The State of the Hunter Meta (November 2025)
Honestly? This meta shift caught everyone off guard.
Season 39 dropped on September 17th with some pretty dramatic changes – chair saves became 10-15% faster (which sounds good for survivors, right?), but then they absolutely gutted healing efficiency down to 165% from 250%. That's... significant. What we're seeing now is this hyper-aggressive cipher rush meta where teams basically abandon traditional rescue strategies.
But here's where it gets interesting. The November 20th hotfix at 08:00 UTC+8 completely transformed Geisha. I'm talking optimized mid-air butterflies, attack range bumped to 2.95m (3.21m when charged), and miss recovery slashed to just 0.66 seconds. She literally jumped from C-Tier to A-Tier overnight.
Identity V Echoes Recharge through BitTopup provides competitive pricing with instant delivery for unlocking meta hunters. Verified payment channels ensure account security while accessing premium content.
The IJL Fall Tournament data from November 15-16 (12:00-20:00 UTC+9) backs this up – S-Tier hunters are showing 65% higher escape prevention rates in coordinated play. That's not a small advantage; that's meta-defining.
S-Tier: The Unstoppable Forces
Dream Witch (Yidhra) - The Multi-Pressure Queen
Let's be real – 75% pick/ban rate with a perfect 35/35 rating speaks for itself.
Dream Witch's follower system creates this nightmare scenario where survivors think they're safe on one cipher, only to have a follower materialize behind them. The strategic rotation potential is insane, especially on Lakeside Village where her coverage becomes absolutely oppressive.
Professional players have been prioritizing Dream Witch bans in Asian tournaments since Season 4, and honestly? I get it. The counter-strategies exist – immediate grouping for leech removal, using Seer owls to block hits (which can extend chases 20+ seconds) – but executing them under pressure is a different story entirely.
Breaking Wheel (Polun) - The Execution Specialist
This hunter is just... brutal. That 80% speed boost in Execution mode? It's not just fast – it's goodbye pallet, goodbye hope fast.
Energy Charge lasts 14 seconds with a 20% nail speed increase and only a 5-second switch cooldown. The 35/35 rating reflects something crucial: control immunity and escape potential that most hunters simply don't have. Those spike traps at pallets create scenarios where taking damage isn't just likely – it's inevitable.
Professional teams frequently ban Breaking Wheel in Legendary ranks, particularly on confined maps like Red Church. When space is limited, Polun becomes less of a hunter and more of a force of nature.
Sculptor (Galatea) - The Versatile Controller
Galatea's sculpture arsenal reads like a Swiss Army knife of destruction. Horizontal Wisdom sculptures, vertical Agility types, homing Nobility variants – each one disrupts kiting patterns in unique ways. But the real kicker? Global Hieroglyphic Graveyard provides constant decoding disruption across all cipher machines simultaneously.
That 34/35 rating despite recent nerfs tells you everything about her fundamental strength. She's a tournament staple with particular dominance on multi-level maps. The synergy with Bonbon creates these devastating AOE combinations that can clear entire areas. Counter-play requires constant camera shifts and audio cue awareness – basically, you need eyes in the back of your head.
Shadow (Ivy) - The Oppressive Force
Perfect 35/35 score. Tournament dominance. Frequent ban target in Legendary matches.
Shadow represents what happens when area denial meets consistent performance across all game modes. Professional teams often pair her with Dream Witch for maximum multi-area pressure, creating scenarios where survivors have nowhere safe to decode.
A-Tier: Consistent and Competitive
Geisha (Michiko) - The Buffed Assassin
Those November 20th buffs? Game-changing doesn't even begin to cover it.
Michiko jumped to A-Tier with a 33/35 score, and her mid-air butterflies now rival Bloody Queen's chase power. We're talking near-instantaneous teleportation with normal attacks reaching 2.95m, charged attacks hitting 3.21m, and hit recovery down to just 0.95 seconds.
The Swallowtail Butterfly system got completely optimized, eliminating those frustrating flight limitations that used to plague her kit. Counter-strategies still exist – maintain eye contact, use audio cues to interrupt dashes – but the execution window became significantly tighter post-buff.
Disciple (Ann) - The Item Disruptor
Ann sits at 26/35 through her cat-based item disruption, which sounds quirky until you're on the receiving end.
Swoop mechanics allow cats to cling to survivors, while Intimidate completely disables survivor actions. The Paralysis Area enables 2-hit eliminations and teleportation to marked targets. It's this weird combination of utility and lethality that makes her so effective.
Identity V Echoes Global Top Up through BitTopup ensures seamless transactions with 24/7 support and competitive rates for expanding hunter roster.
Anti-kiting buffs prevent those prolonged chases that used to neutralize her, though she's still vulnerable to well-timed stuns like Forward's tackle.
