Soul Calibur 6 boasts an impressive 29 characters, making it one of the bigger rosters in the franchise. It features 23 returning characters, alongside two new characters and three guests, each with their own unique moveset and rules.

While being amazing at a fighting game will give you more wins, rather than coming down to the character they choose, it would be a fabrication to say that some were not better than the others. We have picked out some of the best characters from Soul Calibur 6, and new players and fans alike may want to take a look at how they all stack up against each other.

10 Maxi: Complex, But Worth Learning

Concept art for Maxi, featuring him and his nunchaku.
  • Weapon Name: Fatibal
  • Fighting Style: Shissen Karihadi

Maxi focuses on jumping in between different stances quickly to catch the opponent off guard. Unlike other characters, who play a bit more slowly, you will need to think quickly to manage all these different stances.

His skill ceiling is a bit higher than other characters, and with enough work and training, he can really shine on the stage of history. You just need to constantly be on the lookout for cracks in your enemy's defenses, capitalize on the stance changes, and think quickly in order to overwhelm your opponent.

9 2B: Close Quarters And Combos

2B seen in full sprint in Soul Calibur 6.
  • Weapon Name: Virtuous Treaty & Virtuous Contract
  • Fighting Style: Automated Infantry for Machine Life Form

Fighting games like Super Smash Bros. and Mortal Kombat are notorious for their use of guest characters, and Soul Calibur is no exception. 2B from Nier: Automata joins the series in Soul Calibur 6, and she's certainly a force to be reckoned with.

2B comes equipped with her aggression shift stance, which allows her to close the distance between herself and her opponent incredibly quickly. Certain moves also allow her to plant analysis points on her opponent, which, upon stacking up, will let her use a lethal hit and do some serious combo damage. However, if players see through what she is trying to do, she can be in trouble.

8 Cervantes: Attack From A Mostly Safe Distance

Cervantes featured with his gun blade and sword.
  • Weapon Name: Acheron & Nirvana
  • Fighting Style: Memories of Soul Edge

Fans of the series since day one will remember the name Cervantes de Leon, and for good reason. With a great balance between mid-to-long range, his style mainly focuses on tantalizing his opponents, striking them from just beyond their reach.

Positioning is critical for players of Cervantes, as you need to be able to place yourself in the perfect range to your opponent. His rushing moves help him to do this, but it can still be a bit tricky to get the hang of it for beginners.

7 Zasalamel: Pull Them In And Strike

Zasalamel pictured featuring his scythe.
  • Weapon Name: Kafziel
  • Fighting Style: Self-Taught

Zasalamel is an interesting character that has also been around since early on in the franchise, making his grand debut in Soul Calibur 3. While originally in a rough spot when the newest title launched, updates and balancing have placed Zasalamel in a pretty good position. His style relies on making use of his long scythe to hook enemies in and pull them close, before snapping back and pushing them away again. The use of magic and curses make him even more powerful.

Positioning is key here too, as you will need to position yourself just out of their enemy's reach before pulling them in to do some major damage. A higher skill ceiling means that you will have to play smarter with him too, lest he get ripped to shreds.

6 Cassandra: Don't Think, Just Deal Damage

Cassandra featuring her sword (shield not pictured).
  • Weapon Name: Owl Shield & Omega Sword (Original)
  • Fighting Style: Improvised Athenian Style

Cassandra is one of the quirkier characters of Soul Calibur 6 and sibling to Sophitia. Unlike her sister, she has no formal training with her style and rather makes it up as she goes. Many of her attacks have her throwing her shield, herself, and her backside against the opponent. She hits hard and fast, quickly knocking her enemies down before blowing them away with the stored energy in her weapons.

However, when compared to her sister, she does not recover nearly as quickly. In fact, her hard-hitting nature often sees her reeling back for a moment in recovery. As such, you need to be quick-witted when playing her, but with enough practice, Cassandra can deal some serious damage.

5 Sophitia: Play Smart And Counter Attack

Sophitia featured with her sword and shield, her name superimposed on the frame.
  • Weapon Name: Omega Sword & Elk Shield
  • Fighting Style: Athenian Style

Sophitia is easily one of the most iconic characters in the Soul Calibur series and has appeared in other games, such as Warrior's Orochi Ultimate 3. Her Athenian fighting style allows her to quickly go on the offensive while simultaneously defending herself, as well as allowing her to stay light on her feet.

Sophitia is a counter-attacker. While she can go on the offensive quickly, it is not where her strength lies. It takes some practice, but you can learn how to utilize your opponent's own moves against them, and that is exactly where she excels.

4 Siegfried: Mid-Range Heavy Hitter

Siegfried featuring his giant zweihander.
  • Weapon Name: Requiem
  • Fighting Style: Self-Taught

Siegfried has almost come to represent Soul Calibur in and of itself, being the wielder of the holy sword in previous incarnations of the game. His style is almost a combination of how he played in Soul Calibur 4 and 5. He relies on using the weight and length of his zweihander to hit enemies hard from a distance. Not only this, he can shift through different stances that make him even more of a threat from close up.

Although, even with these stances, the difficulty when the opponent is right up against him is almost immediately apparent. You will need to learn how to use his range and power to keep enemies at bay or be able to quickly push them away to maintain his usefulness.

3 Ivy: Whip 'Em Into Shape, Or Off The Ledge

Ivy featuring her snake sword.
  • Weapon Name: Ivy Blade
  • Fighting Style: Unrelated Link

There is no better character in the Soul franchise when it comes to zoning the opponent out than Ivy. Since the very beginning, she has stolen the hearts of fans and inspired some insanely talented cosplayers and gamers alike. Being able to hit her enemies from the clear opposite end of the stage and simply throw them off the edge makes Ivy a serious threat.

As you can probably imagine, she tends to struggle a bit more once the enemy is in close. She does have some tools in this space, but they are more designed to push the enemy away and into a better, more effective area for her to work with. Newer players will need to learn this before deciding to main her.

2 Amy: Stack Up To Gain The Edge

Amy featuring her short rapier.
  • Weapon Name: Albion
  • Fighting Style: Modified La Rapière des Sorel

One of the newer regulars of the franchise, Amy is one of the most terrifying characters in this rendition. Her fighting style relies on stacking four of her red and white roses by throwing them at the opponent. The red roses will enhance Amy's offensive maneuvers, while the white roses enhance her defensive maneuvers. Stacking four of each gives Amy Purple Rose Perception, and there are few things scarier.

An excellent combination of speed and power, she is absolutely a fantastic pick. Her one downside is her range, as she attacks with what might as well be likened to a needle. However, her speed and strength more than make up for this.

1 Raphael: With Time, You Will Be Feared

Raphael featuring his rapier.
  • Weapon Name: Flambert
  • Fighting Style: La Rapière des Sorel

Raphael is likely the strongest character on the Soul Calibur roster currently. With fantastic range, quick attacks that allow him to invade an opponent's space and duck out, and many abilities that will just have the opponent confused, he's got it all. Unlike other characters, Raphael is only limited to what you can do with him - so as long as the player is fantastic, he will be too.

The only possible downside to Raphael is his high skill ceiling. He requires extreme precision and attention to be played properly. Once this is learned, however, you'll be golden.

NEXT: Soul Calibur vs. Street Fighter: Which Is Better?