Dead by Daylight is arguably one of the most popular asymmetrical multiplayer survival games, featuring killers and victims. Given the game’s competitive nature and variety, each killer has a different skill making them unique. However, not all dbd killers are equal. If you’re a new Dead by Daylight player and want to know the best killers to go along with it, this one’s for you. So keep reading as we rank down all dbd killers in our list right here!
36. The Wraith
Power: Wailing Bell
Perks: Predator, Bloodhound, Shadowborn
One of the earliest killers in Dead by Daylight, Wraith is a relatively straightforward individual, perfect for any newcomer killer to pick up and check the game mechanics. It has no traps to take advantage of, and it plays like a standard dbd playthrough of chasing, ambushing, and killing the survivors.
The only thing he does have is his invisibility skill. But before you even think of this being helpful, think again. Becoming invisible will stop you from killing anyone. So, unless you pair it up with some skills and add-ons, the Wraith is useless in most encounters. Now you can see why it’s the lowest in our dbd killers list.
35. The Twins
Power: Blood Bond
Perks: Hoarder, Oppression, Coup de Grace
An original killer by Behaviour Interactive, this character is called Charlotte. You control her together with twin brother, Victor. While Victor detects the survivors Charlotte hooks them.
Because of this reason, The Twins can be a somewhat complex, weak killer to play, as players can overwhelm a killer immediately. Since Victor cannot hook or attack players, you are bound to get overwhelmed in that form. When you finally figure out what to do, the players have activated the generator and are probably out of the map. So if you want the best dbd killer, skip this one.
34. The Demogorgon
Power: Of The Abyss
Perks: Jolt, Claustrophobia, Fearmonger
Added in 2021 as part of a collaboration between Stranger Things, the interdimensional monster joins the roster of killers in Dead by Daylight. This dbd killer has teleportation abilities, where it can place a portal in one place and can teleport at will. Demogorgon can also break any obstacles in his way.
However, intelligent survivors can lay a trap to lure you to one point while the other closes the teleporter, stranding you at a weird map place. Furthermore, teleportation doesn’t work well on every game map, so you only have limited maps to take advantage of this Dead by Daylight killer.
33. The Nightmare
Power: Dream Demon
Perks: Fire Up, Remember Me, Blood Warden
Any 90s kid will recognize the popular slasher villain Freddy Krueger. And as iconic as he is, it makes sense for the Dead by Daylight developers to add him as one of the killers in the roster. Interestingly, this isn’t Freddy’s first rodeo as a video-game character, as he was also added as a fighter in Mortal Kombat 9.
Hence, Freddy’s play style as a killer takes advantage of sleep and dreams. He can teleport between generators and put survivors into a dream state after hitting them. However, these toolkits are situational, and any creative survivor can take advantage of them and make a fool out of the killer. However, if you wish to relive this dbd killer’s glory days, this one’s for you.
32. The Trickster
Power: Showstopper
Perks: Starstruck, Hex: Crowd Control, No Way Out
The Trickster is a striking dbd killer wielding a bat and wearing a long yellow coat takes quite some cues from the Korean K-Pop culture. However, looks can only take you so far, as Trickster isn’t so good. The entire play style of Trickster relies on the throwing knives and his baseball bat.
And it so happens that both the weapons aren’t high-damaging, nor fun for both survivors and killers. You only get some damage from throwing knives when you keep hitting your opponents precisely. And to do that, you have to be skillful. Unfortunately, not everyone can get used to this play style, which is frustrating. So as far as Dead by Daylight killers go, this one isn’t it.
31. The Deathslinger
Power: The Redeemer
Perks: Gearhead, Dead Man’s Switch, Hex: Retribution
One of the only killers in Dead by Daylight who can use a gun, the Deathslinger is heaven for players who prefer shooting out of any situation. The gun lets you attach a chain on the survivor and eventually down them.
