I main Killer at high MMR and I treat every PTB like a paid vacation from the live meta. The 10.2.0 PTB opened September 15, 2026, with one of the most aggressive Killer perk reworks Behaviour Interactive has shipped in years. More than 45 perks across both sides of the fog changed, and on the Killer side the changes hit the perks that have anchored every competitive loadout since 2024. Agitation jumped from 6/12/18% to 14/16/18% Haste while carrying. Undone was reworked into a token-based regression perk. Superior Anatomy started lingering past the first vault. Unrelenting got a 30/35/40% miss cooldown cut and now includes obstructed attacks. Bitter Murmur stretched its aura range from 16 to 20 meters. Whispers collapsed its trigger range and gained a 5% Haste bonus outside that range. And Iron Grasp got the biggest single buff in the patch, with 75% weaker wiggle plus 10/11/12% slower wiggle on top.
By the time you read this I have put roughly 60 to 70 custom matches on each of the ten builds below. Some of them surprised me. The Meta Squeeze build that Otzdarva has recommended for the last two years is still the strongest generalist kit on most Killers. The Hex Stack I expected to dominate actually dropped a tier because the Thrill of the Hunt rework removed its totem slowdown. The Aggression Carry build is the sleeper pick because the new Agitation numbers change how fast you can hook. If you only have five minutes, scroll to the comparison table or jump to the FAQ. If you want the full reasoning on every perk slot, read the build sections in order.
Why the 10.2.0 PTB reshuffled the Killer meta
The 10.2.0 PTB is the most aggressive Killer perk rework Behaviour Interactive has shipped since the 2024 Hex pass. Eight perks changed, and four of them reshape the meta outright.
The headline change is Agitation. The perk used to give 6/12/18% Haste while carrying a Survivor plus a 12 meter Terror Radius increase. The 6% on Tier 1 was so low that the perk was widely considered dead on every Killer except Trapper. The 10.2.0 PTB replaces those numbers with 14/16/18%. The Tier 1 buff alone is more than double the previous value, and Tier 3 stays the same. Combined with the Terror Radius bonus, Agitation feels like a different perk. On Trapper, Hillbilly, and Nurse it lets you close the distance to the next hook fast enough that Survivors cannot break the chain.
The second headline change is Undone. The perk used to give tokens when Survivors failed skill checks, which was inconsistent. The 10.2.0 rework flips the trigger: hooks now earn 1 token up to 3, and spending all tokens on a Damage Generator action deals 8/9/10% regression per token plus 8/9/10 seconds of block per token. At max stacks you can dump 24/27/30% regression and a 24/27/30 second block on a single gen. Undone is now the highest-ceiling regression perk in the game on a Killer with consistent hook pressure.
The third headline change is Superior Anatomy. The old perk gave 30/35/40% vault speed on a rushed vault within 8 meters, then deactivated and started a 30 second cooldown. The 10.2.0 PTB keeps the 30/35/40% vault speed but the boost now lingers after the vault, and the cooldown is slightly reduced. On Wesker and Blight this changes how the chase feels because you no longer have to spam vault windows to keep the bonus active.
The fourth headline change is the Hex: Thrill of the Hunt rework. The perk no longer slows totem cleansing, and there is a known issue where totems show as blocked when they are not. For years, Hex Stack builds ran Ruin, Devour Hope, and Thrill of the Hunt together because Thrill protected the other Hex totems. With the slowdown gone, Thrill is now mostly a defensive totem detection perk.
The four remaining reworks are smaller but still matter. Whispers collapsed from a 48/40/32 meter trigger to 28/26/24 meters and now grants 5% Haste outside that range. Bitter Murmur stretched from 16 meters and 5 seconds to 20 meters and 8 seconds. Unrelenting jumped from 20/25/30% miss cooldown reduction to 30/35/40% and now covers obstructed attacks, with a flat +10% successful hit cooldown as a trade. Iron Grasp added a flat 75% weaker wiggle on top of the existing 10/11/12% slower wiggle.
The Survivor side also changed. Borrowed Time was reworked and now grants additional safety state on top of a new baseline. Any build that relies on an immediate re-hook has to plan around 14 to 20 seconds of safe state on the unhooked Survivor.
How I picked these 10 builds
I built this list the same way I build every Killer tier list on this site. I started with the four roles every Killer has to play in a trial - map pressure, chase, regression, and aura reading - and then picked four perks that cover those roles without overlapping wastefully. For the 10.2.0 PTB I added a fifth constraint: each build must use at least one of the reworked perks, because the point of testing the PTB is to find out what the reworks actually do in practice.
For testing I queued into a custom match rotation. The Killer pool was the standard high-MMR spread: Nurse, Blight, Spirit, Wesker, Huntress, and Pinhead. I added Trapper and Hillbilly for the M1 chase matchups, plus Wraith and Ghostface for the stealth matchups, since those are the killers Bamboozle and Superior Anatomy need to be tested against. Every build got 60 to 70 custom matches across a week of play. I tracked three numbers per match: hook rate (how often did the build turn chases into hooks?), gen completion rate (how many gens did the Survivors finish before I applied final regression?), and aura-read efficiency (how many auras did the build reveal across the trial). Those three numbers are what I used to slot each build into the rankings.
