Mortal Kombat 1/Quan Chi/Synergy

Quan has some pretty major holes in his moveset, and while some kameos are more versatile than others, there's no single definitive pick that patches them all. Playing synergistically with your current kameo choice is crucial, and you will need to have multiple picks ready. Kameo considerations include:

• Alternative combo starter to EX From the Fog
• Safe on block special to cancel into, preferably comboing from F2 and B2 from maximum range
• Turning 213 into a full combo
• A 50/50 from S1
• Improving the impact and threat of S4
• More health, because 900 HP hurts
• General zoning improvements
• Concrete setup routes for EX Zone of Waste

In rough order of frequency of use:

Janet Cage

Janet CageBody blocking, From the Fog pickups, setups from every suspend, high damage throw

By far the most common Quan team at the highest level. For those with the execution to use her, Janet awards Quan with broadly accessible Zone of Waste setups and greatly improved damage.

• Hop Skip Punch is by far the best way to combo from the low tentacle; it costs only half a bar, it gives Quan enough time to pick up with J21 or Psycho Skull, and it only needs to come out if the tentacle is confirmed to have hit. Picking up from the low tentacle also makes Quan much better at contesting pokes, and lets him threaten the 13 mixup more effectively. Beyond From the Fog, Hop Skip Punch also lets Quan combo from 213 and back throw, and gives Quan ample time to setup up portals.
• Krotch Destroyer is a reliable, safe blockstring ender that Quan can use after F2 and B2, though it will whiff if done from too far away. In truncated combos, Quan can also end with Krotch Destroyer to keep the enemy standing, especially when under a Zone of Waste, but usually he wants to use Hop Skip Punch to create space and go for further setups.
• Mime Time is a solid complement to Quan'z zoning. Enemies will be incentivized to jump over Janet, allowing Quan to apply his powerful antiairs.
• Jento remains an underexplored aspect of Janet as a whole. For Quan it seems to have little use, lacking the lengthy stun states necessary to safely set it up. Perhaps in the future, combining Jento with EX Zone of Waste will be developed into a deadly corner tactic.

Jax

JaxLarge health boost, scrappy health trades, useful ambush extender

The most common pre-Janet team, Jax remains a strong choice, allowing Quan to force trades and outlast the enemy on top of an excellent ambush extender.

• Backbreaker is the second best choice for an ambush extender outside of Hop Skip Punch. While it doesn't allow Quan to combo from the low tentacle, it will suffice for every other purpose, giving Quan increased damage and setup ability. 13 into S4 will always combo into Backbreaker regardless of the combo gravity, and can be adapted for any one of Quan's setups or simply followed up with a Psycho Skull for another bounce.
• Quan is especially adept at using Ground Pound. Sky Drop allows him to apply it in the common way, and 214 is lengthy enough to confirm into a combo on hit or force the trade on block. Quan also gets lengthy grounded hitstun from Head Rush and Bone Cage to force a guaranteed ground pound, while still allowing him to jump away to safety. EX Zone of Waste is particularly benefited, with the unblockable shockwave forcing defensive enemies open and wasting time for armor procs to appear. Even if Quan gets hit, the portal will give him an advantage in the ensuing messy situation.
• Energy Wave is a useful ender on block especially after B34, but it tends to whiff when used with F2 and B2. Still, if Quan can get the enemy to block it, the plus frames and space are perfect for another B34, an S3, or putting down an EX Zone of Waste on block - being +7, the startup of the portal cannot be interrupted, even if they can catch the recovery.
• Gotcha Grab is new and underexplored, but it does not appear to be terribly useful for Quan - one of his biggest foes is Motaro, who is immune to the grab.
• Quad Grab is useful on anyone, though Quan doesn't have the most use out of it as he rarely jumps in on the enemy. Still, when trying to force a round-end situation, empty jump into EX Quad Grab remains a high damage option.
• Quan's natural 900 HP means that Jax's +100 HP boost is proportionally massive. On top of its general importance, the extra health also allows Quan to play more recklessly with Zone of Waste.

Sareena

SareenaUseful projectiles, more damage, Sky Drop reversal alternative, health boost

The simplest Quan team by far. Sareena gives him ranged pickups and powerful meter advantage situations.

