It's technologically impossible for him to have his morphing ability.

Yes. Shang Tsung should return for MK8 and have his morphs. And on a side note, Shang Tsung is a hell of a lot more popular and cooler than Sub-Zero and Scorpion. And if Shang was any more cooler he would travel the realms in a freezer.

Hmp. Really? I just thought it would look REALLY bad, and that's why they didn't try it in these latest games. I didn't think it was technical though.

Learn something new everyday I guess.

If you really wanna get into it, it isn't 'impossible.' Though, to put things in perspective, about 1/3 of the loading time before each fight is used to load each of the character models. Now, imagine having to sit through 10 or 20 seconds of loading each time Shang morphed and each time he de-morphed.

But did it ever makes sense to anyone how making himself look like sub-zero also gave him freezing powers. It's called an illusion for a reason, or did he actually shift his race into a cryomancer? Shapeshifting really isn't that useful if somebody sees you shift unless you can become a monster. What if, in the future, he just became a giant snake something for his fatality?

I'd rather see Shang Tsung be a great fighter by his own merit, relying on shapeshifting for espionage in cutscenes.

Shang Tsung should never return.

He should have stay dead since the end of MKDA.

Point seen on shapeshifting. Animal fatalities, anyone?

On another note, where's his triple-skull Fireballs? Shang needs those to officially become awesome.

Well, I think you hit on a really great point; not only does he not have shapeshifting anymore, he really didn't even get any cool moves to replace them.

I mean, take a guy like Kenshi for example. Ed boon described him as being a really dangerous at long range because he has fast hitting attacks that move the opponent to wherever Kenshi wanted his opponent to be. Shang Tsung is a sorcerer, and therefore you would expect him to be that character that can really F you up from a distance. But no, not really. The fireball isn't particularly fast or damage dealing (or produce any other special effect). The soul steal is good; one of my favourites moves of any character. You're right, they should bring back the triple fireball, and I don't think it should be very difficult to execute either. Just make it a powerful move that deals alot of damge and keeps opponents at a distance because he's a magic user and should have hands down the best projectile in the game (while being less effective up close).

As for people who want Shang Tsung to die...

...it's never gonna happen. Doesn't matter how many times you see him brush with death. He'll still find a way to survive. Shang Tsung is one of just 2 sorcerers in the game, so to kill him or Quan Chi (and most want both or neither) is a big middle finger in the face of palyers who like to dabble in the occult. Conversely, you could drop 4 or 5 ninjas and nobody would even notice.

Do you remember the storyline to MK4? I thought I was never gonna play another MK game after that mess. Admit it, those two teaming up was the best thing ever happened to Mortal Kombat, and neither of them is out of cards to play yet. The reason these guys are great is that they keep everyone good and evil alike on their toes.

*Applaudes* Wonderful.

Now, about how senseless his moves are as a sorcerer....I agree man, traditionally, sorcerers will avoid hand to hand combat. Doesn't say they "can't" fight up close, but I think it should be a weak-er spot in their style.

I keep saying this, and will keep doing so: Sorcerers are supposed to set you up for shit. Lol!

1. Serendipity is one of the many friends to a sorcerer.

2. Manipulation of Fortune - "Good Luck//Bad Luck"

3. Illusion

4. Coincidence

5. Irony

....and since Shang Tsung is a bit of a Necromancer, you could probably stretch and get Vodoo on that list. Lol....This is all aside from the Fireballs, Magic, and specifically, "Spirits".

The commanding over spirits is part of necromancy, but there's so much you could do with that it doesn't make any sense why he should only be stuck with the "Soul Steal"(which I love both in special move and in Fatality btw. and don't think they should go anywhere now that they're here).

Shang Tsung should be the most messed up character to play against just because you'd to go through all kinds of crap just to "touch" him....and THEN you gotta deal with the fighting styles of Snake and Crane. hahaha!

On another note, I think the colors of his powers should be similar, but not all the same. Maybe black, blood red, and like that radiant dark, forrest green should be his theme. Just so that whenever he manipulates something, you know it's him doing it....like signature colors of aura or something.

Ideas?

1. Since I think the arenas will be more inter-active in newer games, Shang should make things in the arena fall on you, make you trip over stuff. He should be making you fall on sharp objects or into little poisonous ant hills or whatever.

2. Shang shouldn't really have control over your body, but he might be able to control projectiles that people throw at him. He could have a move like Ashrahs fatality, where he whips out a voodo doll that looks like you, and stabs it really quick as a special move. Gotta keep the soul steal of course, but make it damage a little bit more, and discombobulate the opponent for about 1/2 a second. Maybe they choke or put their hands on their knees or something.

3. In order of the "morphing", or better, "illusion", Shang could have a move that makes you think he is a huge monster, or someone you are terrified of in your characters story-past. So that it makes sense that you are scared I mean. The way I picture this being displayed on-screen is like a ghostly animation over Shang(40sec) during your hallucination. How? Idk, it's just a pure idea.


4. For coincidence, the combinations that come from his fighting style(s) & or special moves should give you that feeling. The feeling like, "what are the chances I would trip over that twig, land my hands in the only bowl of fire in this arena, he gets off his ground fireballs that lift me into the air, and then this m-fer gets a combo off on me?

Irony would work similarly, but could result from things you try to do to Shang Tsung. Like reversing the projectiles on you(maybe the "consequence" is that he creates more of your projectile back on you than you threw at him), or jumping off of something to hit Shang, but he soul steals you or he pulls a that part of a wall down with magic to make it fall on you or something like that....

It should be fun, but it would really piss you off if you play against somebody who knows what they're doing with Shang Tsung. He should be the biggest asshole//jerk on the roster, basically.

___

For fatalities, keep the one he had in MkDA, just do more with it. Or, make one of his fatalities, what happened when you beat Baraka in MkSM.
His fatality in Mk2 was perfect, just update it.

Or, he could have souls come and kill you, like hades army" in God of War.

and on, and on, and on...There's too much there to experiment with. And no, I don't ever think he will "die" or "cease to exist". Nor do I want him to, or think he should. Doesn't say he shouldn't take a break, but I don't think he's really going anywhere. Lastly, he needs to show more of what he's capable of in the game.