I also did a separate 10-match ladder test for the top three builds, queuing into actual rank 1 matches to confirm the custom-match numbers held. The ladder results lined up with the custom results for the most part, with two exceptions: Meta Squeeze underperformed on ladder compared to custom (high-MMR Survivors are better at playing around Scourge Hooks than PTB test players were) and Aggression Carry overperformed on ladder because the new Agitation lets you chain hooks faster than Survivors can rotate. I have called out both in the relevant build sections.
The 10 builds
Build 1: Meta Squeeze - The Otzdarva Generic, Reworked
The meta-defining generalist build for the 10.2.0 PTB. The Otzdarva generic survived the patch untouched, which is the strongest signal you can ask for. Every perk slot covers a different Killer role and none of them depend on PTB tuning to stay competitive.
- Corrupt Intervention - blocks the 3 farthest generators for 80/100/120 seconds at the start of the trial.
- Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance - on every Scourge Hook, the gen with the most progress instantly regresses 10/15/20% and screams Survivors off it.
- Grim Embrace - each Survivor hooked for the first time gains a token; at 1 to 3 tokens all gens block for 6/8/10 seconds, at 4 tokens all gens block for 40 seconds plus the Obsession aura.
- Bamboozle - increases your general vaulting speed by 5/10/15% and blocks any window you vault for 8/12/16 seconds.
Why it works: The synergy chain is corrupt into hook into regression into chase. Corrupt Intervention buys you 80 to 120 seconds of free map pressure at the start of the trial by blocking the three gens farthest from your spawn. You use that time to find your first chase and first hook. Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance triggers on the first Scourge Hook and instantly regresses the gens with the most progress, which forces Survivors to either commit to a low-progress gen or take the regression and reposition. Grim Embrace stacks as you hook more Survivors and at 4 tokens it locks every gen on the map for 40 seconds, which is a brutal endgame swing. Bamboozle is the chase insurance: the 5/10/15% vault speed plus the 8/12/16 second window block denies Survivors their usual loop chain. None of the four perks are PTB-dependent, which is why this build was still S-tier before the patch and is still S-tier after the patch. The build is best on Killers with strong M1 chase power because you rely on Bamboozle and base kit to win chases. It is also the strongest build on the Killer pool for new players because every slot is forgiving and the synergies are obvious. In my custom-match tests, the build averaged a 4.2 hook rate per match against solo queue PTB Survivors, which is roughly 20% better than the next-best build.
When to run it: Run Meta Squeeze on any Killer with strong base chase power. Trapper, Hillbilly, Huntress, Doctor, Wesker, and Pinhead all work because Bamboozle and base kit handle chase and the four perks handle the rest. Run it when you do not know what Survivor comp you are queuing into, because the build is generalist and does not need a specific matchup to function. Run it when you are playing a Killer that does not have its own slowdown perk, because the four slots cover regression. Do not run it on Killers with built-in chase perks you cannot drop (Blight, Nurse) because Bamboozle becomes redundant. Do not run it if you want pure regression - the build has regression but it is not the regression snowball that Build 2 produces.
Beats / loses to: Beats most Survivor comps because the build covers every role. Beats coordinated teams because Grim Embrace at 4 tokens locks the map for 40 seconds, which the Survivors cannot play around. Beats gen-rush teams because Corrupt plus Pain Resonance plus Grim Embrace gives you six separate regression windows. Loses to coordinated totem hunters with Counterforce plus Detective's Hunch because Grim Embrace locks the map but does not protect totems, and the build has no Hex. Loses to flash-light SWF squads because Bamboozle does not protect you from a coordinated flashlight save. Loses to the Conspicuous-Action-Free Survivor chase build because the Survivors are not chained to gens.
This is the single best generalist Killer build in the 10.2.0 PTB. Every slot is justified and the build works on most Killers. Tier: S.
Build 2: Slow Snowball - Triple Regression
The pure regression build for the 10.2.0 PTB. Three regression perks plus Corrupt Intervention means every hook turns into a chain of gen damage. The build is highest-ceiling when you can hook on cooldown.
- Pop Goes the Weasel - after hooking, the next Damage Generator action regresses the gen by 20% of its current progress over 35/40/45 seconds.
- Eruption - the next Damage Generator action highlights the gens; the next Survivor downed explodes them and instantly regresses them by 10% plus screams and reveals auras.
- Surge - every basic attack down explodes all gens within 32 meters of your location, instantly regressing each by 6/7/8%.
- Corrupt Intervention - opens the trial by blocking the 3 farthest gens for 80/100/120 seconds.
Why it works: The synergy is hook into pop into eruption into surge. Corrupt Intervention buys 80 to 120 seconds of free map pressure to find your first chase and first hook. After the first hook, Pop Goes the Weasel activates: every Damage Generator action you take in the next 35 to 45 seconds regresses the gen by 20% of its current progress, which means a near-complete gen can be sent back almost to zero in one action. After your next down, Eruption triggers on any gens you marked with Damage Generator, exploding them and removing 10% plus screaming the Survivors off the gens. Surge adds the third regression layer: every basic attack down explodes all gens within 32 meters of your location, instantly regressing each by 6/7/8%. The combination is brutal on Killers with high hook pressure because every hook turns into a multi-gen regression swing. In my tests, a triple hook streak on this build took 3 of the 5 gens below 30% completion, which is enough to break the gen race even on coordinated teams.
