You can block and position more effectively, now it’s time to wear away at foes’ life bars. Optimal attacks are the shortest path to victory. Players that adapt to their opponent’s defense, character, and playstyle win the most games.  

Offense might seem easy versus the AI but picking the right option is far more difficult against experienced players. This Tekken 7 guide will teach you the best tools like fundamentals, pokes, throws, launchers, combos, and okizeme for competitive play. Check out the entire series to help round out your skillset. 

• General Overview
• Movement and Defense
• Offense and Combos
• Frame Data and Punishes
• Stages
• Rage

Offense for Beginners

Carelessly throwing out every attack in your move list won’t win rounds.  Tekken is known for flashy combos, but the best players use standard moves called pokes to open up opponents. These fast, one-hit moves are safe or plus on block and deal small damage that quickly adds up. Steadily poking can be just as effective as immediate combo damage.

Low pokes

Low pokes can be mixed with highs and mids to keep opponents off-balance. They are also helpful for conditioning players to duck so you can unleash launching mids. Almost every low is unsafe on block, though some are part of safe strings. Low pokes carry more risk but are essential for breaking through your opponent’s guard. 

Throws

Throws are an unblockable alternative to strikes. They offer more options for unpredictability on offense and must be broken to escape. Duck throws for easy whiff punishes. It is harder to land grabs at high levels of Tekken but go for them anyway to keep your opponent honest. 

Most grabs use dual-button inputs, save for a few command grabs. Command grabs are special moves that act as throws. They often reach farther, start additional combos, and create more mixups than the standard variety. Some require complex stick motions like King’s Giant Swing. 

Launchers

Launchers put the opponent in a defenseless state to start combos. There are two types of launchers in Tekken 7: normal and counter hit. Normal launchers send opponents into the air. These moves are generally unsafe on block and best used to whiff punishes. Land a clean hit then juggle foes for big damage. 

CH Launchers

Counter hit launchers possess generic hit properties normally, but devastating effects on counters. Some launch into the air, while most drop  opponents to the ground or into the bound animation. This is the better launcher in neutral. Counter hits are almost always safe on block and in some cases, plus frames. Follow up with an airborne combo to build massive damage. 

Low launchers

Many low sweeps and slides work as launchers on either normal hit or counter hit. Bryan’s Snake Edge launches on normal hit while Alisa’s Eject Slider only launches for counters. Many can be followed up with juggles for easy combos. Others like Jin’s L.L.R.K. knock opponents down and require a pickup. Almost all sweeps and slides are launch-punishable, so only use this risky option when you’re confident. Some safer low pokes also launch on counter hits like Xiaoyu’s Nutcracker.

Floats

Jabs and other quick moves will “float” opponents out of the air while they are jumping. You can follow up in this launch-like state with fast reactions. Be aware that the hit scaling changes so combos are shorter and deal out less damage. 

Combos

Tekken 7 has the most streamlined combo system of any entry in the series. Combos are more formulaic and less improvisational than older games. Each one starts with a launcher then continues with three additional steps: the pickup, screw attack, and wall carry. Old school juggles are still doable, but learning optimal combos is crucial for maximizing your damage output. 

Step 1: The pickup

The pickup is technically optional but important for dealing the most combo damage. Use a quick move string or series of pokes after the launcher connects to suspend your opponent in the air. This tactic deals higher damage with normal hit launchers, while many counter hit combos require it to start. Every character has several pickup maneuvers. Take the time to explore your main’s move list and find your most comfortable option.  

Step 2: Screw Attack

After you juggle your opponent, you then want to set them up for the wall carry or combo ender. Enter the Screw Attack. This move replaced the bound system from Tekken 6 and Tekken Tag Tournament 2. Screw Attacks force the opponent to the ground in a corkscrew motion with their feet facing skyward. Players can then close out combos with high damage strings at center stage or on endless arenas. It opens up even more damage potential near the wall. It should be noted that some launchers send foes straight into the screw position instead of the air. 

Step 3: Combo ender

In Tekken, the end goal of every combo is to get your opponent to the wall. If your screw attack positions your opponent close enough, follow up with certain moves to create a wall splat. A clean wall splat stands the opponent against the wall in a defenseless state. Dish out huge damage before they slide down to the ground. Explore strings or a series of separate moves to discover the most devastating wall combo for your character.

Okizemi and wall pressure 

Okizemi or “oki” refers to the mind games and mixups after an opponent is knocked down. Tekken gives you the option of staying on the ground. However, a patient player can counter with grounded attacks like stomps and sweeps. Downed players that anticipate the sweep can retaliate via universal wakeup kicks. The low wakeup option launches on counter hit and is great for swinging momentum in your favor. 

Cornering your opponent near the wall is the best position in Tekken 7. Aside from limiting their mobility, there are numerous wall splat options at your disposal. This makes the mixup game twice as scary at the wall because one wrong guess can end in a full combo. 

Wall Bounce moves were introduced in Season 2 to make wall pressure even scarier. Every character now has at least one attack that ricochets the opponent off the wall. From there you can wall splat and unleash a devastating wall combo. Most are unsafe on block while some have additional properties. For example, Asuka’s Exorcisor is safe on block, Powercrushes, and Wall Bounces. 

Now that you know proper offense in Tekken 7, our next entry will show how to punish poor offense. Are you ready to let the punches fly in the Tekken 7 Open Series?