Let’s be real right from the start — with the right builds and playstyle, any of these Dead by Daylight characters could be deadly.
And yes, there’s no denying that some of these characters are overpowering while some are sadly average. We’ll address it as we go along. Oh and if you’re trying to figure out what exactly Dead by Daylight is or how to play it, you can check out our Dead by Daylight faq section.
Disclaimer: Dead by Daylight has frequent updates and patches that may render this list inaccurate over time, but we will try our best to keep it updated!
This list is currently based on the latest buffs, nerfs, and updates the game has to offer with overall opinions from all over the internet.
28. The Trapper: The Weakest Dead by Daylight Character
This probably comes as no surprise, but the Trapper is one of the worst killers currently in the game. Although he’s received some small add-ons throughout the years that have slightly improved his character, he’s still overall not great to play as a killer. Mainly because of the time it takes for him to set up his traps.
Plus, to get more traps other than the default two you have in the beginning, you would have to keep laying down the traps you already have. And for your traps to be effective, you would need to be nearby, or else they’re pretty much pointless.
Did we mention that these traps spawn randomly and you would have to search for them all over the map as well? Yeah, largely a waste of time.
All in all, the Trapper is a time-consuming and ineffective killer to play, making him one of the last choices for most players. This ranks him last on our Dead by Daylight characters list for now.
27. The Pig
A slightly better option, The Pig has certain build options that could buff her and make her into a scary killer. You would have to be mindful of the perks, build and map you choose to use her with though. If you don’t have a choice in any of that, then she’s not the best killer to play.
Compared to the rest on this list, her add-ons and abilities are quite average and lean towards being a disadvantage as well.
The Pig is a semi-stealth killer so her map dependency is quite high and her chasing power is quite bad. You can compensate for her weaknesses in other aspects with better perks, but her chasing power is ultimately her downfall. There are a lot of loopholes and chances for survivors to escape that are hard to counter with the Pig.
As a killer that is dependent on certain add-ons, perks, and builds, the Pig is not beginner-friendly and thus, a difficult killer to succeed with.
26. The Shape
The love and hate for The Shape aka Michael Myers fluctuates within the community. Some people love him, some people hate him; so it depends on your very own experience and preferences here.
He’s one of those characters that are highly recognizable in the roster of Dead by Daylight characters, making people assume he’ll be a great killer to play. The entertainment value is there, but he’s otherwise an ‘okay’ killer to play.
Since we’re judging this based on overall practicality and the likelihood of seasoned players to continue playing him, we’re placing him on the lower end of the spectrum. Myers has no crazy tricks or anything flashy going on with him. He’s the opposite of flashy, he’s a stealth killer – which can be his major sore point.
He has a handful of useful add-ons, the rest being pointless. Tier 3 Myers with all the right add-ons and perks can be quite the force to deal with but that’s the catch – getting him to tier 3. In certain maps, it can be easily done, but for most maps, it would be a pain.
25. The Nightmare
Also known as Freddy Krueger, the Nightmare can bring survivors into the Dream World, negating the terror radius. Similar to the Shape/Michael Myers, he’s a recognizable figure in the Dead by Daylight characters lineup.
True to his nature, the Nightmare’s abilities largely revolve around dreams. His character has gone through a lot of updates to make it what it is today. Sadly, his add-ons are still not as great when compared to the others.
He is still a strong killer that intermediate players could utilize. The best thing about his character is his ability to teleport to generators easily. So if you’re building him, you might want to focus on perks that highlight this ability. Sadly, that’s all he has going for him.
Most of his abilities are only useful if survivors fall asleep, and some are extremely map-dependent. Due to the sleeping issue, the early game would be difficult for you to score any kills.
24. The Legion
A lot of players consider the Legion as one of the worst killers in the game, as he is quite map-dependent. One of his redeeming qualities is the ability to deeply injure survivors multiple times making it highly inconvenient for them. Players tend to panic and mess up when they’re injured as well.
As survivors tend to their wounds, it makes it easier to track them down and end them, especially if you’ve already injured multiple survivors. This way, it is harder for them to help each other as well.
To properly play the Legion, make sure to add in at least one chasing perk and a couple of those useful info perks to track down survivors. If not, he’s one of those Dead by Daylight characters you might want to avoid as a killer.
23. The Clown
He’s quite a beginner-friendly killer but works best for those who take the time to understand how his powers fully work and strategize based on his abilities. The Clown is an average killer and doesn’t have anything flashy to show either. He is a master of concoctions and throws two bottles at survivors to affect them – one yellow and one purple.