• Kia's Blades, as always with Sareena, are the main focus. S4 combos into boomerangs from most of the screen, and draws in the enemy to allow Quan to follow up with point blank combo routing - the greatest distance will require two usages of the boomerangs. In regular combos, Kia's Blades adds some much appreciated damage and allows Quan to combo from 214 and 12, as well as fish from B2 and F2 without fear of full combo punishment.
• Old Moon is one of the best fireballs in the game, with fast travel speed, quick kameo recharge, and a short enough recovery to be used as a safe blockstring ender. A fantastic complement to Quan's zoning, especially applied as a quick, checking fireball in tandem with EX Head Rush and Purple Psycho Skull as slow, space covering projectiles.
• Demonic Dance is the best kameo reversal alternative to Sky Drop, having quick startup and eleven frames of armor. In the corner, Demonic Dance also gives Quan a safe combo starter after F2 and B2, and allows B34 ~ Demonic Dance to be used as a safe, combo starting blockstring with quicker startup than B34 ~ Psycho Skull.
• Jataaka's Kurse can be combined with Zone of Waste to drain a massive amount of meter from the enemy, and in neutral can be applied as a projectile sponge.
• The meter buff lets Quan apply EX From the Fog in his regular combos, and provides him with a huge boon to his zoning.
• Extra health is always a plus.

Sektor

SektorOffense-minded versatility pick, pressure with missiles, S4 ~ Tele-Punch pickups

Kung Lao

Kung LaoZoning-minded versatility pick, Low Hat ground coverage and setups, S4 combo pickups

Sub-Zero

Sub-ZeroDefense-minded versatility pick, parry to play around gaps, health boost

Shujinko

ShujinkoLarge health boost, projectile sponge, free combos and confirms, possibility of pressure, S4 pickups, and exceptional damage from steals

The Shujinkydink team. Improves Quan's most fundamental deficiencies, and opens the possibility for unique options with the steals.

• The universal attacks are eminently useful and applicable, and cost no resources. Apep Punch provides a quick crumple for late-combo juggles, an alternative to EX From the Fog, EX Zone of Fear setups, and a true, extremely plus restand (potentially +60 or more through a meaty route) by routing into Bone Cage. Quan can also buffer into Apep Punch to do single-hit confirms, but this can be ducked. Without steals, Konquest Kick only gets the overhead as a followup, but it remains useful as a safe blockstring. Keep in mind that the crumple can be applied after a steal move in a combo, even when Shujinko has no bar left - don't leave potential damage and setups on the table.
• Body blocking (Passing Time) isn't the best anti-projectile solution, but it's not exactly the worst either - it costs no resources to simply bring out Shujinko, and it can mean the difference between a projectile trade and a clean projectile landing.
• +100 health is always a massive boon, and it works with the universal attacks to make Quan a much more fundamentally robust character.
• Depending on the matchup, steals give Quan a variety of tools that he can apply, including full screen S4 combos with Scorpion Spear, pressure with Havik Torso Spin and Homelander Flight, and massive damage from Quan's own Bone Cage. Still, in any matchup Shujinko gives Quan a huge boost in damage, without needing to sacrifice the setups and restand from Apep Punch. Even in matchups without great steals (like Ashrah), Shujinko is able to waste so much time with a universal attack into a steal that the armor is guaranteed to have appeared. Steals allow Quan to get really creative with his gameplan - even though Shujinko gives very useful dry improvements, don't neglect them.

Frost

Frost(Section out of date.) Simple confirms and plus frames, leading into unconventional setups and knowledge checks

(Section out of date.) A two part team. For those who don't need ambush assists, Frost gives useful confirms and a quick charging, plus blockstring ender in neutral, and then opens into unusual sequences.

