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Dead by Daylight‘s killer roster can terrorize even the most talented Survive With Friends group. OP killers aren’t always the most fun, and there’s often a gap between a killer’s strength and how difficult they are to play. Even so, if you want to know how these horror icons measure up, you came to the right place. Our tier list breaks down the deadliest killers in The Entity’s Realm, from Behaviour originals to the likes of Wesker and Freddy. Here’s our tier list of the best (and worst) killers in Dead by Daylight.
S-Tier Killers
(Updated on November 1, 2024 – updated tier list placements, links, and format)
The Nurse has maintained a reign of terror over The Trials since she was first introduced, using her incredible mobility to destroy every opponent. Although Blight’s pinball savagery can’t quite surpass the Nurse’s Blinks, he’s a close second for the best killer in Dead by Daylight. Spirit and a few other killers come close to reaching these OP heights, but S-tier holds only two killers for now.
- Nurse
- Blight
Despite waves of nerfs hitting Nurse (and Blight’s add-ons), they remain dominant presences in the tournament and casual scene alike. Watching a baby Nurse blink into a wall on Autohaven may be cute, but the charm wears off when you’re getting slugged for the 4k again. If you want to play or beat the best killers in Dead by Daylight, the search stops here.
A-Tier Killers
Spirit, Dracula, Oni, and Wesker show just how deadly mobility is, securing themselves comfortable positions in A Tier. This tier is also home to potent ranged killers like Artist and Huntress as well as multi-power menaces like Chucky and The Unknown.
- The Dark Lord
- Spirit
- Chucky
- Plague
- Oni
- Wesker
- The Unknown
- Artist
- Huntress
- Hillbilly
- Alien
- Pyramid Head
Huntress orbitals? Pyramid Head prediction shots? Wesker dashes? These techniques all reveal how high the skill ceiling for many killers is. Take the time to master Artist or Plague and you’ll see what makes them incredible.
Talented SWFs (and even solo survivors) can give the average killer a run for their money, but besting the top of this tier requires magic that could make The Lich blush. Even without Nurse and Blight’s overwhelming speed, A-tier killers can rack up some long win streaks.
B-Tier Killers
B-tier killers suffer from a variety of things that their stronger brethren don’t. Whether they have situational powers, a reliance on stealth, or slow speed, something holds each of them back from greatness. B and C Tier is where you’ll find most of the game’s basic “M1” killers, many of whom struggle due to a lack of anti-loop. That said, there’s still plenty of fun to be had here, even if the challenge is higher.
- Singularity
- Hag
- Pinhead
- Twins
- The Lich
- Sadako
- Deathslinger
- Wraith
- Doctor
- Trickster
- Knight
- Demogorgon
- Nemesis
- Leatherface
Hag and Sadako have bounced around quite a bit as the devs figure out their balancing, but they’re healthier now. Now if we can just get the Knight’s bugs fixed and his guards working, we’ll really be cooking. On the plus side, this tier contains easy-to-learn killers like Wraith and Doctor as well.
C-Tier Killers
C-Tier killers can be fun, but they’re amongst the weakest in the game. Without high mobility, ranged attacks, or powerful anti-loop, killers like Trapper and Myers struggle to stop survivors from popping the exit gates. Skull Merchant’s nerfs have also robbed her of much of her power, though that hasn’t stopped many survivors from DCing the second they see one of Adriana’s drones.
- Dredge
- Ghost Face
- Pig
- Clown
- Legion
- Skull Merchant
- Myers
- Trapper
- Freddy
It’s unfortunate that Trapper, the game’s poster child, sits so low in the rankings. It’s been a long time since the grass and map coloration played nice with his traps. Unless you’re throwing a basement party in the Killer Shack, The Trials can often feel helpless as one of these killers. With deep knowledge of their powers, add-ons, and maps, you can still secure sacrifices for The Entity, but the road won’t be easy.