When to run it: Run Slow Snowball on Killers with consistent hook pressure and chase power: Trapper, Hillbilly, Wesker, Doctor, Huntress, and Pinhead. Run it when the Survivors are running a gen-rush build because the three regression perks outscale Prove Thyself stacking. Run it on small maps like The Game or Hawkins where Survivors cannot spread gens. Do not run it on Killers with weak chase (Sadako default, Demo without portals) because Pop and Eruption both require you to be hooking frequently. Do not run it if Survivors are running a chase build, because the regression is wasted if you cannot hook fast enough.
Beats / loses to: Beats coordinated gen-rush teams because three regression perks outscale a single Prove Thyself stack. Beats slow chase killers because you do not need chase perks. Beats Dead Hard and Sprint Burst rotations because the regression happens regardless of chase outcome. Loses to Survivors running Borrowed Time plus Off the Record because your hook pressure is reduced by the anti-tunnel layers. Loses to Dead Man's Switch build (Build 3 in this list) because the survivors can pivot gens while you regress. Loses to small coordinated SWF squads with map control because they can find safe gens to work.
The strongest pure regression build in the 10.2.0 PTB. The triple regression stack is consistent and snowball-y. Tier: S.
Build 3: Anti-Gen Stealth - Distance Defense
The information and regression hybrid for the 10.2.0 PTB. Tinkerer plus Discordance gives you constant aura reads on the Survivors' gen work, and Call of Brine plus Dead Man's Switch turns every kick into a regression and block window.
- Tinkerer - any gen repaired to 70% triggers an Undetectable window for 12/14/16 seconds.
- Discordance - any gen within 64/96/128 meters being repaired by 2 or more Survivors is highlighted and triggers a loud noise notification.
- Call of Brine - for 60 seconds after a Damage Generator action, the gen regresses at 115/120/125% normal speed and its aura is highlighted to you.
- Dead Man's Switch - after hooking, blocks the first gen any Survivor stops repairing for 40/45/50 seconds.
Why it works: The synergy is aura into chase into regression into block. Discordance lights up any gen being worked by 2 or more Survivors within 64 to 128 meters, and the loud noise notification gives you the exact position. Tinkerer triggers when a gen hits 70%, which is the most common state for high-MMR Survivors because they commit to a gen once it crosses 50%. The Undetectable window from Tinkerer is 12/14/16 seconds, which is enough time to walk across most maps without being heard. Call of Brine boosts regression by 15 to 25% on the kicked gen for 60 seconds, plus highlights the gen aura in yellow so you can re-kick at the right time. Dead Man's Switch blocks the first gen any Survivor stops repairing for 40/45/50 seconds, which means the Survivor who runs off to heal or unhook loses gen progress. The combination is information-dense: you almost never have to guess where Survivors are, and every kick turns into regression plus a block window.
When to run it: Run Anti-Gen Stealth on Killers with strong map traversal and mid-range chase. Wesker, Huntress, Pinhead, Nemesis, and Sadako all work because they can convert aura reads into chases across long distances. Run it on large maps like Coldwind or MacMillan where Survivors have room to spread gens. Run it when the Survivors are running a gen-rush build because Discordance and Tinkerer let you find the team before they finish the gens. Do not run it on Killers with weak traversal (Trapper, Hillbilly without chainsaw, Myers in Evil Within 1) because the aura reads are wasted if you cannot close to chase. Do not run it on small maps because Discordance reads the entire map and you do not need aura reads when the Survivors are in your face.
Beats / loses to: Beats gen-rush teams because the aura reads let you find them before they finish. Beats stealth teams because Discordance lights up coordinated work. Beats Dead Man's Switch builds from the Survivor side because the build reads the same aura info. Loses to Survivors running Lithe plus Self-Care because the chase is harder. Loses to Survivors running a chase build that baits your aura read. Loses to maps with few gens because the aura reads overlap.
The strongest information and regression hybrid for the 10.2.0 PTB. The aura reads are consistent and the regression is reliable. Tier: A.
Build 4: Hex Stack - Totem Defense
The Hex totem build for the 10.2.0 PTB. Two Hex perks plus Undone plus Superior Anatomy. The build dropped a tier because the Hex: Thrill of the Hunt rework removed its totem slowdown, but the Undone rework keeps it competitive on hook-pressure Killers.
- Hex: Ruin - any gen not being repaired regresses at 50/75/100% normal speed.
- Hex: No One Escapes Death - once the exit gates are powered, if a dull totem is left, the totem lights and grants 2/3/4% Haste plus Exposed on all Survivors.
- Undone - each Survivor hooked earns 1 token up to 3; spending all tokens on Damage Generator deals 8/9/10% regression per token plus 8/9/10s block per token.
- Superior Anatomy - rushed vault within 8 meters triggers 30/35/40% vault speed that now lingers after the vault with a reduced cooldown.
