The best Dead by Daylight killers in November 2025 are The Nurse, The Blight, and The Hillbilly in S-tier, with The Krasue, The Ghoul, and The Spirit leading A-tier. This comprehensive tier list ranks all 40+ killers based on their current power level, map pressure, and effectiveness in the meta following the latest balance changes.
| Tier | Killers |
|---|---|
| S Tier | The Nurse, The Blight, The Hillbilly |
| A Tier | The Krasue, The Ghoul, The Spirit, The Wraith, The Lich, The Huntress, The Xenomorph, The Executioner, The Mastermind, The Nightmare, The Animatronic |
| B Tier | The Good Guy, The Houndmaster, The Unknown, The Trickster, The Knight, The Doctor, The Nemesis, The Artist, The Singularity, The Dredge, The Legion, The Plague, The Hag, The Deathslinger, The Oni, The Twins, The Pig, The Clown, The Ghost Face |
| C Tier | The Cannibal, The Shape, The Demogorgon, The Onryo, The Cenobite |
| D Tier | The Trapper, The Skull Merchant |
Our tier list considers several crucial factors that determine a killer's effectiveness in the current Dead by Daylight meta:
Contents
This methodology ensures our rankings reflect both theoretical power and practical performance in real matches.
The Nurse remains the undisputed queen of Dead by Daylight despite being in the game since launch. Her Blink ability allows her to ignore walls, pallets, and other obstacles that stop other killers cold. With the ability to chain blinks together, a skilled Nurse can cross the entire map in seconds and down survivors before they can react.
Why S-Tier: The Nurse's ability to ignore fundamental game mechanics (walls and obstacles) makes her uniquely powerful. No other killer can match her chase potential when played at a high level.
Weaknesses: Extremely high skill ceiling, fatigue periods leave her vulnerable, and she's heavily punished for mistakes.
Pro Tips: Practice blink timing in the Bloodweb before taking her into real matches. Start with single blinks and gradually work up to chaining multiple blinks together.
The Blight represents the pinnacle of modern killer design, offering incredible mobility and lethal potential. His Rush ability allows him to close distances instantly, and by slamming into walls, he can activate Lethal Rush for attacks. A skilled Blight can end matches in under five minutes through aggressive map control.
Why S-Tier: Unmatched mobility combined with lethal rush potential makes Blight terrifying at all skill levels. His power works on virtually every map and against all survivor strategies.
Weaknesses: Steep learning curve, collision detection can be punishing, and he requires good map knowledge to use effectively.
Pro Tips: Learn the "tech" spots on each map where you can chain wall slams for maximum efficiency. Practice controlling your camera during rush to maintain awareness of survivor positions.
The Hillbilly received significant buffs in the 7.5.0 update, propelling him back into S-tier contention. His Chainsaw Sprint offers incredible map pressure and the ability to insta-down healthy survivors. Unlike many high-tier killers, Billy is relatively accessible while still maintaining top-tier potential.
Why S-Tier: Combines high mobility with insta-down potential and map-wide pressure. The recent buffs made him more consistent and less punishing to play.
Weaknesses: Can be predictable, struggles in indoor maps with tight corridors, and requires good aim to avoid bumping into obstacles.
Pro Tips: Use your chainsaw primarily for mobility across the map, saving it for guaranteed hits. Practice "curving" your chainsaw around obstacles to catch survivors off guard.
The Krasue, introduced in the Sinister Grace chapter, brings unique mechanics to Dead by Daylight. Her ability to transform into a floating head and use leech projectiles creates constant pressure across the map. Survivors must find glowing mushrooms to remove leech effects, creating additional objectives that slow down generator progress.
Why A-Tier: Excellent map pressure through leech mechanics, constant threat presence, and unique gameplay that survivors struggle to counter effectively.
Weaknesses: Projectile attack requires practice to master, survivors can remove leech effects, and she has a moderate learning curve.
Pro Tips: Focus on leeching multiple survivors to maximize pressure. Control mushroom spawn locations by transforming in strategic areas.
The Ghoul (Kaneki) has quickly become a fan favorite due to his incredible mobility and straightforward power. His Kagune allows him to spring across the map and overwhelm survivors in loops. Unlike many high-tier killers, The Ghoul is relatively accessible while maintaining top-tier performance.
Why A-Tier: Excellent mobility, strong chase potential, and relatively easy to learn compared to other top-tier killers.
Weaknesses: Built-in QTE can be punishing, cooldown times limit sustained pressure, and he requires constant power management.
Pro Tips: Use your Kagune for both mobility and loop denial. Practice timing your attacks to maximize the effectiveness of your power.