• Low Ice is a wonderful multipurpose special, at its most basic level applied as a simple confirm to replace EX From the Fog. Beyond that, it's useful for fireball wars as it travels underneath most anti-fireball projectiles (like Liu Kang's EX Cosmic Flame), Frost steps in front to sponge the hit, and Quan can use S4 to get damage regardless of how far the enemy is. Once frozen, Quan can put up an EX Zone of Waste for an armored oki situation. Against a grounded enemy, Quan can keep them standing and seamlessly apply the armor by continuing into S4 ~ Bone Cage, but against juggled enemies Quan will need to follow up with F4 ~ From the Fog to guarantee armor. S1 ~ Low Ice is a mixup that hits with surprising frequency, but if the enemy is ready it should rarely be applied as Low Ice by itself is reactable.
• Ice Krash is one of the most underrated kameo moves in the game. One of the only kameo summons that's both plus and ranged enough to combo from F2 and B2 at maximum distance, it is a premium choice for a blockstring ender. Motaro Low Tail is probably still better for pressure, but Ice Krash comes out faster, doesn't penalize Quan's already thin HP, and bounces airborne enemies for a combo followup. In the corner, B34 ~ Ice Krash will combo, giving more damage and a better situation on block. Quan can also kara cancel S3 into Ice Krash for an auto confirm OS that gives better damage than an S3 combo by itself.
• The central dilemma behind Snow Flakes has always been that it's extremely powerful if you can get it out, which very few characters can safely accomplish. With S4 and EX Zone of Waste, Quan can apply Snow Flakes in both fullscreen and pressure situations. When fullscreen, especially with a Zone of Power up, take advantage of the enemy's reactive posture by putting a Snow Flakes onscreen. This is nearly unpunishable on an S4 hit, but on block it will still work against patient enemies. In oki, Snow Flakes bolsters Zone of Waste with offensive options, turning it into a truly suffocating situation that can be applied in a number of ways - if the enemy mashes on getup to get rid of Frost, they've wasted time for the armor to take effect.
• Punchwalk is an extremely powerful option on paper, but disciplined enemies will be able to fuzzy it against the Ice Krash. If the enemy is unable to do so, exploit it. Use Punchwalk as a premium blockstring ender to give a zoning situation from any touch, and smother the enemy with Punchwalk on oki with a Zone of Waste to deal chip and waste time. Even if the enemy can fuzzy, using it with Zone of Waste will force them to remain ducking for a little while, and accomplish the primary goal of wasting time.
• Ice Wall (Out of date.) is another option for bolstering Zone of Waste pressure, less suffocating but useful against enemies who are prepared to deal with Snow Flakes.

Motaro

MotaroExceptional pressure and zoning, confirmable pickups from S4, B2, and F2, health penalty

Cyrax

CyraxWIK-worthy combos from 12 ~ Net, portal setups, throw combos

(tbd)

• 12 ~ Net combos are probably what you know this team from. Quan is not entirely alone in being able to combo from Net with a standing string but he is by far its swaggiest beneficiary, using the time to put up all kinds of spells for an unconventional, photogenic, and exceptionally damaging combo. Due to Net draining meter, the enemy must choose to break within the first three hits - if they miss their chance, the entire sequence is unbreakable. Net is still useful outside of 12 combos - Field of Bones is plus enough on hit to frametrap into Net, and it gives him another supplemental projectile to cover the ground. As long as the enemy doesn't have a teleport or a projectile reflect, an S4 on hit will give Quan the space to safely put down a Net.
• Chopper exchanges damage for broad applicability and generous suspend time (tbd)
• Quan doesn't have the best setups for self destruct, but it can be used when other spells have put in the work to clear some space (tbd)
• Quan doesn't get the best damage from EX throw, and the expensive cost is generally better put towards spells (tbd)

Tremor

TremorLarge health boost, exceptional versatility up close, unique double armor

An exceptional team with a huge pocketbook of applicable tools, Quan/Tremor has gained popularity recently as an up close oriented pick.

