After dying 73 times across all 5 nights, I’ve learned exactly which animatronics are manageable and which ones are pure nightmare fuel. Some have easy counters. Others? You just pray.
This tier list ranks every animatronic in FNAF Eternal Nights by how difficult they are to deal with. Not by how scary they are (they’re all terrifying), but by how likely they are to actually kill you once you know what you’re doing.
Grab the free coins and revives from codes before attempting the harder nights. You’ll need them for the S-tier threats.
Quick Tier Overview
| Tier | Animatronic | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| S | Puppet, Golden Freddy | Nightmare |
| A | Freddy | Hard |
| B | Foxy, Bonnie | Medium |
| C | Cupcake, Chica | Easy |
S-tier animatronics have no reliable counters once active. A-tier requires specific conditions to manage. B-tier has clear counters but can still catch you off guard. C-tier is manageable once you know the trick.
S-Tier (Nightmare)
These animatronics have no reliable counters. Prevention or avoidance is your only option.
Puppet
| Stat | Rating |
|---|---|
| Threat Level | 10/10 |
| Counter Difficulty | Impossible once spawned |
| Kill Count (my runs) | 8 deaths |
The Puppet is the most dangerous animatronic in the game. Full stop. Once it spawns, you’re basically dead. The mask doesn’t work. The flashlight doesn’t work. Hiding barely works. Running? Good luck.
Why it’s S-tier: There is no counter once the Puppet spawns. Your only option is prevention. Charge the music box TV on the souvenir counter regularly. If you forget, you die. Simple as that.
I’ve escaped the Puppet exactly once out of 8 spawns. That one time involved pure luck and a locker that it somehow didn’t check. Don’t rely on luck.
How to deal with it: Don’t let it spawn. Check the music box every 2 minutes. Make it part of your routine. Prevention is the only reliable strategy.
Golden Freddy
| Stat | Rating |
|---|---|
| Threat Level | 9/10 |
| Counter Difficulty | Impossible |
| Kill Count (my runs) | 6 deaths (indirect) |
Golden Freddy doesn’t kill you directly most of the time. He’s worse. He teleports near you, makes noise, and attracts every other animatronic to your location. He’s basically a walking alarm system.
Why it’s S-tier: You cannot counter Golden Freddy. The mask doesn’t work. The flashlight doesn’t work. Hiding doesn’t work. When he appears, you just have to move and hope the other animatronics don’t converge on you.
On Night 5, he destroys the fuses in the fuse room, killing power permanently. This activates Freddy for the rest of the night. Thanks, Golden Freddy.
How to deal with it: You don’t. When he appears and makes noise, move immediately. Accept that Night 5 will have no power. Plan accordingly.
A-Tier (Hard)
Dangerous but manageable with the right preparation.
Freddy
| Stat | Rating |
|---|---|
| Threat Level | 8/10 |
| Counter Difficulty | Hard |
| Kill Count (my runs) | 15 deaths |
Freddy killed me more than any other animatronic. He’s the main threat in this game, and for good reason. When power goes out, Freddy activates. And Freddy can open doors.
Why it’s A-tier: Freddy has no direct counter once active. The mask doesn’t fool him. The security room doors don’t stop him. Your only options are hiding (risky) or winning the spacebar minigame when he catches you (also risky).
The key is keeping power on. Freddy only activates when power fails. Find fuses, maintain power, and Freddy stays dormant. But on Night 5 when Golden Freddy destroys the fuses? You’re in trouble.
How to deal with it: Prioritize fuses above everything else. Keep power on at all costs. If power fails, hide immediately and pray. The spacebar minigame is winnable but stressful.
B-Tier (Medium)
Clear counters exist, but they can still catch you off guard.
Foxy
| Stat | Rating |
|---|---|
| Threat Level | 6/10 |
| Counter Difficulty | Medium |
| Kill Count (my runs) | 11 deaths |
Foxy is fast. Really fast. He’ll catch you if you try to outrun him. But he has a critical weakness that drops him from A-tier to B-tier.
Why it’s B-tier: The flashlight stuns Foxy. Shine it directly at him and he’ll stop, then eventually back off. Camera flash works too. Once you know this, Foxy becomes manageable.
The catch? Battery management. If your flashlight dies mid-Foxy chase, you’re dead. I died at 5:47 AM on Night 4 because my battery hit 0% while Foxy was chasing me. Still mad about it.
