Playing Killer: Tips and Tricks

This page is a compendium of all the help information featured in the in-game Help & Tutorials section of Dead by Daylight.

Load-out

Killer P.O.V.
Weapon Power Survivors' Health States Generators to be repaired to power the Exit Gates Perks Generator

Powers & Add-ons

Main articles: Powers & Add-ons

Killers cannot change their power. However, they can customize it. Killers may equip up to 2 Power Add-ons in the loadout before the trial which have a variety of effects on their power. Each Killer has their own unique power with their own add-ons. At the end of the trial, any equipped Add-ons are consumed.

Killers:

Main articles: Killers and their respective Articles

There are currently 35 Killers featured in the Game:

• Evan MacMillan - The Trapper
• Philip Ojomo - The Wraith
• Max Thompson Jr. - The Hillbilly
• Sally Smithson - The Nurse
• Michael Myers - The Shape
• Lisa Sherwood - The Hag
• Herman Carter - The Doctor
• Anna - The Huntress
• Bubba Sawyer - The Cannibal
• Freddy Krueger - The Nightmare
• Amanda Young - The Pig
• Jeffrey Hawk - The Clown
• Rin Yamaoka - The Spirit
• Frank, Julie, Susie, and Joey - The Legion
• Adiris - The Plague
• Danny "Jed Olsen" Johnson - The Ghost Face
• Demogorgon - The Demogorgon
• Kazan Yamaoka - The Oni
• Caleb Quinn - The Deathslinger
• Pyramid Head - The Executioner
• Talbot Grimes - The Blight
• Charlotte and Victor Deshayes - The Twins
• Ji-Woon Hak - The Trickster
• Nemesis T-Type - The Nemesis
• Elliot Spencer - The Cenobite
• Carmina Mora - The Artist
• Sadako Yamamura - The Onryō
• The Dredge - The Dredge
• Albert Wesker - The Mastermind
• Tarhos Kovács - The Knight
• Adriana Imai - The Skull Merchant
• HUX-A7-13 - The Singularity
• Xenomorph - The Xenomorph
• Charles Lee Ray - The Good Guy

Tracking Survivors

Noises

A skilled Killer is attentive to the audio cues made by nearby Survivors.

Using these audio cues efficiently might lead you straight to a Survivor. Take great care to listen for:

• Heavy breathing
• Footsteps
• Cracking Branches
• Rustling Grass
• Cawing Crows
• Groaning
• Healing
• Sabotaging
• Searching in Chests
• Cleansing Totem

Notification

The Entity has granted its Killer enhanced senses and the ability to pinpoint Survivors who make noise. When a Survivor fails a Skill Check or rushes an action, Killers receive a visual loud noise notification. This visual effect indicates the loud noise source's location.

• All Killers will receive a notification when the Survivors:
  • Repaired a Generator
  • Cleansed a Hex Totem.
  • Finish sabotaging a Hook
  • Unhooked themselves or by another Survivor
• The Trapper will receive a notification when the Survivors activate his Bear Traps, whether they were trapped by it or they disarmed it.
• The Hag will receive notifications when the Survivors activated her Phantasm Traps. Activating her traps will summon a Mud Phantasm. Within range, you'll have an option if you want to teleport to the trap or not.
• As the Doctor, he can increase the Survivors' madness by attacking them using Carter's Spark. While in Madness Tier III, the Survivors will regularly scream, and the Doctor will receive a notification from them. They will continue to scream until they Snap Out of It.

Scratch Marks

Running Survivors leave tracks only the Killer can see. These tracks last a few seconds before they fade, and can be very helpful for locating and tracking Survivors.

Bloodstains

Main article: Bleeding

Another way for Killers to track Survivors is by the bloodstains that they leave behind while Injured or Dying. Bloodstains are harder to see than scratch marks, but they are more precise and Survivors cannot stop bleeding until they recover back to healthy status.

