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Potentially the most popular new character, Tekken 8 Reina has certainly caused a storm in the community since her announcement. And with plenty of players vying to give her a try, we’ve put together a guide with her move list and beginner combos to help you get started on the road to mastering the Purple Lightning.
Be sure to check out our Tekken 8 review for a look at what we made of the game. And if you’re wondering which Tekken 8 DLC characters are set to make their way into the game, we have a guide for that. With that, let’s get into our Tekken 8 Reina guide with her full move list and beginner combos.
Tekken 8 Reina overview
Reina uses Mishima-style karate, and if you’ve played any previous Tekken games, it’s immediately apparent that she shares some similarities with Heihachi Mishima. However, she isn’t just a Heihachi clone, with her fighting style revolving around different stances, letting you open up opponents in a variety of ways, and giving you plenty of angles for mixups.
Alex’ Advice
Like any Mishima, mastery of Reina’s electrics will be key to playing her effectively. Head into Practice Mode and spend some time hitting EWGFs consistently before you head into a game.
The strategy with Reina is to use her fast attacks, electrics, and different stances to continually pressure your opponent, keeping them on the back foot, and punishing their mistakes with high-damage combos. Play aggressively, chip away at your opponent using Heat, and then unleash a combo when they slip up.
Tekken notation
Before you can start learning moves and combos, it’s important to know Tekken notation. This helps quickly explain specific inputs in one or two characters instead of having to write out the full thing every time. Our move list and combos use the notation below, so make sure to refer back to it to know exactly what to do.
| Notation | Action |
| 1 | Left Punch (Square / X) |
| 2 | Right Punch (Triangle / Y) |
| 3 | Left Kick (Cross / A) |
| 4 | Right Kick (Circle / B) |
| N | Neutral (Pressing nothing) |
| f | Forward |
| b | Back |
| u | Up |
| d | Down |
| d/f, d/b, u/f, u/b | Down Forward, Down Back, Up Forward, Up Back |
| qcf / qcb | Quarter Circle Forward / Quarter Circle Back |
| SS / SSR / SSL | Sidestep / Sidestep Right / Sidestep Left |
| FC | Fully Crouched |
| WS | While Standing / While Rising |
| WR | While Running |
| () | Rapidly press one after the other |
Tekken 8 Reina move list
Though she’s a brand-new character, she uses the Mishima style and has inherited a fair few moves from her father, Heihachi, so you may recognise more than you think. Here is Reina’s full move list in Tekken 8:
Heat System
- All moves will deal chip damage on block
- A Heat Dash can be used when a Heat Engager hits or is blocked (after activation, Heat will end)
- Head Smash, a move that causes critical damage, can be activated (after activation, Heat will end)
- Lethal Fury can be used from some attack sequences
- Allows the use of Electric Wind God Fist and Electric War God Kick without Just Input
- Can parry high or mid attacks during Heaven’s Wrath
Heat Moves
- Heat Burst: (When Heat activation available) 2+3
- Muso Basara: d/f1, 2
- Trailokya Splits Kick: f, f3
