Character Roster

Who should you play?

Pick for a battle plan you understand, not for a tier list. Each profile gives you the archetype, an honest execution rating, and three starter moves worth drilling before your first Tekken 8 match.

Start here

Good first picks

Straightforward inputs and a clear game plan — the fastest route to winning a round.

All-Rounder / Traditional Karate

Jin Kazama

Good First Pick

The balanced karate master. Excellent fundamental pokes, versatile launchers, and reliable Heat attacks.

Key Starter Move

Demon Paw→,→+△

Fast long-range mid straight punch. Superb in neutral to catch advancing opponents.

Heavy Hitter / Brawler

Paul Phoenix

Good First Pick

The heavyweight brawler. Tremendous strike power, straightforward inputs, and the iconic Deathfist.

Key Starter Move

Phoenix Smasher (Deathfist)↓↘→+△

The hardest-hitting mid strike in fighting games. Use as an enormous whiff punish.

Mid-Range Zoning / Starburst

Claudio Serafino

Good First Pick

The Sirius Marksman. Small and effective movelist, blazing fast running mid, and Starburst powerups.

Key Starter Move

Ira (Running Superman Punch)→,→,→+△

Extremely plus on block, covers full screen, forces opponent to respect your approach.

Grappler / Chain Throw Specialist

King

Good First Pick

The legendary masked wrestler. Terrifying multi-part chain throws, armored Heat charges, and lethal counter-hits.

Key Starter Move

Giant Swing→,←,↙,↓,↘,→+□

Iconic throw that spins the opponent and hurls them across the stage for huge damage.

Rushdown / High-Speed Striker

Marshall Law

Good First Pick

The martial arts whirlwind. Fast pokes, acrobatic flip kicks, and relentless close-range pressure.

Key Starter Move

Dragon Somersault↗+✕,○

High-flying double backflip launcher. Punishes big whiffed attacks.

Weapon Stance / Space Control

Victor Chevalier

Good First Pick

The French UN operative. High-tech sword slashes, pistol shots, and stylish teleport stances.

Key Starter Move

Pistol Shot△,△,△,△

Simple 4-press string ending in a high-damage gunshot. Easy hit-confirm.

Evasion / Auto-Dodge Rushdown

Azucena Ortiz

Good First Pick

The Coffee Queen of Peru. Automatic evasion stances, overwhelming running mixups, and high agility.

Key Starter Move

Coffee Rush→,→,→+✕,△

Dominant running mid knee that leaves you with frame advantage on block.

Mishima Hybrid / Taido Stance

Reina

Good First Pick

The mysterious Mishima disciple. Taido acrobatics mixed with the Electric Wind God Fist and rolling stances.

Key Starter Move

Sentai Thrust→,→+△

Fast lunging palm that transitions directly into her Sentai mixup stance.

Flamingo Stance / Pressure String

Hwoarang

Good First Pick

The Korean Tae Kwon Do master. Endless kick strings, Flamingo stances, and unmatched corner pressure.

Key Starter Move

Peacekeeper→,→+○

Long-range thrust kick that pushes opponents back and wallsplats.

Once you have your footing

Stronger ceilings, stricter execution. Worth a look after your first few matches.

50/50 Vortex / High Execution

Kazuya Mishima

The ruthless CEO of G Corporation. Iconic 50/50 knockdown mixups and high-execution Mishima fundamentals.

Key Starter Move

Electric Wind God Fist→,N,↘+△

The iconic Mishima launcher. +5 on block, launches on normal hit.

Alisa Bosconovitch

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Anna Williams

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Armor King II

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Asuka Kazama

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Bryan Fury

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Clive Rosfield

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Devil Jin

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Eddy Gordo

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Emilie de Rochefort

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Fahkumram

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Feng Wei

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Heihachi Mishima

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Jack

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Jun Kazama

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Kuma II

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Kunimitsu II

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Lars Alexandersson

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Lee Chaolan

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Leo Kliesen

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Leroy Smith

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Lidia Sobieska

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Ling Xiaoyu

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Miary Zo

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Nina Williams

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Panda

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Raven

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Robert Richards

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Sergei Dragunov

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Shaheen

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Steve Fox

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Yoshimitsu

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

Zafina

Part of the Tekken 8 roster. Starter guide coming soon.

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