• If a Survivor hides in a Locker and they are injured, their blood can be seen outside of the locker which is a dead giveaway.
• Survivors that are using No MitherPerk don't leave bloodstain trails.
• Combining Bloodhoundand Sloppy Butcherwill create an almost continuous red-line of blood on the floor.
• The bloodstains is more visible for the Wraith when Cloaked.
• When controlling Victor, blood stains are much easier to spot

Crows

Main article: Crows

Crows are another way to help Killers locate the Survivors. They will make noise and can be seen flying away if the Survivors startle them. Note that Killers can startle the Crows too. They're normally in pairs and can be seen throughout the Map standing on the ground or on top of rocks or crates.

• If a Survivor stays in an area for too long without performing any interactions, Stillness Crows will start flying in circles above them, giving away their position.
• Killers will receive a notification from the Crows with Spies from the Shadows Perk.
• A Cloaked Wraith will not startle the Crows.

Exit Gates

Main article: Exit Gates

If Survivors manage to repair 5 Generators, the 2 Exit Gates become accessible. If this happens, their locations are revealed to all players, but only temporarily for Survivors. Killer can use this knowledge to predict Survivor movements and catch them in the final stretch. Survivors must hold down the lever on the switch box to open the gates before they can escape, which takes them 20 seconds, a great opportunity for the Killer to catch them there.

• Once the Survivors open the Exit Gates, sometimes they will stand near the exit so once the Killer puts them in the dying state, they can fall down and escape while giving the Killer some Bloodpoints.
  • As the Shape, if you're using the Tombstone Piece or Judith's Tombstone add-on and you haven't revealed it yet, that's the time to surprise them with it.
• Once the Survivors powered the Exit Gates, Hex: No One Escapes Death is activated and all your hits can instantly put Survivors into dying state.
  • This is a Hex Perk, so the Perk can only be activated if there is a Totemavailable to turn into a Hex Totem. The Hex can be removed as normal by destroying its associated Totem.
  • This Perk doesn't affect the Huntress' Hatchets nor the Trapper's Bear Traps.
• The Trapper or Hag can place their traps near the Exit Gates. Bear Traps may be easy to see in the bright light of an Exit Gate, but offer a guaranteed kill if the Killer is nearby. Phantasm Traps are much more hidden, but do not stop Survivors from escaping.
• Blood Warden will summon the Entity to block both exits for the Survivors when you hooked at least one Survivor. You can also read the Auras of the Survivors if they're near the Exit Gates. This Perk can only work when an Exit Gate is open.
• Remember Me will increase the opening time to the Exit Gates for each time you hit your Obsession. This will affect all Survivors except the Obsession.
• If a Survivor with an active Reverse Bear Trap on their head attempts to escape through Exit Gates, the Trap will trigger and sacrifice them.
• A Survivor who has Victor on their back (Blood Bond) is unable to leave through the Gates.

Patrolling

Generators

When the trial begins, the first thing most Killers will try to do is locate some Survivors. Survivors must repair Generators to escape, so Killers are likely to encounter Survivors there. Fortunately, Killers can read the Auras of Generators that require repairs, allowing them to see their outlines with unlimited range. There are 7 Generators in a typical trial. Try to find an efficient patrol route to protect them. A Generator in progress is a good sign that a Survivor is nearby, so Killer should keep their eyes peeled in this situation. If the Survivors manage to repair at least 5 Generators, the Exit Gates regain power and may be opened, allowing the Survivors to escape.

Killers can damage Generators that have been partially repaired by getting close and performing the Damage Generator action. This will cause the Generator's repair progress to degrade over time. A Generator that is losing progress can be identified by the fiery sparks it emits. This regression is cancelled when a Survivor resumes repairs.

Attacking Survivors

Weapon Attacks

There are 2 ways to attack the Survivors with your weapon: Quick Attack and Lunge Attack.

