Crytek's under-the-radar release Hunt: Showdown continues to be quietly successful in the online gaming community. More than four years after its release, Crytek continues to maintain the game's unique PvE and battle royal fusion with new DLCs, including skins, weapons, and more. While players wait for new boss monsters - known as "Targets" - and new maps, these updates bring some relief in the form of cosmetics, some of which bring a unique gameplay advantage.
By far the most exciting of those updates are Hunter Skins, specifically Legendary Hunters. They have unique designs in both first-person and third-person, unique pre-game animations, and can occasionally provide additional camouflage in-game, depending on the colors in their outfit. Not every skin is created equal; here are the best Hunt: Showdown Legendary Hunters available. ​
Updated September 9, 2023, by Evan Regan: The game that just won't quit, Hunt: Showdown continues to churn out new content at an astonishing rate. Of that new content, coming in the form of seasonal DLC packs, the most exciting and sought-after additions are the new Legendary Hunters added to the game. Each new hunter brings with them the potential to completely reshape the game's meta. While it's been a while since anything took over in the way that Cain did way back in 2021, these new hunters are still formidable in their own ways. Players would do well to know which ones are the most dangerous; either to watch out for them in the bayou, or to pick them up for themselves.
18 Alaz, The Concubine
After losing her sisters at sea, Alaz arrives in New Orleans seeking revenge for their deaths. She doles it out in spades, but her thirst for blood doesn't stop there. Released as part of The Concubine DLC, Alaz The Concubine isn't as flashy as some later entries on this list, but she's still a stone-cold badass and looks the part.
Her outfit blends in among crates and wooden structures, but will stick out more in more vegetation-heavy areas and can give her away without careful positioning. Her wild hair makes pinpointing her head a trickier endeavor than opposing players might suspect, though, which can be a lifesaver.
17 Carcass Gunrunner
The pre-game animation carries a lot of the weight for this big, bloody Hunter. Dressed like a butcher just getting off of work and built like a tree trunk, the Carcass Gunrunner is an imposing figure in any situation.
While his design does lend itself to a bit of camouflage when sneaking through some darker areas, this Hunter gets on the list because he looks terrifying and because his pre-game animations have him flexing his bicep and then tapping it to see just how dense those arm muscles really are. It's nearly impossible for other players to see that and remain unfazed.
16 Biatatá
Beatriz Ribeiro Valente, a native of Salvador, Brazil, earned her pseudonym "Biatatá" because of the locals' comparisons to an infamous Brazilian legend. The tale of Biatatá (also known as Biotatá) speaks of a mythical fire serpent that frightens away loggers who have cut down trees in the Amazon Rainforest. Beatriz doesn't stop at just frightening the loggers; she slaughters them with her bare hands. Then she removes their eyes and burns them in a bonfire. Her actions have earned her infamy in Salvador, but now Biatatá travels north to the Bayou, hot on the trail of a much greater evil.
In the promotional image, Biatatá's shirt looks to be a bright white, but in practice, it comes across as more of an ashy gray. It doesn't provide the same camouflage as a jet-black shirt might, but it's not the disadvantage that players might assume it to be from a glance. All-in-all, Biatatá's design isn't much of an advantage or a disadvantage. She'll blend in during some situations and stick out in others. Her lack of face-covering is the only true downside. With that said, she's got an awesome intro animation, a visually distinct design from the player's POV (Beatriz is one of the first video game characters ever to have visible vitiligo), and an extremely cool backstory.
15 Ronin
For the samurai fans out there, Ronin comes kitted out with some traditional robes, a badass mask, and an intro animation that has him dropping in - literally - from above like the Ghost of Tsushima himself.
The way Ronin stands with a rifle slung over his shoulder is a sight to behold. His camouflage is half-decent, with his dark blue robes blending in with the shady forest surroundings (although his cape can be a bit of a giveaway). His biggest advantage is his mask, which hides his face and can make opposing players hesitate before taking a kill shot, giving plenty of time for Ronin to return fire.
14 Redneck
The meme pick of this list, Redneck, comes with very few "tactical" advantages. He's barely wearing clothes, to begin with, so they definitely don't help him blend in. In fact, his hat and beard make him stick out more than anything. His intro animation is pretty average as well, but there's just something about him being so unassuming that carries an air of intimidation.