However, Deathslinger lacks anything else. So you have to rely entirely on your aiming skills. Furthermore, since Deathbringer’s gun has no reticle, it takes a lot of skill to play as this killer. However, people who really love shooting will love this Dead by Daylight killer.
30. The Pig
Power: Jigsaw’s Baptism
Perks: Hangman’s Trick, Surveillance, Make Your Choice
Joining the game representing the Saw movie franchise, the Pig is all about traps. After all, he represents the well-known movie series for its unique contraptions. For starters, The Pig can place a reverse bear trap on a downed survivor’s head, which ultimately kills if not removed.
Furthermore, The Pig can crouch and hide from the survivors, taking them by surprise. However, these tools are not fun or useful in most encounters. You can use stealth to remove a survivor by activating a generator, which will mask your sound. Sadly, this isn’t enough to make it one of the best dbd killers.
29. The Trapper
Power: Bear Trap
Perks: Unnerving Presence, Brutal Strength, Agitation
Anyone who’s played Dead by Daylight knows the Trapper, one of the original killers. It is the staple killer in-game, which everyone picks up when starting. Furthermore, he is the poster boy of Dead by Daylight, so he has some authority going for himself.
Trapper comes with the usual – he can place bear traps around the place keeping them there until they get revived. Sadly, the Trapper’s capabilities end right there. The killer becomes very predictable as the traps are easier to dodge making him an average dbd killer/
28. The Knight
Power: Guardia Compagnia
Perks: Nowhere to Hide, Hex: Face the Darkness, Hubris
As you can tell by its name, this Dead by Daylight killer is a medieval knight who is back for some killing. And, as it is a knight, it can call in for help, such as summoning guards to patrol the generators. However, using the guards is quite tricky, and it doesn’t make sense when Knight’s skills are pretty durable. Knight is one of the better dbd killers, who you should try learning to play.
27. The Ghostface
Power: Night Shroud
Perks: I’m All Ears, Thrilling Tremors, Furtive Chase
Ghostface has become an iconic pop-culture character, as the scream mask has become a go-to party mask or one of the most-cosplayed characters. As such, it makes sense for Behaviour Interactive to add this popular villain to Dead by Daylight as a killer.
Ghost Face comes with a lean mechanic, which is helpful during encounters. Furthermore, Ghost Face has no terror radius until he starts running. So, this makes this Dead by Daylight killer the perfect killer. He also happens to be one of the better Stalker killers in-game.
26. The Hag
Power: Blackened Catalyst
Perks: Hex: The Third Seal, Hex: Ruin, Hex: Devour Hope
Another original Dead by Daylight killer, The Hag, functions similarly to the Trapper in-game. She can place traps anywhere. However, the difference between Hag and Trapper is the trap’s utility.
The Hag can teleport to any triggered traps. Unfortunately, this exact skill can become a pain as survivors can trick Hag into teleporting to different map sections as a ruse. So if you’re going to play this dbd killer, make sure you’re smarter than them.
25. The Clown
Power: The Afterpiece Tonic
Perks: Bamboozle, Coulrophobia, Pop Goes the Weasel
If it is a horror game, a clown has to exist. As such, welcome the Clown to Dead by Daylight, a killer who looks exactly like well, a clown. He does much more than scare the survivors, such as using a toxin to limit their vision and movement.
Hence, the Clown is perfect for those who prefer chasing their survivor. However, skilled survivors can dodge these vials pretty well, making the Clown a little tricky to play.
24. The Nemesis
Power: T-Virus
Perks: Lethal Pursuer, Hysteria, Eruption
This dbd killer is one for the Resident Evil fans out there. Nemesis is as intimidating as its game, allowing you to stomp and walk fast toward your enemies. It also comes with tentacles, allowing you to infect the survivors.
However, do note that Nemesis has a slow walk speed, and you rely heavily on your toolkit to create optimal setups to stop and defeat the survivors. Otherwise, you don’t get much out of this killer. His job is to disrupt, and he does that well.
