Tekken 7 is a deep and complex 3D fighting game. It has increased movement compared to 2D fighters and, as such, offers a wider array of options in neutral. This is without things players take months, maybe years to master like the Korean Backdash. Because of this, most characters have options to deal with one another and try to even the playing field.
Recommended Videos
Even so, there are some standouts. Around the mid-tier, you’ll see a lot of interchangeable characters and minor shifting. But the top tier is much more fluid as these characters all have strong tools that may take a long time to fully flesh out. Still, there are some clear standouts after the 5.01 patch, even amongst the top.
10/10 – Leo Kliesan
Leo has benefited from buffs that have given them greater combo potential but making launchers faster or have different properties. Their oki has gotten stronger thanks to this as well, making them more dangerous than ever.
Leo also has good lows, one of the better ones being plus on block. Coupled with the startup buffs received, their great wall pressure and combos, and the improved oki, it’s easy to see why they’re so strong this time around.
9/10 – Steve Fox
Steve’s mixup potential is outrageous. He has a wide range of options out of his numerous stances, leading to built-in pressure tools and mind games. You always have to stay on your toes against him.
He also has great punish and counter-hit moves that launch opponents, leading to big damage combos. If you get your opponent against the wall, they may as well put the controller down until the next round.
8/10 – Julia Chang
The resident influencer of Tekken clearly had no fans at Bandai Namco as she was hit with a nerf bat so big it’d make Negan blush. But she still finds herself near the upper echelon of fighters thanks to her strong buttons in neutral.
Julia is great at whiff-punishing opponents and can rush down with the best of them. Her offense can be downright oppressive at times, tracking down opponents’ movements or just leaving them guessing when their turn begins.
Related: How To Read Frame Data in Fighting Games
7/10 – Paul Phoenix
The former King of the Iron Fist Tournament has seen his ups and downs over the life of Tekken 7. Now it’s up and it’s stuck. Paul excels at counter-hitting your opponent, weaving just out of range of their attacks and delivering a devastating follow-up.
He also has good low normals, a great 50/50 game, and high damage. Paul is one of those characters that can take what looks like a bad situation and turn it around instantly.
6/10 – Geese Howard
This placement is anything but predictable. Geese saw some rather significant nerfs that would destroy a lesser man. Two such nerfs saw his mid-parry lowered in advantage so you have fewer options for follow-up as well as one of his best tools in d/f+4 heavily touched.
Despite this, Geese still remains among the top in the game. His metered moves are still extremely strong and will leave your opponent with a loss of how to beat it.
5/10- Craig Marduk
Marduk benefits more from the changes to other characters than himself. He received a minor nerf to the damage of his rage drive and nothing much more significant than that. Already a fairly strong character, him remaining relatively unchanged has slotted him high on the list.
His rage drive was the move that got a damage nerf, but it’s still among the best in the game. His throw mixups still do a ton of damage, and that was one of the keys to his strength. His damage in general is amongst the highest in the game.
4/10 – Jin Kazama
Jin is a well-rounded character that does a bit of everything. Good normals, movement, special attacks, damage, combo-ability, and so on. You name it, Jin is likely on the upper level of that category.
His lack of any major weaknesses would be good enough but his parry puts him over the top. It autoblocks on come early frames leaving a small window to punish while a successful parry has Jin sidestep the opponent almost instantly. There’s a running meme that “Jin parry is everything” for a reason.
3/10 – Feng Wei
During seasons 3 and 4, Feng Wei was the recipient of many buffs. As the character was fleshed out more and people learned just how good his options were, he quickly shot up in the ranks.
With Tekken adding the wall crush mechanic, it just added another layer to his already strong kit. With some of the best lows in the game, good pokes, and a fast homing mid, he’s already a menace in neutral. But his parry puts him over the top, allowing him to turn disadvantageous situations around or just have mind games with the opponent.
2/10 – Zafina
This character makes other characters’ movement options look like child’s play. Zafina is like a snake, slithering around the stage waiting to strike. Thanks to her sidestep, which covers a great distance, she can slink around the opponent before they know she’s gone.
This is to say nothing of her attacks. One such has her lay on the ground and she has options from that. Because of how low she is, she can be hard to strike. Other attacks have built-in elusiveness, causing her to win out in exchanges.
1/10 – Akuma
When the Tekken 5.01 patch was announced, everyone was sure Akuma would be touched heavy as he was noted by many as the best character in the game. When the patch was released, they quickly realized this wasn’t the case as he received minor nerfs that did little to hinder him.
Even in a game with great movements, Akuma stands above most thanks to his dodge and demon flip. With the ability to zone thanks to his Hadouken, his busted options while he has his opponent at the wall, 50/50s, and ridiculously plus normals, he is the best fighter.
