Mortal Kombat 1 General Shao Guide – MK1 Move List and Best Combos

Want a guide to General Shao in Mortal Kombat 1? This menacing character has had his backstory drastically altered in the reborn Mortal Kombat universe. While he is still from Outworld, Shao Kahn is no longer its ruler. General Shao serves under empress Sindel and is no longer married to her. Despite this tweak, he’s still got the might to knock out any enemy in combat.

His greataxe gives General Shao some solid combos and special moves. Here are the other characters in our Mortal Kombat 1 roster tier list. And here’s how to enhance special moves in Mortal Kombat 1.

Mortal Kombat 1 General Shao Guide

This guide will help you understand General Shao’s powerful move list and the best combos to string together. Fire god Liu Kang recruits heroes like Smoke, Kenshi, Johnny Cage, Kung Lao, and Raiden to take part in another Outworld tournament. So expect to see them face off against General Shao in Story Mode. Note that you can extend combos with Kameo fighters, an addition to the new fighting system in MK1. Here’s how to unlock all Kameo fighters in Mortal Kombat 1. This includes notable returns like Shujinko and Motaro.

The rulers of Outworld trailer gave us a better understanding of General Shao and how these changes ripple across the realms. Mileena and Kitana aren’t his daughters this time. You’ll also get to see new stories for characters like Scorpion, Ashrah, Reptile, and Li Mei. Before you check out all of General Shao’s moves, here’s a handy chart that will let you understand this irrespective of which platform you’re on:

Notation	Attack	PlayStation	Xbox	Nintendo Switch	PC
1	Front Punch	Square	X	Y	J
2	Back Punch	Triangle	Y	X	I
3	Front Kick	Cross	A	B	K
4	Back Kick	Circle	B	A	L

General Shao Move List

The latest iteration of the MK franchise refines its foundation but doesn’t tinker too much with what previous games got right. Moves in Mortal Kombat 1 can be classified into the following:

• Basic Attacks
• Aerial Attacks
• Throws
• Special Moves
• Fatal Blow
• Fatalities
• Brutalities

General Shao Basic Attacks

You’ll use basic attacks to start, extend, and end combos in MK1. Here are all of General Shao’s basic attacks in Mortal Kombat 1:

• Mighty Hook: Front Punch
• Fury Strikes: Front Punch, Back Punch
• For The Jugular: Back + Front Punch
• Axe Splitter: Back + Front Punch, Back Punch
• Felling Blow: Forward + Front Punch
• Strength Overwhelming: Back + Front Punch, Back Punch
• Direct Orders: Back + Front Punch, Back Punch, Back Punch
• Low Blow: Down + Front Punch
• Long Arm: Back Punch
• Forward March: Back Punch, Back Punch
• Glory In Kombat: Back Punch, Back Punch, Back Punch
• Make Way: Back + Back Punch
• Splitting Headache: Forward + Back Punch
• You’re Weak: Forward + Back Punch, Front Punch + Front Kick
• Axe-Cuse Me: Down + Back Punch
• Big Leg: Front Kick
• Beneath Me: Back + Front Kick
• Dive And Konquer: Back + Front Kick, Front Punch + Front Kick
• Widow Breaker: Back + Front Kick, Back Punch
• Harmstring: Down + Front Kick
• You Suck: Back Kick
• Timbeeeeer!: Back + Back Kick
• Battering Ram: Forward + Back Kick
• Ankle Slicing: Down + Back Kick

General Shao can throw his greataxe but he still has attacks without it. You can use the following without an axe as General Shao in MK1:

• Might Hook: Front Punch
• Hammerfist: Front Punch, Back Punch
• Upchuck: Back + Front Punch
• Barnaroc Intent: Front Punch
• Savage Strikes: Back Punch, Back Punch
• Run Over: Back Punch, Back Punch, Back Kick
• Raising Stakes: Back + Front Punch
• Double Axe Handle: Forward + Front Punch
• Settled Dispute: Down + Front Punch
• Beneath Me: Back + Front Kick
• Haymaker: Back + Front Kick, Back Punch
• General Shao’s Kickin’: Back + Front Kick
• Battering Ram: Forward + Back Kick
• Odd Kick: Down + Back Kick