23. The Shape
Power: Evil Within
Perks: Save the Best For The Last, Play With Your Food, Dying Light
Ah, yes, Michael Myers. It’s another classic horror slasher villain any 90s kid will be familiar with. Naturally, the game has added him as a playable killer in Dead by Daylight. Named the shape, he is another stalker with quite a small terror radius, and his skill allows him to stalk survivors and gradually chase faster.
22. The Plague
Power: Vile Purge
Perks: Corrupt Intervention, Infectious Fright, Dark Devotion
The High Priestess of Babylon, The Plague, is another original Dead by Daylight killer that makes one of the worst attacks ever – infectious vomits. Survivors getting hit by it will become sick, and the High Priestess can then absorb the sickness and transform her vomit into a corrupt purge. I don’t know about you but that sounds horrible.
Worse, this vomit sticks to the environment, so touching it will tell her where the survivor’s hiding. The only downside is that the vomit’s range is small. So, you must be near to effectively use this dbd killer.
21. The Huntress
Power: Hunting Hatchets
Perks: Beast of Prey, Territorial Imperative, Hex: Huntress Lullaby
One of the few killers that can throw projectiles, the Huntress, can hurl stuff at the survivors across the map. This allows the killer to down and kill them. Since the Huntress searches lockers for hatchets, hiding inside the lockers for survivors becomes a hindrance.
However, Huntress is slow, letting survivors ignore her attacks if skilled. Furthermore, the hatchet-throwing timing can be tricky to master, making it a frustrating experience. Regardless, if you can look past that, you have one of the best killers to play in Dead by Daylight.
20. The Spirit
Power: Yamaoka’s Haunting
Perks: Spirit Fury, Hex: Haunted Ground, Rancor
A vengeful dbd killer, The Spirit wields a katana with a good range, allowing her to attack the survivors. Spirit can also mess with the survivor’s head to confuse them.
So, during a chase, you can mess with the survivor’s head to confuse them on whether the spirit disappeared. This will also throw you into confusion, further leaving them to guesswork your killer’s location.
19. The Cenobite
Power: Summons of Pain
Perks: Deadlock, Hex: Plaything, Scourge Hook: Gift of Pain
Hellraiser’s Cenobite is beloved meme in the community for his killing quotes. But don’t let that fool you, as this dbd killer is one of the scariest ones in-game. Cenobite can teleport around the map and attach chains to slow survivors down. The biggest problem with this killer is its difficulty. You have to know what you are doing to play as Cenobite properly. Hence, it is not for everyone.
18. The Doctor
Power: Carter’s Spark
Perks: Overwhelming Presence, Monitor and Abuse, Overcharge
The doctor has a good toolkit, which makes him a preferred killer in Dead by Daylight. For starters, he can electrocute the survivors to increase their insanity. Maxing their insanity will prevent them from interacting with anything until they snap out of it.
The electricity also helps the doctor to detect and down the survivors. Staying near the doctor will also passively increase a survivor’s insanity. So if you want a creepy vibe while torturing your survivors the doctor comes under of the best dbd killers.
17. The Legion
Power: Feral Frenzy
Perks: Discordance, Mad Grit, Iron Maiden
One of my favorite killers in Dead by Daylight, the Legion, is a group of killers who wear masks, wield a knife, and wreak havoc. While they were downright broken when the game launched, they got reworked.
Even then, Legion is pretty solid killer for players new and experienced to the game. Legion’s attacks will cause a status effect that forces the survivors first to mend themselves before healing. This gives these Dead by Daylight killers enough time to track and kill the survivors.
16. The Cannibal
Power: Bubba’s Chainsaw
Perks: Knock Out, Barbecue & Chilli, Frankin’s Demise
The iconic Leatherface also has another video game rodeo in Dead by Daylight as a killer. Previously, this slasher villain was playable as a fighter in Mortal Kombat X before getting its dedicated asymmetrical multiplayer game.
