Tekken 8 was seen as a massively needed course correction for the series in terms of gameplay and balance at the time of its release in 2024. Now that a little over a year has passed since then, here is a comprehensive tier list of the best Tekken 8 fighters.
Tekken 8 Tier List
Below is a list of the fighters currently available in Tekken 8 and their corresponding position on the tier list. Whether it be because of their easy adaptability or their recent inclusion, which makes them unbalanced and thus a “broken” character, each character has their own strengths. It’s important to remember that this list is subjective, and player skillset also plays its own unique factor
This tier of Tekken 8 characters includes those with little balance, making them broken characters or with plenty of gimmicks that help create options in offense and defense.
Dragunov was one of the first characters to reach the S-tier ranking in the early days of Tekken 8. Although various balance changes and patches greatly nerfed the character, he is often still considered a “meta” choice because of the character’s frame data and mix-ups that can make him difficult to counter.
Feng’s incredible offensive capabilities include fast, low attacks and strong counter-hit abilities, which, thanks to his varying moveset, can easily punish underprepared players and even keep veterans guessing.
Jin, the main character of this entry, is a character that’s easy to pick up and can adapt to almost any play style. His versatility and potential for deadly combos make him an easy S-tier pick. The fighter’s well-rounded moveset and devil gene mechanics mean the character can be deadly from almost any range as well. The high skill ceiling also means players can only get better as him the more they practice and use him.
King is arguably the strongest grab-attack character in the game. The wrestler’s movements and combos can leave even veteran Tekken fighters unsure of what attack could be coming next. The fighter’s chain throw commands are the key to dominating close-range combat and becoming unstoppable.
Law is an S-tier character that can be hard to find an opening against while also being easy to learn with a strong poking game that can trap his opponents. With agility and versatility on this character’s side, Law’s counter-hits can make even the most aggressive and close-range fighters a little bit more apprehensive.
Nina, despite being a tough character to learn, can provide great options with an incredibly effective heat mode and grab attacks that also eliminate health. Her movement set takes a lot of practice to master but is worth the effort if you’re seriously looking to compete.
A Tier
A-Tier characters aren’t as challenging to learn or as unpredictable as some of the ones mentioned in S-Tier. However, they are still dangerous characters that capable characters can use to counter almost anyone.
Alisa is a character with plenty of gimmicks (given that she is an android) and great low attacks. The character is easy to learn and great for beginner players and is best suited for play styles that like to apply pressure with a wide range of attacks.
Asuka is a character for those who are new to the game and with a more apprehensive play style. For those interested in learning more about Tekken fundamentals, Asuka has good defensive options and easy combos for those who are more inexperienced.
Claudio is one of the easier characters for opponents to read, but once his Starburst state is activated, the character can quickly become hard to stop as the damage increases on his attacks.
Hwoarang has four different stances and varying combos for each one, making him seem like a complex character to pick up. In reality, the character is one that is suited for both newcomers and veterans. Beginners can enjoy his large variety of combos with button mashing, and veterans can go through his long list of movesets to understand his comprehensive offensive and defensive capabilities.
Jun is a fighter who can use her heat smash to heal large amounts of her health with little risk of activating it, and she has strong mix-ups that can deal out serious damage. The way her stance can automatically change depending on her moves is something you’ll have to be careful with.
Kazuya’s versatile fighting style and powerful combos reward players with a strong grasp of Tekken 8 fundamentals. With long-range pokes as well as deadly close-range combos, Kazuya not only has the potential to deal out very high damage but also is a good counter for many of the other characters on this list.
Kuma – one of the large bear characters in the game. Most of the time, Kuma and Panda are simply lumped together lower on a Tekken 8 tier list. However, as the 2024 Tekken 8 World Tournament proved, Kuma is an exceptional character with strong defense and awkward movements because of his large size, which also makes the fighter harder to read, leading to punishing attacks.
Lars is a high-speed and incredibly mobile character, perfect for those who want to master evasion as well as closing distance between themselves and opponents. Lars is also one who can easily capitalize on missed combos with his ability to apply intense wall pressure.
