Dead by Daylight Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Dbd-journal-hatch Quotes left This hatch I found baffles me. As I witnessed the last Survivor being, yet again, the victim of the dreaded hook I stumbled upon it as I slowly backed away. I finally found my keyhole. With my last strength I opened it, entered its tunnels and somehow found my way to the campfire. Now I sit here contemplating its purpose. Is hope more important for the Entity than I thought? Is this hatch just a treat you give a dog to as encouragement? For now I take what I can get. Quotes right
~ Benedict Baker's Journal
Quotes left On one rare occasion, I encountered an alternative way to escape. It suddenly dawned on me that I was the only remaining Survivor Quotes right
~ A Note signed 'V.' (potentially Vigo)

The Hatch, also originally known as the "Black Lock", is one of the two potential ways for SurvivorsIconHelpLoading survivor to escape a Trial in Dead by DaylightIconHelp DBDlogo.


Overview

IconHelpLoading hatch

The Hatch is a Prop that spawns in a random location in the environment.

It is the preferred last-resort way to escape from a Trial as the last Survivor standing in situations when the team failed to open or even power the Exit GatesIconHelp exitGates.

Spawn Locations

The Hatch spawns in a random location in the environment, which is pre-determined by the Map Generator.
As of Patch 4.2.0, it is possible to influence that location to either be in or around the Killer Shack or the Map's main Landmark building by burning either the Annotated BlueprintIconFavors annotatedBlueprint or the Vigo's BlueprintIconFavors vigosBlueprint Offering.

When loading into a Trial the Hatch is invisible and cannot be interacted with until specific conditions are met that make it visible.

Tracking

Due to its physical manifestation at the start of a Trial, despite initially remaining invisible, the Hatch can be tracked by the Rainbow MapIconItems rainbowMap or the regular MapIconItems map if equipped with the Black Silk CordIconAddon blackSilkCord Add-on.
Coming within the specified tracking range, it will get added to the Item.
However, its AuraIconHelp auras will not be shown until the conditions for the actual Hatch to become visible are met.
This also applies to the Perks Left BehindIconPerks leftBehind and ClairvoyanceIconPerks clairvoyance.

Once the Hatch is open, its location can also be tracked via an audio cue when one is close-by:

Visibility

The Hatch only becomes visible, and automatically opens, when there is only a single Survivor left alive in the Trial.
At this point, its Aura can also be revealed to the Survivor.

If the Killer reached the Hatch first and closed it, it can be reopened using a KeyIconItems key.


Opening the Hatch

There are currently 2 ways for the Hatch to be opened: automatically and manually.

Automatic Opening

When the Game detects that there is only a single Survivor left alive in the Trial, it will automatically open the Hatch, indicated on the HUD by showing its icon next to that of the Exit GatesIconHelp exitGates.

An automatically opened Hatch will remain open indefinitely until the Killer decides to close it again.

Manual Opening

When the Hatch is visible, the last remaining Survivor carrying either a Skeleton KeyIconItems skeletonKey or a Dull KeyIconItems dullKey (either Key must have Charges left) may walk up to the Hatch and open it manually, an action that takes 2.5 seconds to complete, after which they can jump into it to escape the Trial.

It should be noted that the Hatch cannot be opened manually when in the Dying StateIconHelp dying, as it prevents the use of any ItemsIconHelp items.

While manually opening the Hatch, the KillerIconHelpLoading killer can grab you preventing you from opening it.


Closing the Hatch

There is currently 1 way for the Hatch to be closed: manually.

Manual Closing

As of Patch 2.7.0, Killers have the ability to close the Hatch and prevent any remaining Survivor(s) from escaping through it without the use of a Key.
Whenever the Killer closes the Hatch, the Game will automatically trigger the Endgame CollapseIconHelp endGame, leaving the Exit GatesIconHelp exitGates as the final option of escape.

Automatic Closing

Prior to Patch 5.3.0, if the Hatch was opened with a Key, it would remain open for 10 seconds, after which it would automatically close.
This would not trigger the Endgame CollapseIconHelp endGame.
Since the Hatch now only appears if one Survivor is remaining, this can no longer happen.

Hatch Grabs

Before Killers were granted the ability to close the Hatch, the only way to hinder a Survivor escaping through it was to grab them mid-jump, yanking them back and onto the Killer's shoulder, ready to be hooked.
Since the Hatch can be closed, this ability is disabled.


Unlockables

Survivor Items

IconItems dullKey
Dull Key A bent and dull Key that once held great power.
The Dull Key's power cannot be triggered by itself.
Various objects can be attached to its jump ring, which channels the Key's power into various effects.
  • Press the Use Item button to trigger the Mind Channel ability for up to 5 seconds.
    • Mind Channel reveals various AurasIconHelp auras, depending on the Add-onsIconHelp addons the Key is equipped with.
  • Press the Use Item button while standing over the closed HatchIconHelp hatch to open it.
    • This action will consume the Key and is only available if it is not depleted.


