Tekken 8’s characters are best known for their diverse fighting styles and personalities. But when finding a main to play as, sometimes looks aren’t everything. This tier list will show you who the top Tekken 8 characters are and which ones you may want to steer clear of.
S-Tier Characters
Sergei Dragunov
Known as “The White Angel of Death,” Sergei Dragunov is a mute commando who is merciless when he sets his sights on you. As an opponent, you may find him to be frustrating. His hits are so strong that his combos can carry you all the way to the wall. However, playing as him may give you a rush, as his command grabs and power make you feel unstoppable.
Eddy Gordo
Though he’s a new DLC addition, Eddy is already moving high in ranked combat. This is largely due to how fast the character is and how the most recent balances have played in his favor. Fighting against Eddy will give you a headache as his speed and unpredictability make him a moving weapon of Capoeira. However, when controlling him, his simplified controls make him powerful but easy to master.
Jin Kazama
As the main character of the series since Tekken 3, Jin Kazama’s style has changed many times. In Tekken 8, Jin’s main style of Karate is still prevalent but with more flair as he embraces his devil side. When fighting him, you may notice he’s slower than most but packs a punch when he gains momentum. Playing as him is the perfect blend of strategic thinking and embracing the aggressive nature of the game.
Victor Chevalier
A newcomer to the franchise, Victor brings knives, a sword, a sidearm, and the ability to teleport. Since his debut, he’s remained in the highest ranking level because of the simplicity of his controls and the sheer speed and brutality of his attacks. Fighting him demands that you never leave a hole in your defenses. The only catch: He’s linear and vulnerable to side attacks.
Azucena Milagros Ortiz Castillo
The self-titled “Coffee Queen,” Azucena, is a high-energy fighter who has garnered quite a loyal fanbase. Whether her character has been buffed or nerfed, she’s always packed a powerful punch. Fighting against her means a single kick can begin an endless combo while controlling her will give you a constant edge, as her controls are both fluid and intuitive.
Feng Wei
Feng has proven himself to be a major powerhouse in Tekken 8 with powerful sweeping lows and combos that mix highs and lows effortlessly. Fighting against him is a lesson in aggression as it’s moreso a fight to see who gets a hit first than one of countering and punishing. Fighting as him allows you to enter a unique combat mindset that forces you to be aggressive and creative at the same time, even though his defenses are lacking.
Reina
Another new addition to the franchise, Reina, is a mixture of styles that may confuse you as she stays low to the ground to attack. But whether fighting as or against her, the use of lighting and certain stances prove that she has borrowed aspects of every Mishima. As a result, you can easily fall back on past battles to counter most of her attacks. However, playing as Reina offers a new world of controls that feels both fresh and familiar, hence her wide appeal.
Devil Jin
Devil Jin offers a new host of abilities. From leaning on his Misima-style Karate to utilizing flight and his laser beam, he’s your worst nightmare in combat. Playing as Devil Jin is a learning curve that rewards you with obscenely powerful attacks that can reach a player from almost across the stage. But playing against Devil Jin means playing smart and offensive, as his base levels aren’t balanced enough to be a fair fight.
King
King may be a hero in canon, but as the rankings show, he’s a villain to almost everyone else who fights him. Playing against King requires one thing: Throw-break knowledge. Without that, you are forced to either attack hard and fast or hope King doesn’t grab you. If he does? Those playing as King will have access to wrestling moves that could carry the whole round and end a fight without a punch being thrown.
A-Tier Characters
Bryan Fury
Bryan Fury thrives on chaos, and his fighting style proves that. Being at the top of A-tier means the only thing keeping him from S-tier is how strong the competition is. Playing as Bryan promises unbridled aggression and deadly wall carry combos while fighting him involves expert defense, as one mistake could mean the end of the round for you.
Lili
Lili is one of the more unorthodox fighters in Tekken 8, balancing agility with crushing hits. Fighting against Lili often means guarding against deceptively aggressive slaps and disorienting kicks. However, playing as her offers a violent form of ballet that makes her both a fun time and a strategist’s dream, as her combos offer unique but fun complexity.
Lars Alexandersson
Lars is the definitive “shonen hero” of Tekken, from his wild hair to his electric style. The forgotten Mishima gives you the ability to channel his electricity for powerful attacks and grabs that make for a visually enjoyable battle. However, fighting him proves why he’s A-tier, as he’s fast, unpredictable, and hits as hard as any other Misihma.
Steve Fox
Steve Fox may be the fastest fighter in the franchise, thanks to his roots in boxing. Steve hits hard and isn’t afraid to take a risk, hence why playing against him is always a challenge, even for the most seasoned Tekken pro. However, if you decide to pick him up, there’s a high learning curve as you’ll have to compensate for his lack of kicks and, like Steve, become the best there is at his craft.
Hwoarang
Hwoarang may be Jin’s rival, but he’s proven to be quite a challenge for anyone who crosses him. Playing against a Hwoarang is often filled with a flurry of kicks designed to overwhelm the opponent. However, playing as the character also shows that while he has simple combos to master at first, the need to evolve your playstyle will also show how difficult but rewarding Hwoarang really is.
Jun Kazama
Though she hasn’t been seen in canon since Tekken 2, Jun Kazama proved that she hasn’t missed a beat. Jun has powers that allow her to attack you without actually having to connect a limb. She also has the ability to regain health with certain moves, making her highly inviting for anyone who wants to main her. Coupled with her style being akin to Asuka Kazama’s Jun is the whole package and a genuine threat.
B-Tier Characters
Marshall Law
Though Marshall Law looks and plays similar to the iconic martial artist Bruce Lee, you’ll find his quirky personality only adds to his powerful gameplay. When facing him, you’ll be met with overwhelming motions that appear to come out of nowhere and are hard to defend. However, playing as Law, it’s clear from his easy-to-grasp controls and creative style that the only thing keeping him from A-tier are stronger, more popular characters.
