Curious who ranks highest among all the fighters in our Street Fighter 6 tier list? After spending plenty of time brawling in the game, we have a definitive list of the best characters that you should pick when heading into an online match.
Street Fighter 6 has an impressive, visually diverse, and unique character roster. And, as such, each of the fighters has a variety of specialisms that you will need to make use of to really succeed with them. With such a diverse array of Street Fighter 6 characters, you will need to be able to separate the good from the bad and find a fighter for you if you intend to climb the Street Fighter 6 ranks. Our SF6 tier list can help you do just that.
Street Fighter 6 tier list
Here’s the current Street Fighter 6 tier list:
- S-Tier – Ken, Juri, Guile, Manon,
- A-Tier – Rashid, Luke, Chun-Li, Cammy, JP, Marisa, Kimberly
- B-Tier – Ryu, Jamie, Dhalsim, E. Honda, Blanka
- C-Tier – Dee Jay, Zangief
- D-Tier – Lily
When it comes to the best character in Street Fighter 6, your own preference will, ultimately, take center stage. However, whether you like grapplers, brawlers, or anything in between, there will be something for you, even if they don’t necessarily rank at the top of the SF6 tier list. With that said, once you master a character, you’ll be able to dominate the opposition all the same, even if it requires a little extra effort.
S-Tier characters
S-Tier characters are at the top of the pile in the current state of the game. They easily overpower everyone else and are easy to pick up and/or have a complex and detailed set of moves that you can make the most of once you’re proficient. They often have excellent frame-data, combos, and overall damage output.
Ken
Ken comes in at the S-Tier as fans of the character will love how he plays in Street Fighter 6. Back with a redesigned look, but a lot of his old moves, Ken is definitely one to pick up if you like a character that has a diverse range of punches and kicks.
You can then combine these into combos that deal a lot of damage or keep your opponent’s back against the wall for a long time, giving you the leg-up. While he’s not the easiest character to learn, he’s not quite as complex as characters like Chun-Li or JP. He is dominating ranked matches because he is that effective when using his combos right.
Juri
Juri is a returning favorite and her legs are the stars of the show, as always. Her immense kick capability and combo potential mean that she can really outshine everyone else on the roster, especially given the amount of damage her combos do.
Our Street Fighter 6 Juri guide goes over some core aspects of her kit you should use. But seasoned Juri players are to be feared. And, if you want a character to master there is none more alluring than Jrui.
Guile
Guile is a surprise entry into the S-Tier as many weren’t expecting him to perform quite as well as some of the other characters on this list. However, his supers are deadly and can really catch you off guard and pin you into a corner. So, if you are playing him you will want to really make use of each one’s utility options.
Guile is a hard character to learn but, once you master his move-set, you can expect to rise in the ranks in the competitive mode.
Manon
Manon, like the other grapplers in the game right now, is incredible. She is immensely powerful and can carve off up to 25% of an opponent’s health when her Medal Level is at max. As such she is the queen of throws and has a number of special moves that utilize them, including Overdrive throws.
While she might seem easy to pick up (she is), there are some downsides like long recovery times and a low variety of regular moves. But, throws are Manon’s specialty and they help her excel beyond any of the other characters. As such, this means she isn’t quite as good in high-rank play. But for newcomers and in lower ranks she is dominant.
A-Tier characters
The A-Tier characters in the Street Fighter 6 tier list are still rock-solid options for you to do well and succeed in fights. However, they aren’t quite as strong as the ones in the tier above, not reaching the peaks of damage or annoyance that the S-rank characters can when in the right hands.
Rashid
Rashid is an extremely overwhelming character if you come up against him. He is fast, unpredictable, and full of mixups that can catch you off guard. Plus, some impressive special moves allow him to attack from a distance as well as up close.
He isn’t easy to pick up, but he is strong. Rashid has seen a huge buff and expansion from Street Fighter 5 and now has even more moves and combos that can be combined into one another and powered up. As such, you shouldn’t skip out on him.
Luke
Luke returns from Street Fighter 5, albeit with a redesigned look and a number of familiar moves. The master puncher is able to completely pin opponents in a corner with far-reaching punches, and a number of heavy-hitting super moves.
His raw power is unmatched apart from the hulking tanky characters in the game and, if you want a good beginner character to pick up, Luke isn’t a bad choice.
Chun-Li
Chun-Li sits in the A-tier as the only thing holding her back from the top tier is that she is incredibly difficult to learn. However, despite that, her grace, aerial control, and power can really overwhelm newcomers and Chun-Li players will often be the ones you are most frustrated by.
Utilizing her moves, combos, kicks, and range, you can completely close the gap on your opponent. So, if you are looking for a high-finesse character, Chun-Li is your woman once you’ve got her moves down.
Cammy
Cammy has always been a strong character in Street Fighter and with her classic move-set, she is great here in Street Fighter 6 too. Original moves like Spiral Arrow, and new combo opportunities, allow Cammy to shine with her kicks and stage coverage like never before.
A fan favorite, Cammy has always been a popular pick and that is the same in the latest iteration of the series.