The issue is that the Clown is probably one of the only killers that can buff survivors and himself at the same time, which is a disadvantage at best. Throwing the yellow bottle speeds up the survivors and himself when misplaced, which defeats the purpose.
There are good things about his abilities – you can interrupt survivors even from a distance and throwing the purple bottle slows down survivors. So, as much as there is to not like, there are a couple of skills to enjoy with the Clown as well.
The Clown is one of those Dead by Daylight characters where things can either go really wrong or work really well – depending on your aim, skills, and luck.
22. The Trickster
The Trickster has very pronounced strengths and weaknesses, so he’s one of the more average killers that are offset by his weaknesses. His great point is being able to throw his knives and land a hit each time. If you play him well, he has great potential as a killer.
His add-ons are pretty good compared to the other Dead by Daylight characters and make up for most of his weaknesses. Again, he’s one of those characters that needs to be built right with the proper add-ons and perks to be a terrifying killer on the field. Another fatal flaw would be his map dependency.
But overall, he’s a great defender and his knife-throwing skills are what you should look out for. Granted, he does need to reload his knives from lockers, so you might want to use them sparingly if you’re far away from one.
21. The Doctor
He can be seen as a formidable killer for those who are new to the game. Although for veterans, the Doctor is not a threat. His abilities are quite useful though. He can make survivors scream so stealth is pointless, and he can shock survivors so they are unable to do anything.
His downfall is not being able to down any survivors from afar, despite knowing where they are on the map. In this sense, players can split up to avoid being entrapped in the Doctor’s terror radius as well. His shock can also be negated through the most common survivor perk – Dead Hard.
Survivors can easily use Dead Hard to avoid the Doctor’s shocks and presume running or drop pallets in his way to slow him down. His chasing power is not that great either. Having all these pallets dropped in front of him and not being able to down survivors makes it a frustrating situation to be the Doctor.
All in all, it takes a lot of work if you’re looking to play as the Doctor against seasoned players. Easier against newbies though.
20. The Ghost Face
Ghost Face is a stealth killer, and these are often difficult to use. This is especially true with survivors who are more aware of their surroundings. As a stealth killer, his map dependency is quite high as maps with no hiding spaces for him to lurk would be difficult to maneuver.
He also triggers ‘Spine Chill’ quite easily since he has to stalk his prey, having to look at them directly. However, if you’re playing against disorganized and messy players, he’s a good killer to utilize. Bonus points if these survivors completely disregard their surroundings as well, which usually happens with newcomers to the game.
On the plus side, Ghost Face has no terror radius. This makes it easier for him to instakill or deeply damage players who are unaware. Veteran Ghost Face users tend to stalk their survivors through unusual angles to make their movements unpredictable as well.
This makes him a fun choice if you enjoy playing as a stealth killer, but overall, there are better killers to go for. It is cool to be able to play one of the most famous killers in cinematic horror history though.
19. The Wraith
It may come as a surprise that the Wraith is further down the line than you might have imagined. However, his character has been nerfed through numerous updates. That, and, players have eventually mastered his moves as a killer.
This makes playing against him easier than it was when he was first released and takes away all of the fun.
Sadly, he’s now average at best. The Wraith requires someone that can act fast and make quick decisions. This is especially true in tense situations where the survivors are aware of your presence.
His add-ons are also on the decent side, improving the experience of playing him as a killer. Hence, make sure you put them to use!
His mobility is one of his best points and is best utilized with his body blocking abilities. He doesn’t have any special chase abilities, so you’ll have to rely on your ambushing tactics and mind games in the end. Overall, still an alright killer.
18. The Onryo
Similar to Ghost Face, the Onryo aka Sadako is best played with messy and disorganized players. She becomes infinitely deadlier as she is a stealthy killer that packs quite a punch for survivors who are unaware. Occasionally if she’s super close to survivors, her footsteps can be heard but otherwise, she’s pretty silent.
Her add-ons are quite disappointing, with only a handful of rather useful ones. One of Sadako’s specialties is teleporting to the various TVs that are littered around the map. This makes smaller maps a good killing ground for her to thrive. She can ambush and surprise players this way to injure them.
Aside from that, her ability to turn invisible is quite threatening as well. There are add-ons to equip which lengthens the period of invisibility allowing her more time to act and disorient survivors.
Sadako is indeed one of the better killers in the game that requires some form of strategizing.
17. The Hillbilly
The Hillbilly can be good at securing kills, especially from up close. Hence, we’re leaning towards the better average killers here. The main thing about him is his chainsaw which often poses a huge threat to survivors.
