In the end, Character loyalty is what winds up winning anyway.
This couldn't be further from the truth LMFAO. Especially amongst high level players in most fighting games.
You folks can flame me all you want, but remember this simply my opinion:
S+ : Kabal
S : Kitana, Lao, Cage, Cyrax
A+ : Sektor, Smoke, Jax, Sonya, Mileena, Raiden (this tier and upward is my top chars in the game)
A - C: Subz, Freddy, Reptile, Skarlet, Scorpion, Kang, Rain
Ermac, Quan, Nightwolf, Shang, CSZ, Kano, Sindel, Jade, Noob, Kenshi, Stryker, Baraka
(it's really hard to fit these characters in their separate tiers IMO, cause this game is way too match up heavy...and at high level any of these characters can win pending who they're up against, I suppose characters with low damage output may have to struggle a bit vs. a more simplistic character that can deal more damage. but the characters with the low damage output has zoning tools and used at high level would be a problem)
D : Sheeva
(based simply on character design. biggest standing hit box character in the game, biggest hit box for juggling, slowest character in the game. Sheeva does has zoning and pressure tools and crouch throw set ups, but when played vs. players who know the match up...the opponent will know when to duck/tech crouch sheeva's pressure....stand block/fuzzy guard her fireball...use normals, use special moves, use armored moves, and/or dash out of her teleport stomp midscreen. in the corner Sheeva's teleport stomp mixup is nice. at mid range Sheeva's fireball and ground stomp can be jumped/teleport attacked on reaction. and when Sheeva is pressured...because of her hit box...Sheeva has to block vs opponents at a greater range then most and that's simply hard to deal with vs. characters like Cage, Lao, Kabal and Sonya...because Sheeva has very slow standing normals to maximize punishment. Sheeva is a character that can deal decent damage, but it's not overwhelming since it's very situational and DOES require meter to dish out more than 50%. most characters can dish out the same damage and doesn't need either for it to be situational or require meter or both. Sheeva really needs help. and if more people played her at high level vs. other players at high level with their higher tiered characters...you'd know that is 100% fact)
And if I honestly had to separate tiers A - C, it'd look like this:
S+ : Kabal
S : Kitana, Lao, Cage, Cyrax
A+ : Sektor, Smoke, Jax, Sonya, Mileena, Raiden
A : Subz, Freddy
B+ : Reptile, Skarlet, Scorpion, Kang, Rain
B : Ermac, Quan
C+ : Nightwolf, Shang, CSZ, Kano, Kenshi
C : Sindel, Jade, Noob, Stryker, Baraka
D : Sheeva
