The King of Fighters XI: Tier Lists

Diagram

Achtung: Work in Progress

Important note about the Diagram: the matchups take team synergy only loosely into account and focus more on a 1on1 situation. This makes characters like eg. Oswald look particularly bad in the diagram, when the opposite is true to his strong shift synergy.

Diagram

Character	Kula	Gato	K'	Os	Ryo	Kim	Duck	Ralf	Adel	Maxi	Mary	Jeny	Eiji	Grif	Kyo	Yuri	Gai	Clar	Jazu	Mali	Vane	Ash	Beni	King	Tery	Iori	Eli	Shen	Kens	Silb	Shin	Athe	Duol	Haya	Ramo	Whip	Kasu	Momo
Kula	X	/*	?	+	?	+	+*	/	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	?	?	+	?	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Gato	/*	X	+*	+	?	+	+	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	/	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	/*	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
K'	?	-*	X	+	?	/	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Os	-	-	-	X	/*	/*	?	/	?	+	?	?	-	?	?	?	?	?	-	?	+	?	?	?	?	-	?	?	-	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Ryo	?	?	?	/*	X	+	+	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	-	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Kim	-	-	/	/*	-	X	+	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	/	?	+
Duck	-*	-	-	?	-	-	X	-	-	+	?	?	?	-	?	-	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Ralf	/	-	?	/	-	-	?	X	?	?	+	?	?	?	+	?	?	-	?	?	/	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	/	?	+
Adel	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Maxi	?	?	?	-	?	?	-	?	?	X	?	?	-	?	?	?	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	/	?	+
Mary	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	-	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Jeny	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Eiji	?	?	?	+	?	?	?	-	?	+	?	?	X	?	?	-	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Grif	-	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Kyo	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	-	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Yuri	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Gai	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	/	?	+
Clark	-	-	?	?	?	?	+	+	?	-	+	?	+	-	+	?	?	X	?	?	-	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Jazu	?	/	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Malin	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	/	?	+
Vane	-	-	?	-	-	-	?	/	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Ash	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Beni	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
King	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Tery	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Iori	?	?	?	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Eli	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	/	?	+
Shen	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Kens	-	/*	?	+	+	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	-	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	-	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Silb	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	?	+	?	+
Shin	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	?	-	?	+
Athe	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	?	+	?	+
Duol	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	?	-	?	+
Haya	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	?	/	?	+
Ramo	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	X	-	?	+
Whip	-	-	-	-	-	/	-	/	-	/	-	-	-	-	-	-	/	-	-	/	-	-	-	-	-	-	/	-	-	-	+	-	+	/	+	X	+	+
Kasu	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	-	X	+
Momo	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	X

Source: see notes (mostly japanese players & ATG)

Additional Notes

Kula vs Duck ist disputed, see Kula Matchups

Gato vs K' is disputed. Japanese players are split between putting it favor of Gato or considering it even at the very highest level.

Gato vs Kensou: according to Sawakoro, Gato has problems getting in on Kensou. According to Kyuntakuya, this is a 7:3 for Kensou.

All Ralf & Clark matchups were provided by Rock.

Gato vs Kim has been provided by Kyuntakuya, who considers it an 8:2.

Gato vs Kula has been provided by Shingo, who sees Kula having difficulties approaching, even though her corner pressure is strong. On the other hand, if Gato & Kula are not Leaders in this matchup, Kula can also play this defensively and abuse her strong anti-airs.

Whip Matchups

Note from ATG: I asked u-rasia for whip matchups, he provided the following, based on his experience using all of those characters against Kentucky (strong Whip player):
"The basis of the information is the case where I fought against Kenta's Whip with the 37 characters I use. I think WHIP has all the elements to win against any opponent."

