Dead by Daylight: Quick Tips & Tricks Guide for Survivors & Killers

The fire crackles, casting long, dancing shadows. 🔥 Around it, you see others—some new to this place, their eyes wide with fear 😨, others with a haunted, weary look that speaks of a thousand trials. This is the campfire, the only respite in the Fog. 🏕️ You are trapped in a realm ruled by The Entity, an ancient, unknowable force that feeds on hope and suffering. The trials you face are its ritual, a recurring nightmare where you are hunted. 🏃‍♀️💨 But here, in the brief moments between the screams, whispers are shared. Warnings, strategies, and secrets passed down from those who have survived, if only for a little while. 🤫 This guide is a collection of those whispers, the ultimate resource for every player of Dead by Daylight. It is designed to turn you from frightened prey into a seasoned contender, whether you are running for your life or sharpening your claws for the hunt. 🔪

Before we step into the Fog, heed this first, most crucial piece of advice. 👇

Play Both Roles. To truly master Dead by Daylight, you must walk in the shoes of both Survivor 🧑‍🔧 and Killer 👹. Playing as a Survivor teaches you their common paths, their fears, and their tricks. Playing as a Killer reveals their perspective, their limitations, and their objectives. This dual understanding is the foundation upon which all other skills are built. 🧠

To navigate the community and this guide, you must first learn the language of the Fog. 🗣️

Term	Definition
Looping 🔄	The act of running a Killer around an environmental structure (a “tile”) to waste their time.
Tunneling 🎯	When a Killer focuses exclusively on one Survivor to eliminate them from the game as quickly as possible.
Camping ⛺	When a Killer stays very close to a hooked Survivor to prevent a rescue.
Slugging 🐌	Leaving a Survivor in the Dying State on the ground instead of hooking them, usually to apply pressure elsewhere.
3-Gen เจน	A late-game scenario where the last three remaining generators are very close together, making them easy for the Killer to defend.
99’ing 🤏	Progressing an action, like healing or opening an exit gate, to 99% completion and then stopping to complete it at a more strategic moment.
SWF 🧑‍🤝‍🧑	“Survive With Friends,” a pre-made group of Survivors, often using voice communication.
M1 / M2 Killer 🖱️	An “M1 Killer” relies primarily on their basic attack. An “M2 Killer” relies heavily on their special power.
NOED 💀	The Killer perk Hex: No One Escapes Death, which can make the endgame incredibly dangerous for Survivors.
BBQ 🍖	The Killer perk Barbecue & Chilli, prized for its ability to reveal Survivor auras and grant bonus Bloodpoints.

Part I: First Steps in the Realm – The Survivor’s Handbook 📖

As a Survivor in Dead by Daylight, your story is one of desperation, teamwork, and cunning. Your goal is not to fight, but to outwit and endure. 🏆

The Basics of Survival in Dead by Daylight

Your primary objective is simple on paper but terrifying in practice. 😱

The Main Objective: Repair and Escape. 🛠️➡️🚪 Your team must repair five of the seven generators scattered across the map. Doing so powers the two exit gates. Once a gate is opened, you can run through it to escape the trial and return to the campfire.

To succeed, you must understand the information the game provides. 🧐

Read Your HUD. The Heads-Up Display in the bottom left corner is your lifeline. It shows the health state of each teammate: Healthy, Injured (a slash through their portrait 🤕), or Dying (a slug icon 🐌). It also displays tick marks for each time they’ve been hooked. Pay attention to the icons that appear next to their names—these show if they are repairing a generator 🛠️, being chased 🏃‍♀️, or healing ❤️‍🩹.

The world is your playground and your prison. Learn its rules. 🌍

Know Your Tools. The map is filled with objects you can use. Pallets are wooden structures you can throw down to temporarily stun a chasing Killer. 😵 Windows are vault locations to create distance. Lockers are for hiding, but be warned—a Killer can grab you out of one! 😲 Chests contain useful items. 🎁 Totems are small bone structures; some are Dull (inactive), while others glow 🔥, indicating a powerful Hex perk is active. Cleansing Hex Totems is a crucial secondary objective.

Beginner Survivor Tips: Mastering Stealth and Awareness

For new players in Dead by Daylight, survival begins with avoiding detection. 🤫

Listen to the Heartbeat. ❤️ The Killer’s Terror Radius is represented by an audible heartbeat. The louder and faster it gets, the closer the Killer is. Use this not as a source of panic, but as an early warning system to find a hiding spot or plan your escape route.
Watch the Red Stain. 🔴 Most Killers project a red light, known as the Red Stain, in front of them. This cone of light shows you exactly which direction they are looking. 👀 Use this to your advantage when hiding!
Don’t Run Everywhere! 🚫 This is the most common mistake new Survivors make. Sprinting leaves a trail of bright orange Scratch Marks on the ground that only the Killer can see. It’s a literal breadcrumb trail leading directly to you. ዱ Walk or crouch to move silently and invisibly. 🤫
Use Your Camera. 🎥 As a Survivor, you play in a third-person perspective. This gives you a significant awareness advantage. Constantly rotate your camera while repairing a generator to scan your surroundings and spot the Killer early.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: The Art of Altruism 🤝