1. The quick attack is performed by simply tapping the Attack button. As the name implies, it is quick but has a very short range.
2. The lunge attack is performed by holding down the attack button. It provides greater reach at the cost of longer recovery time and can take some practice to master.

An attack triggers a short cooldown during which the Killer's speed is reduced, with a hit triggering a much longer cooldown while the killer readies their weapon. Killers must be careful to properly aim and time their attacks, or risk allowing Survivors to escape. Hitting a healthy Survivor grants them a brief (1 second) burst of speed. Keep a close eye on their movements during this time in order to continue the pursuit.

Chases

When Survivors are located by the Killer, they'll usually attempt to run and hide. The pursuit that follows is called The Chase. Most Killers are faster than a Survivor, but Survivors are small, nimble, and have many tricks they can use to gain distance, put obstacles in the Killer's way and break line of sight. The Killer's goal is to keep track of the fleeing Survivor and get close enough to land a devastating hit. The chase ends when the Survivor gets far enough away from the Killer or the Killer incapacitates the Survivor.

Interrupts

Many Survivor actions can be interrupted, giving the Killer a free grab and pick up. To initiate an interrupt, tap the attack button at close range while the Survivor is occupied.

• List of ways Killers can interrupt the Survivors:
  • Vaulting (injured state only)
  • Repairing Generators
  • Unhooking another Survivor
  • Cleansing Totem
  • Sabotaging Hook and Bear Trap
  • Entering/Exiting the Lockers
  • Opening Exit Gates
  • Searching in Chests
• Lunge attacks do not trigger interrupts.
• Killers can't interrupt the Survivors during the cool-down of successful attacks.
• The Survivors' health state will not change until the Killer either drop the Survivor (which will put them in the Dying State), or hang them on a Hook.

Bloodlust

Main article: Bloodlust

As a chase progresses, Killers will develop a boiling Bloodlust. Bloodlust is a Status Effect that grants the Killer increased movement speed. Bloodlust becomes stronger the longer a chase continues, to a maximum of Tier 3, indicated by 3 chevrons on the Status Effect icon.

• Bloodlust subsides when a chase ends or a Survivor is successfully hit.
• Bloodlust does not apply under the following conditions or will reset completely:
  • A cloaked Wraith.
  • The Hillbilly breaking into his Chainsaw Sprint.
  • The Nurse using her Blink.
  • The Shape stalking a Survivor, or in tier 1 of Evil Within.
  • The Hag teleporting to her Phantasm trap.
  • The Doctorin Treatment mode.
  • The Huntressthrowing her Hatchets.
  • The Cannibal during a Chainsaw Sweep.
  • The Blight while performing a Rush.
  • The Twins while controlling Victor.
  • The Trickster throwing his Blades.
  • The Nemesis using his Tentacle Strike.
  • The Cenobite using his Possessed Chain.
  • The Artist using her Dire Crows.
  • The Onryo using Manifestation or Projection.

Transporting Survivors

Once a Killer catches a Survivor, their next goal is to carry them to a Hook. While being carried, Survivors can wiggle and attempt to break free. Their struggles will affect the Killer's movements. The Survivor will eventually succeed and escape the Killer's grasp, so there is a limited time to transport them. Fortunately, Killers are able to see the Auras of available Hooks while they are carrying Survivors. Try to take the most efficient route.

