Are you looking for a DBD killers tier list? The Dead by Daylight character roster is bigger than ever, with a whopping 29 murderers at the time of writing, and a further 33 survivors. Despite that enormous list of names, it's hard to keep track of who you should focus on in the future. Combined with the July 2022 revamp of 40 killer and survivor perks, there's still a lot of work to be done.
Every one of the following DBD killers has their own terrifying unique abilities, from powerful axe throws to deadly bile and close-range chainsaw blows. Find out which one is better with our Dead by Daylight killers tier list.
DBD killer tier list
The severity of each killer's difficulty, their unique strength, and the ability of that power when played effectively are all considered in the below tier list. Theyre also considered by a DBD veteran since they are fairly straightforward to unlock and use.
Here's how to get your Dead by Daylight killer tier list:
| Tier | Character |
| S | The Nurse, The Wraith, The Huntress, The Hag, The Nurse, The Spirit |
| A | The Trapper, The Blight, The Hillbilly, The Ghost Face, The Executioner, The Mastermind |
| B | The Trickster, The Shape, The Doctor, The Nemesis, The Artist, The Pig |
| C | The Legion, The Dredge, The Plague, The Deathslinger, The Oni, The Twins |
| D | The Cannibal, The Nightmare, The Clown, The Demogorgon, The Onryo, The Cenobite |
The Wraith (Easy)
The Wraith is a jack-of-all-trades killer, but he is still used by professionals and long-time players. He is able to sneak up on players engrossed in repairs or healing thanks to his Wailing Bell ability.
The Wraith is a powerful killer for quickly killing survivors, but the key to becoming a master of the killer is knowing when to cloak and uncloak. Also, avoid getting caught if you don't hold the action button long enough to uncloak, as this will give your location away, but you won't be able to attack.
The Huntress (Moderate)
The Huntress distinguishes herself from other S-tier killers with their ranged weapons, which include a sharp eye and an eagle eye, which can deceive survivors within seconds of launching a match. This can be reduced with add-ons.
The greatest benefit to a ranged assault is the ability to strike a survivor with a pallet or window between you, but be careful not to run out of hatchets. The Huntress is limited to five Hatchets in hand at a time (unless you have the Leather Loop add-on), so be sure to keep your hatchets fresh from lockers.
The Hag (Very Hard)
Two terrifying killers youll encounter frequently if you play as a survivor are The Hag and The Nurse. Popular choices among long-time players of the asymmetrical horror game, these two are difficult to escape when controlled by the correct player.
We think The Hag, who plays Lisa Sherwood, is somewhat easier due to her teleportation ability, Blackened Catalyst. The Hag, also known as Lisa Sherwood, has the ability to sculpt mud to her will, trapping survivors at times when it is most harmful. However, if you hide Phantasm Traps away from hazards, survivors will be able to avoid them.
The Hag will not be available on PC automatically, and they must be purchased from the in-game store.
The Nurse (Very Hard)
With her Blink ability, Spencer's Last Breath, The Nurse can travel quickly across the map, and you may even need to master this skill before you can achieve it. A false move will slow your movement speed and allow survivors to escape in record time.
The Spirit (Hard)
Rin Yamaoka, like The Hag and The Nurse, has the ability to teleport across the map, so we couldnt really knock her down. Clearly theres something about their ability to quickly travel across the map that makes them some of the best.
The Spirit moves across the map in her spirit form, rendering her almost invisible to a survivors' eye. She can still see scratch marks and other environmental clues as She moves across the map, making this the ideal time to catch unsuspecting survivors off guard.
Another game that must be purchased from the in-game shop is The Spirit on PC.
The Trapper (Easy)
The Trapper, or Evan MacMillan of the MacMillan Estate, is a melee attacker who has an unusual ability that is exceptionally powerful when used effectively. As you can expect from the name, The Trapper traps his foes.