To utilize Hillbilly’s full potential, you would need to understand how to use his powers and abilities.
He’s best utilized in open areas as he can insta-down survivors. However, when it comes to indoor areas, he can utilize his mobility to the fullest as well.
The Hillbilly has somewhat average add-ons, as they were changed when a new mechanic was introduced for his character.
Even so, survivors can chain windows and pre-drop pallets to slow him down or curb him. Plus his chainsaw curving requires precision and perfect execution, otherwise, it would just cost him too much to utilize.
Either way, he is rather easy to master. The chainsaw truly does help in his mission to injure survivors easily as well.
16. The Deathslinger
The Deathslinger falls further down the list due to his previous nerfs that made him slower and harder for him to ambush survivors. He also needs to take time to aim before he can shoot. This means that survivors can react to him much more quickly.
This means that you need to plan out a strategy and not hesitate when taking a shot. Even so, you can shoot at a distance of about 18 meters which is quite far. Additionally, the Deathslinger recovers quicker and has some rather good add-ons that make up for his nerfs as well.
He’s one of the few killers that when survivors get injured, they can’t immediately heal themselves with a medkit. Survivors would need to ‘Mend’ themselves first, which gives the killer more time to find them and kill them. This builds tension and tends to stress survivors out so they make more mistakes as well.
Needless to say, the Deathslinger is one of those Dead by Daylight characters that bring the heat.
15. The Demogorgon
This Stranger Things monstrosity packs a punch and is currently taken out of the store, so if you missed out on getting this fun killer, you’ll just have to hope they make a reappearance! The Demogorgon is an average killer with a hand in everything, making him interesting to experience.
He’s also one of those novel characters that are easily recognizable in the Dead by Daylight characters list and is here for the new age horror fans.
This beast can open portals to teleport around the map, and shred through pallets easily with his powers as well as many other little tricks. The Demogorgon has good mobility as well, he can glide around obstacles and launch himself from high places. However, he’s average in everything else. He does have rather good add-ons though.
His portals are average and he can use them to defend himself from hexes and move around large maps but that’s pretty much it.
When it comes to dense maps with a ton of pallets, chasing survivors could also be a pain — this makes him a mid-killer, but a fun one nonetheless.
14. The Nemesis
A weird one, the Nemesis has tentacles as part of his powers with zombies roaming around the map to somewhat help him. His add-ons are considered the worst in the game, but his large size and ability to infect survivors with a virus trumps that.
Part of the reason why his add-ons are somewhat terrible is that they’re rather situational. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. In games like Dead by Daylight that’s not uncertainty that you want to have. Plus, some of his good add-ons were sadly nerfed.
However, he can break pallets and any breakable walls with ease. He can also hit players quickly which is important for him to reach his next tier fast. He has a rather low map dependency so he’s unstoppable on any map as well.
Taking all this into consideration, he is truly a 50-50 killer. One of the average Dead by Daylight characters, impressive in the right hands and terrible in some.
13. The Cannibal
At his full potential, the Cannibal can be a good choice for a killer. To get there, you would need to familiarise yourself with his character and quirks, so keep practicing!
His add-ons are relatively okay, but certain tried-and-tested combinations and build seem to work well with him.
Without these combinations and builds, he would rank significantly lower as his base abilities aren’t as useful as the other killers in the game. This also makes him predictable for veteran players, so watch out for that.
His chainsaw comes in clutch when injuring survivors, but chasing them with it is a pain at best.
Other than that, he has the power to insta-down survivors easily if they slip up and he can secure kills at hooks with no problem. As a survivor, trying to save your hooked teammate is a lost cause.
12. The Dredge
Alright, the Dredge is the latest killer to join the Dead by Daylight characters roster and is a terrifying Lovecraftian monster sent from hell.
He can teleport from locker to locker where survivors tend to hide and cause injury to them. Survivors can lock the lockers but after he breaks the locks, that fail-safe is out.
The nighttime speeds up his teleportation ability and he is granted the ‘Undetectable’ status where survivors aren’t able to see clearly.
He can also detect survivors with ‘Killer Instinct’, and his recovery, as well as speed, are also increased. So far, this means that his map dependency is null and his chasing skill is good.
He does leave a Remnant behind while teleporting which can be destroyed by survivors or used as bait. All these amazing abilities may seem overpowering (and it is) but they can also be destroyed in a second. Survivors can simply pass through the Remnant to destroy it and revert him back to normal.
