Tekken 8 tier list – the best fighters for Season 1 ranked

Our Tekken 8 tier list is here. With 32 unique characters to choose from, whether you’re picking a main, secondary, looking for good matchups or anything else, it’s good to know which characters to watch out for and which characters are less of a threat. That’s why we’ve ranked every Tekken 8 character in our tier list so you know exactly who goes where.

Check out what we made of the game in our Tekken 8 review. And if you’re curious about what Tekken 8 DLC characters are coming up, we have a guide detailing what you need to know. For now though, let’s take a look at the best and worst characters in our Tekken 8 tier list.

Tekken 8 Tier List

With Tekken 8’s balance changes, some fighters have shot up the rankings, while others have plummeted. We’ve put together our list to rank all 32 characters in Season 1 of Tekken 8:

Tier	Characters
S-Tier	Jin Kazama, Jun Kazama, Bryan Fury, Feng Wei, King, Dragunov
A-Tier	Paul Phoenix, Steve Fox, Ling Xiaoyu, Nina Williams, Hwoarang, Azucena M. Oritz, Marshall Law
B-Tier	Kazuya Mishima, Reina, Leo Kliesen, Zafina, Lars Alexandersson, Lili de Rochefort, Claudio Serafino, Devil Jin, Jack-8, Shaheen, Raven, Victor Chevalier
C-Tier	Asuka Kazama, Alisa, Lee Chaolan, Yoshimitsu, Leroy Smitth
D-Tier	Kuma, Panda

S-Tier

These are the best of the best, and are the strongest characters around as Tekken 8 comes out of the blocks.

Jin Kazama

Jin has always been a solid pick, but arguably never quite reached the dizzying heights of S-Tier during Tekken 7. That changes in Tekken 8. With some powerful new moves, great frames, and some solid launchers that can lead into some of the highest damage combos in the game, Jin is at the top of his game. Couple that with guaranteed electrics from the new Heat system, and there’s no reason not to pick up Jin right now.

For more on Jin, check out our Tekken 8 Jin guide for his full move list and some beginner combos to get started.

Jun Kazama

On her return from Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Jun has been one of the strongest characters in the pre-launch betas, which carries through to the full game. She has two incredible 10-frame punishes, one of which can wall splat, a 13-frame wall splat, and a 14-frame launcher. That alone would make her a great pick, but she also has some incredible combo game and wall carry potential. If you’re looking to play a patient game and punish your opponent, Jun is as good as it gets, though be aware that she’s likely heading towards a nerf in the first major balance patch.

If you’re looking to pick her up, take a look at our Tekken 8 Jun guide to get started with some simple combos.

Bryan Fury

Bryan was dominant in Tekken 7, and it looks like he’s only going to be more so in Tekken 8. Some of the best frames in the game come with plenty of powerful homing moves, some good launchers, and while his Taunt has been nerfed, it’s still a powerful option if you can master it. His frames and space control make him an incredible fighter in neutral, and if you needed any more reason for how good he is, the God of Tekken himself, Knee, has confirmed he’ll be maining Bryan in Tekken 8.

Feng Wei

With some buffs at the end of Tekken 7, Feng was catapulted into the top tiers, and if anything he’s even stronger now. His buffs to wall pressure make him even more oppressive on offense and he will dominate the neutral if you let him. The same great pokes, mixups, and massive damage combos are there. He’s essentially the same Feng from the end of Tekken 7 with the weaknesses removed – a very strong choice.

King

Throws are significantly stronger in Tekken 8 compared to Tekken 7, with much more lenient range and execution, and that only means one thing – King is back. But it’s not only his throws being easier to land that makes him great, he has some great frames and pokes, and some surprising pressure if you give him too much space. 

If Tekken’s resident grappler piques your interest, our Tekken 8 King guide will give you a head start with his full move list and some beginner combos.

Sergei Dragunov

Dragunov has already established himself as a menace in Tekken 8, and one of the most popular characters in the red ranks and above. He has some of the best frames in the game, with multiple quick options that leave him plus on block. Combine that with strong combo game and a variety of Sambo throws and he’s one of the most versatile and fully-rounded characters in the game right now. Along with Jun, you can probably expect a nerf in the first patch, though.

For a starter guide to this Sambo specialist, check out our Tekken 8 Dragunov guide to see his full move list and some beginner combos.

A-Tier

While not quite as good as the fighters in S-Tier, all of these fighters have some great tools and are can be just as powerful as the best fighters when in the right hands. Paul, Leo, Steve, Xiaoyu, Nina, Hwoarang, Azucena, Law

Paul Phoenix

If you’ve played against a Paul for even a minute, you know he’s all about massive damage. His iconic Deathfist is one of the strongest attacks in the game, and if you aren’t careful it could easily spell the end of a round. But beyond that, he also has some great mixup potential, a decent throw game, and a backsway stance that often catches opponents off guard. Added to that is his fairly lenient execution requirements, and he’s one of the best fighters for both beginners and veterans alike.