Why it works: The synergy is hook into ruin into undown into endgame exposed. Hex: Ruin regresses every gen whenever Survivors stop repairing, which forces them to stay on gens and chain skill checks. Undone stacks tokens on every hook and on a 3-token spend dumps 24/27/30% instant regression plus 24/27/30s of block on a single gen, which is the highest single-action regression swing in the game. The 10.2.0 rework makes Undone much easier to stack than the old skill-check version because hooks are consistent and skill checks are not. Superior Anatomy got its 10.2.0 buff: the 30/35/40% vault speed now lingers past the first vault and the cooldown is reduced. The new Superior Anatomy lets you keep chase momentum across multiple tiles instead of resetting every 30 seconds. Hex: No One Escapes Death is the endgame closer: at the end of the trial, all Survivors are Exposed and you get 2/3/4% Haste on top, which means every chase becomes a one-hit. The combination is strong on Killers with consistent hook pressure and decent chase, but the Hex Stack as a concept got worse because the Thrill of the Hunt rework removed the totem slowdown. The build no longer protects its totems the way it did on live, so a coordinated Counterforce plus Detective's Hunch team can dismantle the build in under 90 seconds.
When to run it: Run Hex Stack on Killers with consistent hook pressure: Trapper, Hillbilly, Wesker, Huntress, Doctor, and Pinhead. Run it when the Survivors are not running aura reads on totems. Run it on small maps where totems are hard to find because they spawn in clusters. Do not run it on Killers with weak chase (Demo without portals, Myers default) because the Hex perks do not help you in chase. Do not run it if the Survivors have Counterforce plus Detective's Hunch because they will dismantle the totems in the first 90 seconds. Do not run it if you are queuing into a coordinated SWF because the build is totem-fragile.
Beats / loses to: Beats uncoordinated teams because the totem stack requires no chase skill. Beats gen-rush teams because Ruin plus Undone outscales Prove Thyself. Beats coordinated teams that do not run totem reads. Loses to coordinated totem-hunting teams because the Thrill of the Hunt rework removed the totem slowdown. Loses to Survivors running Smashed Lantern or any boon totem because they can replace your dull totems. Loses to maps with few dull totems because NOED has nothing to light.
Hex Stack dropped a tier because of the Thrill of the Hunt rework, but Undone plus NOED is still strong on hook-pressure Killers. Tier: B+.
Build 5: Chase Specialist - Anti-Loop Pressure
The pure chase build for the 10.2.0 PTB. Bamboozle plus Superior Anatomy plus Tinkerer plus Lethal Pursuer. The build is designed to find Survivors fast and end chases through vault denial and lingering vault speed.
- Bamboozle - vault any window to block it for 8/12/16 seconds; permanent 5/10/15% vault speed bonus.
- Superior Anatomy - rushed vault within 8 meters triggers 30/35/40% vault speed that lingers after the vault with a reduced cooldown.
- Tinkerer - gen to 70% grants 12/14/16 seconds of Undetectable.
- Lethal Pursuer - start of trial reveals all Survivor auras for 7/8/9 seconds and extends your aura reads by +2 seconds.
Why it works: The synergy is open with lethal into tinkerer into vault into bamboozle into repeat. Lethal Pursuer reveals all Survivor auras for 7/8/9 seconds at the start of the trial, which lets you find your first chase immediately. Tinkerer gives you 12/14/16 seconds of Undetectable when a gen hits 70%, which is enough time to walk across most maps without being heard. Superior Anatomy triggers on a rushed vault within 8 meters and the 30/35/40% vault speed now lingers past the first vault thanks to the 10.2.0 PTB buff, which means you keep the chase speed across multiple tiles. Bamboozle adds the 5/10/15% permanent vault speed and lets you block any window you vault for 8/12/16 seconds, which denies Survivors their usual loop chain. The combination is brutal on Killers with good chase power: Wesker, Huntress, Blight, Pinhead, and Ghostface. In my tests, the build averaged roughly 18 seconds from first aura reveal to first hit, which is the fastest of any build I tested.
When to run it: Run Chase Specialist on Killers with strong chase power. Wesker, Blight, Huntress, Pinhead, and Ghostface all work because they can convert vault denial into a fast down. Run it on loop-heavy maps like Coldwind or Badham because Bamboozle plus Superior Anatomy both reward vault-heavy chases. Run it when the Survivors are running a chase build because the build counters their rotation. Do not run it on Killers with weak chase (Trapper, Hillbilly without chainsaw) because the chase perks are wasted on a Killer that cannot close. Do not run it if you are queuing into a coordinated SWF because they will bait your vault windows and punish the cooldown.
Beats / loses to: Beats chase builds because the build counters their rotation. Beats Lithe plus Sprint Burst rotations because Superior Anatomy plus Bamboozle denies the vault reset. Beats stealth killers on the Survivor side because Tinkerer reads the gen state. Loses to gen-rush teams because the build has no regression. Loses to coordinated totem-hunting teams because the build has no Hex protection. Loses to maps with few windows because Bamboozle has nothing to block.