Do Co-op Actions. Working on a generator with another Survivor speeds up the repair process significantly. 📈 Likewise, helping heal an injured teammate is much faster than healing alone.
Unhook Safely. When a teammate is hooked, don’t rush in blindly. 😵 The best time to go for a rescue is when the Killer’s heartbeat has faded. A rescue while the Killer is nearby often results in two people getting hooked instead of one. 😭
Take a Hit for the Team. ❤️‍🩹 A core part of altruism is taking a protection hit. If an injured teammate is being chased, you can run between them and the Killer to take the hit yourself. You’re a hero! 🦸‍♀️

Part II: The Hunter’s Creed – Mastering the Killer Role 👹

As the Killer in Dead by Daylight, you are the master of the trial. Your goal is to turn hope into despair. 😈

The Art of the Hunt in Dead by Daylight

Your objective is straightforward and brutal. 🔪

The Main Objective: Hunt and Sacrifice. 🎣 Your goal is to hunt down the four Survivors, injure them, and carry them to sacrificial hooks. Hooking a Survivor three times will sacrifice them to the Entity. 🙏
Track Your Prey. Your primary tools for finding Survivors are environmental cues. Follow the bright orange Scratch Marks left by sprinting Survivors. Listen for footsteps 👣, grunts of pain 😫, and the clanking of generator repairs 🛠️. Be alert for loud noise notifications 💥 when a Survivor messes up.
Master the Chase. A healthy Survivor must be hit twice. The first hit puts them in the Injured State 🤕. The second hit puts them in the Dying State 😵, where they can be picked up and carried to a hook.

Beginner Killer Tips: Choosing Your Weapon and Applying Pressure

Recommended Starting Killers:

Killer	Power	Difficulty	Why They’re Good for Beginners
The Wraith 🔔	Wailing Bell: Becomes nearly invisible and moves faster.	Easy ✅	Teaches you how to patrol and ambush Survivors without complex mechanics. Great for learning core chase skills.
The Doctor ⚡	Static Blast / Shock Therapy: Causes Survivors to scream, revealing their location.	Medium 🤔	His abilities make finding Survivors much easier, letting you practice the chase without searching all match.
The Cannibal (Bubba) 🐷	Chainsaw Sweep: A powerful attack that can instantly down multiple Survivors.	Easy ✅	His perk, Barbecue & Chilli 🍖, is the BEST for new players as it doubles your Bloodpoint earnings! 🤑

Patrol Your Generators. Your core gameplay loop is to move in a circuit between generators. Your goal is to pressure Survivors off of them. 🏃‍♀️
Kick Generators Strategically. 🦵 You can damage a generator by kicking it, which causes it to lose progress over time.
Don’t Overcommit to Chases. Chasing one Survivor for too long is a huge mistake. 😵 While you chase one person, the other three are freely repairing generators. Break off a chase if you haven’t landed a hit in 20-30 seconds.

Thinking Like Prey: How to Predict Survivor Behavior

Check Common Hiding Spots. 👀 When a Survivor vanishes near a generator, they are probably hiding nearby. Check behind rocks, trees, or inside the nearest locker.
Break Pallets to Create Dead Zones. 💀 When a Survivor drops a pallet, you can break it. This permanently removes that resource from the map. By strategically breaking pallets, you create “dead zones” where Survivors have no defenses. 💪

Part III: Intermediate Tactics – Honing Your Instincts 🧠

Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to refine your skills. This is about efficiency, prediction, and turning a chase into a deadly art form. 🎨

Advanced Survivor Looping in Dead by Daylight: Tiles, Pallets, and Windows

Hug the Loop Tightly. 🤗 When running around an object, stay as close to it as possible. The Killer is larger and has to take a wider path, meaning you gain distance with every circle.
Understand Vault Speeds. 🏃‍♀️💨

Vault Type	Speed	Conditions	Noise	Grab Risk
Fast Vault	0.5 seconds	Must be sprinting and approach mostly straight on.	Loud 💥	No ✅
Medium Vault	0.9 seconds	Sprinting but approaching at a sharp angle.	Loud 💥	Yes ❗
Slow Vault	1.5 seconds	Walking or crouching to the vault.	Silent 🤫	Yes ❗

Master the Fast Vault. In a chase, you should almost always aim for a fast vault. A medium vault will often get you hit. 🤕
Don’t Waste Pallets. 🚫 Pallets are a limited team resource. Try to run at least one full loop around the structure first before dropping it.
“Greed” the Pallet. An advanced technique is to run an extra loop when the Killer expects you to drop it. If the Killer “respects” the pallet by pausing, you gain a free loop and save the resource for later. It’s a mind game! 🤯

Advanced Killer Strategy: Map Pressure and Mind Games

Hide Your Red Stain. 🔴 At a loop with tall walls, you can trick a Survivor by looking down or walking backward (“moonwalking” 🕺). This hides your stain, making the Survivor guess which way you are going.
Don’t Always Respect Pallets. Be unpredictable. 🤪 Sometimes, lunge through the pallet. Even if you get stunned, the Survivor may not have expected it.
Spread the Pressure. Evolve to a “hit-and-run” strategy. Injure one Survivor, then switch targets and injure a second one. Now two Survivors are forced to heal, effectively removing two people from generator duty. 📉

The Three-Gen Dilemma: A Guide for Both Sides

For Survivors: Break the 3-Gen Early. 💔 A 3-gen is a nightmare scenario where the last three gens are super close. Your team’s top priority should be to complete at least one generator in the middle of the map to prevent this.
For Killers: Create the 3-Gen. 😈 As a Killer, do the opposite. Identify a cluster of three generators you can easily defend. Herd the Survivors towards your chosen cluster like sheep. 🐑 You’re setting a trap that will win you the game.

