Best Identity V Survivors Tier List

NetEase's 4v1 asymmetrical game Identity V boasts a huge cast of survivors and hunters as of 2023; no matter which side you choose to play, you'll have a huge host of characters to choose from. But unlike in Dead by Daylight, where all survivor perks can be freely shared and choosing a survivor eventually comes down to just their appearance; each survivor in Identity V has their own special ability that makes them stand out.

This also means that every survivor has their own playstyle, and some are better than others. We've personally spent plenty of hours playing the game and in this guide, we'll list every single survivor in Identity V and rank them in our survivor tier list according to their ability to win games against hunters.

Identity V Survivor Tier List

While some survivors in Identity V have more impactful abilities, it's worth noting that all survivors can succeed in the right hands. Different characters require different playstyles for their abilities to work well, so how well you perform against any given hunter all depends on how you use the powers you have available to you.

Some survivors' powers are just better than others, though, making S-tier characters more viable for games in high-rank play. If you follow the meta, you'll likely have an easier time winning games, but there's tons of room for experimentation and finding ways to win even with D-tier survivors.

With that said, let's take a look at where all the survivors in Identity V fall on our tier list, ranked from the best survivors (in the S tier) down to the worst survivors (in the D tier).

S-Tier Survivors In Identity V

S-Tier Survivors are the strongest in the game, bringing game-changing abilities to the table and switching up trials in a way that can make it hard for hunters to keep up. Survivors who manage to make the S-tier either have a number of abilities that make them very valuable to their team, such as healing, rescuing, and decoding - or, more commonly, specialize in one of those areas so strongly that they can't easily be beaten, especially with a good team of friends by their side.

• Antiquarian - The Antiquarian's host of abilities attributed to her Mechanical Flute help her keep the hunter away from herself and opponents. Coupled with her several powers that help her evade the hunter, she's highly capable in chase and can kite the hunter for long periods of time. As one of the game's most well-rounded characters, the Antiquarian has held a place in the game's meta for a long time now.
• Priestess - Like The Antiquarian, The Priestess is by far one of the best survivors in Identity V.  She's definitely an assist character, allowing her teammates to evade chases or get where they need to go, and she isn't great at holding her own in kiting since she vaults slowly. That said, her power to support her team is so strong that she's able to make the S-tier. Her portals can be game-changing, serving as protectors of her teammates and opportunities to stun the hunter.
• Mechanic - Out of all the Decoders in the game, the Mechanic is probably the best of them. Provided all survivors are healthy, she can decode Ciphers at an incredibly fast rate, and can even complete actions from a safe distance using her Controller and robot. 
• Seer - Similarly to the Priestess, the Seer is an assist character; using his owl, he's able to protect his teammates from damage anywhere on the map. He's able to use this ability so often to prevent other survivors from taking damage that he manages to take a spot in the S-tier.

A-Tier Survivors In Identity V

A-Tier Survivors are still very strong and can be very effective in the right hands. They may not have as many game-changing abilities as S-Tier Survivors, but they are still very useful to their team in one way or another.

• Prospector -The Prospector can use his Magnet to either repel or attract hunters, stunning them with ease. Given how much control this grants him over the outcome of the match and the hunter themselves, the Prospector makes one of our top tiers.
• Mercenary - The Mercenary functions a bit like a tank, given his ability to body block and take hits for other survivors. He's also great at rescuing from chairs, making him one of the game's most obvious choices for a rescue-type survivor.
• Forward - The Forward's Rugby Ball might stun him when the ability ends, but it's definitely strong enough to make up for it. Not only can he stun the hunter, he has buffs in many other areas, too, save for his slight debuff to decoding Ciphers. Overall, he is a well-rounded character who can easily attack back at the hunter and succeed in both saves and kiting.
• Enchantress - Another character that does exceptionally well at stunning the hunter, the Enchantress easily makes the A-tier.
• Thief - Thanks to his many abilities, the Thief is able to counter pretty much any hunter in the game. He's great in chase, especially thanks to his low flashlight consumption, but he's also capable in a wide variety of other areas. As such, he earns his place in the A-tier.