Bear traps are an excellent way to incapacitate survivors, because visual and audio clues play when a survivor steps into one, thus allowing you to recognize them as easy prey. Start with two traps, then move them to better locations, reducing Trappers' ability. Try placing traps near windows or doors and entice survivors to engage in a chase.
The Blight (Very Hard)
The Blight is extremely difficult to master, but it's almost unstoppable once you do it. On your first Rush, you can also slam into a wall or other obstacle to activate Lethal Rush, which gives you two valuable opportunities to escape your survivor. Be patient though, as Blight will initially feel depressed, but you'll soon get used to his incredible quickness.
Another PC character that must be purchased is The Blight.
The Hillbilly (Moderate)
Before the licensed Leatherface chapter, The Hillbilly was the answer to Bubba Sawyer. As such, youd be forgiven for thinking he's the same killer, or at least very similar. The Hillbilly's Chainsaw Sprint ability allows him to strike a straight line between himself and his victim, making him an extremely powerful villain for quick hooks.
The Ghost Face (Hard)
Despite its fact that Dead by Daylight is not a licensed chapter, The Ghost Face is one of the few stealth killers.
The Ghost Face, being one of the few killers in the game who is able to crouch, can easily creep up behind unsuspecting survivors, especially those who are only repairing the generator. Also, his lack of Terror Radius makes it even more difficult for survivors to recognize him and leave him exposed for a time. Ghost Face can Stalk survivors, and a complete Stalk action will mark the survivor and leave them exposed for a time.
Although The Ghost Face isn't an official crossover, you'll still need to acquire it from the in-game shop on PC.
The Executioner (Very Hard)
Pyramid The Executioner will be instantly recognized from the official Silent Hill chapter by fans. The Executioner is a difficult game to execute, but is an absolute powerhouse when played correctly.
The most essential things to know about The Executioner are Torment and Final Judgment, rather than prioritising that third and final capture.
Another character that must be purchased from the in-game store on PC is The Executioner.
The Mastermind (Moderate)
The Mastermind, or Project Ws Wesker, is already well-known as a particularly powerful murderer. When played correctly, there is no real drawback to The Mastermind.
Wesker is able to lunge at survivors with his powerful Virulent Bound, but this will still infect the survivor. Even if the survivor is unaware of their location, Virulent Bond will not be able to be carried immediately upon another successful assault.
You must buy Wesker from the DBD in-game store either on his own or as part of the Project W DLC.
The Trickster (Moderate)
The Trickster, who is well-known for his boyish appearance, is surprisingly unpopular as a main. His ranged ability, Showstopper, allows The Trickster to fire many sharp blades against you, even over pallets and through windows. Every successful hit then triggers The Trickster's Event Meter, which, when full, unleashes a much more deadly onslaught of throwing knives. However, Showstopper does not help in other ways, such as revealing survivor locations.
Unfortunately, youll need to pick him up in the shop on PC if you wish to be a sharpshooter with The Trickster.
The Shape (Moderate)
Michael Myers, better known in-game as The Shape, is a long-game killer, so if you're anything like us and struggle to find survivors, this is unlikely to be the killer for you. However, if you're willing to sacrifice your time with this ruthless stalker, you can transform him from a shadow to a killing machine in the final moments of the match.
To see and stalk your prey from a distance, activate The Shapes' power, Evil Within. Evil Within I increases your attack lunge and attack speed, while Evil Within II increases your terror radius and attack speed. All survivors will be affected by the Exposed status effect after 60 seconds, and it's worth knowing that you can remove all four of them with one hit.
Youll need to purchase The Shapes from the in-game shop to get the most out of his fast-paced conclusion on PC.
The Doctor (Hard)
The Doctor is another homicidal killer who only has a basic attack, but if you make the most of his special abilities, he is fantastic for locating survivors and halting their progress.
Carters Spark, the Doctor's power, is causing disturbance to nearby survivors, making it more difficult to repair the generator. Every time a player is hit with Carters Spark, they also scream, creating an illusion of the Doctor, again assisting you in keeping track of the survivors' positions.
