Lurking GiantsThe Lurking Giants Giant tier list ranks every playable and upcoming Giant based on their overall effectiveness across both maps. In the current game, only two Giants are available — Locust (free, B-tier) and Guilt (7,000 coins, S-tier) — but the upcoming VERITY rework will introduce Verity and Doctor Nowhere, potentially shifting the meta. This guide provides a detailed tier ranking with justification for each placement, map-specific ratings, and predictions for how the tier list may change after the rework.
Tier rankings in asymmetrical horror games are inherently contextual. A Giant's effectiveness depends on the map being played, the skill level of the player, and the strategies employed by survivors. This guide accounts for all these factors, providing nuanced rankings rather than simple letter grades. Understanding the tier list helps you decide which Giant to invest in, which map to vote for during intermission, and how to adapt your strategy based on your current Giant selection.
Current Giant Tier List
| Tier | Giant | Cost | Overall Rating | Forest Rating | City Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Guilt | 7,000 coins | 9/10 | 7/10 | 10/10 |
| B | Locust | Free | 6/10 | 8/10 | 4/10 |
Current meta summary: Guilt is the clear S-tier Giant due to its wall-penetrating Haunt ability that dominates City map. Locust is B-tier — effective on Forest but significantly weaker on City. There is no A-tier Giant currently, creating a large gap between Guilt and Locust. This gap means that in competitive lobbies, Guilt-owning players have a substantial advantage whenever City map is selected.
S-Tier: Guilt — Detailed Justification
Guilt earns its S-tier ranking because of one ability: wall-penetrating Haunt. On City map, where the majority of competitive gameplay occurs, Guilt's Haunt works through building walls, floors, and ceilings. This creates a fundamentally unfair advantage for survivors who think they are hidden behind solid surfaces. No other Giant can affect survivors through walls, making Guilt's ability unique and meta-defining.
| Guilt Strength | Detail | Impact on Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Haunt through walls | Affects survivors behind any wall surface | Primary S-tier reason |
| Large Haunt radius | ~20m vs Locust's ~15m | Secondary reason |
| Vertical chase | Dominates City stairwells and rooftops | City-specific advantage |
| Versatility | Effective on both maps (S on City, A- on Forest) | Overall consistency |
| Kill potential | 6–8 per round (skilled) | Higher than Locust |
Guilt's weakness: Underground tunnels. Guilt's Haunt has reduced effectiveness through thick tunnel ceilings, making tunnels the primary survivor counter against Guilt. This single weakness prevents Guilt from being a perfect 10/10. Skilled survivors know this and will prioritize tunnel routes when they hear Guilt's distinct audio cues approaching.
Guilt on City Map — S+ Rating
City map is Guilt's playground. The dense building layout creates endless opportunities for wall-penetrating Haunt hits. When survivors hide behind interior walls thinking they are safe, Guilt's G ability reaches through and disorients them, giving Guilt a clear line for the Q attack. The vertical layout of City — with its stairwells, rooftops, and multi-story buildings — further favors Guilt, which can chase survivors up and down floors while maintaining Haunt pressure through ceilings.
The stair gaps in City buildings are particularly deadly for survivors facing Guilt. A skilled Guilt player can predict survivor movement through stairwells, pre-aiming the Q attack at the gap between floors. Survivors who try to use stairs as escape routes often find themselves caught by Guilt's superior vertical mobility and wall-penetrating abilities.
Guilt on Forest Map — A Rating
On Forest, Guilt drops from S+ to A-tier. The open terrain reduces the value of wall-penetrating Haunt since there are fewer walls to exploit. However, Guilt remains strong because of its large Haunt radius, which can disorient survivors hiding in bushes or near cave entrances. The Geyser Field area is particularly dangerous for survivors when Guilt is hunting — the wide open space leaves them exposed to Guilt's superior Haunt range.