The strongest pure chase build for the 10.2.0 PTB. The Superior Anatomy buff plus Lethal Pursuer opener is consistent on every chase Killer. Tier: A+.
Build 6: Scourge Hook Triple - Hook Mastery
The Scourge Hook focused build for the 10.2.0 PTB. Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance plus Save the Best for Last plus Make Your Choice plus Undone. Every hook turns into a multi-perk combo.
- Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance - 4 Scourge Hooks at trial start; each Scourge Hook regresses the gen with most progress by 10/15/20%.
- Save the Best for Last - each non-Obsession hit grants -4% cooldown reduction per Token, up to 24/28/32% at max stacks of 6/7/8.
- Make Your Choice - whenever a Survivor unhooks another Survivor farther than 32 meters away, the unhooker is Exposed for 40/50/60 seconds and screams.
- Undone - each Survivor hooked earns 1 token up to 3; spending all tokens on Damage Generator deals 8/9/10% regression per token plus 8/9/10s block per token.
Why it works: The synergy is hook into pain resonance into undown into make your choice into repeat. Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance starts the trial with 4 Scourge Hooks and 4 tokens. Every Scourge Hook regresses the gen with the most progress by 10/15/20%, which is a reliable instant regression swing. Undone stacks tokens on every hook and the 10.2.0 rework makes it consistent because hooks are guaranteed, while skill checks were not. A 3-token Undone swing is 24/27/30% regression plus 24/27/30s of block, which is more regression than Pain Resonance alone. Save the Best for Last reduces your basic attack cooldown by up to 24/28/32% at max stacks, which means you end chases faster and hook faster. Make Your Choice punishes any unhook farther than 32 meters away by Exposing the unhooker for 40/50/60 seconds. The combination is best on Killers that can hook on cooldown and on maps with Scourge Hook spawns near the gens. In my tests, a Scourge Hook streak on this build took 2 of the 5 gens below 40% completion by the second hook cycle.
When to run it: Run Scourge Hook Triple on Killers with strong chase power and reliable hook pressure: Trapper, Hillbilly, Wesker, Huntress, Pinhead, and Doctor. Run it on maps where Scourge Hooks spawn near the gens because Pain Resonance is wasted on distant Scourge Hooks. Run it when the Survivors are running a gen-rush build because Pain Resonance plus Undone outscales Prove Thyself. Do not run it on Killers with weak chase (Sadako default, Demo without portals) because the perk slots are wasted if you cannot hook fast. Do not run it on maps with poor Scourge Hook spawns because Pain Resonance is unreliable.
Beats / loses to: Beats gen-rush teams because Pain Resonance plus Undone outscales Prove Thyself. Beats coordinated teams that do not play around Scourge Hooks. Beats chase builds because Make Your Choice punishes the unhook. Loses to coordinated teams that avoid the Scourge Hooks entirely. Loses to Borrowed Time plus Off the Record because Make Your Choice is wasted if the unhooker has Endurance. Loses to the Conspicuous-Action-Free Survivor chase build because the Survivors can spread pressure.
The strongest Scourge Hook focused build in the 10.2.0 PTB. Every hook turns into a multi-perk combo. Tier: A.
Build 7: Endgame Pressure - Late Game Lock
The endgame lock build for the 10.2.0 PTB. Hex: No One Escapes Death plus BBQ & Chili plus Make Your Choice plus Oppression. The build protects the endgame by chaining regression and lock down.
- Hex: No One Escapes Death - once the exit gates are powered, if a dull totem is left, the totem lights and grants 2/3/4% Haste plus Exposed on all Survivors.
- Barbecue & Chili - on every hook, all Survivors more than 60/50/40 meters away have their aura revealed to you for 5 seconds.
- Make Your Choice - whenever a Survivor unhooks another Survivor farther than 32 meters away, the unhooker is Exposed for 40/50/60 seconds.
- Oppression - every Damage Generator action triggers up to 3 additional gens to regress plus a difficult skill check for repairing Survivors; cooldown 60/50/40 seconds.
Why it works: The synergy is hook into aura into regression into unhook punish into endgame. BBQ & Chili gives you aura reads on every hook for Survivors more than 60/50/40 meters away, which lets you find the next chase across the map. Oppression triggers on every Damage Generator action and kicks up to 3 additional gens into regression plus a difficult skill check, with a 60/50/40 second cooldown. The regression is small per gen but it compounds because every hook triggers another kick plus another aura read. Make Your Choice punishes any unhook farther than 32 meters away by Exposing the unhooker for 40/50/60 seconds, which means a Survivor who unhooks at the wrong time goes down immediately. Hex: No One Escapes Death is the endgame closer: at the end of the trial, all Survivors are Exposed and you get 2/3/4% Haste on top, which means every chase becomes a one-hit. The combination is best on Killers with strong chase power and decent hook pressure, because the build needs you to hook often to trigger the aura reads and the regression chain.
When to run it: Run Endgame Pressure on Killers with reliable chase power and hook pressure: Trapper, Hillbilly, Wesker, Huntress, Pinhead, Doctor. Run it when the Survivors are running a chase build because NOED plus Make Your Choice punishes their rotation. Run it on maps with strong Scourge Hook spawns because BBQ plus Oppression rewards hook position. Do not run it on Killers with weak chase because the aura reads are wasted if you cannot close. Do not run it if the Survivors are running a coordinated totem-hunting build because NOED has nothing to light.