IconItems rainbowMap
Rainbow Map An piece of parchment made out of oddly fresh skin with blood on its edge that has yet to dry, and that is rolled and sealed with multiple coloured ropes and cords.

Holding and channelling the Rainbow Map unlocks great potential in your Aura-reading abilities, revealing the AurasIconHelp auras of all tracked objects at the cost of slowly burning it.

The Rainbow Map has 20 Charges.

"It disheartens me. All this unspeakable knowledge and gruelling effort and yet nothing tangible, nothing usable to get out of this nightmare." — Vigo's Journal

IconItems skeletonKey
Skeleton Key A tarnished and crooked Key, vibrating with ominous power.
The Skeleton Key's power cannot be triggered by itself.
Various objects can be attached to its jump ring, which channels the Key's power into various effects.
  • Press the Use Item button to trigger the Mind Channel ability for up to 30 seconds.
    • Mind Channel reveals various AurasIconHelp auras, depending on the Add-onsIconHelp addons the Key is equipped with.
  • Press the Use Item button while standing over the closed HatchIconHelp hatch to open it.
    • This action will consume the Key and is only available if it is not depleted.


IconItems bloodsenseMap
Bloodsense Map A bloodstained piece of parchment, hastily rolled and burning with a strange power.

Holding and channelling the Bloodsense Map unlocks great potential in your Aura-reading abilities, revealing the AurasIconHelp auras of all tracked objects at the cost of slowly burning it.

The Bloodsense Map has 20 Charges.

Survivor Perks

Clairvoyance Clairvoyance There is an intrinsic energy in you that sees beyond your vision.

Whenever you cleanse or bless a TotemIconHelpLoading totem, Clairvoyance activates:

  • When empty-handed, press and hold the Ability button to unlock your full Aura-reading potential, allowing you to see the AurasIconHelp auras of the Exit Gate SwitchesIconHelp exitGates, GeneratorsIconHelpLoading generators, HooksIconHelpLoading hook, ChestsIconHelp chests, and the HatchIconHelp hatch within 64 metres for 8/9/10 seconds.
"Does anyone else see that? Just me?" — Mikaela Reid
Left Behind Left Behind You will get the job done... no matter the cost.

When you are the last Survivor remaining in the Trial, the AuraIconHelp auras of the HatchIconHelp hatch is revealed to you when you are within 24/28/32 metres.

"I'm not horse-shittin' around. I'm doing this alone!" — Bill Overbeck

Sole Survivor Sole Survivor As more of your friends fall to the Killer, you become shrouded in isolation and the Killer's Aura-reading abilities towards you are disrupted.

Each time a Survivor other than yourself is killed or sacrificed, Sole Survivor gains 1 Token, up to a maximum of 3 Tokens:

  • Grants a stack-able radius of 20/22/24 metres per Token around you, up to a maximum of 60/66/72 metres, within which you are immune to the Killer's Aura-reading abilities.
When you are the Last Survivor Standing, you benefit from the following effects:
  • Increases your Repair speed by +75 %.
  • Increases your Gate and Hatch Opening speeds by +50 %.
Increases the Odds of becoming the initial Obsession of the Killer by +100 %.

The Killer can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time.

"It was the boogeyman." — Laurie Strode

Achievements

There are currently 5 AchievementsIconHelp achievements related to the Hatch, 3 of which are hidden:

Ach agonisingEscape Agonising Escape THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS HIDDEN

Crawl your way out of the Trial through one of the Exit GatesIconHelp exitGates or the HatchIconHelp hatch.

Ach backdoorEscape Backdoor Escape THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS HIDDEN

Escape from a Trial through the HatchIconHelp hatch.

Ach denied Denied! Close the HatchIconHelp hatch a total of 30 times.
Ach outrunEvil Outrun Evil Crawl your way out through the HatchIconHelp hatch.
Ach theKeyToEscape The Key to Escape THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS HIDDEN

Escape through the HatchIconHelp hatch after opening it with a KeyIconItems key.

History

PTB 2.0.0

The first two iterations of the Hatch-closing mechanic were tested during the 2.0.0 Public Test Build and functioned as follows:

  • 1st Iteration: closing the Hatch required the last Survivor to repair another Generator in order to re-open the Hatch.
  • 2nd Iteration: closing the Hatch powered all remaining Generators, requiring the last Survivor to open an Exit GateIconHelp exitGates instead.