In this instance, an apple a day will not keep The Doctor away, unless you pay out and buy him from the in-game shop on PC.
The Nemesis (Hard)
Resident Evil crossovers are popular among DBD enthusiasts, with the first DBD sequel bringing Resi back in Chapter 25. Nemesis is another powerful character that was introduced in the original chapter, but it's nevertheless enjoyable to play.
The Nemesis T-Virus ability allows him to infect survivors, which counts as an additional health state, but victims will be injured with a second hit. This status is inflicted by The Nemesis tentacle, meaning it is a ranged attack that can be used over pallets and windows. T-virus powers last for a period of time, but also include the ability to disrupt pallets and increase movement speed.
Because the Nemesis games arent available automatically, youll need to pay more for them on PC.
The Artist (Moderate)
Another killer with a ranged attack, The Artists precious crow swarm can do a lot of the work for you. Theyll fly out in front of you, inflicting damage to any survivors in their immediate path, but they will instead attract a swarm around the survivors' heads, alerting you to their location.
Remove your paint brushes and get your wallet out, because you'll need to pay for The Artist on PC as well.
The Pig (Hard)
Saws Pig is another interesting killer because, if used correctly, it can lead to happiness, but if used incorrectly, it only prolongs your agony rather than the survivors.
The best strategy for success is to get everyone locked up in a Reverse Bear Trap as soon as possible. They become active as soon as a Generator is completed, and they may have to travel further to find free Jigsaw boxes at the same time. This saves time and money.
Before you can play as them, you must purchase this very unique killer from the shop on PC.
The Legion (Easy)
You may encounter The Legion a lot, and you may even lose to them a lot, but that doesnt necessarily mean they are a great killer. While The Legion is excellent for significantly slowing down survivors' progress and prolonging the game, it's difficult to down and hook victims, so it might either end after a long slog from both parties.
The Legion's weakness is that while Feral Frenzy increases movement speed, it can be difficult to control. On the other hand, Feral Slash requires five hits to defeat a survivor, rather than the usual two. If you get stunned or miss a hit, Feral Slash will come to an end, shocking you again and giving survivors the chance to escape and heal. Deep Wound is an additional injured state with a timer, wasting valuable Generator repair time.
The Legion is a popular pick, but they are another item that requires purchasing from the PC's in-game store.
The Dredge (Moderate)
The Dredge was introduced in the Roots of Dread chapter and has some very unique abilities. However, when played correctly, The Dredge may be unstoppable.
The Dredge's main ability is The Gloaming, leaving a Remnant behind, which is extremely useful when combined with the Darkness Revealed bonus (yes, we were actually considering perks in this entry because of how powerful the combo is). This lets you locate survivors before teleporting directly to the locker and taking them by surprise.
Before you can use the Dredge on PC, you must purchase them from the in-game shop.
The Plague (Hard)
Adiris, the high priestess of Babylon, uses her infectious plague to infect survivors. Her Special Ability might be useful for new murderers who prefer melee attacks, but it may be too slow, so you'll find yourself having to sacrifice all four victims. Survivors can heal themselves using a Pool of Devotion, but you can also infect players who interact with your attack.
Before you can use The Plague on PC, you must buy it from the in-game shop.
The Deathslinger (Hard)
Deathslinger is a legendary character who can reel survivors in with a Harpoon attached to his modified rifle. While this does not hurt the survivor itself, you can free them from the spear, most easily by putting a wall or rock between you and pulling back. This will also stun you, giving them a chance to escape.
Before you can get wild, you'll need to purchase The Deathslinger from the in-game store on PC.
The Oni (Very Hard)
Kazan Yamaoka, the spirit's great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather, is a powerful killer capable of walking vast distances at speed with his Demon Dash, and bringing survivors straight from the hospital to death with his Demon Strike. Both require the absorption of Blood Orbs, leaving you with a lot of unsuccessful hits.
