Tekken 8: Best Beginner Characters [My Recommendations]
After spending 30+ hours so far, I have included the characters that suit newcomers and beginners in Tekken 8.
Tekken is notorious for being technically complex and not beginner-friendly. This notion changes somewhat in Tekken 8, thanks to the new mechanics and the new direction that it is going towards. Now, even new players can pick up certain characters and start playing. Let’s take a look at the best beginner characters in Tekken 8.
- The best beginner characters will allow newer players to play and climb the ranks in Tekken 8 easily.
- A few of these characters like Lars require more skill in the long run, but all of these are very easy in the landscape of Tekken 8.
- Characters like Asuka and Leroy have very strong defensive options, allowing you to play as a turtle.
- All of these characters have very straightforward game plans and are easy to execute.
- Author’s Note: I played Tekken 8 for over 30 hours including all the closed betas and network tests. After testing out the entire cast, I came to this conclusion so you can trust my ranking.
The Best Tekken 8 Beginner Characters
Here is a list of all the best beginner characters in Tekken 8 and all the categories that they excel in:
| NO. | CHARACTER | AWARD |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alisa Bosconovitch | The Best Movement Centric Character For Beginners |
| 2 | Asuka Kazama | The Best Read-based Character For Beginners. |
| 3 | Lars Alexandersson | The Best Stance-based Character For Beginners |
| 4 | Leroy Smith | The Best Defense-oriented Character For Beginners |
| 5 | Claudio Serafino | The Best Install-based Character For Beginners |
1. Alisa Bosconovitch
- Why I Chose This: After spending time playing Alisa, I quickly realized how strong her mobility is in Tekken 8, allowing me to shift the tide of the battle with just good spacing and pokes.
Alisa has always been a beginner-friendly character ever since was introduced in Tekken. It is no different this time, as Alisa seems to follow the exact basic blueprint as her previous iterations. Her game plan revolves around using basic poking to chip away at the opponent.
A balanced and versatile move set allows players to play her with different approaches in mind. You can use her strong movement to fish for huge launchers, or depend on her poking to chip away at the opponent’s health slowly. But her pokes are very low damage, so it might take a while to go with that approach. I think Alisa is a perfect pick for anyone new to Tekken 8 looking to pick a fundamental character.
- Very strong pokes.
- Contender for best movement in Tekken 8.
- Safe launchers.
- Low damage pokes.
- Unsafe and slow comeback moves.
2. Asuka Kazama
- Why I Chose This: I have been playing Asuka since Tekken 5, and this iteration of her perfects the Kazama style she is based on.
Asuka is a fan favorite and one of my former main characters in Tekken 7. Her gameplan revolves around making reads on the opponent and cashing in with big damage. She has some of the best defensive tools in Tekken 8 that help her escape any situation, no matter how bad. Utilizing her parry effectively is key if you want to win using Asuka.
Her game plan is fairly straightforward and her moves are as easy as possible. Her key moves can be accessed by simple inputs, making her ideal for beginners. She has very strong okizeme tools as well, giving her good damage across the board.
- Top-tier whiff punisher.
- Strong panic moves and buttons.
- Safe launchers.
- Strong keepout and counter-hit moves.
- Weak punishment.
- Not strong against defensive players.
3. Lars Alexandersson
- Why I Chose This: After using Lars Alexandersson, I effortlessly opened up my opponents with his insane rush-down and stance options.
After his debut in Tekken 6, Lars slowly drifted out of the spotlight. He was one of the weakest characters in Tekken 7, meaning nobody really used him. However, this changes in Tekken 8, emphasizing rush-down and stance-based mixups. With the inclusion of Heat mechanics, Lars is suddenly a force to be reckoned with.
Unlike other stance-based characters like Zafina or Yoshimitsu, Lars has one of the simpler stance-based playstyles in Tekken 8. His options out of his stance lead to big damage, but they also carry a huge risk.
This is why Lars is perfect for those who want a character with stance options but want to have an easy time playing him. On top of this, his generic moves such as Jabs or df1 have very good frames and hitboxes, making him one of the easiest characters in Tekken 8.
- Strong stance options and mixup tools.
- Powerful generic moves.
- Strong punishment tools.
- Stance options are risky.
4. Leroy Smith
- Why I Chose This: After using Leroy Smith, I controlled the tide of the matches with my highly effective defensive options and suffocating counter-hit launchers.
Returning players from Tekken 7 will instantly recognize this name, as Leroy dominated Tekken 7 for quite a while. Much like Lars Alexandersson, his strength lies in his stances and the strong options he can access. But that is not all, as Leroy has some of the best defensive options in Tekken 8. His parry is at the core of his kit, making your opponents think twice before pressing a button.
If you want a stance-based character that has more of an emphasis on defense, then Leroy is the character for you. Along with his easy-to-execute parry, he has extremely potent and easily accessible stance mixups and highly threatening counter-hit launchers.
- Strong stance options and mixup tools.
- Powerful generic moves.
- Strong punishment tools.
- Stance options are risky.
5. Claudio Serafino
- Why I Chose This: Once you get a grip on his Starburst install, you can quickly suffocate and steamroll the opponents.
Another returning character from Tekken 7 is Claudio Serafino. He is an install character that pressurizes his opponents with his Starburst. Claudio also has one of the best whiff punishments in Tekken 8 thanks to his amazing hopkick. It is a fast and easy-to-execute move that leads to a full combo. Other than that, he also has some of the best pressure moves, such as while running 2, that can quickly corner the opponent.
Thanks to his install, he has one of the more unique approaches to offense in Tekken 8. When Claudio’s fist glows blue, he is in Starburst mode, which gives him access to some insanely strong moves. As Claudio, your goal is to stay in Starburst for most of the round. It is easy to pull this off and any beginner can quickly get a hold of his moves and flowcharts, making him perfect for those new to Tekken 8.
- One of the best hop kicks in the Tekken 8.
- High wall pressure and damage.
- Lots of pressure tools that are safe on block.
- Extremely good in Heat.
- Lacks a good poking game.
- Risky lows.
My Take On The Best Beginner Characters
In my opinion, Asuka Kazama is perhaps my favorite beginner character in Tekken 8. She has an all-round moveset with easy execution for all key moves. Moreover, she has a lot of great panic buttons and defensive options, allowing her to get out of jail for free on a lot of occasions.
Tekken 8 is one of the most enjoyable games I have played in recent times. The wide variety of content paired with the insanely fun online mode makes it a must-have experience for fighting game fans. In case you are wondering whether or not you should buy Tekken 8, or what kind of game it is, you can check out my review for Tekken 8, where I go into detail about the mechanics and lore.
In case you want to learn about the top-tier characters in Tekken 8, you can refer to our guides writer Muhammad Haris Umer’s guide where he listed the best characters in Tekken 8. This concludes my guide on best beginner characters in Tekken 8.
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