- Sen Kaijo-geri: (During Sentai) 3
- Unpu Tobi-manji: (During Unsoku) 4
- Iron Hand: (During Heaven’s Wrath) 2
- Senjomanji Lethal Fury: (During Heat) 3, 4, 4
- Aerial Manji Lethal Fury: (During Heat) 3+4, 4, 4
- Ouhen Manji Lethal Fury: (During Heat) f3+4, 4
- Charging Hard: With Heat activated during Heaven’s Wrath, take high or mid attack from opponent
- Divine Dominance of Annihilation: (During Heat) 2+3
- Divine Wrath of Annihilation: (During Heat and Heaven’s Wrath) 2+3
Rage Moves
- Sacred Dismantle Spark: (During Rage) d/f1+2
Normal Moves
- Flash Punch Combo: 1, 1, 2
- One Two Strike: 1, 2
- Back Fist Combo: 1, 2, 2
- Sting the Works: 1, 2, 3, 4
- Ganzan Basara: 2, 2, 1
- Bishamon Massacre: 2, 2, 2, 1
- Raging Bishamon: 2, 2, 2, 2
- Ondeko: (2, 1)
- Senjo-zuki: 3, 2
- Senjo-manji: 3, 4
- Nobility Hunter: 4
- Demon Breath: 1+2
- Aerial Manji-geri: 3+4, 4
- Sousoku Rengeki: f2, 3
- Sentai: f3
- Kamadhatu Splits Kick: f4
- Senshin-zuki: f1+2
- Senshin Karami-ate: f1+2, 3
- Nen Ashigarami: f1+2, 3 (Counter Hit)
- Senshin Hiei: f1+2, u/f
- Senshin Chuten-geri: f1+2, u/f3
- Senshin Tobi Kaijo-geri: f1+2, u/f4
- Ouhen Manji-geri: f3+4
- Ouhen Fubi Manji-geri: f3/4 (Hold)
- Muso Tensho: d/f1, 1
- Muso Basara: d/f1, 2
- Queen Bee Stinger: d/f2
- Wind God Step: d/f3
- Gekirosatsu: d/f4, 2, 3
- Kasho Maki-manji: d/f3+4, 4
- Nen Dougarami: d/f3+4 (Counter Hit)
- Tecchuu-ate: d2
- Unsoku Kou: d3
- Heaven’s Wrath: d1+2
- Eisaimon: d/b2
- Un Oshi-kuzushi: d/b4, 1+2
- Hen-in 4 Hit Combo: b1, 1, 3, 3
- Sin Smitter: b2
- Unsoku Gen: b3
- Ebi-geri: b4
- Kugai Dachi: b1+2
- Clairvoyant Fatal Violet: b1+4
- Unsoku Kou: u3
- Seigan Ugachi: u/f1
- Tobisenzuki: u/f3, 1
- Silver Gleam: u/f4
- Un Hiensatsu: u/f3+4, 1+2
- Raiden: f, f2
- Trailokya Splits Kick: f, f3
- Un Hien-geri: f, f3+4
- Ten Chuten-geri: WR3
- Un Tobi Kaijo-geri: WR4
- 10 Hit Combo 1: 2, 2, 2, 3, 1, 1, 3, 3, 1, 4
- 10 Hit Combo 2: 2, 2, 2, 3, 1, 1, 3, 3, 1, 3
Special Move
- Fukuteki: 1+4
- Fading Shadow: u/b1+2
- Swift Shadow: u1+2
- Taunt: 2+3+4
- Ki Charge: 1+2+3+4
Moves While Crouching
- Jewel Snatcher: WS1
- Benten Thrust: WS2
- Twin Stingers: WS3, 4
- Seven Seas Splits Kick: WS4, 4
- Hen Gyakujo-geri: WS3+4
- Nen Hangetsu-ate: FC d/f3
- Manji-geri: FC d/f4
Moves during Sidestep
- Jirin Sweep: (During sidestep) 4
Moves While Facing Backward
- Rear Manji-geri: (Back facing opponent) 4
Moves during Wind God Step
- Wind God Step: d/f3
- Lightning Splits Kick: (During Wind God Step) 1, 3
- Lightning Wheel: (During Wind God Step) 1, 4
- Wind God Fist: (During Wind God Step) 2
- Electric Wind God Fist (EWGF): f, N, d, d/f2 (press d/f and 2 simultaneously)
- War God Kick: (During Wind God Step) d/f3
- Electric War God Kick (EWGK): f, N, d, d/f3 (press d/f and 3 simultaneously)
- Ruthless Demon: (During Wind God Step) d/f4, 2
- Spinning Demon: (During Wind God Step) d/f4, 4
- Sentai: (During Wind God Step) f3
Moves during Sentai:
- Sentai: f3
- Furin Kazan: (During Sentai) 1, 2
- Rashomon: (During Sentai) 2
- Sen Kaijo-geri: (During Sentai) 3
- Kandachi-geri: (During Sentai) 4
- Inverse Deva Laser: (During Sentai) 1+2
- Yaksha Sweep: (During Sentai) 3+4
During Unsoku
- Unsoku: d3
- Unpu Tobi-manji: (During Unsoku) 4
- Sentai: (During Unsoku) f3
- Wind God Step: (During Unsoku) d/f
