You've Been Playing Sheeva In Mortal Kombat 11 All Wrong

Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath expands on the already head-spinning MK11 story with a new narrative where enemies become allies, allies become enemies, and the space-time continuum slowly morphs into a patchwork quilt. More importantly, the expansion brings three new playable faces to the Mortal Kombat 11 roster: the wind god Fujin, Robocop, and the queen of the Shokan, Sheeva.

Given the popularity of Shokan thanks to characters like Goro (and rumors that he was playable as early as the first game), Sheeva is Aftermath's standout addition, and you probably want to know how to wail on opponents with her four fists and bladed shield. She's not the most difficult of characters to master, but odds are good you aren't using her entire library of moves to their fullest potential. So, here's a few tips and tricks to help you unleash your inner Shokan.

Sheeva has quite a few impressive and bone-crushing special moves, and one of the most visually impressive is the Dragon Drop. What better way to pound enemies into the ground than leaping into the air and having 500 pounds of Shokan sinew land on their spines? And, Dragon Drop is completely unblockable, which means opponents who stand their ground will end up with Sheeva's footprints where their backs should be, especially if you land three drops in a row. Unless, of course, you spam the move.

Now, Dragon Drop is difficult for opponents to predict, but repetition breeds fast learning. If you use the move too much, they will quickly learn to dodge out of the way and punish you. However, this tactic can transform into an attrition of mind games as you can delay the Dragon Drop and slightly aim it. If you predict where an opponent will sidestep, you can essentially punish their attempt to punish you, but trying that too much will let them punish you for trying to punish them for trying to punish you.

Of course, dodging isn't the only way to punish a Dragon Drop, as a well-timed uppercut can either result in a trade of damage or knock you out of the Dragon Drop flat on your butt. While Sheeva uses Dragon Drop to hurtle towards opponents with the speed of a four-armed meteor, she isn't invincible.

A predictable Dragon Drop is a worthless Dragon Drop.

Sheeva's Tremor isn't as glamorous as Dragon Drop since it resembles a toddler having a temper tantrum. However, Tremor is just as dangerous as the drop attack since it deals unblockable damage that spans the entire arena, albeit limited to the ground. More importantly, Tremor is the ultimate lose-lose scenario for opponents.

While you might want to unleash Tremor from far away to take advantage of its unfair range, it is best used when opponents are in your face. Why? Because they will try to jump over the Tremor and avoid it. You probably think such a strategy is pure madness, but you'd be mistaken since holding up while amplifying Tremor results in an immediate Shokan Snag. Since your opponent will be in midair when the Tremor lands and the Shokan Snag comes out, Sheeva will pluck them out of the air and give them one heck of a pavement slam, opening them up to more combos.

Granted, spamming an up-amped Tremor is a great way to paint a giant punishment target on your back, but the move leaves opponents with a difficult decision. Do they stay on the ground and be torn apart by Sheeva's localized earthquakes, or do they risk jumping into the air so she can reintroduce them to the ground?

No matter what happens, a well-used Tremor will leave enemies trembling.

Some characters can spam projectiles or, worse, use projectiles that aren't easy to jump over or duck under. Opponents who use these strategies and moves are more annoying than early Mortal Kombat end bosses. Plus, these moves can melt away a sizable chunk of your health before you can get a hit in. It's a good thing Sheeva comes packing a shield.

Now, traditional thinking would tell you that shields are for defense, but that's human logic. Sheeva's a Shokan, and Shokan are all about a crushing offense, which is why Sheeva's preferred use for a shield is hitting people with it as if she were Captain America. Heck, she can even throw the shield for some decent damage, but that's still not thinking like a Shokan.

If you hold down the button to use Shield Toss, Sheeva charges up her throwing arm. When she unleashes it, the shield just demolishes projectiles it touches. So, if you encounter an opponent who won't stop spamming, make sure you're a good distance away and unleash a fully-charged Shield Toss for some satisfying projectile punishment.