Moke and Nauman Reveal SF6 Year 3 Projectile Tier List: Guile & Mai Top the Charts

In the rapidly evolving landscape of Street Fighter 6 Year 3, the definition of a "zoner" is being rewritten. With the highly anticipated arrivals of Mai Shiranui, Sagat, and C. Viper, players have been scrambling to determine who truly controls the screen. Top Japanese competitors Moke and Nauman recently collaborated on SmashlogTV to answer a definitive question: Who has the strongest projectile in the game right now?

The S-Tier: The "Gods" of Zoning

The S-Rank was reserved for characters who don't just use fireballs as tools, but dictate the entire pace of the match through them.

• Guile: Unsurprisingly, the quintessential zoner remains at the pinnacle. Moke and Nauman described him as a "turret," praising the Sonic Boom for its unrivaled recovery and the ability to hold charge while moving in Modern controls. Even in Year 3, Guile is the gold standard for screen control.
• Mai Shiranui: The Year 3 newcomer has made an explosive impact. The duo ranked her S-Tier, noting that her Kacho Sen (Fan Toss) is oppressive. Moke even joked that if her "Homura" install is active, she jumps to "SSS-Tier," making her arguably the most dangerous zoner in the game when fully powered.
• JP & Akuma: Despite previous balance adjustments, JP remains elite due to the mix-up potential of his ghosts and spikes. Akuma (Gouki) joins him in S-Tier thanks to the versatility of his air and ground fireballs.

The Disappointment of Returning Legends

Perhaps the most shocking takeaways from the video were the placements of the newly added "Zoning Kings" from previous Street Fighter titles.

• Sagat (D-Tier): The Emperor of Muay Thai finds himself at the bottom of the list. Moke and Nauman pointed out that in SF6, his Tiger Shot suffers from poor recovery and frame data compared to Guile. "He's supposed to be a turret, but he can't keep up," they noted, citing that his fireball game is too honest for the Drive Rush era.
• C. Viper (D-Tier): Also debuting in the lowest tier, Viper's Seismic Hammer feints, a staple of her SF4 pressure, were deemed too risky and ineffective for pure zoning in the current meta.

A Shift in the Meta

The tier list highlights a key truth about Street Fighter 6 Year 3: Traditional, honest zoning (represented by Ryu and Sagat) is struggling against "New Age" zoning that incorporates complex movement, feints, and installs (Mai, Ed, and JP). For players looking to dominate the neutral game in late 2025, the message is clear: stick to Guile for stability, or master Mai for explosive potential.

Source: SmashlogTV