Hence, we’ll comfortably place him as an average killer that bends towards greatness for now. To understand more about the Dredge, you can check out the Dead by Daylight’s official character page!
11. The Cenobite
The infamous Pinhead! The Cenobite has quite a high skill ceiling across the board, but he does have a rather sad map dependency. He’s terrible in large maps and indoor maps where he can’t use his powers effectively, and he’s all about his boxes.
His add-ons are average, and he has some really good ones so this makes him salvageable. What makes the Cenobite fun is his multiple powers. He can create a passive box that survivors are forced to pick up to avoid harassment, throw a chain that slows down survivors and directly attack them as well.
If survivors understand your box mechanics and spawn, then the Cenobite is in danger. This is also where weak teams tend to fall apart as you puzzle them with your boxes. As a killer, if you master the Cenobite with his useful add-ons, you’ll have a terrifying killer in hand.
10. The Twins
They started as a mess but after some patches, the Twins are comfortably one of the stronger killers in the game. The Twins Victor and Charlotte teeter between being placed in A-tier and B-tier in most lists, so ranking them here seems right for our Dead by Daylight characters list.
Throwing Victor is part of your abilities, and even rarer – it’s an ability that guarantees a hit. Victor can be hard to shake off, he can chase survivors super fast and once he gets to a survivor they’re as good as gone. He can insta-down them or injure them pretty badly.
If your aim as a Twins player is good and you know how to angle your jumps, you have a higher chance of success. Sadly though, they were hit with a nerf so they’re less invulnerable, some of their perks suck and Victor has a long cooldown before he can be used again.
A lot of mechanics in the game are now designed to make the Twins suffer, so not many people would pick them as a killer. This does grant a sense of mystery and unpredictability that is in favor of the killer.
9. The Executioner
Pyramid Head or the Executioner is a killer that relies on some quick decision-making to become a formidable killer. His abilities are unique, but difficult to put to use consistently. One of his abilities allows him to tunnel or slam into the ground which can injure survivors in the area.
This means that if they uncage or unhook right in front of him, he can use this ability to insta-down or deeply injure them immediately. He can also teleport survivors into cages rather than hooking them, inflicting the same amount of torment as the hook. Bonus: he can ignore all unhooking perks!
He’s great on any map as he can easily manipulate the map with his abilities and inflict injuries. Giving him a perk that could allow him to slow down survivors could work best in his favor since his chase power is a little lacking.
Overall, this Silent Hill killer is one of those Dead by Daylight characters that you should run away from on the field.
8. The Artist
A rather interesting killer and a great one if you use her to her fullest potential. She has a high skill ceiling, but players would require a ton of practice when it comes to her abilities. If mastering her was easier, she would be placed way higher on this list. Her specialty is being able to send out crows that harass, injure, or even down survivors.
The Artist could also use her crows to gather information on survivors with information perks as well. Sure, survivors can hide or prevent the crows from harassing them, but they would need to react in time. To play her well, you need to have an accurate aim and put some of her add-ons to use.
She performs well on any map and is best in close combat as she can easily trap and injure survivors with her crows. In close spaces, they don’t have any options to deflect or run away from her attacks without taking damage.
She’s one of those Dead by Daylight characters that perform best in dense maps for sure.
7. The Huntress
A high skill ceiling and great add-ons on every tier coupled with a player that has very good aim, map knowledge, and mechanical skills make one terrifying Huntress.
She does need some stealth and insta-down perks to help make her base character useful though. This means that her builds can be limited and predictable – a minor downside.
She has a minor map dependency as well, mainly to do with locker locations and if there are tall buildings or things in her way. Other than that, this hatchet-wielding killer is a strong killer in any range. If survivors slip up, she can easily insta-down or injure them.
Furthermore, skilled Huntress players tend to figure out various angles or ways to land their hits on survivors – ambushing them or surprising them around corners and more. At the end of the day, it all depends on your strategizing and skills.
She doesn’t need much to be a strong killer, so she definitely places higher than most on the list.
6. The Plague
An explosive killer, the Plague has a slow build-up that leads to her unleashing her powers. She has two main abilities – green puke for the ‘Vile Purge’ and red puke for the ‘Corrupt Purge.’
When she’s in her green puke stage she’s a normal killer with normal stats that infect survivors (even passively). This makes them sick and slowly injures them.
She doesn’t have to worry about survivors using medkits or healing boons since she can spread her infections with ease through various ways repeatedly. She even has add-ons to enhance the ability that works well. The red puke works the same way but it is deadlier as it injures players immediately and cannot be blocked.