The Spirit remains a consistent threat in the Dead by Daylight meta despite various balance changes over the years. Her ability to phase into the spirit world, moving faster and becoming nearly invisible, makes her unpredictable and deadly. A skilled Spirit player can end chases in seconds using audio cues and mind games.
Why A-Tier: High mobility during phase, unpredictable nature, and excellent chase potential when mastered.
Weaknesses: Blinds herself during phase, requires good audio awareness, and has a steep learning curve.
Pro Tips: Invest in a good headset to hear survivor movements during phase. Use environmental clues like disturbed grass and spooked crows to track survivors.
The Wraith proves that simplicity can be incredibly effective. His ability to turn invisible while moving faster creates constant paranoia among survivors. The recent quality-of-life changes have made him more viable at higher levels of play while maintaining his accessibility for newer players.
Why A-Tier: Excellent stealth capabilities, good map pressure, and versatile playstyle that works at all skill levels.
Weaknesses: Must uncloak to attack, which can give away position, and he struggles against coordinated teams with good communication.
Pro Tips: Use your invisibility to get close to survivors before uncloaking. Practice the "uncloak attack" timing to minimize the window survivors have to react.
B-tier killers represent the middle ground of Dead by Daylight's roster. These killers can be very effective in the right hands but often have specific weaknesses that hold them back from higher tiers. Killers like The Huntress, The Xenomorph, and The Executioner offer unique playstyles and can dominate matches when played to their strengths.
Key B-Tier Performers:
C-tier killers typically have significant weaknesses that prevent them from competing at higher levels, though they can still be effective in specific situations or when played by specialists.
Notable C-Tier Killers:
D-tier killers struggle significantly in the current meta and often require substantial skill investment for minimal returns. These killers typically need reworks or major buffs to become viable options.
Current D-Tier:
The current Dead by Daylight killer meta heavily favors mobility and map pressure. Killers who can quickly traverse the map and apply pressure to multiple survivors simultaneously dominate the higher ranks. This explains why The Nurse, Blight, and Hillbilly occupy S-tier – they all excel at controlling the entire map.
Current Meta Trends:
S-tier killers typically excel in multiple areas: map pressure, chase potential, and consistency. They often have abilities that ignore or bypass standard game mechanics, like The Nurse's blink through walls or The Blight's rush mobility.
The Wraith is generally considered the best beginner killer due to his simple yet effective power, good mobility, and relatively low skill floor. The Trapper, while weaker, can also help new players learn fundamental mechanics.
Killer tier lists can change significantly with major updates, which typically occur every 2-3 months. Balance patches, new killer releases, and meta shifts can all impact rankings. Minor changes happen more frequently but rarely affect overall tier placements dramatically.
There's no consistent pattern – licensed killers range from S-tier (The Blight, The Nemesis) to D-tier (The Skull Merchant). Performance depends more on power design and balance than licensing status.
Map pressure is generally considered the most important factor, as it allows killers to apply pressure to multiple survivors simultaneously. This is why mobile killers like The Nurse and Blight consistently rank at the top.
Our tier list ranks killers based on their base power without add-ons. However, some killers (like The Hag or The Twins) rely more heavily on add-ons to reach their full potential, which affects their base tier placement.
Not necessarily. While new killers often release strong to encourage purchases, they're typically balanced in subsequent patches. Some recent killers like The Krasue released strong but balanced, while others needed adjustments.
The 2v8 mode has different balance considerations and doesn't directly affect 1v4 tier lists. However, changes made for 2v8 sometimes influence 1v4 balance in future patches.
Meta perks like Pop Goes the Weasel, Deadlock, and Call of Brine work well with most killers. Top-tier killers often benefit from information perks (like Discordance) and slowdown perks to maximize their pressure.
Focus on map knowledge, learn survivor common pathing, practice with your killer's power in custom games, and watch high-level gameplay streams. Consistency and game sense are more important than just mechanical skill.
The Dead by Daylight killer meta continues to evolve with each update, but the fundamental principles remain the same: mobility, map pressure, and consistent performance separate the best killers from the rest. While S-tier killers like The Nurse, Blight, and Hillbilly offer the highest potential for skilled players, A-tier killers provide excellent alternatives with more accessible learning curves.
Remember that tier lists are guidelines, not absolute rules. The best killer for you is one that matches your playstyle and that you enjoy playing. With practice and dedication, even lower-tier killers can be effective in the right hands.
Stay tuned to official Dead by Daylight channels for the latest balance changes and meta shifts, and happy hunting in The Fog!
This tier list is updated regularly to reflect the latest balance changes and meta developments. Last updated: November 2025