DBD Ranks shape your monthly goals in Dead by Daylight, from your first trial as a new survivor to your climb toward Iridescent as a killer. They also decide how many Bloodpoints you earn every month.
Many players still misunderstand how DBD Ranks work. Grades do not decide who you face in matchmaking, and they reset every month no matter how high you climb.
This DBD Ranks guide explains everything as of October 2026: all grades, pip requirements, emblems, the monthly reset and the difference between grades and the hidden matchmaking rating.
What Are the Ranks in DBD?
If you are asking What Are the Ranks in DBD, the official name is Grades. DBD Ranks were renamed to Grades when the game moved to its current system, but most players still call them ranks.
There are 20 grades split across five tiers, with four levels in each tier. You climb from Ash IV at the bottom to Iridescent I at the very top.
All DBD Ranks From Lowest to Highest
Here is the full list of All DBD Ranks in order:
- Ash IV, Ash III, Ash II and Ash I
- Bronze IV, Bronze III, Bronze II and Bronze I
- Silver IV, Silver III, Silver II and Silver I
- Gold IV, Gold III, Gold II and Gold I
- Iridescent IV, Iridescent III, Iridescent II and Iridescent I
Separate Grades for Killer and Survivor
DBD Ranks are tracked separately for each role. Your killer grade and your survivor grade move independently and give separate rewards.
That means you can be Iridescent as a survivor and still sit in Bronze as a killer. Each role also pays out its own Bloodpoint reward at the monthly reset.
DBD Ranking System: How Pips Work
The DBD Ranking System is built on pips. You earn pips by performing well in each trial, and enough pips move you up to the next grade.
Pips Needed for Each Grade
Each grade requires a set number of pips before you advance:
| Grade | Pips Needed per Level | Notes |
| Ash IV and Ash III | 3 | Fastest grades to clear |
| Ash II and Ash I | 4 | Slightly longer climb |
| Bronze IV to Bronze I | 4 | Steady progress |
| Silver IV to Silver I | 5 | Harder thresholds begin |
| Gold IV to Gold I | 5 | Consistent play needed |
| Iridescent IV to II | 5 | Toughest thresholds |
| Iridescent I | Final grade | No further progress |
In total, it takes 85 pips per role to reach Iridescent I from Ash IV.
Emblems Decide Your Pips
At the end of each trial, you receive four emblems. Each emblem is scored from none up to Iridescent, adding up to a maximum score for the match.
Your total emblem score decides whether you gain one pip, two pips or stay where you are. Higher grades require better scores to earn the same number of pips.
Survivor and Killer Emblems
Each role has its own four emblems:
- Survivor: Lightbringer, Unbroken, Benevolent and Evader
- Killer: Gatekeeper, Devout, Malicious and Chaser
Survivor emblems reward repairs, staying healthy, helping teammates and evading the killer. Killer emblems reward guarding generators, sacrifices, applying pressure and winning chases.
Can You Lose Pips in DBD Ranked?
Many players search for DBD Ranked because they expect a ranked mode with losses. In practice, Dead by Daylight has no separate ranked queue, and grades work more like a monthly progress track.
Safety Pips and De-Pipping
A Safety Pip protects you from losing progress after a poor trial. De-pipping was removed in a past update, so a bad match no longer pulls you backward.
That means your grade can only go up during the month. The only thing that lowers it is the monthly reset.
Is There a Real Ranked Mode?
There is no dedicated ranked playlist in Dead by Daylight. All standard matches feed your grade, whether you play solo or with friends.
Competitive players instead focus on custom matches and community tournaments, which use their own rules outside the grade system.
DBD Rank Reset: When and What Happens
The DBD Rank Reset happens on the 13th of every month. The latest reset took place on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, and the next one arrives on Friday, November 13, 2026.
What the Reset Does
At each reset, every account drops back to Ash IV for both killer and survivor. Nothing carries over from your previous grade.
Your hidden matchmaking rating does not change at the reset. Only your visible grade goes back to the start.
Bloodpoint Rewards at the Reset
Your grade at reset decides your Bloodpoint reward. Higher grades pay much more, which makes the monthly climb worthwhile:
- Ash grades pay from 10,000 up to 50,000 Bloodpoints.
- Bronze grades pay from 100,000 up to 175,000 Bloodpoints.
- Silver grades pay from 250,000 up to 340,000 Bloodpoints.
- Gold grades pay from 400,000 up to 550,000 Bloodpoints.
- Iridescent grades pay from 700,000 up to 1,000,000 Bloodpoints.
Reaching Iridescent I in both roles earns 2,000,000 Bloodpoints in total. Keep an eye on your Bloodpoint cap of 5,000,000 and spend some before the 13th to avoid losing rewards.
