Tekken 8 has been a smash hit with the fighting game community and is releasing new fighters with updates. This includes Eddy Gordo, who is a very well-loved fighter. Soon enough, Lidia will also be joining the roster.
As a result, the rankings have shuffled a bit, and this is where the fighters currently stand in Tekken 8.
S+ Tier: Jun, Azucena, Devil Jin
Jun was strong from the get-go, but it seems that she hasn’t really been balanced since the start compared to other fighters who have. She benefits highly from the Heat system and is one of the best fighters to utilize it over the others. On top of that, her combos are accessible to new players and can allow even beginners to excel on the battlefield. If you can get her combos down pat, you will be able to rise up the ranks rather quickly.
Azucena has jumped up the list significantly. While she was strong upon release day, not many people could work out her tricky combos. Now that players have had more time, Azucena is an absolute powerhouse. While she has received a couple of minor nerfs in updates, she can still dominate easily if you know how to play her.
Devil Jin was always good, but it takes a skilled player to be able to play him. His combos require precise execution and careful concentration. That being said, because of how specific his combos are, it allows for fantastic damage output, making him one of the strongest out there. Before you can really excel with him, you’ll probably need to sink in some practice.
S Tier: Claudio, Eddy, Feng, Dragunov, Reina, Shaheen, Xiaoyu, Hwoarang, King, Victor
Hwoarang was one of the best upon release and has been a strong contender in the franchise for quite a while now. With the addition of the Heat system, he really shines through with his easy to utilize combos. His moveset has plenty of variety, making him an absolute pain to play against. As a result, he is still in the S tier. Hwoarang’s moveset allows for some great mix-ups, especially with the utilization of his stances. You can’t go wrong learning how to play him.
Dragunov is still up there as one of the best fighters you can learn to play. Keep in mind that he is incredibly difficult to master, and you’ll need to sink a fair bit of time into training and memorizing his combos. When you have that figured out, you can become a force to be reckoned with. Dragunov keeps his opponents on their toes with his variety of pokes which he can then swap into devastating combos.
Claudio has a relatively high skill ceiling, but he’s easy to learn how to play at a basic level. Even with the basics down pat, you can be successful and destroy your opponent. However, once you learn his moveset fully, Claudio can take you quite far if you want to go down the ranked route.
Jin is still near the top for his damage output, as he is one of the best you can learn to play as a beginner. With his previous iterations being incredibly challenging to play, since his return as the poster boy for Tekken 8, he is one of the easiest fighters to pick. His combos are simple to pick up and can do a ridiculous amount of damage if you play it right. If you’re new to Tekken, consider playing Jin.
Eddy is the latest fighter to be added to the game. With his gameplay, he is a nightmare on the battlefield. The only issue is, if you don’t have the DLC, you can’t learn how to play against him, as you can’t watch your matches. It’s a bit of an awful system, and we can only hope that they patch it out.
If you have decided to get the DLC, you may find that you really enjoy playing Eddy. It’s no wonder he is one of the most loved fighters in the franchise.
Reina is still the powerhouse that she was before. Now that players have got to grips with playing her, she can be terrifying to play against on the battlefield. If you are new to Tekken, it’s unlikely you’ll want to start off with someone as challenging as Reina. However, if you sink some time into learning her movesets, your opponents will be sure to regret the match.
Shaheen is a bit of a tricky one, but still a great fighter to pick. While most of the fighters in the game have some sort of gimmick, Shaheen doesn’t have one that you can rely on. As a result, this makes him a lot harder to play. However, once you’ve grasped the fundamentals of the game, you’ll have a blast playing Shaheen.
King has always been a favorite across all of the Tekken games, and it’s not hard to see why. He’s relatively easy to pick up, and his throws are disgustingly damaging. Even with basic attacks, he can deal some really strong damage. King can be a nightmare to play against but incredibly fun to play. Whether you’re a returning player or someone new to the game, King is one of the best out there.
Xiaoyu was relatively low down on the list at the release of Tekken. However, she has worked her way up the ladder and now sits pretty comfortably in the S tier. Those who don’t have the fundamentals of Tekken down may really struggle to play her and may feel that she sits lower on the list. However, if you’re a Tekken veteran, you may find Xiaoyu one of the best characters that you can play. Her combos can be really strong, you just need to know how to use them.
Feng is the perfect fighter for you if you like to play your games defensively. If you like to take your time in a match and punish your opponent for making silly mistakes, Feng Wei is certainly the way to go. His punishes are very strong and can easily win you the game if you play your cards right.
Victor is a great fighter to pick if you like being annoying in your matches. With a mix of ranged attacks and close-up melee attacks, Victor is a nightmare to deal with. With how his moveset works, he feels very similar to Kunimitsu and Noctis, who were both some of the most annoying fighters to play against in Tekken 7. Victor’s agility does wonders for him and can lead to some great mixups where your opponent doesn’t know where to look or stand.
A Tier: Alisa, Jack, Kazuya, Lee Chaolan, Steve Fox, Lili, Paul, Lars, Leo, Yoshimitsu
Kazuya is similar to Jin in the sense that he is one of the most popular fighters to choose in the game. However, due to the frequency he appears in matches, it can be difficult to really master him, as everyone will know what to expect. However, if you’re a veteran, you’ll be able to pick up Kazuya and work his devastating combos in your favor with no issue.
