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Dead by Daylight: All Killers Ranked

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Dead by Daylight: All Killers ranked

In 2016, Behaviour Interactive launched the asymmetrical horror game Dead By Daylight. At the time, no one could have imagined the game's success. Fast forward seven years later, and the game is a massive success, with over 5 million copies sold. Much of this can be attributed to the game's simple concept; four survivors are pitted against a blood-thirsty killer. The four players work to escape before they're decapitated. In contrast, the Killer needs to serve his higher purpose by sacrificing the survivors to a deity known as the Entity. 

While most horror/shooter games use this premise, Dead by Daylight nails it better. The game manages to carve its niche with an impressive roster of characters who play as the killer. Some characters are the studio's creation, while others stem from popular horror shows. If you're dying to get your slash on, here's a breakdown of all  Dead by Daylight killers.

30. Michael Myers 

Michael Myers Just Got STRONGER..

Also known as The Shape, Michael Myers is the white-mask-wearing horror movie legend best known for his obsession. Oddly enough, this uncanny trait is his strength in the game. With a small terror radius, you can stalk your victims up close without being detected. 

Moreover, increasing the Shape's power level amps his speed, making him an invincible killer that can strike down a survivor with one hit. 

Perks:

  • Dying Light
  • Play with Your Food
  • Save the Best for Last

29. The Twins

SCARING SURVIVORS WITH THE TWINS!!! | Dead By Daylight

Two is always better than one, and what better way to hunt down survivors than playing as a duo merged into one? You get this when playing “The Twins,” an original character created by Behavior Interactive. The pair, Charlotte and Victor Deshayes, are a terrifying lot who look like they were conjured in Dr. Jeckyl's lab. While Charlotte is a grotesque, scythe-wielding woman, Victor is a miniature, mean-looking pygmy attached to Charlotte by the torso. 

The duo is quite powerful and displays a moderate level of difficulty. With Blood bond as their power, Victor can track survivors on the map while Charlotte slays them down with her rugged scythe. The drawback is when controlling Victor, Charlotte is immobilized, making her an easy target for the survivors. 

Perks:

  • Hoarder 
  • Oppression
  • Coup de Grace

28. The Wraith

Dead by Daylight - Wraith Reveal Trailer

Philip Ojomo, or the Wraith, is one of the earliest killers introduced in the game and the easiest. With the power of the Wailing Bell, the Wraith can cloak and uncloak, becoming invisible to the survivors. 

This technique is valuable when performing a stealth attack; however, the shimmering glare of his cloak could sell you out. Moreover, since you can't attack the survivors in cloak mode, it may be challenging to get kills. Notwithstanding, the Wraith is an incredible hunter.

Perks:

  • Bloodhound
  • Shadowborn
  • Predator perks

27. The Trickster

The TRICKSTER is FINALLY HERE! ☠️ | Dead by Daylight DBD Trickster Reveal

A former K-Pop musician turned serial killer, the Trickster, alias Ji-Woon Hak, is a formidable foe with a few tricks up his sleeve. His perk, “Showstopper,” allows him to fling multiple sharp blades at the players. This he easily achieves from a distance, even with obstacles such as windows in the way.

Moreover, every on-target hit he gets raises his Event Meter. Once the meter fills up, the Trickster can launch a barrage of deadly blade attacks. While this can do severe damage, his perk slows him down. You'll need to have good aim to get the most out of this killer.

Perks

  • Starstruck
  • Hex: Crowd Control
  • No way out

26. The Knight

The Knight in Dead by Daylight!

The Knight, also known as Tarhos Kovacs, is a unique player in Dead by Daylight, owing to his fight tactic. While other killers actively seek out players, the Knight can summon guards to destroy the generators or hunt the survivors.

The Knight's unique mechanism plays more or less like the Twins, with a few additions. His perks help reveal the survivor's locations. In the right hands, the knight is an invincible medieval killer. 

Perks

  • Nowhere to Hide 
  • Hex: Face the Darkness
  • Hubris

25. The Nightmare

Forever Freddy is BACK baby!

Freddy Krueger, AKA “The Nightmare,” makes a dramatic appearance in Dead By Daylight as one of the infamous killers. He exhibits a similar terrifying pattern of entrapping victims in a horrifying looped nightmare after a basic attack. This affects their movement, which allows the glove-wearing Killer to locate them. 

Moreover, the Nightmare can transport between generators, which frustrates the players. Also, he displays excellent strength in the dream world, along with impressive stealth abilities. However, blood spurts could alert the players to his location. 