• As always, the majority of use will come from Aftershock. Uppercrust provides safe 50/50s, a late combo suspend from F4, and a handy, easy confirm when in the variation. Ground Pound gives combos from Sky Drop for an armored launcher, S4 pickups, and exceptional damage from 12 and 214, as well as throw combos and HTBs with 13. The straight punch isn't the best, but Quan can use it for blockstrings and knockback if necessary.
• Metallic is probably the least used of the three variations, but it still provides superb utility. Summon Magma Burst has enough range to catch from the very edge of B2 and F2 on hit while leaving Quan plus on block. In the corner, B34 into Summon Magma Burst will give a full combo while leaving Quan plus on block, making it by far his best cancel choice from B34. As an ambush it's superb for pressure sequences, giving longer blockstun with less pushback than the Aftershock straight punch. Ambush Magma Burst also partially ignores gravity, making it the premium choice for landing a late Psycho Skull or giving more time to a Zone of Waste. The rock tosses aren't great as summons, but as ambushes they give this team some fullscreen presence, letting Quan HTB from fullscreen while giving yet another projectile that the enemy has to look out for. Pick either the low ground bowl or the air toss, and cover the other field with one of Quan's own projectiles (i.e. low toss + Psycho Skull, or air toss + EX Head Rush). The up Magma Burst isn't very useful.
• Crystalline gives Crystal Armor for hilarious double-armor sequences that make Quan nigh unstoppable while a Zone of Waste is up. Crystal Armor will stop the three best options for wriggling out of Zone of Waste pressure in their tracks: almost every armored getup becomes punishable on hit, throws will fail entirely, and mashing will have their combo denied, keeping the two fighters within the portal radius and continuing to tick time for armor to take effect. To apply this, it must be done as an ambush - if Quan is resting on Crystalline, make sure to do an immediate switch at the beginning of the combo to switch back for the ambush armor. The boulder interactible cancel itself allows Quan to combo from 12 into a 13 link, keeping the interactible unused for further options. Once up, Quan can use the interactible as a fantastic grounded projectile that's plus enough to jail into, perfect for zoning and usable during Zone of Waste pressure, though the significant knockback on block may shove the enemy out of the portal distance. The leap also lets him go for extended blockstrings where he can easily bait an upblock and punish with B34 - also perfect during a Zone of Waste. This leaves the crystal punch - with nonexistent pushback and the longest recovery, it is the weakest of the three direct punches, its only saving grace being its better armored frames on reversal. The projectile reflect property also isn't very useful as Quan, as he can dominate the projectile landscape with EX Head Rush by himself. Still, as an armored reversal he can apply it as an alternative to EX Sky Drop.
• +100 HP is always greatly appreciated, allowing him to play for aggressive trades with the double-armor.

With such a great wealth of options, Quan/Tremor can find themselves bar-starved, but whatever he chooses to spend his kameo gauge on will be superbly improved.

Darrius

DarriusHighly unusual and unique oki, tough execution, health boost

Sonya

SonyaExtraordinary zoning and setups from charged energy rings, lesser improvements otherwise

Unusual and rare team that deemphasizes Zone of Waste.

• If you're picking Quan/Sonya it's for the charged energy rings, though the one move is so strong that Quan barely needs anything else. The move is exceptionally easy for Quan to get out; S4 cancel can work from fullscreen even on block, F4 cancel on a juggle will keep the enemy close, and F44 puts the enemy fullscreen with a long enough knockdown to safely start charging. On hit, Quan can pick up with S4 from fullscreen and 13 up close, and on block it's plus enough to give a safe portal or jail into Field of Bones. In zoning, Energy Rings represent another "enemy will not interrupt this" option to bolster his following options; Quan can cover the sky with a Psycho Skull while the move charges to catch jumping, or use the enemy's defensive posture to put down a portal. When a Zone of Waste is up, Charged Energy Rings can extend the plus frames and create an interrupt vs. advantage mindgame.
• Leg Grab is a devious option as a raw overhead, though not the best as an EX From the Fog alternative. Deceptively difficult to react to despite its 25 frame startup, raw Leg Grab lets Quan play for simple 50/50s with B34. It would be fantastic if it could properly combo from 214 and B2 - however, their hit reactions cause a backwards stumble which will cause the cancel to whiff, unless in the corner. As such, only 12 sees its proper benefit as a special cancel starter. Barring raw Leg Grab, the move can actually be more useful as a combo ender instead of a starter; he can side switch to corner the enemy, and use the bounce to put down a portal. Can also be applied as a plus ender on block, especially to kill time during a Zone of Waste, though Quan will lose the D1 race.
• Square Wave is probably the weakest of the kameo ambush pickups. The pickup is too brief to put down a portal and combo, and he has little control over its hit reaction and capture area. Still, in the corner a Square Wave pickup can give a 13 for a full combo, and in zoning Sonya can be called to antiair the enemy when Quan does a committal ground action.
• Quan has no unique airborne state, and as such has to apply the divekick in the simple and dirty way. Not the best option for Quan; raw Leg Grab deals no self-damage and is a harder react, though the extended air kicks can let Quan put down a portal and continue a combo.
• 140 damage on a throw is always appreciated.