Character Overview
TMM Notes
Throws are really strong in Tekken 8 because normally 20f break window but on CH its only 8frames, throws now track fully, damage done by throws is not recoverable
King has a 10f throw in Giant Swing (1 break) that does a ton of damage, can be mixed up with Muscle Buster and Shining Wizard (both 1+2 break) which look the same. Jab into Giant Swing is uninterruptible by jabs! Also mix in Tijuana Twister and Tombstone (2 break), good Okizeme after Tombstone.
Keep opponent honest with Kings good poke game in 1 and df1. 2,1 is great to setup thows. d3 is a low poke with +1 on hit so it sets up giant swing. ffn2 is +7 on hit. Chestbump (f1+4) is +3 on block and +7 on hit. Jaguar sprint into unbreakable throw is a thing. Can mix it up with a mid elbow that knocks down. 1,2,1 is safe. On CH it guarantees 2,1 or GS attempt. df1 only -1 on block, has a df1,2 NC followup that is -10. f3 safe mid and if it connects you can press 1+2 for big damage and KND and good oki. ffn1+2 (shove) has huge range, is a mid check and is neutral on block, +7 on hit but deals no damage, on CH it gives a free f2,1 heat engage. ffn2 is a great low that is only -13 on block and +7 on hit so it sets up throws as well, evasive (goes under a lot of stuff), huge range, on CH absurd damage from an automatic throw with no recoverable health.
Muscle armor (db1+2) is a super strong armor move. Can tank deathfist and then launch it by waiting a bit after tanking the hit into uf4. Can cancel it instantly if it doesnt absorb anything. uf3+4 another strong armor attack but -12 on block. Huge reach, on hit +25 into sprint mixup.
Jaguar sprint (f3+4) has armor in heat and goes into JGS 1 (now safe on block mid launcher) or unescapable throw in JGS 1+3/2+4.
About King
Movement not that great, worst backdash in the game
Strategy
Offense
Condition the opponent with lots of quick mid pokes to keep them standing so they don't duck your throws: df1, df2, df3, f3:1+2, f1+4
After KND such as b2,1 you can use CD to enhance your mixup, e.g. ws1+2 only -10 on block but launches. Can also do f1+4 here or f3. Basically use a lot of quick pokes and chest bumps and keep them standing, then throw!
Counterhits
b2,1 really difficult to confirm but on CH you get something like CH b2,1 T! SW
df2,1 much easier to confirm into something like CH df2,1 df4,3 b1,2 T! microdash ssr f2 SW for 76 damage from an i13 mid! On regular hit you get d2+3 d3+4 guaranteed.
ff,n2
Combos
Normal Combos
asd
Counterhit Combos
asd
Wall Combos
asd
Heat Combos
asd
Guaranteed Followups
asd
Punishment
Block Punishment
asd
Whiff Punishment
asd
Moves
RA = df1+2
Key Moves
1 i10 h +1/+8
1,2 h,h -3/+8 jails
1,2,1 h,h,m -4/+5
1,2,1,2+4 2 break throw
1,2,1,d2+4 unbreakable crouch throw
1,2,2+4 2 break throw
1,2,d2+4 unbreakable crouch throw
1,2,1,1,2,4,4,4,1,3 10 hit combo
2 i10 h +1/+7
2,1 h,m -3/+8
King has access to a lot of fast jabs offering good damage, and can setup other pokes and buffer throws (e.g. Muscle Buster, Tombstone, GS) --> 1 into throw mixup is extremely powerful on its own, they have to break or duck. GS after df1 or jabs is very powerful, they can't backdash out of it easily.
Once they duck King has access to mid pokes such as:
df1 i14 m -1/+3 good range elbow with good tracking, again setup for throws, works well against AOP
df1,2 m,m -10/+5 delayable, NC unless too delayed, if you think they will mash you can hit them with delay
df2 i13 m -6/+4 if they want to check u e.g. after df1 oH this trades with jabs leaving you at +4, good range, good tracking
df2,1 m,h -4/+24 NCc, can delay hit confirm, (df2),1 gives a combo with df4,3 b1,2 T! microdash ssr f2 WR 2+4 (hard) or T! f2,d1,2 (??)
ff,n1+2 i9 m +0/+7 very strong approach tool, if you are fast enough you can do 1 into ff,n1+2 uninterruptible, deals no damage but gives good frames, on CH free f2,1 recovers health and lets you do whatever from heat engage e.g. GS (1 break), SW (1+2 break), WR3 (chip damage) leavinog you at +3 and again you can throw and they have to duck or break, only downside of this move is bad range and bad tracking. On CH if you dont want to use heat yet you can use b3,1+2 instead of f2,1
df3 i14 m -9/+6 quick poke, tracks to Kings weakside (left), good safe alternative to eg f4 which is homing but you could get floated from a jab
ff1 i20m -5/+14 fast, homing, somewhat evasive eg against jabs, good mixup for ff,n2!! PLUS FOURTEEN on hit, on CH it knocks down and you can chase them and follow up with a ground throw attempt (db2+4???) or guaranteed d2+3 into d3+4 (alley kick) OR just uf2. On block only -5 with pushback so you can still sidestep
f1+4 i17 m +3/+7 quick +3oB mid, they have to respect followups like df2, jab, ff,n1+2, throws
f3 i15 m -8/+1 just frame followup in f3:1+2 for good damage and good oki, works well against AOP
King has pretty good lows:
d3 i17 l -12/+1
ff,n2 i18 l -13/+7 great range, instant high crush, unseeable but doesnt track, PLUS SEVEN ON HIT so you can go for any poke like df1, df2, jabs - you cant get counterhit - or any throw, 55 FIFTY FIVE damage on CH eg you can df1 ff,n2 to crush jab retaliation (with good execution)
db3 i23 l -14/+4 FC, tracks weakside (left), used as approach tool (crushes highs), good range, plus on hit (uninterruptible ws4 or GS or rock bottom or muscle buster - qcf/qcb inputs can now be done in crouch - or piledriver with followup, tijuana twister etc). On hit go either mid or throw (high), if they respect you too much you can even follow up with something like ff,n2. On CH KND guaranteeing a ground throw attempt or d2+3 or simply another db3.