Perks

  • Fire up
  • Remember Me 
  • Blood Warden

24. The Ghost Face

COMPLETE GHOSTFACE GUIDE | Dead By Daylight

If you're an aficionado of horror films, this is one face you can't forget. The Ghost Face is the infamous serial Killer from the popular Halloween-dubbed movie, Scream. Known for stalking his victims before a gruesome attack, the Ghost Face replicates this in the game with his Night Shroud power. 

With most players being oblivious to the Ghost Face's presence until it's too late, his stealth tactic is handy when hunting down lone players attempting to fix the generator. However, if one of the survivors spots him, he loses the advantage of stealth which takes a lot of effort to recover. 

Perks

  • I'm All Ears
  • Thrilling Tremors
  • Furtive Chase

23. The Onryo

How To Play The Onryō - Dead by Daylight

The Onryo, aka Sadako Yamamura, is a nightmare to reckon with. The famous icon from the Japanese horror franchise, Ring, features as a terrifying killer on DBD. Her ingenious prowess and her ability to transport herself between television sets significantly improve her mobility. More so because the TV sets pop up all over the map, and an oblivious survivor can easily succumb to the pressure of curiosity. 

Picking up the video tapes allows this Killer to infiltrate the player's mind with Condemnation, owing to her power of Deluge of Fear. A player that succumbs to complete condemnation is easily eliminated by Onryo using her ranged attacks.

Perks

  • Call of Brine
  • Merciless Storm
  • Scourge Hook: Floods of Rage

22. The Legion

BUFFED LEGION IS ACTUALLY TERRIFYING!!! | Dead By Daylight

The Legion is a trio of killers comprising Julie Kostenko, Susie Lavoie, and Joey. Playing as survivors, the Legion put up a heavy fight that may be challenging to overcome. The ruthless killers can plunge the survivors with their Feral Frenzy power. However, the Legion is weak against a knowledgeable survivor. Survivors can escape the Legion's ensnaring death trap if they react fast enough. 

Perks:

  • Discordance
  • Mad Grit
  • Iron Maiden

21. The Doctor

Dead by Daylight - The Doctor Gameplay (No Commentary)

Herman Carter, alias the Doctor, can drive the survivors crazy using his power, Carter's Spark. Survivors within his hit range progressively get crazier, with occasional screams and hallucinations revealing their location. 

While this trait is challenging to master, it helps track down survivors. However, that's just about it. The Doctor's ability lies more in ensnaring the survivors in an insanity trance than dealing damage. 

Perks

  • Overwhelming presence
  • Monitor and Abuse
  • Overcharge

20. The Blight

The Blight is a formidable force that hunts down his victims with the help of his sonic-lightning speed. Uisng his power, Blighted Corruption, the Blight can charge enemies, giving you the advantage of quickly manoeuvering across the map. 

Moreover, you can activate Lethal Rush by bumping into a wall or an obstacle. This charges up his speed, allowing you to close in on a survivor. However, failure to hit an obstacle or barrier will slow down the Blight, and the player may get away.

Perks

  • Hex: Blood Fvaour
  • Dragon Grip
  • Hex: Undying

19. The Trapper

This Trapper build is still unbeatable... | Dead by Daylight

AKA Evan MacMillan, The Trapper lives up to his name in the game by laying down deadly traps for the survivors. Once a survivor falls captive, audio and visual alerts inform you of their location. The survivors will attempt to escape; however, it may take a couple of attempts before any success. 

Moreover, you need to be conspicuous when laying traps. Placing the traps in a prominent location will alert the survivors, who can easily avoid them.

Perks

  • Unnerving presence
  • Brutal Strength
  • Agitation 

18. The Artist

How To Play The Artist - Dead by Daylight

As an estranged Chilean painter, the Artist can summon a swarm of crows as a ranged attack with her power, “Birds of Torment.” The dire crows can track down survivors and also inflict damage. By summoning a few avian members, they'll fly ahead of you and attack anyone on their path.

As this ensues, you can summon another flock to locate survivors. After finding the survivors, the crows will surround the players and notify you of their location. You will need to get up close to unleash an attack, or else it'll be a failed attempt that would inform the survivors of your whereabouts. 

Perks

  • Grim Embrace
  • Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance
  • Hex: Pentimento 

17. The Deathslinger

How to ACTUALLY play The Deathslinger | Dead by Daylight

The Wild Wild West has an incredible lineup of gunslingers. And the Deathslinger, AKA Caleb Quinn, is no exception. Armed with a modified rifle that holds a harpoon, the Deathslinger is an unfathomable killing machine that can attack from a distance. 

The harpoon contains a spear with a rope attached to its end, allowing him to injure a player and reel them in for a close attack using his power, The Redeemer. However, the rope can break when dealing with a strong player. 