Moves during Heaven’s Wrath
- Heaven’s Wrath: d1+2
- Funkei Goma: (During Heaven’s Wrath) 1, 4
- Iron Hand: (During Heaven’s Wrath) 2
- Hell Axle: (During Heaven’s Wrath) 3, (on hit or block) 4
- Kongo Gekimetsujin: (During Heaven’s Wrath) 4, 2, 2, 1+2
- Demon Bolt: (During Heaven’s Wrath) 1+2
- Goma-sai: (During Haven’s Wrath) 3+4
- Harai Kuzushi-manji: (During Heaven’s Wrath) d4, 3
- Sentai: (During Heaven’s Wrath) f3
- Wind God Step: (During Heaven’s Wrath) d/f
During Wind Step
- Wind Step: f, N
- Fusenkyaku: (During Wind Step) 3
- Wind God Step: (During Wind Step) d/f
Throws
- Gekka Hyojin: (Approach opponent) 1+3
- Saijin Ikkoku: (Approach opponent) 2+4
- Gekka Hyojin: (Approach opponent from left side) 1+3 (or 2+4)
- Saijin Ikkoku: (Approach opponent from right side) 1+3 (or 2+4)
- Trailokyavijaya: (Approach opponent from behind) 1+3 (or 2+4)
- Stonehead: (Approach opponent) u/f1+2
- Raidou Hitsumetsu: (Approach opponent) qcb, f2
- Haburi-kaze: (During Sentai) 1+3 (or 2+4)
- Heaven’s Roar: (During Heaven’s Wrath) 1+3 (or 2+4)
Attack Reversal
- Tatenashi: (Time with opponent attack) b1+3
- Fusatsujin: (Time with punch) f, N
- Low Parry: (Time with opponent low attack) d/f
Moves While Opponent is Down
- Totetsu Jyurin: (While opponent is down) d4, 1
Tekken 8 Reina combos
Reina shares many moves with Heihachi in Tekken 7, but is a lot more spry, leading to some fast paced movement and a quick combo game. Here are a few bread and butter combos to help get you started:
- Combo 1: EWGF, b4, f, f3+4, d/f1, f2, 3f, (during Sentai) 1, 2
- Combo 2: FC d/f4, b4, f, f3+4, d/f1, f2, 3f, (during Sentai) 1, 2
- Counter Hit Combo: b4, f, f3+4, d/f1, f2, 3f, d/f1f, 1, qcf2
- Wall Carry Combo: f, N, d/f4, f, N, d/f4, d/n4, 1+2, 1, f2, 3f, 2, 3, 4, f, f3+4
- Heat Dash Combo: (during Wind God Step) 2, u/f1, (during Heat and Heaven’s Wrath) 2f, d/f4, 2, 3, d/f3, (during Wind God Step) 2, 4
Tekken 8 Reina strategy
Like most Mishimas, Reina’s strategy is centred around her electrics. These deal a little extra damage, but more importantly are plus on block, while very unsafe on block if you misinput. Make the most of her excellent spacing to bait your opponent into a whiff, before punishing with her massive damage combos.
More experienced players will also want to make use of her great movement options. Korean backdashing is the best way to bait your opponent, while wavedashing lets you close the distance quickly, as well as opening your opponent up for a mixup. That being said, if you’re a beginner you won’t be at this level for a long time, so just focus on the basics until you have them down.
That’s it for our Tekken 8 Reina guide, hopefully this gives you a good starting point to get learning the character. If you’re wondering is Tekken 8 on Game Pass, or if Tekken 8 is the last Tekken, we have guides to tell you everything you need to know about both.
Tekken 8 Reina FAQs
Is Reina a good character for beginners in Tekken 8?
Reina is not easy for beginners because of her high execution requirements and multiple stances which need to be used to play her effectively.
Is Reina easy to play in Tekken 8?
Reina is not one of the easiest characters to play in Tekken 8 because of her difficult execution and multiple stances.