In a way, these factors contribute to the mind games that go into selecting Redneck. Only a madman would actually attempt to play as this guy. Because of that, his presence can reliably psych out other players. He's an unexpected selection, and that gives him an advantage all on its own.
13 The Miko
Bringing with her a sword that has lived in her family's shrine for generations, The Miko made the trek to Louisiana to silence the mouths that give her weapon a voice. What that means is anyone's guess, but what it means to players is that there's a creepy new Hunter stalking the bayou.
The Miko benefits most significantly from her shawl, which drapes in tatters over her shoulders. The rough nature of her clothes help her blend in with the bayou's natural growth. However, as with many characters on this list, her brightly-colored mask will stick out in the dark recesses of the swamp, and her top knot just makes her head a bigger target.
12 The Reaper
Released alongside the Fear The Reaper DLC, The Reaper is a dark and imposing figure. His tightly-wrapped dark grey cloak and the sickle at his waist invoke thoughts of the Grim Reaper himself, and the skull-like face mask he wears takes the intimidation factor to another level.
Visually, The Reaper is a home run. The struggles begin to appear in practice. His clock, while cinched around his waist, will billow around his feet. This added movement can make him stick out in a way that works against the strong camouflage offered by his color palette. Much like other entries on this list, while The Reaper's face mask is unquestionably scary, it also stands out against the background of the Bayou, making his head an easier target to spot than is ideal.
11 Weird Sister
Boasting one of the best intro animations in the game, Weird Sister is a legitimately scary Legendary Hunter. Would anyone be comfortable running into her in the woods at night? She's unsettling, reminding players of Blair Witch, The Conjuring, and Yellowjackets "Doomcoming." And in Hunt: Showdown, that's exactly the impression players want to give off.
Unfortunately, her face paint — which provides so much of that unsettling feeling — is also her greatest weakness. In a vacuum, the black and white coloring makes her look like a terrifying forest witch, but in practice, it makes her face pop out of the darkness like a lighthouse beacon. Because headshots are the worst area for a player to take damage, making a character's head easier to see is a noteworthy disadvantage.
10 The Bone Mason
There's no feeling quite like running into a murderous granny while out patrolling the bayou for monsters. The Bone Mason legendary lets players impose that feeling on their enemies. Released as part of The Phantom of the Catacombs DLC, Béatrice Maunet hits those same creepy vibes as the nun from The Conjuring movies.
What makes her a dangerous Legendary Hunter is the same thing that might make players shy away from her: she is totally unassuming. One would expect as much from an old woman, but in the world of Hunt: Showdown, almost every character looks as though they've got murder on the mind. The Bone Mason's design — both up close and in silhouette — is akin to the standard grunt enemies that wander around the game's maps. This makes her all too easy to look right past, especially for players who are new to the game. As soon as they turn their back on her, it's too late.
9 Dire Wolf
Added to Hunt: Showdown as part of The Fang and The Claw DLC, the Dire Wolf will appeal to fans of Red Dead Redemption 2 who know that sometimes, the best option for an awesome outfit is just to throw on the skin of an animal like a coat. The Dire Wolf takes this to heart and arrives with a wolf pelt draped over his clothing and the wolf's head sitting atop his own.
That wolf head serves two purposes: it looks cool, but it also does a strikingly good job of obscuring the Dire Wolf's actual head and helping him blend into his surroundings. The grey-brown palette of his clothes succeeds similarly, keeping the Dire Wolf's visual presence muted as he stalks his foes.
8 Monroe, The Committed
In terms of frightening characters, it's hard to top "escaped insane asylum inmate." To fit that mold, Hunt: Showdown released The Committed Legendary Hunter along with his own DLC pack back in May 2021.
His intro animation is a bit silly, but that certainly fits the character. His design is unique, especially in first-person, where handcuffs are still visible around his wrists. Best of all, his gray skin and equally gray inmate jacket mean that no part of him jumps out of the scenery. He's not camouflaged exactly, but with his back against a building or fence, there's very little to distinguish him from his surroundings.
7 Nika Felis
Another of the best intro animations in the game belongs to Felis, whose benefits don't stop there. Everything about this Legendary Hunter oozes cool. Her outfit is tattered yet seemingly robust, her first-person design is awesome - with one hand bare and the other heavily gloved - and she goes around wearing the skull of a giant cat that she killed. That's hard to top.
