How to block and low parry in Tekken 8

Tekken 8 rewards relentless aggression with its Heat mechanic and freeform combos. Good players know how to exploit their opponent’s openings and whiffs but also how to defend themselves. If you’re struggling with the latter, let me explain how to block and low parry in Tekken 8.

How to block in Tekken 8

Blocking is simple enough on paper, but like everything in Tekken 8, it’s laced with nuance and complexity. To block high and mid attacks, hold back on the movement stick or D-Pad. To block low attacks, you must hold down and back simultaneously. 

Most high attacks will miss you completely when you block low, but there’s still a huge risk. Mid attacks will hit you when you crouch, which is a big problem because most launchers are mid. Many players try to harass their opponents with low attacks to force them to crouch and blow them up with massive combos.

In Tekken, you can even block without holding any direction (neutral), but as some moves can break a neutral guard, I recommend holding back to be safe.

How to low parry in Tekken 8

If you’re sure your opponent will try and land a low attack, you can low parry to throw them off balance and retaliate. You can low parry by pressing down and forward simultaneously just before your opponent lands their low attack. 

Low parries are a high-risk/high-reward maneuver that rewards a solid read on your opponent. If you land a couple of low parries in a match, your opponent will think twice before trying to sweep you again.

How do I know if an attack is high, mid, or low in Tekken 8?

Here’s where the complexity comes in. It’s pretty easy to figure out the height of some attacks, but others can be quite difficult.

The best way to know for sure is to use Practice Mode. I understand it’s a drag, but Practice Mode highlights the precise height of every attack. The more you learn about your opponent’s tools, the more you can use your knowledge against them.

There is a joke about Tekken players spending most of their time in the “Lab” (Practice mode), and this is a big reason why.

You don’t always have to block 

Blocking is a fundamental part of your defensive arsenal, but you have other options. Tekken is a 3D fighting game so you can sidestep to avoid attacks and counter with your own. Back dashing is another essential part of your kit; if you can make your opponent miss, you can deal a ton of free damage.

Some characters also have unique defensive abilities of their own. Jun, for example, has an Attack Reversal with Back, Left Punch+Left Kick (b 1+3). Explore your fighter’s move list, and see if they have any tricky moves to throw your opponent off guard. If you’re looking for Tekken 8 combos online, you’ve probably noticed they are written strangely. Check out our guide to demystify Tekken notations.