Perks

  • Gearhead
  • Dead Man's Switch
  • Hex: Retribution

16. The Pig

BEST PIG BUILD FOR BEGINNERS IN 2023! | Dead By Daylight Killer Gameplay

Straight out of the Saw franchise, The Pig, alias Amanda Young, is best known for her Jigsaw-like traps. This Killer can place reverse bear traps on the survivors she takes down. Moreover, her terror radius is not noticeable owing to her crouching technique.

However, she has her fair share of drawbacks. Returning to a normal stance after crouching is a noisy process that alerts the survivors of her position. Additionally, players can wiggle themselves out of the bear traps and escape before the time runs out. But the probability of this happening is relatively low.

Perks

  • Hangman's Trick
  • Surveillance
  • Make Your Choice

15. The Clown

This Clown Guide took 7 months to write... | Dead by Daylight

Nothing screams horror and terror like a murderous clown hell-bent on killing you. The Clown, AKA Jeffery Hawk, uses his power of The Afterpiece Tonic to bamboozle the survivors. This involves hurling potion bottles at the players, which releases toxic gas. The gas impairs the survivors' vision and slows them down.

Like other killers on the list, The Clown has his drawbacks. With two portions in your possession, throwing the wrong one may cure their survivor, increasing their speed. Also, it would help if you had an impeccable aim, or your efforts will be futile.

Perks

  • Bamboozle
  • Coulrophobia
  • Pop Goes the Weasel

14. The Executioner

Quick Killer Guide - The Executioner | Dead by Daylight

Pyramid Head, alias, the Executioner, makes a Killer appearance in Dead by Daylight, from the popular video game Silent Hill. Alongside him, Cheryl Manson also appears in the game as a survivor.

With a colossal pyramid over his head, the Executioner holds a large sword that can clear survivors with one fling. Moreover, with his power, Rites of Judgement, he can mark players and send them to the Cage of Atonement after a ranged attack. The Executioner is one of the most potent killers in the game who calls for mastery to unlock the full potential of his power.

Perks:

  • Forced Penance
  • Deathbound
  • Trail of Torment

13. The Plague

Quick Killer Guide - The Plague | Dead by Daylight

The Plague, or the High Priestess of Babylon, is an invincible killer who wields the power of the Vile Purge. Using her power, she vomits on the ground, infecting survivors and objects. 

Infected survivors must cleanse themselves with fountains of purifying water or risk becoming injured, and infected objects can be destroyed more quickly. If a survivor manages to cleanse himself, the Plague absorbs the sickness, resulting in a highly infectious attack that damages survivors on impact.

Perks:

  • Dark Devotion
  • Corrupt Intervention
  • Infectious Fright

12. The Huntress

HOW TO ... HUNTRESS

The Huntress stands out as an S-tier ranged Killer capable of using her trusty hatchets to hunt down survivors. With the proper aim, you can hack down survivors from a great distance in seconds.

Moreover, as the Huntres, you can equip yourself with more hatchets by searching in lockers. Who knows? You may find a survivor hiding in one of the lockers. Her most significant drawback is her slow speed, which means survivors can easily escape her line of sight if she's not wielding a hatchet. 

Perks

  • Beast of Prey
  • Territorial Imperative
  • Hex: Huntress Lullaby

11. The Spirit

Spirit Is Now UNSTOPPABLE !!

The Spirit is a relentless killer who possesses the power of Yamaoka's Haunting, allowing her to phase through solid objects and surprise survivors. She has a unique ability to track survivors' movements through audio cues and can use her power to traverse the map and catch unsuspecting survivors off guard quickly.

The Spirit's biggest drawback is her lack of lethality and anti-loop powers. As a result, it's challenging for her to kill survivors. Regardless, her Katana allows her to get more hits than some of the killers on this list. 

Perks

  • Rancor.
  • Spirit Fury.
  • Hex: Haunted Ground.

10. The Oni

The Jerks Guide To The Oni | Dead By Daylight

Better known as The Oni, Kazan Yamaoka is a mighty, vicious killer who moves incredibly quickly and takes down survivors with his Demon Dash. His great power is Yamaoka's Wrath, which he unleashes after consuming the blood orbs that survivors drop after being killed. Think of the blood orbs as a power-up that unleashes this killer's full potential.

You may find controlling this character challenging as a big guy. Also, you'll need to take down several survivors to get the blood orbs, but hunting down the players will be a walk in the park once you get the knack for it.

Perks

  • Nemesis
  • Blood Echo
  • Zashin Tactics

9. The Nurse

NURSE ... For Noobs

Alias Sally Smithson, the Nurse, is a deadly killer who can teleport using Blinks, powered by her ability, Spencer's Last Breath. Moreover, she can link the Blinks to cover more ground faster.

