DD tiering

Top night battle damage, D > 130
Yuudachi (166)
Shimakaze (158)
Ayanami (157)
Akatsuki (150)
Yukikaze (148)
Fubuki (147)
Murakumo (144)
Верный (143)
Shigure (141)
Hatsuharu (140)
Hatsushimo (134)
Amatsukaze (133)



Tier 1a (True elites A; D ≥ 157)
Yuudachi (166)
Shimakaze (158)
Ayanami (157)

Tier 1b (True elites B; 148 ≤ D < 157 but with high luck)
Yukikaze (148)

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Tier 1.5 (Outliers)
Akizuki

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Tier 2a (Potential true elites; 148 ≤ D < 157)
Akatsuki (150)

Tier 2b (Pseudo-true elites (inb4 >false true elites); 141 ≤ D < 148 but with high luck)
Shigure (141)

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Tier 3a (Potential elites; 141 ≤ D < 148)
Fubuki (147)
Murakumo (144)
Верный (143)

Tier 3b (Pseudo-elites; 130 < D ≤ 141 but with high luck)
Hatsushimo (134)

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Tier 4a (Pseudo-potential elites; 130 < D ≤ 141)
Hatsuharu (140)
Amatsukaze (133)

Tier 4b (Pseudo-pseudo-elites; D ≤ 130 but with high(?) luck)
Ushio (130)



Explanations for cut-offs:

≥157: Ayanami is a high luck DD who also has very high night battle damage. It also helps that she also has high (by DD standards) shelling damage in the day.

≥148: Yukikaze, while being outclassed by Akatsuki Kai 2 in potential night battle damage, has yet to reach her full potential, being only at Kai. She is expected to be even stronger as Tan Yang.

≥141: Shigure is still widely considered as one of the elite DDs due to her luck. However, a good number of DDs have higher night battle damage than her, so her status as an elite DD may be in question, especially to someone who may have a lot of Maruyu to use.

>130: Night battle damage of Ushio Kai 2 and most of Yuugumo-class Kai. Anything not above this is considered average and most definitely no longer elite.