The first Iteration was discarded rather swiftly as neither the Developers nor part of the Community were satisfied with how the changes played out in the Public Test Build.
It also opened up other problems which led to the Developers deciding to revisit the entire end-game situation instead of just the Hatch alone.

Ultimately, the second iteration was chosen as the one to be implemented, alongside other end-game changes, with Patch 2.7.0.

Pre-5.3.0

The Hatch became visible to all Players after the following condition were met: Number of completed Generators = Number of alive Survivors + 1
More specifically:

  • 4 Survivors alive: 5 Generators completed, Exit Gates were powered
  • 3 Survivors alive: 4 Generators completed, 1 Generator left
  • 2 Survivors alive: 3 Generators completed, 2 Generators left

The exception to this was when there was only 1 Survivor left alive anymore, in which case the Hatch would immediately become visible and open automatically, regardless of how many Generators had been completed.

As soon as the Hatch was visible, it could be opened manually using KeysIconItems key, as well as be revealed by Aura-reading abilities.
This allowed multiple Survivors to escape through the Hatch at once.

A manually opened Hatch would remain open for just 10 seconds for other Survivors to follow the key-user and escape as well.
After the timer expired, the Hatch would automatically close (which did not trigger the Endgame CollapseIconHelp endGame) and required another Key to be opened again.
This was unless the remaining Survivor happened to be the last one, in which case it would remain open indefinitely until the Killer decided to close it again.


Change Log

Patch 2.7.0

  • The Hatch now always spawns and opens when there is only one last Survivor remaining in the Trial (used to only spawn and open if there were at least 2 repaired Generators).
  • The Killer may close an open Hatch, which will initiate the Endgame CollapseIconHelp endGame and require a Key for it to be re-opened by a Survivor.
  • Killers can no longer perform a Hatch Interrupt.

Patch 4.7.0

  • Reduced the time the Hatch stays open after unlocking it with a Key from 30 seconds to 10 seconds.

Patch 5.3.0

  • The Hatch now only becomes visible to the last Survivor alive in a Trial.
  • The Hatch now takes 2.5 seconds to open with a Key after it has been closed by the Killer.
    • This action does not reset its progress when interrupted.
  • Reworked the Where Did They Go?!? Achievement to The Key to Escaping.


Trivia

  • During one of their weekly Streams, Developers Dave and Ash revealed that the Hatch has a deep connection to a particular Character.
  • Killers, who can place Traps or Props that have placement restrictions within a specific radius around the Hatch have their Power prompt disabled when inside that radius.
    • Since this behaviour is also present for the invisible Hatch, those Killers can attempt to locate it by paying attention to when their Power prompt disappears (or even the Bear Trap Aura for The Trapper).
  • Survivors can attempt to do the same when they carry an ItemIconHelp items, which they will be unable to place at the location of the invisible Hatch.

Black Lock

  • The name "Black Lock" originates from an early concept for the alternate escape mechanic, before the Developers had decided on creating the Hatch.
    • Each Map would have had several Black Locks located throughout the Trial Grounds and would have required a Skeleton KeyIconItems skeletonKey (the only available Key at the time) to be unlocked.
      This mechanic was replaced by the Hatch, albeit comparatively late in the Development process, hence why several Hatch-related Add-ons still referred to it as "Black Lock" in their description for several years after release.

Audio Sequence

The following audio file shows the entire sequence of the Hatch's behaviour in-game:


Gallery


TL;DR


Props
IconHelp alarmClock Alarm Clocks IconHelp barrel Barrel IconPowers trap Bear Traps IconHelp breakableWall Breakable Walls IconHelp cagesOfAtonement Cages of Atonement
Dbd-gameplay-crate Chests IconItems LimitedTurret Control Stations IconHelp crownPillar5A Crown Pillar IconPerks spiesFromTheShadows Crows IconFavors murkyReagent Dark Mist
IconPowers eyesInTheSky Drones IconHelp exitGates Exit Gates IconHelpLoading generators Generators QuestIcons glyph Glyphs IconHelpLoading hatch Hatch
IconHelpLoading hook Hooks IconHelp jigsawBoxes Jigsaw Boxes IconHelp lockers Lockers IconHelp crownPillar5A Masquerade Pillar QuestIcons fragment Memory Shards
IconFavors quarterMoonBouquet Moonlight IconHelp pullDown Pallets IconHelp paperLantern Paper Lanterns IconHelp poolsOfDevotion Pools of Devotion IconHelp pumpkin Pumpkins
IconHelp snowman Snowmen IconHelp supplyCase Supply Cases IconHelpLoading totem Totems IconHelp tv TVs QuestIcons Halloween2020 Visceral Cankers
IconHelp window Windows
Advertisement