B-Tier: Locust — Detailed Justification
Locust ranks B-tier because it lacks the wall-penetrating Haunt that makes Guilt S-tier. On Forest, Locust performs well (8/10) due to open terrain favoring direct chases. On City, Locust struggles (4/10) because buildings block its Haunt and the vertical layout creates escape routes that Locust cannot cut off. Locust is the default Giant that all players start with, and it serves as a functional introduction to the Giant role, but its limitations become apparent at higher skill levels.
| Locust Strength | Detail | Impact on Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Free | No coin investment required | Accessibility advantage |
| Forest dominance | Excels in open-terrain chases | Map-specific strength |
| Easy to learn | No complex ability interactions | Beginner-friendly |
| Simplicity | Focus on chase fundamentals | Less room for error |
| Locust Weakness | Detail | Impact on Tier |
|---|---|---|
| No wall-penetrating Haunt | Haunt blocked by walls | Primary B-tier reason |
| City weakness | Poor vertical chase ability | Map-specific limitation |
| Lower kill ceiling | 4–6 kills max (skilled) | Lower earning potential |
| Predictable | Simple chase pattern is easy to counter | Experienced survivors escape |
Locust on Forest Map — A- Rating
Forest is where Locust shines. The open terrain eliminates the wall-penetration disadvantage, turning Locust into a highly effective chase Giant. When the visibility pulse reveals survivors, Locust can pursue them across open ground with superior speed. Bushes provide only temporary concealment during non-pulse periods, and Locust's straightforward Q Attack covers enough range to catch survivors attempting to flee through gaps in the foliage.
The key to playing Locust on Forest is using the visibility pulse window efficiently. When survivors are highlighted, immediately identify the nearest target and sprint toward their revealed position. Survivors who fail to relocate within the 10-second post-pulse window are easy pickings for a Locust with good chase fundamentals.
Locust on City Map — C+ Rating
City map is where Locust's weaknesses are fully exposed. Buildings completely negate Locust's Haunt — walls block the disorientation effect, allowing survivors to hide safely behind any solid surface. The vertical layout of City creates multiple escape routes (stairwells, rooftops, tunnels) that Locust cannot effectively cut off. A skilled survivor can loop through buildings indefinitely against a Locust player, making it nearly impossible to secure kills against competent opponents.
Map-Specific Tier Adjustments
The overall tier list changes significantly when filtered by map. Map voting during intermission is therefore one of the most important strategic decisions a Giant player makes:
| Giant | Forest-Only Tier | City-Only Tier | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guilt | A | S+ | Forest reduces Haunt value, City maximizes it |
| Locust | A- | C+ | Forest suits direct chase, City negates Locust |
| Verity (predicted) | A/S (speculation) | A/S (speculation) | Unknown abilities |
| Doctor Nowhere (predicted) | A (speculation) | A (speculation) | Unknown abilities |
Map voting implication: If you own Guilt, always vote for City during intermission. If you only have Locust, always vote for Forest. Map selection is the single most impactful strategic decision for Giant players because it can shift a Giant's effective tier by two or more levels.
Skill Level Tier Variations
The tier list also shifts based on player skill level. For beginners, Locust's simplicity makes it more effective relative to its potential, while Guilt requires more experience to use effectively:
| Player Level | Best Giant | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner (0–20 hours) | Locust | Simpler mechanics, no coin investment |
| Intermediate (20–100 hours) | Locust or Guilt | Depends on map and playstyle |
| Advanced (100+ hours) | Guilt | Wall-penetrating Haunt mastery separates tiers |
| Expert | Guilt | Maximum kill ceiling and map versatility |
A beginner Guilt player often wastes Haunt activations by using G at the wrong time or missing the Q Attack follow-up. In contrast, a beginner Locust player can achieve reasonable results by simply chasing highlighted survivors after the visibility pulse. This skill curve means that the tier gap between Guilt and Locust widens as player skill increases.
Predicted Post-Rework Tier List
When the VERITY rework launches with Verity and Doctor Nowhere, the tier list may shift significantly. Here are predicted rankings based on community analysis and the naming conventions of the new Giants:
| Predicted Tier | Giant | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| S | Guilt | Wall-penetrating Haunt remains unique |
| A | Verity | "Verity" means truth — likely detection abilities |
| A | Doctor Nowhere | Medical/void theme suggests new mechanics |
| B | Locust | Remains effective but outclassed by newer Giants |
Verity speculation: The name "Verity" (meaning "truth") suggests abilities related to revealing hidden survivors. If Verity can detect survivors through concealment — such as seeing through bushes or detecting relocated paths — it would directly counter the relocation strategies that skilled survivors rely on. This would make Verity an A or S-tier Giant, potentially rivaling Guilt.