Her disadvantage, much like the Weird Sister, is the face paint, which is once again bright white. Felis can make up for this by crouching, which lowers the cat skull to cover part of her face, and the rest of her outfit more than manages to hide her in the dark. If she tries to be too sneaky, though, that face paint is going to stand out and make her an easy target.
6 Mama Maye
Much like the Plague Doctor - who appears later in this list - Mama Maye was released as an exclusive Hunter during Hunt: Showdown's 2022 Halloween event. Any players that didn't unlock her during that event are out of luck for the time being. Players that did unlock her should be using her.
She looks incredible, sporting one of the most interesting blends of traditional fashion and gothic horror in the game. Her outfit is dark green and gray, perfect for blending into the Bayou. That pointy hat does an excellent job at not only obscuring her face (which helps keep her camouflaged) but also throwing off the shape of her head, which makes headshots more difficult. She also has a great intro animation. There is very little not to like about this Legendary Hunter.
5 Perchta: Dusk
Eastern stories of the midwinter tell of a being that is neither woman nor beast who stalks the frigid hinterlands. She splits open the abdomens of her victims and leaves their entrails for the wild animals to feast on. Her name is Frau Perchta, and she is coming to Louisiana.
The Frau Perchta DLC technically comes with two Legendary Hunter skins, although they represent the same character. Perchta: Dawn and Perchta: Dusk both look about as cool as any player could hope for. Her mask is intimidating, and her clothes look fantastic. What elevates Perchta: Dusk is that, as one might expect, her color tone is significantly darker. Both her mask and her clothes move away from the whites of Perchta: Dawn into grays and blacks. It makes her much harder to spot, and therefore, much more dangerous.
4 Plague Doctor
One of the rarest entries on this list, the Plague Doctor Legendary Hunter, was only available during the As The Crow Flies in-game event and was rewarded to players who earned enough points during that event to unlock him. As of this writing, he cannot be purchased from the game's store, although that may change down the road.
The rarity of this character only adds to his already impressive design. He looks terrifying: like a traditional plague doctor outfitted in steampunk-esque armor. From looking at him, it seems unlikely that bullets would even harm him. Add to that his coloring, which gives him excellent camouflage in almost all settings, and the few players who managed to unlock him know they've got a trump card waiting in their arsenal.
3 Bone Doctor
Right off the bat, the Bone Doctor has the coolest intro animation in the game. The way he emerges from black smoke and spreads his arms in a taunting fashion is unmatched. That alone ranks him near the top.
In practice, the Bone Doctor is equally effective. His coloring allows for simple stealth camouflage, and the texture on his cloak adds an extra layer of uncertainty when players are trying to pick him out of the surroundings. His skull mask is just the icing on the cake, making his head harder to pick out and, therefore, harder to shoot. The Bone Doctor isn't anything fancy; he's just all-around effective in every area.
2 The Reptilian
Released along with the Cold Blooded DLC pack, The Reptilian comes sporting some of the best natural camouflage in the entire game. Between his coloring, his face mask, and the texture of his cloak, when The Reptilian gets low, he looks just like any old rock or driftwood that litters the maps of Hunt: Showdown.
The good news is, The Reptilian is more deadly than a rock. When positioned properly, opposing Hunters tend to stroll right past him without even noticing he's there, a mistake many won't recover from. He also just looks fantastic, especially when equipped with his signature Tooth To Tail Bomb Lance.
1 Cain
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At first glance, Cain doesn't give the impression of being a top-tier Legendary Hunter. His beady little eyes, lack of clothing, and subdued intro animation all give the impression of a pretty standard Hunt: Showdown character skin.
What makes Cain so devastating is his unbelievable camouflage. When he was first released in the Through The Bone Briar DLC, he was broken enough that Crytek had to nerf him by removing some mud from his skin tone. He was so hard to see that fans nicknamed him "The Disappearing Dirt Man." Even after the nerf, Cain is still tough to spot. Something about his backpack — a trellis adorned with hanging skulls — doesn't give the impression that it's being worn by a human. He's so easy to look past, even at close range, that he is hands down the best Legendary Hunter available.
Hunt: Showdown was released on February 22nd, 2018, and is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.