She is a vampiress with impressive wings, which may give us an idea of what to expect from this character in MK1 matches. Lore-wise, Nitara fights for freedom of her realm Vaeternus. In terms of fighting style, she is rushdown, with quick movements, strong aerial game, and high damaging combos.
It’s not your beginner-friendly character, though — a lot due to having different properties for Special Moves, depending on the usage of her Blood Sacrifice ability. Also, her quick movement is risky and can be punished.
Nitara is quite good at close range, but the zoning game may cause some trouble for her. She can use her extremely quick air dash to close the gap and jump to her best offensive distance. Also, air dash is a tool to open up an opponent (for example, with a quick overhead) or be safe from mid-range moves (back air dash).
It’s important to be cautious with Nitara, as she has glass cannon features: deals a lot of damage but can be quite easily destroyed. The same advantage of quick air movement may lead to getting hit if you are careless with air dash at close range (an opponent can use their anti-air attacks).
MK1 Command Inputs
Short Name
MK Move
Xbox
PC
Switch
PC
F
Forward
B
Backward
U
Up
D
Down
1
Front Punch
X
Square
Y
J
2
Back Punch
Y
Triangle
X
I
3
Front Kick
A
Cross
B
K
4
Back Kick
B
Circle
A
L
L1
Grab
LB
L1
L Switch
Space
R1
Amplify Move
RB
R1
R Switch
;
Swipe
Best Buttons and Strings
Normals of Nitara are quick and effective. She has many excellent buttons.
Quick air movement is a significant part of her neutral game, as she can rush onto an opponent and open them up with an overhead. Nitara has a dive kick to make such attacks unpredictable.
Air dash can be combined with directional input: U/F/B/D L2.
1, 2 — it’s a very quick jab with only 7 frames of start-up. A nice thing about it is that you can continue by repeating the same string: 12, 12.
2, 2, 1 is a bit slower, but it also launches an opponent and can be followed by the Special move Quick Taste.
F12 should be used in combination with projectile assists (like Sareena’s back assist) to get a hit confirm, for example, 12.
In the air, you can press 2 to rush forward or DB4 for a dive kick. The dive kick is quite important for Nitara, as it leaves the character strongly plus, so it’s a good way to end your combos and be safe.
B2 is an overhead hit that keeps Nitara airborne, so you can add forward air dash after it and then continue with 12. B24 can be a string after B2, or you can make it with the dive kick B2, DB4. Similar options may come after her kick, 3.
Nitara’s overheads are somewhat slow and therefore reactable. Her tool against that is throw, so you should be ready to add it when an opponent blocks your attacks effectively.
1, 2, 4 (in the air) — it’s a good air-string. Nitara lands an overhead hit.
2, 4, 2 (in the air)— this is another version of an overhead air-string. Both 1, 2, 4 and 2, 4, 2 can be added after the basic ground jab 1, 2, 1, 2. An opponent will be launched so you can continue in the air.
B4 is a nice sweep with movement forward, so Nitara approaches an opponent and starts her offense.
Best Specials of Nitara in Mortal Kombat 1
Nitara’s Special moveset changes with Blood Sacrifice.
Blood Sacrifice, DF4 — Nitara loses 5% of her health on activating this Special, but then, she consumes the health of her opponent. Blood Sacrifice gives her access to the projectile Bloody Bolt, BF3.
Quick Taste, BF2 — it’s a long-reaching attack that is unsafe on block but can be comboable in the EX version, launching the victim. To land Quick Taste itself, you can add it to your air strings, 1, 2, 4 or 2, 4, 2. With Blood Sacrifice active, Quick Taste can heal Nitara.
Bad Blood, BF1 is kind of a substitute for a projectile. It reaches far, and it’s one of a few zoning tools of Nitara. If Blood Sacrifice is active, Bad Blood deals damage over time.
Nitara has a safe way to land her Fatal Blow — after the air string 1, 2, 4.
Nitara’s Gameplan in MK1
Nitara has to approach an opponent pretty quickly and start oppressing them with normals, such as the 12, 12 and 221 strings. Her goal is to launch an opponent and start air-strings — they lead to Quick Taste and big damage.
She has to be careful with mid-range tools of her opponents, and be ready to react to them with her back air dash.
In general, her air movement is a method to mix and avoid hits.
Best Kameos for Nitara in MK1
One of the obvious disadvantages of Nitara’s moveset is the lack of good zoning tools (without using Blood Sacrifice).
Sareena can help with zoning thanks to her forward assist, which is a good projectile. With the back assist, Sareena throws two projectiles and lands two four hits (they shoot forward and backward) — it allows Nitara to combo safely, even from neutral to Quick Taste.
Nitara players will also benefit from using Jaxx Briggs, Kung Lao, Sub-Zero, and Shujinko assists.
Nitara is a very quick character that can be super threatening in the air. She has good tools to open an opponent up at a close range, launch them, and then continue with her air strings and Specials.
The speed of air movement is an advantage for this character. But it makes Nitara vulnerable to counter-hits at close range — if the player is not cautious. When Nitara is caught with a hit, she loses her health very quickly.
Mid- and long-range attacks are dangerous for Nitara. Matchups with such opponents are her weakness. To compensate for it, you should master Blood Sacrifice, which allows you to use a projectile. And you should take a kameo with long-range attacks.
Playing Nitara requires a quick reaction to avoid getting hit. Her rushdown style is risky, and to benefit from it, you should take enough time for training.
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