The Cannibal has no movement speed penalty while using the chainsaw. So they can chase a survivor while revving that chainsaw. Furthermore, upon hit, survivors will drop any items they’ve brought, thanks to a perk.
15. The Xenomorph
Power: Hidden Pursuit
Perks: Rapid Brutality, Alien Instinct, Ultimate Weapon
The famous Alien from Ridley Scott’s movie also makes its Dead By Daylight entry as a killer. Players who prefer being aggressive will enjoy this monster as they are fast and agile. The tail whip has a long-range, allowing you to damage your survivors.
Furthermore, because Xenomorphs can crouch, their terror radius gets smaller, making it difficult to detect their presence. So, if you love being aggressive and surprising the survivors, the Xenomorph is the perfect dbd killer.
15. The Hillbilly
Power: Chainsaw
Perks: Enduring, Lightborn, Tinkerer
An original Dead by Daylight killer, Hillbilly is a chainsaw and axe-wielding monster who can dash through obstacles, around the map and chase survivors.
That is all thanks to his chainsaw, which also allows Hillbilly to down anyone with a single hit easily. If you pair this killer with the right add-on, Hillbilly will become a scary individual for the survivors.
14. The Oni
Power: Yamaoka’s Wrath
Perks: Zanshin Tactics, Blood Echo, Nemesis
Based on the Japanese vengeful spirit of the same name, the killer Oni is brutal to learn in Dead by Daylight. However, when mastered, you can live up to the name of the Oni around the map against survivors playing as Oni requires hitting the survivors and collecting the blood orbs.
Collecting enough will power Oni up, allowing them to run fast and instantly down any survivor. Oni is bulky and walks slowly; hence, you’ll have difficulty moving until you understand how this Dead by Daylight killer works.
13. The Mastermind
Power: Virulent Bound
Perks: Superior Anatomy, Awakened Awareness, Terminus
Continuing with the Resident Evil collaborations, Dead by Daylight welcomed Albert Wesker as one of the killers in the game. And as you might expect, he’s as intelligent as in the zombie survival horror series.
Wesker can track survivors well; his mobility and weapon tools are the same. This allows him to vault obstacles, give a better chase, and slam survivors into walls and other survivors. He’s everything like he was in the best Resident Evil games and then some!
12. The Artist
Power: Birds of Torment
Perks: Grim Embrace, Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance, Hex: Pentimento
Another original Dead by Daylight killer, the Artist, uses the help of her Dire Crows to be a menace against the survivors across the maps. These crows help the Artist track survivors from a distance and damage them with two crows. If you can adequately master the Crow placement, you will be a force to be reckoned with.
11. The Executioner
Power: Rites of Judgment
Perks: Forced Penance, Trial of Torment, Deathbound
Every survival horror fan knows the iconic Silent Hill 2 villain Pyramid Head. And, given the character’s legacy, Behaviour Interactive added him to Dead by Daylight as a killer along with other Silent Hill characters who joined as survivors.
You’ll use the Executioner’s large sword, which has a broad reach. Furthermore, the Executioner can leave behind a Torment trail, injuring survivors. This killer is extremely easy to use and is a perfect way to start your Dead by Daylight killing journey in-game.
10. The Unknown
Power: UVX Projectile/Teleport
Perks: Unbound, Undone, Unforseen
An abomination through and through, the Unknown can drop clones to confuse the survivors while catching them off-guard. His buffs are all about being a menace to the players – destroying generators, dropping a terror radius around them, using a projectile, and teleporting to the clones. Seriously, you’ll have a tough time fighting against this killer as a survivor in Dead by Daylight.
9. The Onryo
Power: Deluge of Fear
Perks: Call of Brine, Merciless Storm, Scourge Hook: Floods of Rage
Sadako from the Ring movie also joins Dead by Daylight as one of the killers. Named Onryo, she can infect the minds of survivors who hold the cursed videotapes found on the TV across the maps.