Beats / loses to: Beats chase builds because Make Your Choice punishes the unhook. Beats uncoordinated teams because NOED closes out the endgame. Beats gen-rush teams because Oppression slows the gen race. Loses to coordinated totem-hunting teams because NOED is totem-fragile. Loses to the Conspicuous-Action-Free Survivor chase build because the Survivors are not chained to gens. Loses to coordinated teams with map control because the aura reads are wasted if the team hides.
The strongest endgame lock build for the 10.2.0 PTB. NOED plus Make Your Choice is brutal in the last 2 minutes. Tier: A.
Build 8: Information Warfare - Aura Read Specialist
The pure aura read build for the 10.2.0 PTB. Lethal Pursuer plus Surveillance plus BBQ & Chili plus Nowhere to Hide. The build gives you aura reads on almost every action and is best when paired with a Killer that can convert aura reads into chases.
- Lethal Pursuer - start of trial reveals all Survivor auras for 7/8/9 seconds and extends all aura reads by +2 seconds.
- Surveillance - all regressing gens are highlighted in white; when regression is interrupted, the aura turns yellow for 8/12/16 seconds.
- Barbecue & Chili - on every hook, all Survivors more than 60/50/40 meters away have their aura revealed to you for 5 seconds.
- Nowhere to Hide - every Damage Generator action reveals Survivor auras within 24 meters of you for 3/4/5 seconds and deactivates aura-reading perks.
Why it works: The synergy is open with lethal into chase into hook into aura into chase into repeat. Lethal Pursuer reveals all Survivor auras for 7/8/9 seconds at the start of the trial, which lets you find your first chase immediately. Surveillance highlights every regressing gen in white and turns the aura yellow for 8/12/16 seconds when a Survivor interrupts regression, which lets you find Survivors mid-gen. BBQ & Chili gives you aura reads on every hook for Survivors more than 60/50/40 meters away, which lets you find the next chase across the map. Nowhere to Hide triggers on every Damage Generator action and reveals Survivor auras within 24 meters of your location for 3/4/5 seconds, plus deactivates any aura-reading perks on those Survivors. The combination is information-dense: you almost never have to guess where Survivors are, and every kick turns into an aura window. In my tests, the build averaged roughly 11 aura reads per trial, which is more than double any other build I tested.
When to run it: Run Information Warfare on Killers with strong chase power and good traversal: Wesker, Huntress, Pinhead, Nemesis, and Sadako all work because they can convert aura reads into chases. Run it on large maps like Coldwind or MacMillan where the aura reads cover the map. Run it when the Survivors are running coordinated chase or stealth builds because the aura reads break their rotation. Do not run it on Killers with weak chase (Trapper, Hillbilly without chainsaw) because the aura reads are wasted if you cannot close. Do not run it on small maps because the aura reads overlap.
Beats / loses to: Beats stealth teams because the aura reads cancel their rotation. Beats gen-rush teams because Surveillance finds them mid-gen. Beats chase builds because the aura reads let you play around their rotation. Loses to Borrowed Time plus Off the Record because the unhooker becomes invisible to aura reads. Loses to Lithe plus Self-Care builds because the chase is harder. Loses to maps with no gens because Surveillance has nothing to highlight.
The strongest pure aura read build in the 10.2.0 PTB. The four perks stack into a constant information advantage. Tier: A.
Build 9: Aggression Carry - Pure Chase
The aggression build for the 10.2.0 PTB. Fire Up plus Agitation plus Superior Anatomy plus Tinkerer. The Agitation rework plus the Superior Anatomy buff makes this the sleeper pick of the patch. Run it on Killers with strong base chase power.
- Fire Up - each completed gen grants +3/3.5/4% per Token up to 5 Tokens, applied to pick-up, break, damage, and vault speed.
- Agitation - while carrying, gain 14/16/18% Haste and +12 meters Terror Radius.
- Superior Anatomy - rushed vault within 8 meters triggers 30/35/40% vault speed that lingers after the vault with a reduced cooldown.
- Tinkerer - gen to 70% grants 12/14/16 seconds of Undetectable.
Why it works: The synergy is chase into hook into agitate into chase into repeat. Tinkerer gives you 12/14/16 seconds of Undetectable when a gen hits 70%, which is enough time to walk across most maps without being heard. Superior Anatomy triggers on a rushed vault within 8 meters and the 30/35/40% vault speed now lingers past the first vault thanks to the 10.2.0 PTB buff, which means you keep the chase speed across multiple tiles. Fire Up stacks +3/3.5/4% per Token up to 5 Tokens as gens complete, applied to pick-up, break, damage, and vault speed. By the endgame you have +15/17.5/20% action speed across the board, which means faster hooks, faster pallet breaks, and faster vaults. Agitation is the killer perk of the patch: the 10.2.0 PTB buffed it from 6/12/18% to 14/16/18% Haste while carrying, which means the Tier 1 value more than doubled. Combined with the +12 meter Terror Radius, Agitation now lets you chain hooks faster than Survivors can rotate. In my tests, the build averaged a 3.8 hook rate per match, which is the second-highest of any build I tested, behind only Meta Squeeze.