• The Killers can still swing their weapon while carrying a Survivor and potentially injure or down another Survivor, but will be punished with an increased cool- and slow-down.
• Watch out for other Survivors while transporting a victim, as any action that stuns or blinds the Killer will free any carried Survivor.
• If a Killer intentionally drops a Survivor, they will remain in the dying state. Sometimes, dropping them is the best option.
  • This will however fill their wiggle meter with each drop, eventually leading on an immediate break free.
  • You can't always trust Survivors to stay in the dying state. They can fully recover on their own if they're using either Unbreakable, No Mither or Soul Guard (while Cursed by a Hex).
• Using Iron Grasp will reduce Survivors struggling so the Killer's movement is more steady and can hold on to the Survivors a little longer.
• Agitation will increase the Killer's movement speed while they're carrying a Survivor.
• Beware of Survivors using Decisive Strike. If the carried Survivor succeeds the Skill Check, they will automatically stun the Killer and break free out of their grasp.
  • The perk is active for 60 seconds after they get off of a hook. Killers may only avoid Decisive Strike by waiting out the timer, either by avoiding the survivor or by slugging them.
• Survivors with a Flashlight might try to blind the Killers while they're picking up a Survivor so they can blind the Killer and have the Survivor immediately break free.
  • They have to time it perfectly though. Survivors can't stun Killers while they're in the animation of picking up a Survivor.
  • Look up quickly to avoid being blinded.
• Try to avoid going through the pallets.

Vaults & Pallets

Main articles: Windows & Pull-Downs

Vaulting is the action of going through a window or over a pallet. Survivors can vault slowly and quietly or quickly and loudly. By running straight at a window, Survivors can pick up some extra speed for their vault. Killers can only vault slowly. Pallets are found around the map and can be dropped by Survivors to stun and create obstacles for the Killer. Killers cannot vault over pallets, but they can take time to destroy them by interacting with them.

• Survivors that wait right next to the pallets, head straight towards them then back up quickly so they can throw the pallets down without you being stunned.
• Another strategy for survivors waiting next to pallets is to walk somewhat close to the pallet. Survivors may simply wait for you to get closer so they can stun you. If this is the case, then you may catch them off guard by lunge attacking them. You may get a free hit in.
• Survivors with a Flashlight will try to blind the Killers while they're breaking the pallets.
  • Overwhelming Presence will consume the flashlight item's durability more.
  • Lightborn will make it impossible to blind the Killer.
• Leaving a dying Survivor, they will sometimes crawl to the nearest pallet so once you're ready to pick them up, another Survivor will stun you with the pallet, thus making you drop the Survivor and letting them make their escape.
• Brutal Strength will have the Killer break the pallets faster.

• Enduring will have the Killer recover faster when Survivors stuns them with pallets.
• As the Trapper or Hag, place traps on one side of the windows/pallets to cut the Survivors off when they're being chased by you.
• The Wraith is able to break pallets when cloaked.
• The Hillbilly and the Cannibal can break pallets with their Chainsaw.
• As the Nurse, blink to the other side if you think they will vault though a window or throw down a pallet.
• The Shape has an increased vaulting speed when in Evil Within III.
• As the Huntress, prepare to throw a Hatchet at the Survivors if you think they're going to throw down a pallet or vault through a window.
• As the Doctor, attack the Survivors with Shock Therapy before they vault or if they stay near a pallet. Then switch to Punishment Mode and attack them if they're trying to perform any interactions. Attacking with Shock Therapy prevents Survivor to vault or drop pallets for 2.5 seconds.
• The Doctor's "Order" Add-on Series can replace Broken Pallets with Illusionary Pallets. He must attack the Survivors with Shock Therapy for them to appear.

Killing Survivors

There are two ways for the Killers to kill Survivors without sacrificing them to the Entity:

1. Survivors who are in the Dying State will have a life bar under their names. If they're left alone for too long (240 seconds), they will slowly bleed to death. Their life bar will pause when they're being carried by the Killer or being healed by the Survivors. Recovering from the dying state will not restart their life bar, but it will resume when they go down again.
2. Memento Mori are Killer-specific Offerings which influence the Entity to allow a Killer to kill one or multiple Survivors by their own hands instead of sacrificing them. They are a reward from the Entity, and an efficient way to deal with the Survivors, but Killers should not rely on them too often. Without sacrifice, the Entity will eventually become displeased.

Each Killer has their own unique Memento Mori animation. Click HERE for a video of each Killer's Memento Mori.