While these powers hold insurmountable strength, the Blinks draw too much power from her, making her vulnerable after a false move. As a hard-rated character, it's best to master her skill set to attract a seamless victory.

Perks

  • A Nurse's Calling
  • Stridor
  • Thanatophobia

8. The Cannibal 

Dead by Daylight Mobile | The Cannibal Goes Ham! (No Commentary)

Bubba Swayer, or Leatherface, is the infamous chainsaw-wielding Killer from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. With the power of Bubba's chainsaw, his chain sweep is mighty enough to strike down any survivor close to him. 

Although mighty power comes with a set of challenges, survivors can spot an incoming attack and flee. Notwithstanding, the Cannibal is still a powerful force. 

Perks

  • Barbecue & Chili
  • Knock Out
  • Franklin's Demise

7. The Cenobite

How To Play As The Cenobite | DBD Killer Tips

Like the Nurse, the Cenobite from the horror movie Hellraiser can transport across the map. This power allows him to reach survivors in haste and chain them up using his Summons of Pain power. However, players can break free from the chains by completing the Lament Configuration box. 

Perks

  • Hex: Plaything
  • Deadlock
  • Scourge Hook: Gift of Pain

6. Demorgorgon

HOW TO ... DEMOGORGON

Although the Demogorgon is unavailable for purchase, players can come across this infamous character in Netflix's hit series Stranger Things. But if you purchased the character earlier, you can still access this beast's unfathomable power.

The Demogorgon can teleport around the map using his power, Of the Abyss. However, survivors can close these portals. Moreover, the Stranger Things protagonist can dash forward, clearing anything all obstacles on its path.

Perks

  • Fearmonger
  • Jolt
  • Claustrophobia

5. The Hag

The Jerk's Guide To The Hag | Dead By Daylight

When in the right hands, the Hag, alias Lisa Sherwood, is a killer that is hard to get by. Her prowess is setting traps across the map and giving occasional jumpscares with her intimidating appearance. 

Also, she can make her way quickly through the map using the Blackened Catalyst power, which lets her teleport. If a survivor gets trapped, she can swiftly locate them.

Perks

  • Hex: The Third Seal
  • Hex: Ruin
  • Hex: Devour Hope

4. Nemesis

THE NEMESIS is in Dead by Daylight

In contrast, no killer in Dead by Daylight comes close to the Nemesis' menacing look. Although his abilities are tough to master, you stand a better chance at closing in on the four survivors playing as Nemesis.

His great power, the T virus, lets you infect survivors, slowing them down. A successful cure by the survivors grants you a power-up. Moreover, he has two zombie buddies who hunt the survivors on your behalf.

Perks

  • Eruption
  • Lethal Pursuer
  • Hysteria

3. The Mastermind

NEW KILLER "THE MASTERMIND" IS INSANE!!!

Arguably, the Mastermind is an invincible force with his impeccable set of perks. With his power, Virulent Bound, he can lunge at survivors, throwing them across the map or smashing them against a wall. 

His infectious virus eats away at a survivor's health, but he can abate it using a First Aid spray. However, this still reveals the survivor's location, allowing the Mastermind to track them down for a final successful hit.

Perks

  • Terminus
  • Superior Anatomy
  • Awakened Awareness

2. The Hillbily

UNLEASH THE HILLBILLY! - Dead by Daylight

As the original chainsaw-wielding character in Dead by Daylight, Hillbilly delivers a more potent hit than the Cannibal. His Chainsaw power allows him to dash through the map and close in on survivors faster.

Moreover, a single strike from his chainsaw renders even the healthiest survivor in a frail condition.

Perks

  • Tinkerer
  • Enduring
  • Lightborn

1. The Dredge

The Dredge in Dead by Daylight!

The Dredge is the top-ranking Killer for his special abilities. His particular power, Nightfall or The Gloaming, lets him teleport between Lockers. Combine this with his Darkness Revealed perks, and you can spot survivors within your vicinity.

If you play your cards right, you'll find it easy to hunt down survivors in the game. A mid-chase surprise will stop the survivors dead in their tracks, granting you a victorious kill over the almighty Entity.

Perks

  • Dissolution
  • Septic Touch
  • Darkness Revealed

What is your take? What do you think about our Dead by Daylight killers ranked list? Let us know on our socials here or in the comments below.

 

Evans I. Karanja is a freelance writer who loves to write about anything technology. He is always on the lookout for interesting topics, and enjoys writing about video games, cryptocurrency and blockchain and more. When not writing, he can be found playing video games or watching F1.