Mortal Kombat X – How to Play D’Vorah: Combos and Strategies

D’Vorah is a unique character who has a decent mix-up game between overhead and low attacks (although some of her low attacks are a bit lacking). However, her main game plan is to knock the opponent down to set them up for a Spawning Pool so they have to block when they get up. The variant you choose determines what other options you have with D’Vorah, but she has a bit of a learning curve so new players will have to put in some extra work to learn her well.

Notation Key

PlayStation/Xbox
1 – Square/X
2 – Triangle/Y
3 – X/A
4 – Circle/B

Spawning Pool
Notation: Down, Back+1
Enhanced: Yes, but no armor.

D’Vorah shoots fluid into the ground which comes up directly under the opponent’s position. By itself the attack serves to keep an opponent on their toes, but when used after knocking an opponent down it forces them to block (or avoid the attack) and gives D’Vorah a chance to use an overhead or low attack to score a hit. Several of D’Vorah’s attacks and combos allow her to follow with Spawning Pool so it lands just as the opponent is getting off the ground.

The Grass Hopper combo (1,1,3) and Ovipositor Charge (Down, Back+4) special move are two examples of this. Use Spawning Pool right after these attacks and it will hit just as the opponent stands back up unless they use a delayed wakeup option to remain on the ground. In that situation D’Vorah still has plenty of time to run up and go for an overhead/low mix-up.

Air Throw
Notation: Down+Throw (in the air)
Enhanced: No

D’Vorah’s Air Throw is generally used to end her combos after the Dragon Fly combo (Back+1,2). It replaces the last hit in the combo to increase the damage output. You can throw the opponent in the opposite direction by pressing Back after the throw input. This also works anytime the opponent is in the air during a combo so long as you have time to jump, but it doesn’t work well against other aerial attacks as most attacks will beat it outright.

Ovipositor Charge
Notation: Down, Back+4
Enhanced: Yes, with armor.

Use the Ovipositor Charge anytime you want to end a combo with a Spawning Pool. The attack leaves the opponent on the ground just long enough for the Spawning Pool to hit as they stand up. It’s not the most damaging combo ender, but it can be used at the end of almost all of D’Vorah’s combo options.

Stick Around (X-Ray)

What makes D’Vorah’s X-Ray unique is also want can make it difficult to connect in some situations. D’Vorah jumps into the air, then dives forward. While this avoids most low attacks, it can easily miss if the opponent is jumping or even simply running forward depending on the situation. It has armor like most other X-Ray attacks, and can be used to end combos fairly easily. It’s best to use D’Vorah’s X-ray at the end of combos to ensure that it won’t miss during an inopportune situation.

Basic Strategy

D’Vorah is a character that thrives on setting up an opponent and forcing them into uncomfortable situations. She doesn’t have a lot of good low attacks, but her Spawning Pool and equivalent special moves (it changes based on the variant) hit low and can lead to great setups when timed correctly.

Most of your combos should end with attacks that setup Spawning Pool so it hits just as the opponent is getting off the ground. You can then use Ovipos Strike (Forward+2) or the Pestilence combo (Forward+3,4) as an overhead to mix-up with the low Spawning Pool. Ovipos Strike leads right into the Corruption combos (Forward+2,2) which you can end with Ovipositor Charge that sets up for another Spawning Pool.

The Spawning Pool vortex is a near endless cycle that can easily frustrate an opponent. It can be escaped by using a wakeup special move (especially one with armor), but that’s when you can neutral jump or backdash to bait the opponent into doing this, then punish.

Swarm Queen Variant

In the Swarm Queen variant D’Vorah’s projectile attack changes to the Wasp Grenade (Down, Forward+1). The normal version stuns the opponent for a short time. If D’Vorah is close enough when it connects she can follow with a combo. If not, she can beat the opponent to the next attack, giving her a mix-up between a low or an overhead. The enhanced version (Bug Bomb) stuns the opponent for much longer, making it easier to follow with a combo. It’s very difficult to combo into either attack because they are not fast at all, but if you trade with another projectile that doesn’t stun you can gain the upper hand.

The best aspect of the Swarm Queen variant is easily the Vortex Swarm which replaces the Spawning Pool. This version of the attack lifts the opponent into the air which means D’Vorah can start a combo if it connects. The normal Spawning Pool just knocks the opponent down, which makes this the preferred choice for D’Vorah’s variants. If it connects you can easily run up for a Corruption combo into the Ovipositor Charge or go for damage with a longer combo.

Brood Mother Variant

The Brood Mother variant switches D’Vorah’s projectile to the Bug Blast (Down, Forward+1), which is a more traditional projectile attack. If you hold 1 you can delay the projectile, and even cancel it with Forward, Forward or Back, Back. The enhanced version (Double Bug Blast) fires two projectile attacks back to back.

The other addition to the Brood Mother variant is the Krawler special move (Down, Forward+3). D’Vorah places a bug on the ground that moves forward and hits low. Use it after knocking an opponent to the ground or even after a Spawning Pool, then run in to follow the Krawler. With the Krawler on the ground the opponent can’t just attack. If the Krawler hits D’Vorah can go right into a combo, so a smart opponent has to avoid or block the Krawler. With D’Vorah in their face as well you can use it just like the Spawning Pool and attack with an overhead just as the Krawler is about to connect to make it very difficult for the opponent to block.

Venomous Variant

The main feature of the Venomous variant is that many of D’Vorah’s attacks gain a poison effect that causes a small amount of damage over time if she hits the opponent. Her projectile attack changes to Bug Burst (Down, Forward+1), which is a short-range spray that stuns the opponent temporarily. You can’t follow with a guaranteed combo, but if you hit an aerial opponent with the attack it drops them to the ground in a standing position with D’Vorah at the advantage so you can follow with an overhead/low mix-up. Think of this as another setup that’s similar to the Spawning Pool setups. You can end combos with the Bug Burst to sacrifice damage for the setup.

Sample Combos

25 percent – Forward+3,4, 1, Forward+4,4, Ovipositor Charge
31 percent – Forward+4,4, Forward+3,4, 1,1,2, Ovipositor Charge
46 percent – Forward+3,4, 1, Forward+4,4, X-Ray

Fatalities

Bug Me – Back, Forward, Back, 3 (Mid-Screen)
Heart Broken – Forward, Back, Forward, 2 (Close)

Brutalities

Migraine – With over 50 percent health, kill an opponent with Ovipositor Charge (Down, Back+4), then hold Forward.

For more information on Mortal Kombat X check out Prima’s free guide or learn how to play Scorpion or Sub-Zero!