Street Fighter 6 character tier list: Best & worst fighters ranked (July 2023)

If you’ve been looking for a ranking of the Street Fighter 6 characters, then look no further than our tier list of the fighter from worst to best, as of July 2023.

Every fighter in Street Fighter 6 has its unique properties, but some are more viable than others in the current meta. Here, we’ll be breaking down our ranking for every fighter in the game, from S-tier to C-tier.

• If you’re curious about what we thought about Street Fighter 6, check out our full Street Fighter 6 review.

Street Fighter 6 S-tier characters

Manon

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Manon has debuted in this entry as a highly contentious character. With her elegant, flowing move set and devastating throws, she’s proven a force to be reckoned with. With little in the way of ranged attacks, she makes up for it by getting up close and personal and dazzling opponents before they even realise they’re on the ground, fighting for their lives.

• Be sure to check out our Manon character guide for tips on how to play her in Street Fighter 6.

Guile

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As a veteran of the series, Guile’s move set has changed very little, making him a perfect pick-up-and-play character. At Red Bull Kumite, he was used by Akainu to make it to the final round with the use of his charged Sonic Booms that kept other fighters at bay.

• Be sure to check out our Guile character guide for tips on how to play him in Street Fighter 6.

JP

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When it comes to powerful zoning, JP is second to none. With the use of his Psycho-Powered abilities, he can attack foes at range to keep them on their toes, and then follow up with some devastating blows from his cane. While he may struggle somewhat when opponents get up close and personal, his ranged attacks more than make up for it.

• Be sure to check out our JP character guide for tips on how to play him in Street Fighter 6.

Street Fighter 6 A-tier characters

Marisa

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Marisa has so far been something of an underdog in Street Fighter 6, with players divided on how strong she truly is. However, following Big Bird’s victory at Red Bull Kumite with a Marisa sweep, players will certainly take another look at her.

With her punches able to completely knock an opponent to the ground and able to build up her Special Arts quickly, it will be interesting to see where Marisa goes as the meta adapts.

• Be sure to check out our Marisa character guide for tips on how to play her in Street Fighter 6.

Chun-Li

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As classic characters go, Chun-Li has always been a powerful fighter. And in Street Fighter 6, she remains so. Her Spinning Bird Kick can devastate an opponent’s health bar, especially when cornered and with some ranged attacks of her own, she can control the battlefield like no other.

At Red Bull Kumite 2023, JabhiM used Chun-Li for his victory against Tokido and showcased why she is a top-tier character.

• Be sure to check out our Chun-Li character guide for tips on how to play her in Street Fighter 6.

Juri

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Juri is a sadistic fighter and one that requires a lot of practice to utilise the full fury of her kicks. Like Kimberly, once she is close to an opponent, it is difficult to escape her - and god help anyone she corners.

The more furious her attacks are, the bigger buff she gets without having to charge any abilities or buff separately like Lily or Jamie.

• Be sure to check out our Juri character guide for tips on how to play her in Street Fighter 6.

Ken

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Despite him and Ryu sharing similar move pools, Ken is in a good place right now, to the extent that he slightly edges Ryu down a tier. While Ryu is certainly a jack-of-all-trades, Ken’s close combat is a little stronger and makes for a natural progression for players who want to start specialising in certain aspects after learning their techniques with Ryu.

• Be sure to check out our Ken character guide for tips on how to play him in Street Fighter 6.

Dee Jay

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Dee Jay is all about rhythm and timing. His combos can deal a significant amount of damage but also require a great deal of precision to execute. They also work best when input to the rhythm of their movements.

At high levels, a good Dee Jay can be a daunting opponent as they jump around the stage and engage with numerous anti-air attacks.

• Be sure to check out our Dee Jay character guide for tips on how to play him in Street Fighter 6.

Zangief

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As another series mainstay, and in the upper echelons of video game villainy, Zangief remains an absolute powerhouse. While his size would usually make him an easy target, he can tank most hits and counter them with some overwhelming punishers. However, when matched up with smaller, nimbler characters like Lily or Blanka, he may struggle to get a foot in. But once he does, fighters beware.