30:70 K' Kura

35:65 Duck Yuri Gato Adelheid

40:60 Ash Shen Terry Ryo King Griffon Clark

45:55 Oswald Benimaru Jenet Athena Kensou Vanessa Mary Eiji Kyo Iori Jazu Silber

50:50 Elisabeth Kim Ralf Malin Maxima Gai Hayate

55:45 Duolon Momoko Ramon Kasumi Shingo

Matchup impressions of Kyuntakuya

Eiji vs Oswald: 9:1 (note from ATG: Eiji j.B beats low profile 2B, and Eiji 2B can even beat Oswald's 5C(f) clean)

Eiji vs Yuri: 2:8 (worst matchup, her strong air normals make this hard)

Eiji vs Kensou: 6:4

Gato vs Jazu: 5:5

Gato vs Kensou: 3:7

Gato vs Kula: 5:5

Gato vs Kim: 8:2

Kim vs Kula: 1:9 or even 0:10

Kim vs K': 5:5

Kim vs Oswald: 6:4 or 5:5

Kim vs Ryo: in favor of Ryo

Matchup impressions of Miekazu

Oswald vs Ryo & Kim: if Oswald is played on point, the matchups are almost even. Unlike Kula/Gato/K', they cannot play a long-range / keepaway game and need to get close to Oswald, which is good for him.

Oswald vs K': advantage K'. Getting around Ein Trigger followups is hard, 623A is good against Oswald as an anti-air even on trade, and once K' has a stock, it restricts Oswald's movement. However, if Oswald gets into close range, he has an advantage.

Radar Charts

As of 2023, Radar Charts have become a popular way to analyze character strengths and weaknesses with the Japanese KOFXI players.
U-rasia made a huge list where he ranked many aspects of each individual character and placed them in a ranking based on the total results, and recently (2023/08/11) updated it together with AKO3 (akio, kentucky, kodsuka).
Translated by ATG, you can find it here: link to google drive

Current Tier Lists

U-rasia & Sawakoro Tier List

April 2022, Video, tweet

Note by ATG: quotes are by u-rasia, roughly translated from japanese by me.

SS: Gato, Kula

"Gato & Kula's positions within this tier are often debated, proving that they are doing well."

S: Oswald, K', Ryo

"Oswald: although I am worried about his defense, both his Ace & his Stun Combo potential contribute greatly to winning."
"Ryo: best overall defense, strong LDM, also has good crossups, high/low game & shift combos."
"K: good defensive options in Crow Bites (623P) & Heaven's Drive (236236B) plus strong combos with Chain Drive (LDM) & Heat Drive (236236P)."

S-: Kim, Duck, Ralf

"Kim: excellent in the air, good stun combos, high damage even when playing him solo, but hard matchups against Kula & Gato."
"Duck: strong normals & can fight Kula & Gato, also has good stun combos but rather weak defense."
"Ralf: very dangerous from a medium-range, relatively safe distance. His hard knockdown loop is strong and he can fight well against Kula & Gato."

A+: Adelheid, Maxima, Clark, Griffon, Eiji, Yuri

A: Jazu, Mary, Gai, Terry, Iori

A-: Silber, Vanessa, Mary, Kyo, Jenet, Ash

"The above 3 tiers are in flux, the difference in power between them is not big. In my opinion, the A+ characters could be added to S-. Although Iori has low damage, he can fight many different characters well and is good at opening up the opponent, hence his placement in this tier. The reason why Kyo is only A- despite his strong corner damage is simply because the A+ and higher characters still appear a little stronger in comparison."

B+: Elisabeth, Malin, Benimaru, Athena

B: Whip, Shen, Kensou

B-: Ramon, Shingo, Duolon, Kasumi

"B+ are characters that do well as leaders and/or can hold their own against SS,S and A tier characters. Kensou has an advantage over S-tier characters like Ryo and Oswald. Although her stun potential is low, Jenet made it into A- based on her pressure, the defense Aurora (236236K) provides and the fact that she has no landing recovery after a DOWN! puts her into A-."

C+: Hayate, Momoko

"Momoko: her j.2B and low profile hurtbox while crouching help opening up and avoiding the opponent. "
"Hayate: in neutral, using projectiles and rush-in-attacks from afar make up his unusual and surprising play style."
"If you are used to these characters, they feel like they have the potential for B to B- tier, but you'll jeopardize the stability of your team."