Opera Singer (Sangria) - The Chase Specialist
33/35 score with chase speed that's honestly overwhelming.
Her mid-air capabilities force immediate bans in high-level play – and for good reason. She's vulnerable to well-timed stuns, sure, but her speed and aerial mobility excel on multi-story maps where survivors attempt vertical escapes. When Sangria locks onto you, running becomes less about escape and more about buying time for your team.
Strategic Ban Phase Priorities
Legendary Rank Ban Strategies
The ban phase meta has crystallized into pretty predictable patterns, though that doesn't make it less strategic.
Hunters typically ban Seer (for that damage immunity) or Priestess (global rotation is just too strong). Survivors? They're targeting Dream Witch with a 75% ban rate or Opera Singer for that overwhelming chase speed.
Pre-match banning allows 2 bans per faction, and IJL Fall data shows professional teams favoring Dream Witch picks when available. Mechanic receives 80% survivor bans due to decoding efficiency – which makes sense given the current cipher rush meta. Interestingly, Asian servers show 15% higher rescue rates, while global servers demonstrate 12% faster cipher completion.
Map-Dependent Considerations
Lakeside Village heavily favors Dream Witch coverage and Priestess portals. Red Church suits Breaking Wheel and Sculptor thanks to tight loops and confined spaces. Arms Factory gives Axe Boy advantages through Resentful Soul absorption mechanics.
These aren't just minor preferences – they're strategic considerations that can determine match outcomes.
Essential Persona Builds for Current Meta
The 36 Meta Build
Borrowed Time + Tide Turner provides 20-second invincibility during rescues, boosting win rates 15-20% against Duo Hunter compositions. In Season 39's faster chair progression environment, this build isn't just recommended – it's essential for survival.
Professional teams utilize 36 Meta for camp resistance at that crucial 49% chair progress timing. It adapts to accelerated chair mechanics while maintaining rescue viability, which is exactly what you need when healing efficiency got gutted.
Advanced 129 Meta Configuration
For high-skill players: Flywheel (0.5-second immunity) + Knee Jerk + Borrowed Time creates these incredible chase scenarios on large maps.
We're talking 60-second minimum kiting with 15-20% win rate improvements. Flywheel's dash immunity becomes crucial against Breaking Wheel, while Knee Jerk's 20-30% vault speed bonus creates distance during extended chases. If you're playing at tournament level, this configuration is basically mandatory.
Map-Specific Tier Adjustments
Large Map Dominance
Lakeside Village showcases why Dream Witch and Hermit excel – that multi-area coverage and global rotation become absolutely devastating when there's space to work with. Meanwhile, hunters with 18-meter range limitations (looking at you, Naiad) struggle to maintain pressure across such distances.
Confined Space Specialists
Red Church and Arms Factory? That's Breaking Wheel territory. Instant pallet destruction and predictable spike placement turn these maps into hunting grounds. Sculptor's sculptures become nearly unavoidable in tight corridors – there's just nowhere to dodge.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Hunter for Your Playstyle
November 2025's meta rewards aggressive, multi-pressure strategies that capitalize on reduced healing efficiency and faster chair progression. S-Tier picks offer the highest success rates, while A-Tier provides reliable alternatives with situational advantages.
Here's my take: specialization in 2-3 characters proves more effective than broad knowledge, particularly when you're dealing with Legendary rank ban phases. The 35-point rating system provides clear guidance, with S-Tier requiring 30+ points for consistent performance.
Focus on mastering one S-Tier hunter rather than dabbling in multiple A-Tier options. The skill ceiling matters more than tier placement when you're climbing ranks.
FAQ
Q: Who is the strongest hunter in Identity V November 2025? Dream Witch dominates with that 75% pick/ban rate and perfect 35/35 rating. Her multi-area pressure through the follower system is unmatched right now.
Q: Which hunters received buffs in the November 20, 2025 patch? Geisha got major buffs – optimized mid-air butterflies, attack range bumped to 2.95m, reduced recovery times. She jumped straight to A-Tier.
Q: What should I ban in Legendary rank matches? Hunters should ban Seer or Priestess; survivors prioritize Dream Witch (75% ban rate) or Opera Singer for that overwhelming pressure.
Q: Is Breaking Wheel still S-Tier after recent changes? Absolutely. That 80% speed boost in Execution mode and instant pallet destruction keeps him dominant, especially on confined maps.
Q: What persona builds are essential for current meta? 36 Meta (Borrowed Time + Tide Turner) for rescues; 129 Meta (Flywheel + Knee Jerk + Borrowed Time) for extended kiting scenarios.
Q: How do map sizes affect hunter tier rankings? Large maps favor mobility hunters like Dream Witch; small maps benefit precision hunters like Breaking Wheel; medium maps suit versatile picks like Sculptor. It's all about matching hunter strengths to map characteristics.