Our Tekken 8 Paul guide is a great place to start learning some of his bruiser’s simple but powerful combos.

Steve Fox

The fact that Steve doesn’t really use his legs to attack might seem like a downside at first, but what he lacks in kicks, he more than makes up for with his fists. His attacks range from super fast, low-damage pokes to massive counter hit launchers and huge damage combos. Add to that his evasion, which can lead to plenty of combo opportunities against unsuspecting opponents and you’re in for plenty of wins.

Ling Xiaoyu

Speaking from experience, a good Xiaoyu is a nightmare to face. Her stances help her evade plenty of attacks while opening up opponents for quick launchers and strong punishes. And she has plenty of frame traps too, to bait you into an easy counter hit. You need to be creative to make the most of her, but with so much variety, you’ll be able to mixup almost any opponent with ease, making her a great choice.

Nina Williams

Nina is a character that doesn’t really have any standout strengths, but is consistently good at everything. She has good fundamentals, a strong throw game, decently high-damage combos, and some good 50/50 options. If you’re looking for a strong all-round character, you won’t find many that match that description as well as Nina.

Hwoarang

Taekwondo master Hwoarang is consistent, versatile, and incredibly dangerous. His quick stance changes and great frames let him pressure opponents with ease, and his powerful 50/50s can lead into massive damage combos. If your opponent likes to press buttons, you can easily open them up for a big combo, while more defensive opponents can still be chipped away at. A great fighter no matter your playstyle.

Azucena M. Ortiz

One of the newcomers to the roster, Azucena has already garnered plenty of fans, among them being four-time EVO champ Arslan Ash. Her fundamentals are nothing special, but she has some powerful 50/50s to open up the opponent and deal some pretty high-damage combos. Her stances also give her some strong evasion, and mastering them gives you a character that’s guaranteed to get under your opponent’s skin.

Azucena has a lot to get to grips with, so check out our Tekken 8 Azucena guide for some bread and butter combos to start you off.

Marshall Law

Law has always been a consistently high-tier fighter, and that’s no different in Tekken 8. He’s fast, and when delivered precisely, his moves can be oppressive, trapping your opponent in the corner and dealing high damage. And with his DSS stance becoming easier to use, he’s even more beginner-friendly. Whether you’re new to the game or a veteran, Law is an extremely solid choice.

While he might be a little easier now, you’ll still want to check out our Tekken 8 Law guide for a full move list and some sample combos to help you start out.

Who should you main in Tekken 8?

You might think that you need to main a top-tier character to do well in Tekken 8, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. If you’re looking for a main, the most important thing is to choose the character that appeals to you the most. In fact, playing a ‘worse’ character that not many people play can actually help you win more games, especially at lower ranks.

We might have put Yoshimitsu in the C-Tier, but that doesn’t mean he’s a bad fighter. He has some incredible mixups and damage potential. And with so many moves, most players will have no idea how to play against Yoshimitsu, potentially giving you some free wins when playing online. If you’re a creative player, Yoshimitsu could be S-Tier for you!

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Alex’s Advice

A great way of seeing if you like a character is to head into Practice Mode and try their Combo Challenges. This is a quick and easy way to get a feel for a character without investing too much time and effort.

And on the flip side, just because a character is S-Tier now, that doesn’t mean they always will be. S-Tier characters are going to be first on the chopping block for any future nerfs, and right now we wouldn’t be surprised if Jin and Jun receive some big changes in the not-too-distant future. You don’t want to choose a character you don’t like because they’re ‘better’, just to find them at the bottom of the tier list in the future.

If you’re pulled to a character like Jin or Jun, go for it! S-Tier characters are there for a reason, but if you’re drawn to a ‘worse’ character, don’t let a tier list put you off giving them a go. I’ve played 100 Reina players online and have a good understanding of how to beat them. But put me up against a Panda player and I’ll have no clue what I’m doing – it’s all relative!

That’s it for our Tekken 8 tier list. If you want to know is Tekken 8 on Game Pass, we have a guide to let you know. And if you want to know is Tekken 8 the last Tekken, we’ve answered that for you as well.

Tekken 8 tier list FAQs

Who is the best character in Tekken 8?

There is no outright best character in Tekken 8, but among the best characters are Jin, Jun, Bryan, Feng, and King.

Who should you main in Tekken 8?

While you could choose a main based on tier lists and who is strongest, you should choose a main based simply on which character you like the most.