With Tekken 8 out for more than a month now, players have had ample time to assess the roster and determine where each fighter stands in the meta. Now that the dust has settled, clear tiers have formed based on factors like a fighter's pressure tools, combo ability, matchup spreads, and execution ceiling. This guide focuses on the complete Tekken 8 Tier list and ranks all the characters according to their capability.
Table of Contents
Note: Your preference for characters can differ based on your playstyle.
Tekken 8 Tier List
| Tier | Characters |
|---|---|
| S | Jun Kazama, King, Dragunov |
| A | Jin Kazama, Kazuya Mishima, Lili Rochefort, Shaheen, Yoshimitsu, Hwoarang, Claudio Serafino, Azucena, Leo Kliesen, Steve Fox, Feng Wei, Devil Jin, Ling Xiaoyu |
| B | Paul Phoenix, Law, Nina Williams, Bryan Fury, Lars Alexandersson, Kuma, Raven, Lee Chaolan, Alisa Bosconovitch, Jack-8, Zafina, Victor, Reina |
| C | Asuka Kazama, Leroy Smith, Panda |
S-Tier: Notable Fighters
These top-ranked fighters have potent abilities that make them formidable opponents. They can apply pressure, launch combos, and control space very effectively.
- Jun Kazama: Even after slight nerfs, Jun remains at the peak. Her versatile toolkit allows strong offensive pressure and quick punishment. Key strengths are the Trickster stance’s evasiveness and +frames for continued strings.
- King: King received buffs recently, enhancing his already threatening grab game. His throws lead to high damage.
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A-Tier: Notable Fighters
A-tier picks have clear strengths but lack either the oppressive pressure or combo damage of S-tiers. They can still control matches well in the right hands.
- Jin Kazama: Jin has well-rounded abilities, like quick lows, ranged punishment, and strong corner carry. His fundamentals make him beginner-friendly, though he lacks specialized perks.
- Devil Jin: Beginners should avoid Devil Jin, as he requires execution mastery, but he has mighty pressure tools. Great spacing control and whiff punishment as well.
- Xiaoyu: Xiaoyu lacks range but has dominant abilities, avoiding or punishing many attacks. Fast lows from AoP open up turtling opponents. Space control is tricky, however.
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B-Tier: Notable Fighters
These fighters can win matches but usually have to work harder compared to higher tiers. Often they specialize in just one or two areas.
- Paul Phoenix: Paul hits extremely hard but has limited approaching tools. He can struggle against precise movement.
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C-Tier: Notable Fighters
C-tiers have significant weaknesses, such as unsafe attacks, that higher-tier characters lack. They can still threaten inexperienced opponents.
- Leroy Smith: Once top-tier in Tekken 7, Leroy has fallen behind after repeated nerfs. Parry isn’t as strong and damaging combos are limited. Beginners can still overwhelm newbies with jab strings though.
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