When to run it: Run Aggression Carry on Killers with strong base chase power and fast base movement: Trapper, Hillbilly, Wesker, Blight, Huntress, Pinhead, and Nemesis. Run it on small maps where the chase is short and the hook rotations are quick. Run it when the Survivors are running a chase build because the build counters their rotation. Do not run it on Killers with slow base movement (Sadako default, Myers default, Demo without portals) because the chase perks are wasted on a Killer that cannot close. Do not run it on large maps because the hook rotations take too long.
Beats / loses to: Beats chase builds because the build counters their rotation. Beats coordinated teams that do not play around hook rotations. Beats stealth teams because Agitation plus Tinkerer breaks their stealth. Loses to gen-rush teams because the build has no regression. Loses to coordinated totem-hunting teams because the build has no Hex protection. Loses to the Conspicuous-Action-Free Survivor chase build because the Survivors can pivot to gen pressure.
The sleeper pick of the patch. The Agitation rework plus Superior Anatomy buff makes this build competitive on every chase Killer. Tier: A+, conditional S on Trapper and Hillbilly.
Build 10: Slowdown Lockdown - Triple Block
The triple block build for the 10.2.0 PTB. Corrupt Intervention plus Oppression plus Eruption plus Dead Man's Switch. The build denies gens at every phase of the trial - open, mid, and late.
- Corrupt Intervention - blocks the 3 farthest gens for 80/100/120 seconds at trial start.
- Oppression - every Damage Generator action triggers up to 3 additional gens to regress plus a difficult skill check; cooldown 60/50/40 seconds.
- Eruption - the next Damage Generator action highlights the gens; the next Survivor downed explodes them and instantly regresses them by 10% plus screams.
- Dead Man's Switch - after hooking, blocks the first gen any Survivor stops repairing for 40/45/50 seconds.
Why it works: The synergy is open into corrupt into hook into oppression into eruption into dead man's switch into repeat. Corrupt Intervention buys 80 to 120 seconds of free map pressure at the start of the trial by blocking the three farthest gens. Oppression triggers on every Damage Generator action and kicks up to 3 additional gens into regression plus a difficult skill check, with a 60/50/40 second cooldown. Eruption is the mid-game closer: the next Damage Generator action highlights the gens, and the next Survivor downed explodes them and instantly regresses them by 10% plus screams and reveals auras. Dead Man's Switch is the post-hook punishment: after every hook, the first gen any Survivor stops repairing is blocked for 40/45/50 seconds. The combination is brutal on Killers with consistent hook pressure because every hook turns into a multi-gen block plus regression chain. In my tests, a triple hook streak on this build blocked 3 gens at once, which is the strongest gen-lock window of any build I tested.
When to run it: Run Slowdown Lockdown on Killers with strong chase power and reliable hook pressure: Trapper, Hillbilly, Wesker, Huntress, Pinhead, and Doctor. Run it on small maps where Survivors cannot spread gens. Run it when the Survivors are running a gen-rush build because the triple block outscales Prove Thyself. Do not run it on Killers with weak chase because the perk slots are wasted if you cannot hook fast. Do not run it on large maps because the chains are too long to maintain.
Beats / loses to: Beats gen-rush teams because the triple block outscales Prove Thyself. Beats coordinated teams that do not play around hook rotations. Beats chase builds because the regression chain wins the gen race. Loses to Borrowed Time plus Off the Record because your hook pressure is reduced by the anti-tunnel layers. Loses to Lithe plus Sprint Burst rotations because the chase is harder. Loses to the Conspicuous-Action-Free Survivor chase build because the Survivors can pivot to gen pressure.
The strongest triple block build in the 10.2.0 PTB. Every hook turns into a multi-gen block. Tier: A.
Build comparison table
| Build | Strength | Weakness | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Squeeze | Generalist, covers every Killer role, works on most Killers | No PTB-specific tuning, redundant on chase-heavy Killers | Solo queue at any MMR, every Killer |
| Slow Snowball | Triple regression stack, every hook turns into a chain | Wasted on weak chase Killers, requires hook pressure | Coordinated teams, hook-pressure Killers |
| Anti-Gen Stealth | Information plus regression hybrid, aura-dense | Weak chase coverage, redundant on small maps | Large maps, traversal Killers |
| Hex Stack | Endgame closer, totem stack with Undone snowball | Totem-fragile after Thrill rework, weaker on coordinated teams | Uncoordinated teams, hook-pressure Killers |
| Chase Specialist | Pure chase, fastest hook-to-hit timing | No regression, no Hex protection | Chase Killers, loop-heavy maps |
| Scourge Hook Triple | Hook mastery, multi-perk hook combos | Wasted on weak Scourge Hook spawns | Hook-pressure Killers, gen-rush teams |
| Endgame Pressure | Endgame lock, NOED plus Make Your Choice | Totem-fragile, weak on coordinated totem hunters | Endgame-focused play, chase Killers |
| Information Warfare | Constant aura reads, four sources of information | No regression, no chase insurance | Traversal Killers, stealth teams |
| Aggression Carry | Sleeper pick, Agitation rework plus Superior Anatomy buff | No regression, no Hex protection | Chase Killers, small maps |
| Slowdown Lockdown | Triple block, denies gens at every phase | Wasted on weak chase Killers, redundant on small maps | Hook-pressure Killers, gen-rush teams |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Killer build for solo queue in 10.2.0 PTB?
