This isn't a tier list built from Reddit hot takes. It's built from data - specifically, from the 18 survivor combos we hand-tested across patch 10.0.0. If a perk appears in 5+ builds, it's S-tier. If it appears in zero, it's F-tier. Everything else lands where its usage rate puts it.
S-Tier - appears in 5+ combos
Dead Hard
The single best survivor perk in the game for the third year running. Used in 6 of our 18 survivor builds. An exhausted-state dash that lets you break line of sight mid-chase or extend a loop's window. The cooldown (60s) feels long until you realise how many chases it outright wins. Chase Stun Payback and Beginner Friendly both run it.
Kindred
Information wins games. Kindred reveals killer aura + all survivor auras when anyone is hooked. Used in 5+ combos. It's the perk that turns solo queue from chaos into coordination. Free info is the best info. See Aura Reading Awareness for the full info-perk build.
Borrowed Time
5 seconds of endurance after an unhook. 5+ combos. Hard-counter to slugging and the most reliable "I won't die off-hook" perk in the game. Pairs perfectly with Deliverance for the "I'll get myself" playstyle.
A-Tier - appears in 3-4 combos
We'll Make It
Heal other survivors 100% faster for 30 seconds after unhook. 4 combos. The altruism perk that ends chases - you unhook, you heal them to full in 7 seconds, the killer loses their target. See The Altruist.
Adrenaline
The "win more" perk. Instant heal + 5-second haste when exit gates power. 3 combos. Doubles as an exhaustion reset. Endgame Runner builds around it.
Prove Thyself
+15% repair speed per Survivor on the same gen. 3 combos. The math gets wild with 3+ Survivors on a gen - you complete generators in 60% of normal time. The Generator Push exploits this.
Resilience
+9% to all actions when injured. 3 combos. The "I'm hit, now I'm faster" perk. Great with self-care builds.
B-Tier - appears in 2 combos
Decisive Strike
The slug-killer perk. One free escape + 5-second stun after unhook. 2 combos. Hard meta in solo queue but lower MMR players don't optimise around it.
Sprint Burst
150% haste for 3 seconds after breaking line of sight. 2 combos. Solid chase perk. Anti-Slug uses it.
Wake Up!
+15/20/25% gate opening speed. 2 combos. Endgame perk. Niche but devastating when it lands.
Iron Maiden
Reveals Survivor auras for 3 seconds when they leave a locker. 2 combos. Info perk. Pairs well with stealth builds.
Quick Gambit
+50% repair speed for 3 seconds when the killer is within 32m of a gen you're not on. 2 combos. Situational but powerful in coordinated play.
C-Tier - appears in 1 combo
Bond
Reveals the nearest Survivor's aura at 20m. Niche but useful for solo queue awareness.
Empathy
See injured Survivors through walls. Strong altruism synergy.
Hyperfocus
Healing regression from skill checks. Niche but powerful.
Deja Vu
Reveals 3 gens closest to killer. Objectively weak but fun in 3-gen stall scenarios.
Plunderer's Instinct
Chests glow. Item rarity bonus. Fun but rarely meta-relevant.
F-Tier - appears in 0 of our tested combos
Perks that didn't make any of our 18 builds: Blood Warden, Boil Over, Counterforce, Dark Sense, Deception, Detective's Hunch, Distortion, Dramaturgy, Exhausted, Flashbang, Fogwise, Friendly Competition, Inner Strength, Low Profile, Lucky Break, No Mither, Off the Record, Open-Handed, Overcome, Premonition, Reassurance, Red Herring, Renewal, Residual Manifest, Saboteur, Scene Partner, Slippery Meat, Small Game, Smashed Together, Sole Survivor, Solidarity, Streetwise, Teamwork: Power of Two, Teamwork: Throw Down, Up the Ante, Visionary, Wake Up!, Windows of Opportunity.
Some of these are genuinely bad. Some are niche and would shine in the right build. We just didn't find them optimal in our test pool.
How to use this list
Pick one S-tier perk, two A-tier, one B-tier for the role you want. That's a 4-perk combo. Browse all 18 survivor combos for working examples, or build your own and submit it via the contact page.
Want the killer tier list? Check the blog index - it's coming next patch.