Lili can be a frightening fighter to play against if you’re new to the game or haven’t come across many Lili players. Her combos are sporadic and unpredictable, making it difficult to know how to truly counter her. Additionally, she is one of the few fighters who can really benefit from the Heat system. However, some of her attacks are so slow that they leave her open to some devastating counters that can win you the match.
Lee Chaolan relies on knowing your opponent’s game plan. Once you’ve figured out how to counter them, you can do some great damage with him. That being said, he is another fighter who is incredibly difficult to learn how to play. To be able to play him properly, you need to have good knowledge about the characters themselves and general knowledge about Tekken. By having that on your side, you’ll be able to make Lee Chaolan work in your favor.
While Paul is one of the slower fighters that you can pick in the game, his attacks pack some serious heat. Compared to other fighters, his combos are relatively short, which makes him a pretty good fighter to start with if you’re a beginner. However, if you’re against a particularly agile opponent, you may find yourself struggling to play him, as he can’t really counter them efficiently.
Alisa is a scary fighter, for sure. If you know how to play her, she is brilliant. Her juggles and wall carries make her a great fighter, as some of her matches can be map-specific to achieve victory. Additionally, out of all of the fighters, Alisa is one of the most agile and can be a lot of fun for new players to learn. If you want to whiz around the map and cause some havoc, Alisa is the way to go.
Steve Fox, the British boxer, can be a pain to deal with. To be able to play him successfully, you need to have a lot of knowledge about how to utilize his stances. His power and attacks rely heavily on stance switching, as he doesn’t have any kick capabilities. As a result, you need to get used to the fact that he relies solely on punching to deal damage.
Jack-8 may seem daunting to players because of his clunkiness. While his attacks are hefty and slow, he can be a great fighter if you know how to utilize him efficiently. He is one of the most destructive fighters that you can pick, but he is definitely the slowest. However, he has a strong poke due to the range of his attacks and can pull off some devastating combos. However, if you’re against an agile player, you may find that you struggle quite a bit.
Lars is a source of great frustration for players who don’t have much time in Tekken. He is very unpredictable and can make it hard for their opponent to counter them properly. Lars is very similar to Lili in the sense that he has an unpredictable but high-power moveset. Not only this, but he has a few moves that leave him open for a counter, so you need to try to limit the amount of times you make a mistake.
Bryan has a level of unpredictability that not many other fighters have. His combos rely on punches, and this can make it hard to navigate. Compared to previous iterations of Bryan, he now has a few new combos in Tekken 8 where he can combo from a low. However, they can also be easily blocked, making it a huge frustration for Bryan players who are struggling to chip at their opponent.
Leo is a great all-rounder. Whether you’re someone who has hundreds of hours in Tekken or you’re someone who is brand new to fighting games, Leo is a lot of fun and can help you excel in a sticky situation. Since Tekken 7, we’ve seen Leo get some great buffs and new movesets that really help elevate him as a fighter. When it comes to using the Heat system, he is one of the few who can truly benefit from it. His combos in the Heat system make him even more agile than before, and that can cause great frustration to the opponent.
Yoshimitsu is a great fighter if you know how to play him. If you’re someone who is new to the franchise, Yoshi might not be the best fighter to pick up. His stances are complicated and give him a new set of moves to deal with per stance. Additionally, you have the worry of causing damage to yourself if you use certain moves. That being said, if you know how to play him, he’s a menace on the battlefield and should be feared.
B Tier: Raven, Panda, Kuma, Asuka, Leroy, Nina, Law
Law hasn’t changed at all since the release of Tekken 8. His combos and moveset are still pretty average. He’s okay to learn as a newbie but, overall, doesn’t have anything special about him. Some of his best attacks from Tekken 7 haven’t quite translated over into Tekken 8, and it’s doing him a great disservice.
Leroy was once one of the best fighters in Tekken 7. However, since his transfer over to Tekken 8, he doesn’t quite have the spark that he did in the previous game. Compared to the other fighters on this list, his moveset doesn’t have anything too special and doesn’t do a lot of damage compared to others.
Nina has a lot of potential, but at the moment she still finds herself in the B tier. While she could be higher if falling into the right hands, her movesets are still just lacking ever so slightly. While her pistols give her some great range, she relies too heavily on long combo strings but often finds difficulty in pulling them off.
Asuka is fairly well-rounded, with some great combos with both low and high damage. Her grabs and counters are pretty great when utilized correctly, but due to the style of her moveset, she doesn’t really have any defensive capabilities. If you can utilize your Heat Smash correctly, you can do a pretty nice amount of damage. Other than that, she’s ever so slightly lacking.
If you aren’t used to analyzing your opponent’s every move and planning your attacks carefully, Raven might not be the fighter for you. He specializes in using his counterattacks to get a hefty amount of damage off against his opponent. If you know his moveset well enough, you’ll be able to succeed in chipping away at the opponent’s health bar. However, it takes a skilled player to utilize him correctly.
Kuma and, by extension, Panda are a lot of fun. However, they are the slowest fighters in the game, and that can be a huge detriment depending on who you’re fighting against. To be able to apply any sort of pressure to the opponent, they rely heavily on the Heat system. However, the buff is only temporary, and then they find themselves in a slump again once the Heat wears off.
There are no bad fighters in Tekken 8. Each has its own qualities and flaws; if you spend time playing enough of a character, you’ll be able to make them work to your advantage and learn how to counter other fighters.
