Tekken 7’s recent Season 4 update brings a host of new updates and changes to the game. This includes a new character, new moves, new netcode, balance changes and minor UI tweaks.
But, most curiously, Namco has updated the ranking system with a new stat in the form of Tekken Prowess.
What is Tekken Prowess?
According to Namco: Tekken Prowess is the new indicator of a player’s total strength and skill.
Not the most detailed answer, I know. But in practice, it’s really just a new stat that is displayed on the loading screen just before you play an online match and also in-game under the health bar. Your name also tends to change color depending on what Prowess you have.
At first, when I saw this indicator I didn’t think much of it. It just seems like a useless stat that doesn’t mean much. But after seeing the number change after a few matches, I was intrigued. So I did a bit of research into this and found out how this ‘Prowess’ stat is calculated.
How is Tekken’s prowess calculated?
Tekken prowess is calculated through a combination of a number of different variables. This includes the player’s highest owned rank, their total rank of characters, play stats, and the number of matches played. Let examine these in more detail.
Highest owned rank
The highest owned rank refers to the player’s highest rank in ranked online matches. This could be with any character. On PS4, one way of finding your highest rank is to press the touchpad when in on the loading screen or whilst in-game on an online match.
It probably goes without saying, but the higher the rank the more Tekken prowess you’ll most likely have but this isn’t the only factor.
Their total rank of all characters
So I believe this refers to the total rank across all the characters but not necessarily the ones you might play. When you level up a character and get to a certain rank.
All other characters despite not playing with them will also rank up as well. This is to keep the system fair and balanced.
Play stats
This will probably refer to your playstyle and is usually indicated by your highest playstyle stats with a grade next to it. So for example, my agility, defense, and rage usage are all S rank meaning that’s what I focus on the most.
It’s unclear, however, if one playstyle grants you more Tekken Prowess than the other but maybe time will tell.
Number of matches played
Pretty self-explanatory. Basically the number of ranked matches you’ve played across all your characters.
The more you play the more Tekken prowess you’ll earn. Winning matches will also grant you extra Prowess as I’ve noticed myself where I’ve gained 1000+ Prowess on winning a match.
What is the point of Tekken Prowess?
Some people may argue whether Tekken Prowess matters at all and what is the point of it. And they maybe right, to some extent. It doesn’t necessarily change the game and isn’t the best indicator of skill as we don’t have a frame of reference yet.
Personally, I think it adds an element of fun to online matches. It gives people something to aim for other than rank. Plus, I think the way the color of your name changes is kind of cool. Who knows, maybe it will become more important as time goes on.
