Capcom has successfully created a fairly balanced roster for Street Fighter 6, as evidenced by the confusing post-release meta. This is a positive sign for the game's future, promising fewer broken characters in the upcoming updates—and even in other installments of the franchise. However, Street Fighter 6 fans can’t help but think about the most optimal characters in each archetype and look for the best fighters to main. This data-oriented tier list, therefore, uses recent statistics to rank all characters from best to worst.

The criteria for this SF6 tier list are as follows:

• Frame Data
• Combo Capabilities
• Hit-to-Damage Ratio
• Ease of Use

RELATED: Street Fighter 6: Best Mid-Range Characters, Ranked

Updated June 17, 2023, by Mohsen Baqery: Now that the game has been out for a little while, players are starting to get a feel for which are the best characters in Street Fighter 6. As a result, this SF6 tier list has been updated to include a little more information about each fighter, including some additional insight into their strengths and weaknesses and a few ideas on how best to counter them.

Street Fighter 6 Tier List

The post-release SF6 tier list has seen some changes, with Dhalsim, E. Honda, and Marisa at the top, followed by Manon, Juri, Ken, and Dee Jay. However, classic characters like Ryu, Luke, Chun-Li, and Zangief have fallen into the B-Tier, while newcomers Jamie and Kimberly are at the bottom.

Here's the complete tier list for all 18 main roster characters:

S-Tier: The Best SF6 Characters

The S-Tier belongs to characters with reliable frame data, consistent combo cycles, and an effective hit-to-damage ratio. And in the early stages of the Street Fighter 6 meta, only three characters have proven to excel in all those categories: Dhalsim, E. Honda, and Marisa.

Dhalsim

Thanks to his reach, extensive move list, and seamless combo transitions, Dhalsim is one of the best Street Fighter 6 characters. He can easily keep the opponent at bay, poke them with projectiles, and punish their mistakes with high-damage normal and specials. Dhalsim’s only downside is his recovery frame disadvantage which leaves him open to counterattacks on the block.

Best Counter for Dhalsim

Dhalsim’s disadvantages are his long recoveries and parryable mix-ups. To make the most of these weaknesses, players should count on speedy punishers like Juri and Cammy.

E. Honda

Despite his slow movement, E. Honda's high Life Points and frame advantage on hit place him right at the top of the SF6 tier list. E. Honda is specifically a deadly close-range warrior in Street Fighter 6 because his Special to Super combinations can yield over 30 hits in a row.

Best Counter for E. Honda

Honda lacks proper overhead attacks, and he’s fairly slow, which is why standard-type characters like Luke and Ryu are his optimal counters. These fighters can break E. Honda’s guard with aerial cross-ups while pushing him to make mistakes on the ground.

Marisa

Marisa's spot in the S-Tier of the Street Fighter 6 tier list is all thanks to her armored moves, unique block stances, and unpredictable range. After breaking the opponent’s guard, Marisa is an unstoppable beast who can knock out the toughest characters with one Overdrive combo. However, her recovery frame disadvantage, high predictability, and Drive Gauge dependency might put off beginner players.

Best Counter for Marisa

A power-type mid-range fighter, Marisa’s biggest disadvantage is her slow recovery. To counter her, players must go with speed archetype fighters like Kimberly, Chun-Li, and Blanka.

RELATED: How to Play Marisa in Street Fighter 6

A-Tier: The Solid Fighters

Currently, Street Fighter 6’s A-Tier includes a new face, Manon, as well as three familiar characters: Juri, Ken, and Dee Jay. A-Tier fighters have a promising delivery despite their minor disadvantages. They may not hold the highest stats and best frame data, but they are among the deadliest when played by the book.

Manon

Manon is the best new character in Street Fighter 6 due to her wide range of check moves and rewarding punishments. However, her Medal System, the permanent buff on her throws, gives her invincibility. After increasing her damage, Manon’s normal and Special combos become deadlier, and her mix-ups are much more difficult to read, which is a vital win condition.

Best Counter for Manon

Since Manon has no projectiles, tricky long-range fighters like JP and Dhalsim are her optimal counters. However, players can also bully her by using power-type grapplers that can drain her Drive Gauge while she’s blocking.

Juri

In the SF6 roster, Juri is the greatest poke. She can frustrate the enemy with cost-effective normal kicks, forcing them into choosing aerial combat, in which she excels. The only catch is that she’s too reliant on the Fuha stocks. Without this dependence, she would definitely deserve to be among the top fighters in the Street Fighter 6 tier list.

Best Counter for Juri

While Juri is often hailed as one of the best characters in SF6, she is not without her flaws. In fact, since she’s a close-range attacker, any fighter who can keep her at bay can defeat Juri with no hassle, including Guile, Ryu, and Manon.

Ken

Despite not being the ultimate mid-range Power Archetype, Ken is still a top-notch warrior who suits the A Tier due to his cornering techniques, pushback-heavy cancelable strikes, and quick punish counters. The only disadvantages of Ken are his checks’ long recovery and his combo’s inconsistency.

Best Counter for Ken

Although Ken is in the power archetype, his combo reach is quite limited, leaving him vulnerable to quick punishments and interruptions. As a result, it's worth considering counter options such as Guile, JP, and Jamie when facing him.

Dee Jay

As the rising star of Street Fighter 6, Dee Jay belongs to the A Tier because of his unreadable movement, practical Drive Rush, and projectile-invincibility. What Dee Jay does best is poking the opponent with unusual checks and luring them into making punishable mistakes. As for the weaknesses, Dee Jay lacks consistent cancels and has an inconvenient input arrangement.

Best Counter for Dee Jay

Dee Jay is a tricky mid-range who can deal with most projectiles. However, due to his range-dependent combos, he’s particularly challenged against faster mid-range characters like Blanka and Chun-Li.

B-Tier: The High-Potential Fighters

The B-Tier is made up of fighters who have average skills but are excellent at bouncing back from tough situations and winning matches. Ryu, JP, Luke, Guile, Chun-Li, and Zangief are some of the characters who belong to the B-tier of the Street Fighter 6 tier list in the early meta.

JP

JP was initially considered a formidable character, but he is now classified as a mid-tier fighter. His early popularity can be attributed to his unfamiliar moveset, which some players found challenging to counter. However, now that his strategy is exposed, JP's abilities are mostly limited to long-range dominance and zoning capabilities.

Best Counter for JP

When going up against JP, players have multiple options for zone control, like Cammy, Juri, Ryu, and Guile. However, to beat him effectively, players should utilize the heavy low attacks of these characters, as JP is particularly vulnerable to this type of move.

RELATED: How to Play JP in Street Fighter 6

Ryu

The primary reason why Ryu is in the B Tier of the SF6 tier list instead of S or A is his unsurprising move list. Most players anticipate his strikes and use his range issue and punishable combos against him. However, one could argue that he’s still a well-rounded fighter with unfailing mid-range supremacy.

Best Counter for Ryu

When Ryu is able to control the zone and range, he is highly effective. However, when facing opponents such as Dhalsim, Blanka, and Luke, executing his biggest combos becomes a challenge, leading to a higher likelihood of making punishable mistakes.

Luke

Sharing the same fate as Ryu, Luke is an overall decent fighter. However, his weak projectile and range disadvantage stop him from being in the higher tiers. The new Luke is overly needful of the Drive Gauge, giving him a huge disadvantage in intense melees.

Best Counter for Luke

The best counter-picks for Luke are Ryu, Ken, Guile, and Zangief. These characters can withstand his punishments and great damage while benefiting from Luke’s whiffing combos.