Dead by Daylight Ranks vs Matchmaking Rating
One of the biggest myths about Dead by Daylight Ranks is that they decide who you play against. In reality, matchmaking uses a separate, hidden skill rating.
How the Hidden Rating Works
The game uses skill based matchmaking, often called MMR. Each killer has its own rating, while survivors share one rating across all survivor characters.
A recent update changed how this rating is calculated. It no longer counts only kills and escapes, and now also considers other in-trial actions.
Why a High Grade Does Not Mean High Skill
Because grades reset every month and only go up, they mostly show how much you played. Two players at Iridescent I can have very different skill ratings.
You also cannot see your matchmaking rating in game. Third party tools can only estimate it from public match data.
How to Climb DBD Ranks Faster
Climbing DBD Ranks is mostly about consistency. Strong emblem scores across many trials will carry you to Iridescent before the next reset.
Survivor Climbing Tips
As a survivor, spread your effort across all four emblems:
- Work on generators steadily for Lightbringer
- Avoid unnecessary hits to protect Unbroken
- Unhook and heal teammates for Benevolent
- Win chases and stay hidden for Evader
Killer Climbing Tips
As a killer, balance pressure across the map. Guard generators, hook different survivors and win chases quickly to score well on every emblem.
Avoid tunneling a single survivor too early. Spreading hooks often gives better emblem scores than ending a match fast.
History of DBD Ranks: From Numbers to Grades
Long time players remember a very different version of DBD Ranks. Understanding the old system explains why so many people still use the word ranks today.
The Old Numbered Rank System
Players used to climb from Rank 20 at the bottom to Rank 1 at the top. Each group of ranks had its own color, and red ranks became famous as the mark of experienced players.
Back then, ranks also influenced matchmaking. That caused problems, since a player could reach a high rank simply by playing a lot rather than by improving.
Why the Game Switched to Grades
The developers replaced numbered ranks with Grades when they introduced skill based matchmaking. Grades became a reward track, while the hidden rating took over matchmaking.
This split is why DBD Ranks now reset to Ash IV every month without affecting who you play against.
DBD Ranks for New Players
New players often feel lost when they first see the grade icon on their profile. The good news is that grades are simple once you know what they measure.
What New Players Should Focus On
Here is what matters most in your first weeks:
- Learn the basics of chases, loops and generators before worrying about grades
- Try both roles to see which one you enjoy more
- Use the Bloodpoints from your first reset to level a favorite character
- Read each emblem result after a trial to see what you did well
Does Your Grade Affect Who You Play Against?
No. Your opponents come from the hidden skill rating, so a new player in Ash will usually face other new players. As you improve, your hidden rating rises and your matches get harder.
That means climbing DBD Ranks will not suddenly put you against veterans. Only your actual performance moves your matchmaking rating.
Pro Tips for DBD Ranks
These DBD Ranks Pro Tips help you make the most of every month:
- Play early in the month so you reach high grades before the reset.
- Focus on one role at a time if you have limited play time.
- Spend Bloodpoints before the 13th so reset rewards are not wasted.
- Ignore grade numbers when judging your skill, since they reset monthly.
- Pick perks that support emblems, such as healing or chase perks.
Track Your Progress
Check your pips after each trial to see which emblems held you back. Small adjustments, like more unhooks or more generator time, add up quickly.
Set Monthly Goals
Aim for a realistic grade based on how much you play. Even reaching Gold before the reset gives a strong Bloodpoint payout.
Common Mistakes With DBD Ranks
Many players misunderstand the grade system and lose rewards because of it.
Mistakes and Corrections
- Thinking grades control matchmaking. They do not. Correction: remember that a hidden skill rating decides your opponents.
- Ignoring the Bloodpoint cap. Rewards can be wasted at reset. Correction: spend Bloodpoints before the 13th.
- Chasing kills instead of emblems. Fast games can score poorly. Correction: spread pressure and hooks for better emblems.
- Waiting until late in the month. You may not climb high enough. Correction: play steadily from the start of each cycle.
Why Your Grade Feels Stuck
If you keep earning zero pips, look at your emblem scores. Usually one weak emblem, like Benevolent or Gatekeeper, is holding you back.
Climb DBD Ranks With Lower Ping Using ExitLag
Why Connection Matters in Dead by Daylight
Chases, loops and skill checks all depend on a stable connection. Lag spikes can make you get hit through pallets or fail skill checks that hurt your emblem score.
ExitLag optimizes your connection by testing multiple routes to the game servers and sending your data through the most stable path. That means lower ping, fewer spikes and less packet loss.
Grades Are About Rewards, Not Skill
DBD Ranks are best seen as a monthly reward track. Climb as high as you can, collect your Bloodpoints and start fresh after every reset.
Start Your Climb Today
Now you know how DBD Ranks work, when they reset and how to climb faster. Jump into your next trial, chase every emblem and reach Iridescent before the 13th.