Lee Chaolan
One of the Tekken originals, Lee Chaolan has one goal: To fight hard and look fabulous doing it. Fighting against a Lee, you may find that unpredictability and flashiness are his bread and butter. But playing as him will reveal he’s one of the most difficult yet rewarding characters in the game.
Jack-8
At a glance, Jack-8’s massive robotic form may not be the most appealing. But he’s in B-tier because of how deceptive he is. If you can’t get the jump on Jack-8 first, he has the chance to crush you with devastating hits and infamous moves when in heat. Playing as him also brings unexpected variety with his moves, allowing the massive character to move with ease.
Nina Williams
Nina Williams is the perfect B-tier character because she’s not the easiest to master but also offers rewarding and creative hits that can make a difference in a fight. Her holds and grapple attacks could rival King when you face her. However, playing as her offers a great balance of offense and counters. With a few more buffs, she could easily challenge Dragunov.
Kazuya Mishima
The main antagonist of Tekken 8, Kazuya is one of the most difficult players to master. When facing him, you’ll notice some players either play him traditionally or have mastered the Electric Wind God Fist and can end an entire round before taking a hit. Playing as him offers something similar as Kazuya is the one player who is stronger only when he’s mastered. As a result, the only thing keeping him from higher ranks is stronger characters with lower difficulty.
Yoshimitsu
The only character to carry and use a sword in Tekken, Yoshimitsu is the master of the unexpected. Should you fight against him, you may find even those playing as him don’t fully understand the character until he stabs himself and jumps into you for an instant KO. Playing as Yoshimitsu, however, reveals that each move is a calculated risk with a high reward, justifying his B-tier status.
Alisa Bosconovitch
Alisa is by no means weak, but what makes her B-tier is mainly the strangeness of her fighting style. Being a robot, fighting against her may open you up to strange attacks that include using her head as an explosive or having missile arms designed to distract for aerial attacks. But playing as Alisa reveals, she’s more floaty than expected, balancing her strength with risk as she’s open to counters.
Ling Xiaoyu
In online ranked matches, Xiaoyu has gone unchecked in terms of her strengths, tripping up anyone who faces her. With that, the reason for her B-tier status is quite complex, as those playing against her may see her as untouchable. However, if you pick her up, you’ll find her many stances are quite difficult to master, making all of her current buffs essential but far from promised.
C-Tier Characters
Kuma
While bears aren’t the most appreciated characters in Tekken 8, Kuma has an endearing quality that brings players back. Fighting a bear can either be easy or deceptively tough, as the space between attacks is hard to pinpoint. However, Kuma’s limited mobility also leads to limited moves that, while strong, keep him from moving up higher.
Leo
Leo is a unique character that you may find to be incredibly fun and powerful or difficult to master. Fighting a Leo means trying to understand if the character will go high or low and, if guessed wrong, could end in a devastating combo. However, playing as Leo means that while you can hit buttons and get fun results, the key to success is mastering a character that, sadly, many don’t play as.
Paul Phoenix
There’s no denying Paul Phoenix hits hard and has the makings of a top tier character. But the sad truth is that being here since the original Tekken, many are interested in other, more unique characters. Still, playing as Paul can be a devastating experience. While playing as him promises you’ll have a fun time punching and countering while wondering why he’s all the way in C-tier.
Claudio Serafino
Claudio is a character whose style is entirely original to his storyline. As a result, playing as the character means understanding unique movements and techniques that involve magic. Playing against the character can be a difficult and even overwhelming experience, but because his C-tier status also means that unless he meshes with you, it’s unlikely he’ll connect with everyone.
D-Tier Characters
Raven
Though he is at the top of D-tier, those who pick Raven may find his powerset unique and enjoyable. Facing him can also be a challenge, as he can naturally overwhelm an opponent with shadow clones. However, with Victor being a more appealing ninja type and Raven’s damage also being far less powerful, you may end up thinking twice when deciding whether or not to take him seriously in online matches.
Shaheen
Shaheen is a fast character who can trip up his opponents with a few buttons. Should you play as him, you may also find that he’s incredibly unique and a smooth transition from when he appeared in Tekken 7. However, being that he’s not very strong or overly popular, it becomes clear why he hasn’t risen higher in the ranks.
Asuka Kazama
Asuka used to be a major powerhouse in Tekken who could counter with expert precision before Jun took her spot. Playing against Asuka means that the only thing you must do is strike hard and fast. However, playing as her reveals the reason why others must hit first is that while Asuka has great combos, she’s not nearly as strong as Jun and, therefore, not a first choice for many.
Zafina
Like Claudio, Zafina’s style has a dash of mysticism because of her possessed demon arm. However, when you fight against her, the real threat is her unpredictable and creepy stances. As the person playing her, you could find appeal in the unpredictability of these stances, but, like others, her lack of strength keeps her in the bottom tier, at least for now.
Leroy Smith
Leroy Smith went from being the highest ranking in Tekken 7 to one of the lowest. While he’s still fun to play, he’s lost many of the aspects that made him so strong. His style is still a challenge to fight against, but the aggressive nature of Tekken 8 proves that playing as him is tough. This is mainly because you aren’t just fighting an opponent; you’re fighting the nature of the game itself.
Panda
In terms of fighting style, Panda and Kuma are virtually the same. Even their strength is on the same level. Fighting against Panda is just as easy or uncomfortable as fighting against Kuma, and playing as her also yields the same limited options. But, sadly, her personality isn’t nearly as appealing as Kuma’s for many, which has kept her at the bottom of the D-tier.
For more content like this, check out GameSkinny’s Tekken 8 guide hub.