Here are a few other, less commonly played characters that would make the A-tier:

• First Officer 
• Prisoner
• Postman 

B-Tier Survivors In Identity V

B-tier survivors are the middle of the pack; while they might succeed in some niche situations, they still fall short in others.

• Female Dancer - The Female Dancer's Music Boxes give her the ability to debuff the hunter while buffing her team, making her a strong assist character. However, she doesn't bring quite as much to the table as the assist characters in the A-tier, situating her in the B-tier.
• Barmaid - The Barmaid helps protect herself and her team from taking damage with her Mixes, but her power isn't foolproof; she can't serve her Mixes to all survivors, and using her ability decreases decoding speed over time. While her power is... well, powerful, she has too many debuffs to rank her any higher than the B tier.
• Entomologist  - The Entomologist's Insects allow her lots of map control, though she doesn't have a lot of other traits going for her. Her slight debuffs are also a downfall, dropping her down to the B tier.
• Grave Keeper - A rescuer, the Grave Keeper stands out in his ability to not only rescue members of his team but remove his own debuffs using the Shovel. If he didn't have such a massive decoding debuff - at 15% - his ability might be strong enough to put him in the A tier.
• Magician - The Magician's ability allows him to confuse hunters and make them think he is places other than his actual location. While this can allow him to get the slip on the hunter in many situations, it isn't foolproof; many hunters can predict his ability, making it easy to counter.

Other, more niche survivors in the B-tier include:

• Psychologist
• Perfumer
• Acrobat 
• Batter

C-Tier Survivors In Identity V

C-tier survivors rely on the help of their team to succeed and might struggle without the help of skilled teammates who know how to use their abilities to their advantage.

• Lawyer - The Lawyer can see the hunter's location, which can provide some pretty critical information to the rest of his team. On his own, though, there isn't a lot he can do to escape the hunter. Overall, he is definitely dependent on his team and cannot succeed without the help of strong teammates.
• Gardener - The Gardener can protect herself from many hits using her ability, allowing her to keep kiting the hunter for a long time. She can also help support her teammates by helping them struggle free. Overall, she's a team-dependent character who can also provide some support to other survivors.

Other, less-used survivors in the C-tier include:

• Painter
• Little Girl
• Patient
• Toy Merchant 

D-Tier Survivors In Identity V

D-Tier Survivors are currently the weakest in the game and are not recommended for beginners. They have a number of weaknesses that make them very difficult to use, and they are not as effective as the Survivors in the higher tiers.

However, as we previously mentioned, if you play these characters using the right approach, you can still absolutely win games against almost any type of hunter. It's all about your teamwork and ability to make the most of the powers you have in your arsenal.

• Doctor - The Doctor is in the D-tier not necessarily because her power is bad, but simply because it's so simple that other characters can do exactly what she does, better. She's able to quickly heal herself, but healing is something that a lot of characters do incredibly well - for example, the Priestess can heal all members of a team at once - so she just isn't strong enough to hold her own weight.
• Lucky Guy - Lucky Guy's success is map-dependent, and his ability just overall isn't that great; while you can land yourself some pretty great items using his power, Lucky Guy isn't guaranteed to get them.

Other, less-used survivors in the D-tier include:

• Wildling
• Novelist

That concludes our Identity V survivor tier list, ranking every survivor in the game from S to D depending on their abilities and playability. Before getting new characters in Identity V or choosing one to play, it's a good idea to look over all of the ones available to help you choose one that suits your playstyle.

For more Identity V news, be sure to check out our dedicated section or take a look at some of our Guides & Tutorials just below:

MAJOR NEWS & UPDATES -

Next Season Leaks | When Does The Current Season End | Identity V Codes | Is Identity V Worth Playing In 2023

TIER LISTS -

Best Hunters Tier List | Best Survivors Tier List | Best Persona Builds Tier List

GAME GUIDES -

The Best Tips For Beginners | How To Skip The Tutorial | How To Get Clues Fast | How To Get Fragments Fast | How To Get Echoes Fast | How To Decode A Cipher | How To Get New Characters | How To Play Identity V With Friends

TECHNICAL GUIDES -

Is Identity V On Steam | How To Play Identity V On PC & Specs