Dead by Daylight Killer Power Tier List for September 2024

For September 2024, the top-tier killers in Dead by Daylight, consistently dominating matches with their unique powers, include The Nurse, The Blight, The Executioner, and The Lich. These killers, when mastered, offer exceptional win potential and are considered the strongest choices in high-level play.

Overview of Killer Tiers

Dead by Daylight features 40 killers, each with distinct powers that define their playstyle and effectiveness. This tier list, updated as of September 2024, categorizes killers based on their unique power, difficulty, and overall win potential, particularly in high-level PC gameplay against skilled opponents. While individual perks and add-ons can influence performance, this ranking primarily assesses a killer’s base power and its ability to secure three to four kills per match.

The ranking system is divided into several tiers: S-Tier (God Tier), A-Tier (Very Strong), B-Tier (Strong), C-Tier (Average), D-Tier (Weak), and F-Tier (Useless). There is also a TBD (Unranked) category for new or recently reworked content awaiting sufficient community votes. S-Tier killers are exceptionally difficult to counter and can consistently dominate. A-Tier killers are highly effective and can consistently secure wins, often with strong mobility or unique chase mechanics. B-Tier killers are solid and situational, viable in the right matchup. C-Tier killers are generally outclassed, while D-Tier killers are rarely worth selecting. F-Tier killers have no meaningful impact in standard play.

S-Tier Killers: Unstoppable Forces

S-Tier killers represent the pinnacle of power in Dead by Daylight. When played by veteran players, these killers are incredibly difficult to counter and can consistently dominate matches. Their unique powers allow them to bypass standard chase mechanics or apply immense pressure across the map, making them top choices for competitive play. Mastery of these killers often requires significant playtime and skill due to the complexity of their abilities.

The Nurse has consistently held the top spot due to her Blink power, Spencer’s Last Breath. This ability allows her to ignore environmental obstacles like pallets and windows, making traditional survivor looping ineffective. Although her fatigue after blinking requires precise timing, a skilled Nurse can chain Blinks to cover vast distances and quickly down survivors. Recent game updates, such as the nerf to Distortion and synergy with aura-reading perks, have further cemented her position. She is one of the five killers included with the base game.

Similarly, The Blight rivals The Nurse in both difficulty and power. His Rush ability provides incredibly fast map traversal. While his initial Rush cannot attack, slamming into an obstacle activates Lethal Rush, allowing him to strike. Mastering his speed and precision is crucial, as missing an obstacle leads to fatigue. Despite some add-on nerfs, his base kit offers exceptional mobility and pressure, making him nearly unstoppable in the hands of a skilled player. The Blight can be purchased via Auric Cells, Iridescent Shards, or the Macabre Tales DLC. The Executioner and The Lich are also consistently placed in S-tier, known for their strong overall performance and unique abilities that make them formidable opponents. The Hag is also noted for her ability to teleport to her traps, providing high map pressure and lethal speed when mastered.

A-Tier Killers: Dominant and Versatile

A-Tier killers are highly effective and can consistently secure wins, representing a strong backbone for effective builds. They often possess strong mobility, map pressure, or unique chase mechanics that make them formidable opponents. While slightly below S-tier, many high-level players find great success with these killers, as they offer a blend of power and versatility.

The Slasher, a popular addition around the game’s 10th anniversary, is noted for his powerful teleport ability, which allows him to track survivor footsteps via a visible mist trail and teleport directly to them. Combined with a throwable spear weapon, he is a formidable force. His Rampage perk provides a Haste boost when stunning him, making him difficult to escape during a chase. The First, while details of his specific power are not fully confirmed, is placed in A-tier due to a strong kit that can be highly effective when mastered, though with a higher reliance on optimal gameplay.

The Hillbilly has seen a resurgence in rankings after significant updates, particularly the 7.5.0 patch. His Chainsaw Sprint can instantly down healthy survivors, making him a powerful threat for quick hooks. While challenging to control and avoid obstacles, his ability to insta-down and slug can end games rapidly, especially on maps that allow for clear lines of sight. Other notable A-tier killers include The Spirit with her unpredictable phasing, The Wraith with stealth capabilities, and The Huntress with her ranged axe throws.

B-Tier and Below: Situational to Avoid

Killers in B-Tier and below range from solid but situational choices to those rarely worth picking. While B-Tier killers can be viable in the right matchup or playstyle, they are often outclassed by higher-tier options. C-Tier killers are generally below average, and D-Tier killers offer minimal advantage against survivors, making them difficult choices for consistent success. F-Tier killers are considered useless in standard play.

B-Tier killers like The Good Guy, The Doctor, and The Nemesis are considered good to use, but only to a certain extent. While they can be effective, they often require significant investment in understanding their complex mechanics without always providing the high-tier payoff. For example, The Singularity, while fun and strong, can have lackluster performance due to an overreliance on its abilities. The Animatronic is also noted as a potentially watered-down version of The Xenomorph, suggesting that players might find more success with the latter.

C-Tier killers, such as The Legion, The Dredge, and The Pig, are generally weaker than the rest of the roster. They can be useful for beginners to grasp game dynamics but are typically outclassed by higher-tier options in standard play. Killers in D-Tier, including The Shape, The Cannibal, and The Ghost Face, are best avoided. They offer minimal advantage against survivors and are unlikely to yield consistent success, especially against experienced players. The Cenobite is an exception in D-tier, noted for his incredible complexity and unique gameplay, but his demanding learning curve often leaves much to be desired for most players compared to mastering top-tier killers.

FAQ

Which killers are considered S-Tier in Dead by Daylight for September 2024? The S-Tier killers for September 2024 are The Nurse, The Blight, The Executioner, The Lich, and The Hag.

What factors determine a killer’s tier placement? Killer tier placement is determined by their unique power, the strength of that power when mastered, overall difficulty, and win potential in high-level play, considering performance across different maps and against skilled opponents.

Are perks and add-ons heavily factored into this tier list? While individual perks and add-ons are powerful, they are only considered slightly. The primary focus is on the killer’s base power, as perks can be interchanged and add-ons are not the main factor in this specific ranking.

Why is The Nurse consistently at the top of tier lists? The Nurse consistently holds the top spot due to her Blink power, which allows her to ignore pallets, windows, and elevation, effectively bypassing standard chase mechanics and making her exceptionally difficult to counter when mastered.

Are lower-tier killers completely unplayable? Lower-tier killers are not completely unplayable, especially for beginners learning game dynamics. However, they generally offer less advantage and are more challenging to achieve consistent wins with compared to higher-tier options.