scorpion

2. Sub-Zero

3. Kung-Lao

4. Fujin

5. Liu-Kang

6. D'Vorah

7. Kotal Kahn

8. Li-Mei

9. Cassie Cage

10. Skarlet

11. Reiko

12. Hotaru

13. Ashrah

14. Baraka

15. Quan Chi

16. Daegon

Boss: Onaga the Dragon King (unplayable)

Sub Boss: Geras (playable)

1. Reptile

2. Khameleon

3. Goro

4. Quan Chi

5. Raiden

6. Fujin

7. Kai

8. Liu Kang

9. Kitana

10. Scorpion

11. Sub-Zero

12. Johnny Cage

13. Sonya Blade

14. Kia

15. Jataaka

16. Sareena

I Like This Roster Just Replace Sonya With Shang Tsung and Kotal Kahn with Shao Kahn I Think It would Work Welll With MK12's Story. Divorah Being Quan Chi's Spy Maybe Ther is a 2nd part Story DLC with Frost Shinnok and Quan Chi as DLC Where Divorah Makes a deal with Frost or Kano (The Black Dragon) to Rez Quan Chi and Shinnok as Cyborg's with free will.