Tekken has been part of the fighting community for decades. The most standout feature about the game is how it caters to casual and competitive fighters alike. The game has a careful balance of fighters, and your understanding and ability to use their skills is what determines whether you win or lose.

Even with the balanced characters, you can still create a tier for Tekken's latest entry, Tekken 7, based on the performance of the players and the data collected during the matches.

How the Tekken 7 Tier List is Created

Tekken 7 characters don't come pre-tiered. However, each of the characters is formidable in his own way, but others are more lethal.

Coming up with the tiers involves pro Tekken players that extensively test each of the characters individually. They then rank them depending on the performance of the character and the player's experience. You might always see slight differences with the tier lists depending on the player who put the list together, their experience, and their win record with each character.

That said, here is a comprehensive tier-list for the best Tekken 7 characters in the game in different tiers.

S-Tier

This tier features the best fighters in the game. These are:

  • Steve
  • Akuma
  • Leroy

Steve

Steve is undoubtedly one of the best fighters in the series. Although he had challenges in the earlier editions of the game, he has come a long way and is now the most voted character in the game. If your sole goal is to win, Steve gives you the best chances.

Akuma

Akuma hasn’t been around as long as Steve. He doesn’t have that intimidating look. He doesn’t even look dangerous at first. But once you start using him in the game, he puts out excellent performance and has numerous tricks up his sleeves.

The character might feel a little slow at first, but he can neutralize some nasty combinations. Akuma is so deadly that he was the character that was used to win the 2019 Tekken World Tour Finals.

A-Tier

This list features very good fighters in the game. The characters in this list are not that different from those in the S-Tier. With a little experience, you could still do a lot of damage to opponents using any one of these fighters:

  • Jin
  • Geese Howard
  • Paul
  • Ganryu
  • Raven
  • Zafina
  • King
  • Shaheen
  • Devil Jin
  • Lee
  • Dragunov

Paul

Paul has a knack for inciting rage in his opponents. He is a great character to use because he is not only ruthless but also a conniving liar who uses this skill to assess his opponents before subjecting them to punishment.

Paul is best known for his 12-frame to punish move. When you have easy to defeat opponents and want to take them down with the least number of jabs, Paul is your guy.

Devil Jin

Devil Jin is a low key A-tier player. He is packed with unusual moves that will take down just about any opponent. With a few combinations, he becomes the fastest and hardest launcher. He is also a fantastic punisher. His strong low poke with a high crush makes him one of the best characters in the game.

Dragunov

Sergei Dragunov made his first appearance on Tekken universe in Tekken 5: Dark Ressurection. He is part of Russia’s elite special forces (Spetsnaz). He has a pretty solid skill set that is perfect when facing various opponents.

In good hands, Dragunov can take out any top character in Tekken 7. You can get to see his meta form in the Season 3 update.

B-Tier

This list features excellent fighters. They are not the greatest, but they are decent enough to win several rounds and even take out some heavy hitters with the right skill set. Some of the B-tiers include:

  • Law
  • Lee
  • Jack 7
  • Julia
  • Alisa
  • Claudio
  • Nina
  • Bryan
  • Hwoarang
  • Heihachi

Law

Law has extensive range and capabilities, earning him an honorary mention in this list. Of all characters, he has the best 14F launch. When it comes to combos, he is nearly unbeatable with certain moves. He could be in a higher tier was not for his potential to skyrocket upwards when the player makes a mistake.

C-Tier

The characters in this list are decent. But winning a game with them becomes increasingly hard. You can't afford to make a mistake, and you have to be at your best at all times. The characters aren't that bad and have decent moves and combos you can still use. Some of the characters in this tier are:

  • Kazuya
  • Miguel
  • Bobo
  • Leo
  • Lili
  • Anna
  • Feng
  • Josie
  • Kunimitsu

D-Tier

This is where the going starts getting tough. D-tier players are below average. Winning a game with them is difficult. But there are some with some decent abilities that you might love.

  • Lucky Chloe
  • Negan
  • Katarina
  • Kuma
  • Panda
  • Asuka

Asuka

Asuka has been a staple in the game since making her first appearance on Tekken universe in Tekken 5. At first, she was presumed to be the niece of Jun and Jin Kazama, but as it would emerge, their relationship was more complicated than that.

E-Tier

Don't expect any extraordinary results from these fighters. But you could experiment with a few that seem to have above par combos though they can be easily countered.

  • Marduk
  • Lars
  • Xiaoyu
  • Armoured King
  • Noctis
  • Yoshimitsu

Noctis

Noctis is a special mention in this list because he also features in Final Fantasy XV. He has great methods of summoning weapons, and he possesses some of the most deadly moves in Tekken 7. But he is best left for experienced and exceptional players.

F-Tier

This is the worst class of fighters you can pick up on Tekken 7. The win rate is low. You'll likely lose every match you play with one of these characters, especially if you’re inexperienced:

  • Lei
  • Eliza
  • Gigas
  • Eddy

Tips to Win More Games in Tekken 7

It’s not enough to have a list of the best fighters in the game. While this can go a long in boosting your odds of winning, what you need is skill and familiarity using your preferred character.

You can make any character lethal with enough practice. One way to do this is by understanding the popular terms used in the game and what they mean.

  • Frames – A frame measures how fast a character executes certain moves. Sometimes, you might win a match because you executed a move in fewer frames.
  • Juggle – This is the action of hitting your opponent when they’re suspended mid-air. It is preferred because the opponent can’t block.
  • Launch – Striking your opponent so hard, you send them flying. Players often launch in preparation for a juggle.
  • Punish – If a player makes a mistake (Misses a grab, strike, or positions poorly), you make them pay. Some of the best Tekken 7 players are outstanding punishers, usually winning by capitalising on their opponent's mistakes.
  • Pushback – If you block a move from an opponent, they move back because of the counterforce. The distance they cover moving back is what is called a pushback. Moves with tremendous pushback limit the chances of being punished.
  • Tech – Teching is a commonly used skill used to cut frames by hitting or punching at the right time.
  • Walling – Also called a wall splat is pinning a fighter to the arena's edge, making them open to juggles and chain combos.

You can also try a few other tips that will improve your skill and familiarity with different players in the game, like mastering proper movement and positioning in the game, capitalise on the rage system, and you should be afraid to pick any player, even those on the lower tier. Be sure to challenge other players to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your fighter.

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