Sadako can also teleport across the map through these TV sets, as long as they have the videotapes in them. And she can instantly kill a survivor when their mind is fully infected making her one of the best dbd killers.
8. The Skull Merchant
Power: Eye in the Sky
Perks: Thwack, Leverage, Game Afoot
A murdering millionaire, the Skull Merchant uses her money to buy hi-tech gadgets to track and kill the survivors in Dead by Daylight. She employs four drones to track down the survivors, using debuffs on them. At the same time, she uses a dual blade on her wrist to hunt them after tracking their location. Perfect for the times you want to get messy.
7. The Blight
Power: Blighted Corruption
Perks: Dragon Grip, Hex: Blood Favour, Hex: Undying
One of the powerful killers in Dead by Daylight, when played correctly, the Blight is a hunk of rushing mass that will take out survivors easily. Players can perform Lethal Rush, which only improves if you accidentally bump into an object or wall.
Furthermore, Blight can easily reach generators and survivors because of its excellent movement speed. You’ll have to get used to the entire Lethal Rush system. Otherwise, once mastered, you’ll be a hard-hitting pinball.
6. The Good Guy
Power: Playtimes Over
Perks: Batteries Not Included, Friends ‘Till The End, Hex: Two Can Play
Someone at Behaviour Interactive is a fan of the ’90s slasher movie. Chucky joined Dead by Daylight a few years ago as the killer doll. And he’s as annoying as you’d expect him to be. Thanks to his skills, he’s hard to spot, fast, and sneaky.
Unsurprisingly, his abilities and Hex are all about being sneaky and fast. So, to annoy the survivors, consider playing Chucky and mastering his abilities.
4. The Dredge
Power: Nightfall/The Gloaming
Perks: Septic Touch, Darkness Revealed, Dissolution
An aggressive Killer in Dead by Daylight, Dredge is about spreading chaos among survivors. He can teleport quicker between lockers during nightfall, balanced by his inability to see behind brick walls and generators. The Dredge can also leave Remnanats and teleport across the map.
So, an intelligent Dredge player will use this to their advantage and smartly teleport and intercept survivor movement across the map.
3. The Lich
Power: Vile Darkness
Perks: Dark Arrogance, Languid Touch, Weave Attunement
After the success of Baldur’s Gate 3, nearly every video game has some collaboration between Dungeons and Dragons. And Dead by Daylight also has one, introducing Vecna to the killer roster.
The Lich uses sorcery to toy with the survivors, summoning minions to attack them, mimicking chests to catch them off-guard, resetting pallets, detecting the survivor’s location, and even flying over obstacles. The Lich has a high skill ceiling but adds a fun twist getting him in the top three of the best dbd killers.
2. The Singularity
Power: Quantum Instantiation
Perks: Genetic Limits, Forced Hesitation, Machine Learning
An intelligent robot, Singularity is a mechanical menace. If you are playing as him, you can expect solid intel gathering for survivor movement across the map. Singularity can place eight Bipods around the map, allowing them to track survivors for 20 meters and letting Singularity teleport to them. For all these reasons and more, Singularity comes as one of the top dbd killers.
1. The Nurse
Power: Spencer’s Last Breath
Perks: Stridor, Thanatophobia, A Nurse’s Calling
Everyone in the community agrees that the Nurse is possibly the best killer in Dead by Daylight. She is extremely hard to master, so not everyone can pick and play her.
However, an experienced Nurse player can and will quickly kill the survivor team. Nurses can blink anywhere on the map and ignore pallets, walls, and stairs. She can also rotate generators with ease. While Nurse has to recharge after a few teleports, that isn’t stopping her from becoming an absolute menace if an experienced player plays the killer.
And these are the 36 Dead by Daylight killers ranked from worst to best. So what’s your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