• Be sure to check out our Zangief character guide for tips on how to play him in Street Fighter 6.

Street Fighter 6 B-tier characters

Ryu

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When it comes to balance, Ryu is the way to go. With powerful ranged attacks and familiar combos, he is guaranteed good time. However, that doesn’t necessarily make him the strongest of characters.

Despite being a jack-of-all-trades, he could also be considered a master of none, with his combos and moves designed to achieve a constant equal footing, it can be difficult to get a leg up in a fight.

• Be sure to check out our Ryu character guide for tips on how to play him in Street Fighter 6.

Kimberly

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Kimberly is a character that can rush in and be unrelenting. Once she is in your face, there is no stopping her, so she works extremely well against characters like Lily and Jamie who need time to buff their abilities.

Once she is face to face, she can attack from all angles with a range of aerial and low-kicking attacks that can make her an unpredictable force to be reckoned with.

• Be sure to check out our Kimberly character guide for tips on how to play her in Street Fighter 6.

Luke

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The series’ new poster boy is perhaps the most balanced character in the game. He is very much in a place where he can be picked up and played by anyone. As such, he would make a perfect character for newcomers to Street Fighter looking to learn the ropes.

Despite being one of the less favourably received in Street Fighter 5, he has gone on to become a fan favourite and one that every player should start with if they’re going to pick up Street Fighter 6 for the first time.

• Be sure to check out our Luke character guide for tips on how to play him in Street Fighter 6.

Cammy

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Cammy is at her strongest when she is using her kicking combos in Street Fighter 6. She is fast and has a long range that makes her trickier moves difficult to predict. She is a well-balanced character and a great selection for those who want to master trickier characters like Juri down the line.

• Be sure to check out our Cammy character guide for tips on how to play her in Street Fighter 6.

Dhalsim

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Dhalsim’s placement is mostly owed to his reputation as a tricky character. Despite his ranged attacks and long limbs for zoning, he can be difficult to grasp. Many of his fire attacks are slow and can be easily read. However, players who don’t know how to manoeuvre around the fire attacks are in for a rough fight and will need to micromanage an armoury of attacks expertly.

• Be sure to check out our Dhalsim character guide for tips on how to play him in Street Fighter 6.

E. Honda

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Like Zangief, Honda is an absolute unit of a fighter. Able to tank hits like a champ, Honda can charge in and throw opponents into submission and cause some devastating damage. However, owing to his size, makes him something of an easy target, and his lack of mobility can hinder his ability to close the gap.

• Be sure to check out our E. Honda character guide for tips on how to play him in Street Fighter 6.

Jamie

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Jamie is a great close-range character and is even able to buff himself to add some more intense damage to his combos. However, timing is everything.

Like Lily, you will need to find the right opportunity to buff to get its benefits. This can be time-consuming and, against an opponent that won’t let up, buffing may not be the most viable option.

• Be sure to check out our Jamie character guide for tips on how to play him in Street Fighter 6.

Street Fighter 6 C-tier characters

Lily

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In the right hands, a good Lily can be devastating. Able to buff herself and with some powerful throws at a decent range, she can chip away at an opponent’s health quickly. However, with enough pressure from an opponent, buffing can be difficult. So for now, she remains here. But in subsequent patches, she could be moving up the ladder quickly.

• Be sure to check out our Lily character guide for tips on how to play her in Street Fighter 6.

Blanka

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Blank is perhaps the most mobile of all the characters, able to jump and zip around the stage and cover a lot of ground to quickly close the gap to his opponents. However, his attacks can be somewhat finicky.

Timing is everything with Blanka, and having to time your attacks with his rolls can be difficult to pull off. As you become more practised, Blanka may become a more viable choice and one that could very much catch your opponents off guard.

• Be sure to check out our Blanka character guide for tips on how to play him in Street Fighter 6.

That’s our ranking of the Street Fighter 6 characters from best to worst. With more characters on the way and an ever-changing meta, be sure to keep checking back with GGRecon for more updates to this list.