Lee is another Tekken 8 character with an impressive poking game that plays into the agility and speed of the fighter. With stance transitions and mix-ups that are great for offensive players, and fast enough to exploit defensive gaps or whiffs from opponents that Lee can then use to punish them.
Leo has plenty of strong mix-ups, meaning that your opponents will have a hard time anticipating if a low or high attack is headed their way. Moreover, plenty of Leo’s moveset is relatively safe, meaning if a combo or movement doesn’t go your way, you can still put the pressure on with certain attacks that won’t leave you too exposed.
Lili’s acrobatic fighting style can lead to an unpredictable combo or mix-up, which can easily expose defensive gaps. Lili has very few defensive weaknesses of her own, as her toolkit can help her create distance when any hint of pressure is put on the fighter.
Raven has impressive speed and versatility that make his stealthy teleportation and shadow clone moves even harder to keep up with. Raven is a character that is best suited for capitalizing on missed counters or gaps in defenses.
Shaheen is one of the least popular characters in the game, as his move set has a steep learning curve that few have the patience to learn. However, his combos and range make him a strong choice to play as, especially since his combos are practically unbreakable.
Victor’s large bag of tricks in Tekken 8 makes him a potentially dangerous fighter for the more barebones traditional hand-to-hand characters in the series. With all of his technological moves, the character can adapt to almost any other style of fighting and is very fun to use when playing offensively.
Xiaoyu stands just outside the edge of S-Tier thanks to her mobility, making her almost impossible to pin down, and her different stances give her incredible adaptability to various mid-range and low attacks.
Yoshimitsu is a character that is built to last in long matches, as well as use gambits such as health siphoning and combos that can help restore his health. With teleportation and high mobility, this character is one of the most tactical in the roster.
Zafina’s three different stances are essential to learn so that players can use the character’s great spacing and control of the stage. However, since this is another fighter that requires a bit of a learning curve, it’s worth it to master the unpredictability of her mix-ups that make her a flexible and unique choice.
Related: All Major Voice Actors & Cast List for Tekken 8
B Tier
The B-Tier characters are fun to play as but can be easily be exploited by their opponents with some say to find openings. These characters are often considered the most balanced, requiring practice so as to not become overwhelmed by A or S-tier characters.
Bryan’s high damage output and ability to quickly apply pressure certainly make the character live up to the name Bryan Fury. The trade-off is that this fighter is also very slow and lacks a lot of gimmicks when compared to other characters on the roster.
Eddy is a very fast character that was initially considered broken upon release. However, over time players have learned how to counter his fast string of attacks, and his lack of ability to pressure and corner fighters makes him easy to exploit.
Jack-8 is a fundamental character that is perfect for those new to the series. With decent long-range attacks and impressive wall pressure and damage, the fighter can make the more inexperienced players feel powerful. Jack-8 also has impressive throws for any position their opponent may be in.
Leroy’s vast array of abilities has become diminished as different updates to the game has thrown off the fighter’s balance. Now not dealing as much damage as he was before, and problems with his frame data make him another character that is a little too easy to pressure and whiff punish.
Paul is an interesting character, as he has the ability to deal out serious damage in a small amount of this. With special moves like the Deathfist, this character is one that isn’t as agile or versatile as other characters. However, that could also help newcomers in learning more about positioning and stage traversal.
Reina is a fun character to play, but she is severely lacking in defensive abilities. Should a player whiff while using her, they will be very easily taken down. While strong in offense, higher levels of play in Tekken 8 ranked easily show the limits and ceiling of her capability.
Steve has the disadvantage of being a character that requires plenty of practice, as well as having plenty of counters in Tekken 8 that can shut him down fairly easily. With a lack of mix-ups, Steve becomes fairly predictable. However, those with an aggressive play style might enjoy using him.
C Tier
Panda is the only one at the bottom of the tier list for one sole reason; the character does the same things Kuma can do, only not as well. Whereas Kuma’s defensive capabilities and offensive pressure can trap players, Panda has a limited range and much more predictable movement. Combos are also harder to follow through on with her, overall making her the lower-tier character in the roster.
And that is our Tekken 8 tier list.
Tekken 8 is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
