Dust off your gaming thumbs people! Street Fighter D&D 5E is done and what lay ahead is arguably its only true competitor among fighters in the golden age of video games: MORTAL KOMBAT D&D 5E (yes, all caps, every time). In this series I’ve put together RAW builds using Mists of Akuma (my eastern fantasy noir steampunk campaign setting) to supplement the core rules–with the litany of martial arts stances (playtest versions here) there’s a lot that can be done, and what can’t will get items to bridge the gap. 😀

I feel like we’ve waited long enough for the game’s most popular character. He needed a new augmetic for the rope-spear but otherwise fit like a charm–undead ninjas are far and away one of my favorite character tropes (see necroji).

Scorpion

Medium humanoid (soburi human), neutral evil rogue (ninja) 10/monk (martial artist) 6
Armor Class 18 (Wisdom, martial arts stances)
Hit Points 88 (16d8+16)
Speed 40 ft. (50 ft. in combat)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA	Dignity	Haitoku
10 (+0)	18 (+4)	13 (+1)	14 (+2)	14 (+2)	8 (-1)	8 (-1)	22 (+6)

Saving Throws Dex +9, Int +6
Skills Acrobatics +14, Athletics +5, Deception +4, Intimidation +9, Perception +12, Stealth +14
Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, poison, and piercing
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages Chinese, English, Netherese (Outworlder)
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Basic Ninjutsu. Scorpion can throw three kunai or shuriken when he takes the Attack action and he has advantage on checks made to create or maintain a disguise.

Cunning Action (1/turn). Scorpion can take a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Evasion. When Scorpion is subjected to an effect that allows him to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, he instead takes no damage if he succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if he fails.

Hated. Scorpion has disadvantage on Wisdom and Charisma checks against any humanoid that doesn’t also have the hated condition but he never has disadvantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks.

High Haitoku. Scorpion gains a +10 ft. bonus to speed in combat, +1 to Dexterity and Constitution, he ignores the first 3 points of damage from attacks and spells, but has a visible physical mutation (scarring and a palpable air of malevolence), and suffers disadvantage on Dignity ability checks and saving throws.

Ki (6 points/short rest). Scorpion can spend ki to fuel the following features:

• Flurry of Blows. Immediately after Scorpion takes the Attack action on his turn, he can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
• Patient Defense. Scorpion can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on his turn.
• Step of the Wind. Scorpion can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on his turn, and his jump distance is doubled for the turn.
• Stunning Strike. Scorpion can spend 1 ki point to attempt to stun a creature he hits with a melee weapon attack. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of his next turn.

Ninjutsu Novice. Scorpion has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks, is able to run across any surface (regardless of whether or not it would support his weight, so long as he ends on a square he is able to stand on), and triples the distance of any jumps he makes.

Sneak Attack (1/turn). Scorpion deals an extra 17 (5d6) damage when he hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of Scorpion’s that isn’t incapacitated and he doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Stance of Fire’s Vengeance (2). Scorpion’s unarmed strikes deal an additional 3 (1d6) fire damage (this damage does not multiply on a critical hit) and he has resistance to fire damage. As an action, Scorpion can erupt with fire, dealing 45 (10d8) fire damage to all creatures and objects within 15 feet. A DC 17 Dexterity saving throw reduces this damage by half. Once Scorpion has used this feature, he cannot do so again until after a long rest.

Stance of the Striking Serpent (2). Scorpion’s unarmed strikes deal an additional 1d6 piercing damage (this does not multiply on a critical hit), he has advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks, checks and saves to avoid the prone condition, and creatures are at disadvantage to resist his attempts to grant them the prone condition.

Undead Abomination. Scorpion does not need to eat, drink water, or breathe. He still requires a resting period that emulates sleep to recharge his inner workings.

 

ACTIONS
Extra Attack. Scorpion attacks twice. In addition, when Scorpion uses the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on his turn, he can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. Alternatively, he can throw three kunai.

Unarmed. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) magical bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) piercing damage and 3 (1d6) fire damage (fire and piercing damage do not multiply on a critical hit).

Kunai. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 30/80 ft., one target. Hit: 6 piercing damage.

Grappling Spear (Recharge 6). As an action, Scorpion can make a ranged weapon attack with the grappling spear installed into his arm: range 20/50 ft., 1d6+4 piercing damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Scorpion can use a bonus action to retract the rope, bringing a grappled creature with it. If he strikes a solid object rooted to the ground or at least 500 pounds in weight, retracting the rope brings Scorpion to the object instead.

 

REACTIONS
Deflect Missiles. Scorpion can use his reaction to deflect or catch the missile when he is hit by a ranged weapon attack. When he does so, the damage he takes from the attack is reduced by 1d10+10. When the damage is reduced to 0, he can catch the missile if it is small enough for him to hold in one hand and he has at least one hand free. If he catches a missile in this way, Scorpion can spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition he just caught, as part of the same reaction (+10 to hit, range 20/60 ft., 1d6+5 damage).

Slow Fall. Scorpion can use his reaction when he falls to reduce any falling damage he takes by 30.

Uncanny Dodge. When an attacker Scorpion can see hits him with an attack, he can use his reaction to halve the attack’s damage against him.

 

GRAPPLING SPEAR (Augmetic)

Rare; +1d4 Haitoku
A miniaturized grapple launcher is compacted and installed into the wearer’s arm, complete with a motorized winch and 50-foot spool of lightweight rope. As an action, the wearer can make a ranged weapon attack with the grappling spear: range 20/50 ft., 1d6 piercing damage and the target is grappled (escape DC equals 8 + the wearer’s proficiency bonus + Strength modifier). The wearer can use a bonus action to retract the rope, bringing a grappled creature with it. If the wearer strikes a solid object rooted to the ground or at least three times its weight, retracting the rope brings the wearer to the object instead. Once fired, a grappling spear requires 1d4 rounds to respool its internal mechanisms.