This red puke also goes through survivors, so it can infect them even if they’re blocked by someone else. Aside from this, she has really good unhooking capabilities, chasing power, and the ability to injure multiple survivors at once when grouped together.
The only downside is her puke ability does need to be charged, and she has a slight map dependency. If she encounters smart survivors that know how to mobilize themselves and their surroundings, she’ll have a harder time. But, with the right add-ons, she’s a force to be reckoned with.
5. The Hag
Another killer that would have placed higher if changes were not made to their character, we have the Hag. Additionally, for survivors who know to exploit the Boon Totems for healing and to coordinate themselves against the Hag, she is not that much of a threat.
However, unless you’re playing against pros, you’ll likely find yourself cruising through the game with the Hag. Teams that are unprepared and messy tend to be easy prey for her. Alongside that, she has some overpowering add-ons which were upgrades from her previous ones that truly amp up her character.
Her power is to set traps around the map and when these are triggered, she will be teleported to the survivor and get some hits in or insta-down them. With this, chasing survivors and map dependency becomes a non-issue for her character.
4. The Oni
A very decent and strong killer even through all the updates. Similar to the Plague, the Oni is an explosive killer with build-up. He starts with everything normal until he collects enough blood to unleash his real powers. Unleashing Blood Fury increases his mobility, allows him to insta-down survivors, get multiple hits in and break pallets almost instantly.
However, this means that you would need to be a great killer right off the bat to get in your hits and collect blood from survivors. Early game is really important for the Oni to work. This sucks as survivors would normally be on guard to shield themselves from killers early on. Hence, mind games and little tricks to get them to slip up are essential.
The moment you step into your power, there are a lot of insane abilities that you could put to use. Getting kills and hunting down survivors become significantly easier as Oni’s potential is endless and unpredictable.
He’s one of those Dead by Daylight characters you are sure to have a lot of fun with when he reaches his peak.
3. The Spirit
Truth be told, the Spirit used to be so much stronger and for many, she was usually tied for the number one spot with the Nurse.
However, plenty of changes have been made to her character since then – she’s given a vault animation, her ‘Collision’ ability was taken away, and she now has an audio queue to signal that she’s using her power.
Her add-ons were also reworked and some of them are now completely useless. Thankfully, this doesn’t affect her much since her strongest add-ons were largely unaffected. These could simply be her saving grace. Her iridescent add-on makes her super fast, and her purple add-on allows her to detect survivors with a killer instinct allowing her to directly attack them.
Adding to that, the Spirit is independent of maps, as she can use her powers for mobility on the larger maps. Smaller maps are naturally a piece of cake for her. Her add-ons and abilities make her one of the most unpredictable killers which is a high risk to survivors.
Hands down – the most unpredictable Dead by Daylight characters make the best killers.
2. The Blight
On release, the Blight was quite shaky and unstable, but he has been significantly patched, fixed, and buffed to bring him to where he is now. He has insanely good, quick mobility and very low map dependency. Although, you would need to have a decent knowledge of the maps to figure out a plan to use the Blight well.
Leaning into his mobility factor, he can bounce off walls and surfaces as well as glide around to attack the survivors from different angles. You can discover various ways to use your glides and the right trajectories to trap or kill survivors.
This makes him a scary killer in smaller spaces, but he’s terrifying in open spaces as well since he can catch up to survivors within seconds.
Additionally, his add-ons are quite remarkable. He has a wide selection to make your gameplay as a killer more unpredictable and enhanced. It is indeed a terrible day to be a survivor in a realm where the Blight is around.
1. The Nurse
The majority has probably reached a consensus that the Nurse is currently (and always has been) the best Dead by Daylight killer in the game. I mean, she can teleport anywhere on the map and even through objects. This in itself breaks all the conventional rules and mechanics of the game.
Aside from her overpowering abilities, she also has some of the best add-ons the game has to offer. With her skills and abilities, truly nothing matters – pallets, chases, objects or maps. She’s good at any level and can be used on any map with no dependency. As long as she knows where the survivors are or can guess where they are, they’re as good as dead.
In terms of perks, anything works well on her as it further enhances her abilities and killer potential. You can add any of your preferred perks and build her however you like, this makes her a wildcard on the field.
What more can we say? The Nurse is truly one of the best Dead by Daylight characters, and the only way for you to find out is to play the game!
You’ve made it to the end of the list! Hopefully, this ranking gave you some insight into the killers of the game or some sort of idea on who to use in your next run.
Let us know what you think about this ranking and who your favorite Dead by Daylight killers are by using the comments below!