How to deal with it: Keep at least 20% battery at all times. When Foxy appears, flashlight immediately. Don’t try to run first. Light first, then reposition.
Bonnie
| Stat | Rating |
|---|---|
| Threat Level | 6/10 |
| Counter Difficulty | Medium |
| Kill Count (my runs) | 12 deaths |
Bonnie killed me more times than Foxy in my first 20 runs. He tracks by sound, not sight, and his hearing range is massive. Two rooms away? He heard you.
Why it’s B-tier: Once you understand Bonnie tracks by sound, he becomes predictable. Walk slowly. Don’t run unless you’re already spotted. If he hasn’t seen you, stop moving entirely.
The problem is early game when you don’t know this. I was running everywhere my first few nights. Bonnie found me every single time.
How to deal with it: Walk, don’t run. If you see Bonnie sitting in a hallway, go around another way. If spotted, run to a hiding spot. The mask works on him.
C-Tier (Easy)
Manageable once you know the trick. Rarely a threat to experienced players.
Cupcake
| Stat | Rating |
|---|---|
| Threat Level | 4/10 |
| Counter Difficulty | Easy |
| Kill Count (my runs) | 3 deaths |
Cupcake is unique. It doesn’t chase you around the map. It guards the Puppet’s music box area and attacks when you get close. Unlike other animatronics, it doesn’t instantly kill you. It deals damage and latches onto your face.
Why it’s C-tier: Cupcake is easy to deal with. Flashlight removes it from your face. You can lure it into another room and close the door. It’s more of an annoyance than a threat.
The only danger is if you’re low on health and it catches you, or if you’re trying to charge the music box and it keeps interrupting you.
How to deal with it: Flashlight to remove. Lure and trap if needed. Don’t panic. It’s the least threatening animatronic in the game.
Chica
| Stat | Rating |
|---|---|
| Threat Level | 3/10 |
| Counter Difficulty | Easy |
| Kill Count (my runs) | 5 deaths |
Chica is usually the first animatronic you encounter, and she’s the easiest to deal with. Her field of vision is significantly reduced when you’re crouching.
Why it’s C-tier: Crouch and Chica loses you. That’s it. Create some distance, crouch near an object, and she’ll stop chasing. The flashlight doesn’t work on her, but you don’t need it.
My 5 deaths to Chica were all in my first few runs before I figured out the crouch mechanic. Once you know it, she’s basically a non-threat.
How to deal with it: Run to create distance, then crouch near cover. She’ll lose track of you. Don’t waste flashlight battery on her.
Tier List Reasoning
Here’s why I ranked them this way:
S-tier (Puppet, Golden Freddy): No counters. You either prevent them or you die. That’s nightmare tier.
A-tier (Freddy): Has a counter (keep power on), but when that fails, you’re in serious trouble. The spacebar minigame is your only hope.
B-tier (Foxy, Bonnie): Clear counters exist (flashlight, sound management), but they can still catch you if you’re not careful. Battery management and awareness required.
C-tier (Cupcake, Chica): Easy counters that work consistently. Once you know the trick, they’re rarely a threat.
Night-by-Night Threat Assessment
Night 1
Main threats: Chica, Bonnie, Foxy Difficulty: Easy Focus on learning the map. All three have clear counters.
Night 2
Main threats: Freddy (if power fails) Difficulty: Medium Power management becomes critical. Find fuses early.
Night 3
Main threats: All B-tier animatronics become more aggressive Difficulty: Medium-Hard Multiple animatronics hunting you at once. Stay mobile.
Night 4
Main threats: Puppet (if you forget the music box) Difficulty: Hard Music box charging is mandatory. Don’t forget.
Night 5
Main threats: Golden Freddy, Freddy (power will fail) Difficulty: Nightmare Golden Freddy destroys fuses. Prepare for powerless survival.
Related Content
- FNAF Eternal Nights Codes - 35+ codes for free coins and revives
- FNAF Eternal Nights Animatronics Guide - Detailed counter strategies for each animatronic
- FNAF Eternal Nights Beginner Guide - Night-by-night survival strategies
- FNAF Co-op Codes - Multiplayer FNAF experience
- Dandy’s World Codes - Entity survival horror
