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Tier list

Dead by Daylight Killer Tier List (September 2026)

Last checked August 31, 2026

By the Claude Gaming team

This Dead by Daylight killer tier list ranks 30 of the roster's most notable killers for the current patch, from the untouchable trio at the top to the ones we struggle to recommend.

We leaned on two recent expert rankings that agree almost point for point, then trimmed the field to the killers you actually face, since the full roster now counts more than forty.

A low tier never means unplayable; map pressure and mobility decide these placements far more than raw scariness.

S
The Nurse The Nurse
The Blight The Blight
The Hillbilly The Hillbilly
A
The Slasher
The Ghoul The Ghoul
The First
The Krasue
The Animatronic The Animatronic
The Spirit The Spirit
The Lich The Lich
The Dark Lord The Dark Lord
The Wraith The Wraith
The Huntress The Huntress
The Xenomorph The Xenomorph
The Executioner The Executioner
The Mastermind The Mastermind
The Nightmare The Nightmare
B
The Good Guy The Good Guy
The Unknown The Unknown
The Trickster The Trickster
The Doctor The Doctor
The Nemesis The Nemesis
The Singularity The Singularity
C
The Legion The Legion
The Oni The Oni
The Ghost Face The Ghost Face
The Pig The Pig
D
The Shape The Shape
The Cannibal The Cannibal
The Trapper The Trapper
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Killer icons from the Dead by Daylight community wiki

How we rank

We ranked killers on how reliably they win at high MMR right now: map pressure, mobility, lethality in chase, and how much their power ignores standard survivor defenses like pallets and windows. Our two sources, both updated for the late August 2026 patch, agree on almost every placement, so the tiers below reflect a genuine consensus rather than one creator's hot takes. We kept 30 of the 43 killers and left out some middle-of-the-pack picks.

Tier by tier

S Tier, the meta

  • The Nurse: Blinks ignore every pallet, window, and wall
  • The Blight: Rush chains give unmatched speed and lethality
  • The Hillbilly: Instant downs plus genuine map mobility

A Tier, excellent

  • The Slasher: Jason's teleport is maybe the game's best
  • The Ghoul: Incredible mobility even after the nerfs
  • The First: Newcomer already shaking up high level play
  • The Krasue: Recent addition with excellent chase pressure
  • The Animatronic: Springtrap arrived strong and stayed strong
  • The Spirit: Phase walking still terrifies good survivors
  • The Lich: Vecna's spell kit has an answer for everything
  • The Dark Lord: Dracula's three forms keep constant pressure
  • The Wraith: Simple, fast, and quietly very strong
  • The Huntress: Hatchets reward aim with cross map downs
  • The Xenomorph: Tunnel mobility and a nasty tail attack
  • The Executioner: Ranged punish through walls, cages ignore hooks
  • The Mastermind: Wesker's bound dashes end chases quickly
  • The Nightmare: Reworked Freddy keeps generators honest

B Tier, solid

  • The Good Guy: Chucky's slice and dice still lands
  • The Unknown: Oppressive projectile in practiced hands
  • The Trickster: Blade barrages melt health states up close
  • The Doctor: Shocks stall loops and reveal everyone
  • The Nemesis: Zombies help, the tentacle needs three hits
  • The Singularity: Strong but exhausting camera juggling

C Tier, situational

  • The Legion: Wastes survivor time, struggles to finish downs
  • The Oni: Snowballs hard but needs first blood
  • The Ghost Face: Exposed stalks, but reveals shut him down
  • The Pig: Traps stall well, chase power is weak

D Tier, skip

  • The Shape: Michael Myers stalks too slowly to matter
  • The Cannibal: Basement pressure only, chases fall flat
  • The Trapper: Setup time the original killer never gets

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Dead by Daylight tier list FAQ

Who is the best killer in Dead by Daylight right now?

The Nurse. Despite years of nerfs, her blinks ignore pallets, windows, and walls, which breaks the core survivor defenses the whole game is built on. The Blight and The Hillbilly sit right beside her because they add real map mobility to high lethality. All three demand serious practice.

Are the newest killers worth buying?

Mostly yes. The recent additions we rank in A tier all bring strong mobility or chase pressure, and Springtrap in particular has held his spot since release. Just remember that new killers often get balance passes within a few patches, so a hot newcomer can cool off.

Why is Michael Myers ranked so low?

The Shape is one of the most iconic killers in the game, but his stalk mechanic scales too slowly against coordinated survivors, and he has no mobility to make up for it. He remains fun in casual lobbies; he just cannot keep up at high MMR.

Does this tier list matter for casual play?

Less than you would think. Below high MMR, map knowledge and game sense beat tier placements, and killers like The Trapper or The Ghost Face can absolutely dominate. Use the list as a guide to which powers carry the most built in strength, not as a rule about who you are allowed to enjoy.