Steve strategy

This page is for Tekken 8. For Tekken 7, see Steve strategy (Tekken 7).

Gameplan

Steve's great framedata and versatile moveset allow him to play many different gameplans, ranging from a rushdown character at the wall to a fearsome keepout character with a lifelead. Experiment with his kit and find your own playstyle, but to begin rely on the moves detailed below.

Key Moves

b1 - Tracks -> Left. Steve's key counter-hit tool. Extremely high reward counter hit with best in class safety due to having a cancel to FLK if you hold back which you should always do. This leaves you at only -1 on block in Steve's best stance. Use this tool to play keep-out against opponents rushing you down, dissuade retaliation, or start pressure. Due to being only -1 in FLK, you can use Steve's wide array of evasion tools to begin mind games, even on block. Duck in to stop them from checking with jab, weave to the side to get around linear mids, and smoke quick mid checks with the incredibly strong FLK b2 powercrush. Once they lock up, begin pressuring with flicker jabs. If you're unsure on what to do, throwing out b+1 is usually a safe bet as a starting point.

1,2,1 - Tracks -> Both Sides. Steve's main jab string. All the hits jail and are guaranteed on counter-hit. Can be ended with cancels to duck, FLK, PAB, or weaves and even has both mid and low follow-ups (although the low is seeable and quite punishable). Use this string to mash out or begin pressure when b+1 isn't quite fast enough, then cancel to FLK b2 for more mindgames and PAB to begin pressure once they start second guessing how to respond.

df2 - Tracks -> Linear. An infamous mid from T7 that is only a shadow of its former self. Still a great mid despite that as it is made safe with a duck cancel and creates soft mix ups on hit. The tracking has been removed so be careful if they begin to step you. Break this out in pressure when the opponent starts to duck, which they will to get around 1,2,1 and b+1. With a duck cancel, df2 has these guaranteed counterhit follow-ups, ordered from easiest to hardest: mash 1+2/ws1,2/ws2,2. The ws2,2 option is worth learning as it leaves Steve in LNH stance for a mix-up.

d2,1 - Tracks -> Both Sides. One of the only safe lows in Tekken making it an incredible round closer and is a pesky move to deal with due to its high crush property. Use this on enemies keen on side stepping and turtling.

df1 - Tracks -> both directions when close. It's a df1. Fast mid check with high and mid followups. Steve's mid follow up is notably safe, but has a gap. Use this when they begin ducking or to check people in +3 situations.

db3,2 - Tracks -> nothing. Toe Stomp, the reason Steve likes to be at the wall. Steve is now at +8 in LNH, which means LNH 1 beats all options outside of some parries. Toe Stomp is extremely unsafe if they get a read, so rely more on qcf1 in your mix to condition as its safe and can even be used to take turns once you get a read.

qcf1,b - Tracks -> nothing. Rocket Launcher. Dollar store deathfist. Safe, wall-splatting mid that puts you into flicker. Begin by just blocking if they block; however, you have options here. FLK B2 powercrush is great to smoke slower retaliation at the wall for huge reward, but be careful for ducks and jabs, which will hit before armor starts. You can a also weave to the left or right as well and use his many options depending on the level of read you want to go for.

UB3 - Tracks -> nothing. Steve's kenpo step, leaves you in LNH. New move in tekken 8, this allows steve to launch whiffs, but as always, comes with caveats. No blocking in LNH leaves it very vulnerable to a read. This move is still necessary in this game for now to beat out mashing opponents.

WR2 - Tracks -> nothing. Running attack that rivals Drag's. Leaves you at +6 OB, which means DF2 and QCF 1 are safe, and UB2 is very low risk to shut down stepping. This is one of steve's only ways to force situations, which makes it invaluable. However, be careful as the tracking is non-existant and a whiff can lose you the round.