If you want your chances with this very dangerous killer, get The Oni from the in-game store before you use him.
The Twins (Very Hard)
The twins, Charlotte and Victor, are a disturbing DBD original. Victor sprung from the womb hanging from his sister's chest, having not grown properly.
Charlotte can dodge a screeching Victor over the map in order to deceive victims. At some point, Victor can saunter on the player, incapacitating them. At this point, you can start making your way over Charlotte to finish the job.
If you want to play Victor in The Twins, youll need to purchase them from the in-game shop on PC.
The Cannibal (Moderate)
The official Leatherface killer isn't as powerful as Hillbilly's DBD counterpart, yet his Chainsaw Sweep offers a broad attack in contrast to Hillbilly's lunge, so it might be helpful for you if you have to melee multiple victims. However, the drawbacks with The Cannibal are usually negligible, as survivors can see your assault coming and go out the way, and there's a long time between attacks.
If you want to eat human flesh, The Cannibal must be purchased from the in-game shop on PC.
The Nightmare (Moderate)
Even after a few major tweaks, The Nightmare has sadly never been a popular murderer. He can be incredibly fun to play, but he is unable to sacrifice victims to The Entity.
Freddies ability allows survivors to enter the Dream World automatically every 60 seconds, while hits with a basic attack will drive individual survivors into the Dream World sooner. In the Dream World, players cannot hear Freddies Terror Radius, and can be affected by Dream Snares, causing the Hindered effect, but that's about it. In the Dream World, players cannot hear Freddies Terror Radius, but survivors do get alerted to your intentions and are prepared to flee.
If you buy The Nightmare from the PC in-game shop, you may only become a dream eater.
The Clown (Moderate)
The ability to mix potions results in enhanced vision and movement speed, and a yellow antidote for yourself to increase movement speed. However, when you throw the wrong potion, it also benefits the survivor from the intoxicated effect.
Youll need to buy The Clown from the in-game store on PC to get it.
The Demogorgon (Hard)
The Demogorgon is no longer available for purchase in the in-game shop, and is only still playable to anyone who purchased the Stranger Things chapter before the license expired. However, a DBD Stranger Things leak suggests that the collaboration may come back.
With some effort, the Demogorgon's ability Of The Abyss can be quite fun to learn. However, it's not quite as quick to trigger or easy to navigate as it is in the game.
The greatest Demogorgon ability is Shred, a lunge attack, which closes the gap between the perpetrator and the survivor, and on a successful hit, the survivor is in an injured or dying state.
The Onryo (Hard) is a Japanese martial art.
Despite Sadakos' highly anticipated appearance in the Sadako Rising chapter, players have yet to settle for the The Ring antagonist as a DBD murderer, preferring the unlicensed Spirit knock-off in her place.
Sadako's abilities are unquestionably wonderful, with TV screens popping up on the map when she's the victim, allowing her to teleport to them from a mile away. However, it's also much more difficult to teleport to than, say, The Dredges similar ability, since you can't remove the tape from a TV at all.
Despite her many flaws, youll need to purchase Sadako from the in-game shop on PC.
The Cenobite (Very Hard)
The Cenobite, or Hellraisers Pinhead, isn't a great story. While his Summons of Pain power can be frustrating to a survivor, they don't really slow them down for long, especially if the game is over. However, clever survivors can prevent this by playing the Lament Configuration puzzle while you're not around. For example, to hear his famous voice line, I came.
Unfortunately, you'll need to go to the PC in-game shop for The Cenobite.
Razer BlackShark V2 ProRazer$180VIEWNetwork N earns affiliate commission from qualifying sales.
Another killer to this list is Albert Wesker, who will be added to the upcoming PTB in Dead by Daylight Chapter 25: Resident Evil Project W. Well come back once weve had the chance to experience his infectious power and perks, and you might be interested in seeing some of them in a completely different setting, in Hooked on You, a DBD dating game that we really enjoyed meeting.