(d4) i14 l -15/-4 quick low but risky and low damage, don't use this very often, can be done from FC d4/db+4 for extra damage
To approach use moves like ff,n2 or ff1 or ff,n1+2 or db3 or just single jab and:
f1+2 i16 h +0/+10 quick, decent tracking, good range, can even be done from WR for more range, neutral on block, on hit guaranteed db3 or ff,n2, if they techroll after db3 you can do something like SW
run up and any grab of choice like SW or df2+3 or db2+3 or you can buffer qcb1+2 (muscle buster). Advanced would be running GS mixup with SW because they have the same animation but difficult to do - except after a heat engager so throw mixups are super powerful here! You can mix up heat engage into throw with f1+4 (chest bump) or WR 3 oH guaranteed ff4 or f1+4 (easier)
f1+4 i17m +3/+7
WR 3 i20~25m +3/+30 use sparingly as approach as its very linear, best used when they are forced to block it eg on wakeup
King has good defensive tools as well:
b3+4 Jaguar step can create whiffs and eg JGS 2 but even better are his THREE powercrushes:
uf3+4 i22 m -12/-7 if it absorbs an attack it is -7 on block, goes into JAG on hit where you can mixup JAG 2+4 throw and JAG 1 mid launcher (i16 m -8/JGL) and JAG 3 (i22 m -9/+11 homing) or JAG 4 low (i20 l -21/+0 FC)
b3 i16 h -10/-5 only -5 on block if it absorbs an attack, b3:1+2 for very damaging followup (input before b3 hits)
db1+2 can even tank deathfist and punish it, if you time db1+2,2 just right its a punish leaving you in heat and at +35 (so you can do mids like f2+3 and they have to respect it, can heat dash into full combo if they dont respect it or WR 3, dash up f1+4, crouch dash into multi throws, JGS into JGS 2 safe mid and oH unbreakable d1+4 throw or go straight into JGS throw), if too early you'll get hit, can also use other moves like hopkick at the end of the armor duration (total duration 24f, starts at 17f)
d1,2 anti pressure tool
can also use throws as CH like GS or Muscle Buster or Tijuana Twister for big damage and hard to break
Homing
Throws track!
f4
ub1 f2+3 guaranteed followup on hit
ff1
ws2 can be used on its own or if feeling confident ws2,2 is NC
JAG 3
Chip Damage
WR 3 7 chip
ss3+4 TWENTY chip damage, super good range but high
JAG 2 +3 but high (7 chip)
(ff2) use sparingly, low chip damage, doesnt track, slow but if it hits guaranteed d1+4 (or any crouch throw like d2+4 if you want to conserve heat or d1+3) so it can be used if opponent likes to duck from afar, but it is slow
(JAG 4) +8 oB high, if you spin twice it becomes a guard break guaranteeing f2,1 can heat dash into some combo - slow so not really recommended
(ff3+4) 7 chip, +2 at the wall but is probably rarely used
Throws
Throws in Tekken 8 are strong: they track to both sides and if they challenge you off of plus frames (literally a single jab) King has access to a 10f throw in GS that becomes uninterruptible by jabs and has a reduced break window (13f window on CH instead of 20f).
| Throw | Input | Break | Damage | Notes |
| Ground throw | ||||
Multithrows
a
At the Wall
asd
Okizeme
asd
Stances
Jaguar Step (JGS)
Jaguar Sprint (JAG)
Heat
Heat engagers are:
f2,1 fastest one
f2+3 safe mid at -9
db1+2,2 safe oB mid (-9) from powercrush into massive plus frames
JAG 2+4 (f3+4 2+4/1+3) = RKO unbreakable throw
d1+4 = Pedigree unbreakble crouch throw e.g. from JAG 2 oH guaranteed
King regains heat when landing certain throws: SW, GS, RKO, d1+4, Tijuana Twister, Muscle Buster, also air GS and air SW, wall throw (qcf1??)
During heat kings JAG (Jaguar Sprint) is enhanced with ARMOR so it only loses to lows and throws. JAG 1 changes from safe on block mid KND oH to a launcher, can literally get 70 damage just with H.JAG 1 T! :SW.
f2,1~f becomes a launcher eg something simple like f2,1~f 1+2,3 T! SW (69). Same thing with f2+3~f and db1+2,2~f. Any of these oB into heat dash also give +5 (same as all characters).
Heat smash does SIXTY FOUR damage or even more in range/CH. Good range. On Block goes into JAG at +12. You get a free mixup, they cant even rage art. On CH df2,1 you get a free heat smash as well as CD 4 into FB!.