Spectral
With the Spectral variation, Ermac gains the ability to Fly and unleash unique attacks from the air. This means that many of his special moves are aerial-based and are perfect for taking your opponent by surprise from above. The Soul Burst, while only effective at close range, can knock your opponent back if you choose to Meter Burn it – perfect for creating distance between yourself and your opponent when you need to set up for an aerial combo. Ermac is perfectly capable of executing ground combos in the Spectral variation too; if you Meter Burn his Force Lift, Ermac can get in close quickly to attack before your opponent hits the ground.
Soul Accession is the highlight of Ermac’s Spectral variation as it allows him to fly for a short period of time. Ermac won’t be able to block while flying, but this does allow him to get in close to his opponents fairly easily, especially if they don’t have zoning attacks to keep their distance. Most of Spectral Ermac’s moves can only be done from the air, so this variation may be more suited for players who prefer taking the higher ground.
Soul Burst: Down, Back, Triangle
Force Lift: Down, Back, Square
Teleport: Down, Back, Circle
Soul Charge: Back, Forward, Triangle
Soul Accession: Down, Down, Up
Mystic
If you pick the Mystic variation for Ermac, he gains some telekinetic abilities such as Tele-choke and Tele-hang. Mystic Ermac plays a little more similarly to how he did in Mortal Kombat 9 with his increased abilities to manipulate his enemies. Tele-choke is a great mid-screen move that allows Ermac to grab his opponent and propel them backwards. Tele-hang, on the other hand, grabs the opponent and hangs them in midair, making a great setup for Ermac to get in close and start up a combo. Tele-hang doesn’t do great damage on its own, but it provides a big window for players to start a juggle. Both moves can be done from a short distance away, making Mystic Ermac a decent choice for players who like to keep their distance.
Soul Burst: Down, Back, Triangle
Teleport: Down, Back, Circle
Hover: Down, Down, Up
Tele-Choke: Back, Forward, Triangle
Tele-Hang: Down, Back, Square
Master of Souls
As the Master of Souls, Ermac will gain Soul Ball and the ability to Disappear to avoid damage. Simply put, Ermac now has a projectile attack. Take note of the three Soul Balls floating around Ermac; when he has all three, the projectile attack will stun your enemy if it hits them, creating another great opportunity to go in for the kill. The next attack Ermac has at his disposal in the Master of Souls variation is Disappear. As the name suggests, this move allows him to vanish and become invulnerable. Ideally, this should be used to avoid incoming projectiles. Disappear can also be done in the air.
Soul Burst: Down, Back, Triangle
Force Lift: Down, Back, Square
Teleport: Down, Back, Circle
Hover: Down, Down, Up
Soul Ball: Back, Forward, Triangle
Disappear: Down, Back, X
X-Ray and Finishers
Fatalities:
- (Mid-range) Forward, Down, Down, Up
- (Mid-range) Down, Up, Back
Brutalities:
- Back, Forward + Triangle
- Down, Back + Square + R2
- Up, Down, Back + Circle + R2
- Back, Forward + Square
- Back + Triangle
X-Ray (L2+R2 with full meter)
Ermac’s X-Ray can be executed when you’re within Force Push distance of your opponent. Ermac will push the opponent away, stun them for a second, and then back away into the air to set up for a headbutt that starts the X-Ray attack. He then follows up with an air kick to the neck before finally ending the attack with one last stomp on the opponent’s skull.
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