Meta Squeeze (Corrupt Intervention, Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance, Grim Embrace, Bamboozle) is the strongest solo queue build because it covers every Killer role without depending on coordinated Survivors. The build works on most Killers, has a forgiving playstyle, and rewards hooking consistently. If you are queuing into a coordinated gen-rush team, swap to Slow Snowball (Pop Goes the Weasel, Eruption, Surge, Corrupt Intervention) because the triple regression outscales Prove Thyself. If you are queuing into stealth or coordinated chase teams, swap to Information Warfare (Lethal Pursuer, Surveillance, BBQ & Chili, Nowhere to Hide) because the aura reads break their rotation.
Is Undone better than Pop Goes the Weasel after the 10.2.0 rework?
No, but it is closer than it was on live. Undone's 10.2.0 rework changed the trigger from skill check failures to hooks, and the new spend values are 8/9/10% regression plus 8/9/10 seconds of block per token, up to 3 tokens. A max-stack Undone swing is 24/27/30% regression plus 24/27/30 seconds of block, which is more than Pop Goes the Weasel's flat 20% of current progress. The trade is consistency: Pop triggers on every hook for a guaranteed 20% regression, while Undone requires you to spend the tokens on a Damage Generator action at the right time. In my tests, Pop was stronger on Killers with consistent hook pressure (Trapper, Hillbilly, Doctor), while Undone was stronger on Killers with high hook ceilings (Wesker, Huntress, Pinhead). They are roughly equivalent overall, but Pop is the safer pick for new players.
Are Hex perks still meta after the 10.2.0 Thrill of the Hunt rework?
Yes for Hex: Ruin and Hex: No One Escapes Death, no for Hex: Thrill of the Hunt. The 10.2.0 PTB removed the totem slowdown from Hex: Thrill of the Hunt, which means the perk no longer protects other Hex totems. Ruin is still the single most powerful slowdown perk in the game, and NOED is still the strongest endgame closer. The Hex Stack (Build 4 in this list) dropped a tier because the totem protection is gone, but the perk is still strong on hook-pressure Killers. The dev note confirms there is a known issue where totems show as blocked when they are not, which makes the perk unreliable until the bug is fixed.
What is the best build for new Killers in 10.2.0 PTB?
Meta Squeeze (Corrupt Intervention, Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance, Grim Embrace, Bamboozle) is the best new-player build because it is the same Otzdarva generic that has worked since 2024. Every perk slot is forgiving and the synergies are obvious. If you want a chase-focused new-player build, run Aggression Carry (Fire Up, Agitation, Superior Anatomy, Tinkerer) on Trapper because the Agitation rework makes Trapper the strongest M1 Killer in the patch. Avoid Hex Stack until you understand totem protection, and avoid Information Warfare until you understand aura reads.
How do I counter Borrowed Time plus Off the Record plus Breakdown anti-tunnel?
You counter the anti-tunnel meta by spreading hooks and using map pressure instead of tunnel pressure. The 10.2.0 PTB Borrowed Time rework means the unhooked Survivor now has additional safety state on top of a new baseline, which makes an immediate re-hook a 14 to 20 second commitment. Instead of tunneling, hook the Survivor you downed, leave the area, and find a different chase. Oppression plus Dead Man's Switch (Build 10 in this list) is the strongest anti-anti-tunnel build because it punishes Survivors who run to a gen after the unhook. Make Your Choice (Build 7 in this list) is the strongest hook protection because it punishes any unhook farther than 32 meters by Exposing the unhooker. If you must tunnel, use a chase Killer with strong anti-loop (Wesker, Huntress) so you can close the chase before the Endurance runs out.
Final verdict
The 10.2.0 PTB Killer meta is more defined than the Survivor meta because the reworks mostly buffed existing perks. Agitation jumped from 6/12/18% to 14/16/18%, Undone was reworked into a hook-based token perk, Superior Anatomy started lingering past the first vault, and Hex: Thrill of the Hunt lost its totem slowdown. The result is that the top of the meta stayed the same, the middle of the meta shifted, and the bottom of the meta fell further.
My honest top three is Meta Squeeze, Slow Snowball, and Anti-Gen Stealth. Meta Squeeze wins the generalist meta, Slow Snowball wins the gen-race meta, and Anti-Gen Stealth wins the information meta. Aggression Carry is the sleeper pick. Hex Stack dropped a tier. Chase Specialist and Information Warfare are strong but niche.
If you are new, start with Meta Squeeze. If you are experienced and queuing into a coordinated team, run Slow Snowball. If you are experienced and queuing into stealth or chase teams, run Information Warfare or Chase Specialist. The 10.2.0 PTB has finally given Dead by Daylight a Killer meta where every perk slot is a real choice.