Electrics are some of the most challenging moves to pull off in Tekken 8 and are essential ‘Mishima’ tools. I’ve spent dozens of hours in the lab practicing Electrics, and I still can’t do them every time. If you want to learn, here’s how to do Electrics in Tekken 8.
What is an Electric in Tekken 8?
Before we dive in, I want us all to be on the same page. There are several moves in Tekken 8 with an ‘Electric’ version, which can only be used by Reina, Kazuya, and Jin. These are the Electic moves:
- Kazuya – Electric Wind God Fist
- Reina – Electric Wind God Fist
- Reina – Electric War God Kick
- Jin – Electric Wind Hook Fist
These moves are special and share the same directional notation. The only difference between the moves is Reina’s Electric War God Kick is done with left kick (3) instead of right punch (2).
How to perform an Electric in Tekken 8
The notation looks a little scary, but there’s no need to overthink it. The star means ‘neutral,’ so you must press forward, (nothing), down, down+forward+right punch or f, n, d, df+2. The move is difficult because down+forward+punch must be entered on the same frame. If you press punch before or after the directions, you’ll get a regular Wind God/Wind Hook Fist instead.
My biggest mistake when learning this movement was mashing in the directions too quickly. You can input d (n) df quite slowly, and an excellent way to test this is in the Practice Mode. You have a ton of time to do a clean input, and the speed will come with practice.
Another issue I had for a long time was inputting punch too late. You can turn on the Command History in the Display Settings in Practice Mode. It’s a great way to visualize where you’re going wrong. In the picture above, for example, I’m pressing punch too late, and the Command History doesn’t lie.
While not a replacement for learning the input, Kazuya and Reina’s regular Wind God Fist becomes Electric while in Heat. I must stress the importance of correctly understanding the input, but at least you can see what it looks like.
What’s so special about Electrics in Tekken 8?
Besides looking incredibly cool, they are far better versions of the regular attacks. For example, Kazuya’s Wind God Fist is -10 on block, which isn’t terrible, but it’s still minus. The Electric version is +5 on block and has pushback. These properties allow Kazuya to maintain pressure without giving an advantage to his opponent.
Do I really need to learn Electrics?
Jin, Kazuya, and Reina all have great kits, but once you start fighting strong opponents, it’s good to have Electrics to fall back on. While they aren’t strictly necessary, Electrics are integral parts of each character, and I highly recommend learning how to do them.
The most important advice I can give is not to rush and try not to get frustrated. Electrics are challenging to learn, and you can’t realistically expect to get good at them in a week or even a month. If you watch pros and YouTubers, they make Electrics look easy because they are legacy players who have practiced for years. I do not doubt that any player with enough determination can do Electrics; it just takes time.
Tekken is tough to crack, but you’ll have an easier time if you learn the correct notation. Check out our guide on how to read Tekken moves for beginners.
