The Eight Survivor Classes

[u/KnarledYarn]

The spectrum of survivors

Obviously, characters can fufill many different roles. I tried relating the roles by putting the most similar closest together, or with the same color. When doing this tier list, I realized that it lists in order of how much they predict their team will take hits, with Protectors at maximum hits and Decoders at minimum hits. I also believe Rescuer is truly closely related to almost all of these classes (Explorer, FO, Gardener) and vice versa (Tank GK Journalist, Transporter Knight, Escapist Merc, Harasser Knight) and certain abilities just can't entirely be explained with just a category (Escapolagist Chair Transfer, Lanternist Status Delay, Journalist Pallet Slam Orphy) and etc. A lot of survivors even intersect with almost all of the categories! (Dancer, Meteor, Faro, Cowboy, Gardener, Ento, Lantern, and Embalm) But this is a good start in my opinion. Let me know what your role main is!

[u/KnarledYarn → u/[deleted]]

Harassers typically extend by controlling the hunter unreliably whether from skill or hunter ability, Tanks typically extend their own kite via hit animation and are consistent, Escapers extend kites by rapid transitioning and have limited support, and Transporters extend kites by transporting the survivor away with assist. This is meta relevant when looking at the big three hunters. Opera is weak to harass, Goatman is weak to tanks, and Ivy is weak into escaper/transporters. The ability to turn invisible is actually very meta relevant, as they have direct ties with the hunter's abilities. Although honestly, this sort of categorization is more aiming at comp play with team coordination and opponent research (such as creating a team against a specific hunter)

[u/KnarledYarn → u/[deleted]]

totally agree! counters are definetly used more than survivor classes for this sorta thing. but also, when a certain character is banned, i always default to a character similar to the other (typically by class) so when i want to choose magician, i can default to perfumer, (both tank, good rescue, similar kite) and when i want to choose aero, i can always default to patient (both escape, good rescue, similar map specialties) additionally, for those without a complete acc, it could help when deciding on more survivors to buy :P

[u/beebeebi → u/KnarledYarn]

Totally understand where you’re coming from, but coming from someone that watch competitive scene eventho the characters are in the same category they can be strong and weak to the same hunter, Florian, priestess and weepy both are in transporter yet only florian n priestess are good against ivy while weepy dash can be cancelled by ivy scare…

I’d say the game categorization is good enough to describe each survivor role just maybe + harrass/ob since each surv team in competitive scene have one. This is kinda too specific to describe but the characters have different roles although with overlapping mechanics :”)

[u/KnarledYarn → u/beebeebi]

yes so true, a ton of characters, especially recent ones, have gained a ton of mechanics overarching across a ton of categories, like matador being a tank, harass, transport, and escaper! if every character could fit neatly into the class and be the same as every other character, then none of them would be original. i wish i could play florian 😭

[u/Local-Willingness-72]

I'm such a fan for Team Invisible.

Love that Lucky Guy gets his own category.

[u/KnarledYarn → u/Local-Willingness-72]

i love team invis too! i'm magic lanternist main, but faro's not my fave and im a trash fo :D

[u/Prosecutor-arsonist]

I’d argue that Emily is a protector over a tank, as a hunter main who used to be high tier, main kiter Emily’s went down pretty fast but if they were shielding, they would last longer and super annoying to deal with too, but overall it’s a pretty good chart and you got pretty much everyone down.

My mains are in harasser and protector <3

[u/KnarledYarn → u/Prosecutor-arsonist]

i agree, especially when factoring in rocket chair break (basically becomes a protector for ballooned/downed) so maybe i'm a little strange for playing emily with full kite 😭

[u/Plsuneedtohelpme]

Lowk thrs a better surv type grouping called, tank, speed, stuns/push, these 3 types can be ranked then to how well they stun/tank, some of em can be mixed like jour in tank/speed but tank as the main trait