JP
JP is a classy and deadly character in Street Fighter 6. Complete with a ton of mix-ups, JP can keep your opponent guessing with long-range attacks, close-up combos, and unblockable grabs. Plus some great Super Arts and Special Moves are there to add to his repertoire.
Because of this, however, JP is an extremely hard character to learn for newcomers and even seasoned players will have a tough time. While he can output superb damage, it’s often hard to pull off, especially for less experienced players.
Marisa
Marisa caught everyone’s attention with her powerful charged punches, imposing large hits, and long-range kicks that gives her incredible reach. In tough fights, those moves come in handy and make Marisa a lion to be feared.
She can absolutely obliterate you if you are not watching, and you can use some great mix-ups as her to bring an end to your opponent.
Kimberly
Kimberly is one of the easiest A-Tier characters to pick up. Her bouncy move-set, easy specials, and mobility mean she can always keep your opponent guessing, leaving them stunned at some of the moves you are able to pull off. She also has some spectacular special moves that really shine and show off the new visuals in Street Fighter 6.
Kimberly is one of the best new characters in the series here in Street Fighter 6 and you would be crazy to ignore her on the roster if you are new. But, she just isn’t as strong as she was at launch.
B-Tier characters
The B-Tier characters are ok options, but you won’t get to use them as complete a character because of either issues with their move-set, or the fact they are built around one mechanic, making them predictable for opponents.
Ryu
Ryu is the classic, original face of Street Fighter and here in Street Fighter 6 he is just as powerful and strong as he almost always has been. Powerful special moves, with the hulking weight of his wide body (literally) mean he can absolutely pummel his opponents in an online match, providing you use your combos well.
You can’t go wrong when it comes to choosing Ryu in an online match and really making the most of everything his move-set has to offer.
Jamie
While this newcomer definitely has a lot of style and fulfills the “drunken fighter” archetype many players have been looking for, Jamie’s core mechanic lets him down.
The majority of Jamie’s strength comes from raising his drink level during a match, yet that is his downfall too. If you can’t raise that, or your opponent keeps you from drinking, you will find yourself severely lacking in the power department.
Dhalsim
Dhalsim is an all-around solid choice. His classic moves are here and look better than ever. But, he isn’t quite giving the same kind of damage output and flexibility that some of the other characters on the roster are able to put out. As such he falls slightly behind the rest of the pack in the Street Fighter 6 tier list.
Veteran Dhalsim players will still be ones to fear, but if you are looking for a character to pick up that you can get some wins with, Dhalsim isn’t your choice.
E. Honda
E. Honda returns and is even more of a wrecking ball than before. His run and immense powerful hits and fast combos can really catch you off guard. Plus, due to his size if you are pinned in a corner, you can quickly be caught in a trap.
So, if you are looking for a bulky, but effective regular fighter that doesn’t rely on grapples E. Honda is your choice.
Blanka
Blanka is one of the World Warriors that doesn’t quite compare to the rest. His overreliance on Blanka-Chan dolls and bulky, albeit quick mobility means that you have to have a lot of luck, great timing, or incredible skill to be effective as the beast.
While veterans and Blanka mains will find something to love in his unique kit, it’s often more effort than it’s worth, particularly for new players.
C-Tier characters
C-Tier characters are lacking in a number of areas. While they aren’t the worst, they do struggle to compete with many other players, especially in ranked play. They will be using the higher-tier characters and pulling off more complex combos.
Dee Jay
Ahh Dee Jay. Unfortunately, despite an overhauled move-set and some brand-new moves, Dee Jay isn’t really able to stand out in the current state of the game. The rest of his move-set is lacking and as such, while he can do some damage, only the pro players will be able to really make the most of him.
If you are new to the game, opt for another character to really make the most of the varied move sets, easy pick-up-and-play nature, or more effective combos.
Zangief
Like the more nimble Manon, Zangief a grappler. The wrestler has long been hated by many SF 6 players and that is no different here, already annoying plenty of new players. But, he simply isn’t quite as strong as he could be.
He lacks some of his signature moves and is only really an issue at lower ranks. You won’t find many players using him at higher ranks because he just doesn’t offer much flexibility in fights and you have to often commit to slow, heavy attacks that can be easily countered.
D-Tier characters
D-tier characters are the bottom of the barrel in Street Fighter 6. They either aren’t effective at competing against the competition or they haven’t got a varied enough moveset to stand out. Simply avoid these characters if you are a newcomer.
Lily
Lily is an incredibly simple character and as such doesn’t offer the variety and flexibility the other characters in this roster do. While she has some interesting tools in her toolkit, Lily ultimately can’t bring them together like the other characters to perform combos and Special Moves as effectively as the other characters.
She is a great character for someone who wants a combo-based fighter that can be used by beginners. But beyond that, there isn’t much reason to pick her.
There you have it, our Street Fighter 6 tier list ranking all the best characters. With more brawlers on the way as Street Fighter 6 DLC characters, we’ll keep this tier list up to date with the current meta. As mentioned, this ranking comes from dozens of hours played throughout many betas and the full game. So, pick from one of the many characters in the one of the best fighting games and head into the ring.