Lists from Shingo

December 2019, Source
Note: Malin is once again missing.
SS: Gato
S: Kula
A+: K', Ryo
A Oswald
A- Kim, Duck, Ralf
B+ Jazu, Adelheid, Eiji
B Gai, Vanessa, Mary, Maxima, Griffon, Terry, Ash, King, Kyo, Yuri, Iori, Clark, Silber
B- Benimaru, Shen, Athena, Kensou, Jenet, Whip, Elisabeth
C- Shingo, Duolon, Kasumi, Hayate
D+ Momoko, Ramon

September 2019, Source
Note: Malin is missing.
Hades: Gato
Persephone: Kula
A+: Ryo, K'
A Oswald
A- Kim, Duck, Ralf
B+ Adelheid, Jazu, Gai, Maxima, Eiji
B Mary, Griffon, Terry, Vanessa, Yuri, Iori, King, Ash, Kyo, Clark
B- Benimaru, Silber, Athena, Kensou, Jenet, Elisabeth
C Shen, Shingo, Whip
C-Duolon, Kasumi, Hayate, Ramon
D+ Momoko

Lists from k-tani

List from 2019, Source: Twitter

List from 2018, Source: Twitter

Lists from Pie (Korea)

February 2020, Source
S Kula, Gato, Oswald
A K', Kim, Ryo
B Iori, Eiji, Maxima, Kyo, Ralf, Clark, Terry, Duck, Adelheid, Juri
C Silber, Griffon, Ash, Mary, Gai, Vanessa, Malin, King, Jazu, Shen, Elisabeth, Benimaru, Duolon
D Athena, Momoko, Hayate, Whip, Kensou, Ramon, Shingo, Kasumi, Jenet

Other current Tier Lists

List from Ryoji, 2021/03/31:

List from Rock from Nagoya, 2020/04/24:

Quote Rock:
"I think that 「C+ rank」 can bring out the strength around A to B depending on the person.
It is almost impossible for the D rank to turn over the super inferiority.
Or in continuous battle,
The view is that the character itself will be harder to win"

Sawakoro's Top 3 Chars (2018)
1. Kula
2. Gato
3. Ryo

2015 Tier List from kofxi_bot. Called the "Imperial Cross":
According to the old post, the most important is the divider in the middle - characters below are weaker, above, stronger.

ATG's 2019 Tier List

Old Tier Lists

Ratio-List 2013:
Note: 13 points are allowed per team. This list is outdated. Source: Nicovideo

• 7 points: Gato, Kula
• 6 points: Oswald, K'
• 5 points: Kim, Duck, Ryo, Yuri, Ralf, Clark, Eiji, Maxima, Adelheid　
• 4 points: Elisabeth, Benimaru, Terry. King, Griffon, Vanessa, Mary, Malin, Kyo,Gai, Jazu
• 3 points: Ash, Shen, Jenet, Whip, Iori, Silber
• 2 points: Duolon, Athena, Kensou, Ramon, Kasumi, Shingo
• 1 point: Momoko, Hayate

Tougeki Magazine vol. 3 2006/06/14 (post-tougeki):
God: Kula, Gato
Monster: Oswald(1up)
King: Duck(2up), Kim(1up), Gai, Jenet, Eiji
Knight: Ralf, Clark, Kyo, Jazu, Ryo(2up), Silber
Soldier: Ash, K', Terry(1up), Vanessa, Maxima(1up)
Citizen: All other characters (Benimaru=1down; Shen=1down)

Navigation

• Main Page: The King of Fighters XI
• The King of Fighters XI: Advanced System Mechanics

• Sacred Treasures Team: Kyo | Iori | Shingo
• Hero Team: Ash | Oswald | Shen
• Fatal Fury Team: Terry | Kim | Duck King
• Agent Team: Vanessa | Mary | Ramon
• Art of Fighting Team: Ryo Sakazaki | Yuri Sakazaki | King
• Rival Team: Elisabeth | Duo Lon | Benimaru
• Team K': K' |Kula | Maxima
• Garou Team: Jenet | Gato | Griffon
• Ikari Warriors Team: Ralf | Clark | Whip
• Anti Kyokugenryu Team: Malin | Kasumi | Eiji
• Psycho Soldier Team: Athena Asamiya | Sie Kensou | Momoko
• Time Unlock: Adelheid | Gai | Hayate | Jazu | Silber

---

• Arcade Bosses: Shion | Magaki
• Console Only: EX Kyo | Hotaru | Mai | Robert | Tung
• Console Only Bosses: Mr. Big | Geese