Doctor Nowhere speculation: The "Nowhere" element suggests void or teleportation mechanics. If Doctor Nowhere can teleport or appear in unexpected locations, it would counter tunnel-based survival strategies, which are currently the best defense against Guilt. This would make Doctor Nowhere a strong complement or alternative to Guilt.
Important caveat: These predictions are entirely speculative. Verity and Doctor Nowhere could be S-tier, C-tier, or anywhere in between. The actual tier rankings will only be known after the rework launches and the community has time to test the new Giants.
Tier Ranking Criteria Methodology
This tier list uses the following weighted criteria for each ranking. The weights reflect what matters most in competitive Lurking Giants gameplay:
| Criterion | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Kill potential | 30% | Maximum kills per round at optimal skill |
| Map versatility | 25% | Effectiveness across both Forest and City |
| Skill ceiling | 20% | Improvement potential with practice |
| Ease of use | 15% | How quickly new players become effective |
| Coin value | 10% | ROI relative to purchase cost |
Why Guilt is S-tier: Guilt scores 9/10 on kill potential, 8.5/10 on versatility, 9/10 on skill ceiling, 6/10 on ease of use, and 8/10 on coin value. Weighted average: 8.3/10 → S-tier.
Why Locust is B-tier: Locust scores 6/10 on kill potential, 5/10 on versatility, 6/10 on skill ceiling, 9/10 on ease of use, and 10/10 on coin value. Weighted average: 6.6/10 → B-tier.
How to Use the Tier List Strategically
Understanding the tier list is only useful if you apply it strategically. Here are the practical takeaways:
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If you own Guilt: Always vote City during intermission. Your S-tier Giant becomes S+ on City, giving you maximum advantage. On Forest, play more conservatively since Guilt drops to A-tier.
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If you only have Locust: Always vote Forest. Locust is A- on Forest but only C+ on City. The map difference is worth two full tier levels for Locust.
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If you are saving for Guilt: Focus on Forest survival to maximize coin earnings. Once you unlock Guilt at 7,000 coins, your Giant effectiveness immediately jumps from B-tier to S-tier.
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When the VERITY rework launches: Re-evaluate the tier list after community testing. New Giants may create strategic variety that reduces Guilt's dominance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Guilt really S-tier? Yes. Guilt's wall-penetrating Haunt ability creates an unmatched advantage on City map, giving it the highest kill potential of any current Giant. A skilled Guilt player eliminates 6–8 survivors per City round, compared to 3–4 for a skilled Locust. The wall-penetration mechanic is unique and has no counter on City map except underground tunnels.
Is Locust viable for competitive play? On Forest map, Locust is competitive at A-tier. On City map, Locust is at a significant disadvantage at C+ tier. If you primarily play Forest, Locust is viable. For City or mixed play, Guilt is necessary for competitive performance. The tier gap between the two Giants is most apparent in lobbies with experienced survivors who know how to exploit Locust's wall-blindness on City.
Will Verity or Doctor Nowhere be S-tier? Unknown. Their abilities have not been revealed. Community speculation based on their naming suggests A or S-tier potential, but this is purely speculative. Monitor the ULTRA works Discord at https://discord.gg/ultraworks for official reveals.
Should I buy Guilt based on the tier list? If you play the Giant role regularly, yes. The tier gap between Guilt and Locust is significant, especially on City map. The 7,000-coin investment pays for itself through increased kill counts and faster coin earning. A Guilt player earns approximately 50–125 more coins per Giant round than a Locust player, meaning the investment recovers itself in roughly 35–70 additional Giant rounds.
How often does the tier list change? The tier list changes whenever the game receives balance updates or new content. The VERITY rework will be the most significant update, potentially adding two new Giants and shifting the entire meta. Stay updated through the Discord and check this guide after major patches.