General Shao Aerial Attacks

With Mortal Kombat 1’s focus on aerial combat, keep track of how to send opponents airborn and keep them there. Here are General Shao’s aerial attacks in MK1:

• Strong Axe: Forward + Up + Front Punch
• Bending Slash: Forward + Up + Front Punch, Back Punch
• Clamping Down: Forward + Up + Front Punch, Back Punch, Back Punch
• Superiority Komplex: Forward + Up + Back Punch
• Timber?: Forward + Up + Back Punch, Back Punch
• Kombat Maneuver: Forward + Up + Front Kick or Back Kick

And here are the aerial attacks that General Shao can do without his axe in Mortal Kombat 1:

• Strong Arm: Forward + Up + Front Punch
• Bending Slap: Forward + Up + Front Punch, Back Punch
• Superior Komplex: Forward + Up + Front Punch, Back Punch, Back Punch
• Stiffed: Forward + Up + Back Punch
• Kombat Technique: Forward + Up + Back Punch, Back Punch

General Shao Throws

Here are General Shao’s throws in Mortal Kombat 1:

• Shove: Forward + Throw or Forward + Front Punch + Front Kick
• Might Makes Right: Throw or Front Punch + Front Kick

General Shao Breakers and Taunts

A Kombo Breaker lets you break enemy combos with three charges of your Super Meter. Taunts let you distract your enemies, prompting them to mess up. Here are General Shao’s Breakers and Taunts:

• Kombo Breaker: Forward + Block
• Taunts: Down, Down, Down, Down

General Shao Special Moves

The greataxe lets General Shao wreak havoc in combat. He can also throw it to deal massive damage. Here are General Shao’s special moves in Mortal Kombat 1:

• Dark Energy: Down, Forward, Front Punch
• Devastator: Down, Back, Front Kick
• Death Quake: Down, Back, Back Kick
• Power Strike: Down, Forward, Back Kick
• Axe Recall: Down, Forward, Back Kick

And here are the special moves that General Shao has access to without his greataxe in MK1:

• Klassic Kahn: Down, Back, Front Kick
• Reverse Treechopper: Down, Forward, Back Punch
• Reverse X2 Treechopper: Hold Back
• Tree Chopper: Down, Forward, Front Punch
• Axe Quake: Down, Back, Back Kick

General Shao Fatal Blow

Here’s General Shao’s Fatal Blow move that can be triggered at low health:

• War God: Flip Stance + Block

General Shao Fatalities

Each MK1 character has two fatalities so far. Here’s how to unlock fatalities in Mortal Kombat 1. These finishers are the gory spectacles that celebrate this franchise’s penchant for violence. Here are General Shao’s fatalities in MK1:

• Spin Cycle: Back, Forward, Down, Front Punch
• Second Fatality: Down, Forward, Back, Front Punch

General Shao Brutalities

Here’s how to unlock and do a brutality in Mortal Kombat 1. Initially, players will only be able to do a single type of brutality. As you progress forward, you will unlock new brutalities for characters. Here are Liu Kang’s brutalities in Mortal Kombat 1:

• The Klassic: Down + Back Punch

Best combos for General Shao in Mortal Kombat 1

Here are the best combos to make the most of General Shao in MK1:

• Felling Blow is a good starter that can be used to start combos or maintain area control. Note that his mids are rather slow, making quicker opponents a challenge.
• Devastator is a neat special move that can be used as a launcher if you enhance the move by pressing Block at the end. This is particularly effective in a corner.
• While General Shao doesn’t have great launchers, Kameos can assist him in this. We recommend Sareena, Frost, Sub-Zero, and Motaro for this purpose.

That covers how to play General Shao in Mortal Kombat 1. Our Mortal Kombat 1 review praised the game’s meaty combat system that refines the systems of NetherRealm Studios’ earlier titles. If you’re just getting into the game’s combat, here are some neat Mortal Kombat 1 tips and tricks. 

Players looking to test god powers from the Keeper of Time instead could consider our Mortal Kombat 1 Liu Kang guide. Expect new story arcs and motivations from familiar faces like Quan Chi, Shang Tsung, Havik, and Rain. The game is out on PC, PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

Is Shao Kahn going to be in mk1?

Yes, General Shao is playable in MK1.

Who is General Shao mk1?

General Shao is a reimagined Shao Kahn in MK1.