Part IV: The Veteran’s Playbook – Elite Strategies from The Fog 🏆

Welcome to the highest level of play. These are the high-risk, high-reward plays that separate the great from the legendary. 🌟

Master-Level Survivor Techniques

The Flashlight Save. 🔦 This is an iconic play. You must blind the Killer right as they are picking up a downed Survivor. A successful save forces the Killer to drop the Survivor! 🤩
The Sabotage Save. toolbox Using a toolbox with the right add-ons, you can break a hook just as the Killer is about to use it. This is a very brave play! 💪
Bodyblocking for the Carry. 🧍 When a Killer is carrying a teammate, you can get in their path to block them. This slows the Killer down, giving the carried Survivor more time to wiggle free.
Taking Aggro. If a teammate is on their final hook and is being chased, it is your job to intervene. Make yourself a more appealing target. Get the Killer to chase you instead! It’s a game-winning play. 🏅
Advanced Juking: The 360. 💫 A “360” is a last-ditch maneuver where you quickly spin your character in a tight circle as the Killer lunges. If timed right, it can cause their attack to miss.
The Swing Juke. A more reliable juke involves faking a direction. As the Killer gets close, quickly strafe left and then immediately hard right. This can bait the Killer into lunging in the wrong direction. 🕺

Master-Level Killer Techniques

Countering Coordinated Teams. 🗣️ To counter “Survive With Friends” (SWF) groups, you must be ruthless. Identify the weakest looper and tunnel them out of the game early. This creates a 1v3 scenario.
Strategic Slugging. 🐌 Against highly altruistic teams, slugging is your most powerful tool. After downing a Survivor, leave them on the ground and go after the rescuer. This can quickly lead to multiple Survivors being down at once! 😈

Know Your Enemy: How to Counter Top-Tier Killers

How to Counter The Nurse. 👩‍⚕️ Do not treat her like a normal Killer. Pallets and windows mean very little to her. The key is to break line of sight. Use tall walls to force her to guess where you are going. Be unpredictable! 🤪
How to Counter The Blight. 🧪 The Blight is all about speed and angles. Your counter is to use tight loops. Run him around small, circular objects like trees. His high speed makes it very difficult for him to navigate these tight turns.

Part V: The Armory – Mastering Your Loadout 🎒

Skill will get you far, but the right tools can mean the difference between life and death. Your loadout is your strategy made manifest. 📜

Decoding the Bloodweb: A Guide to Efficient Progression

Bloodweb Basics. 🕸️ Each character has their own Bloodweb. You spend Bloodpoints 🩸 to purchase perks, items, add-ons, or offerings.
The Entity Arrives at Level 10. Starting at level 10, the Entity will appear and begin consuming nodes on its own. 🕷️
Path Efficiently to Save Bloodpoints. Use the Entity to your advantage! Create a path to the perk you want most. The Entity will often consume an entire branch you didn’t want, saving you Bloodpoints! 🤑
Cut Off the Entity. If you buy nodes in a way that severs a branch from the center, the Entity will consume that entire branch in one go. This is the most efficient way to clear a Bloodweb. ✂️

Essential Survivor Perks and Builds for Dead by Daylight

Unlock Teachable Perks. By leveling a character to levels 30, 35, and 40, you unlock the “Teachable” versions of their unique perks, making them available for all other Survivors. 🎓
Foundational Perks for Every Survivor
- Kindred 🤝: The single best information tool for solo players. See everyone’s auras when someone is hooked.
- Windows of Opportunity 🪟: Reveals the auras of all nearby pallets and windows. An invaluable training tool for looping.
- Resilience 💪: While injured, you do everything 9% faster. Simple but effective!
- Adrenaline 💉: When the final gen is done, you instantly heal and get a massive speed boost. A powerful endgame clutch perk!
Sample Survivor Builds
- The Solo Queue Hero (Information) 🦸: Kindred, Bond, Open Handed, Windows of Opportunity. Maximize your awareness!
- The Selfless Medic (Altruism) ❤️‍🩹: We’ll Make It, Borrowed Time, Botany Knowledge, Desperate Measures. Be the team’s hero healer!
- The Pro Looper (Chase) 🏃‍♀️💨: Sprint Burst (or Lithe), Windows of Opportunity, Resilience, Adrenaline. Become untouchable in a chase!

Essential Killer Perks and Builds for Dead by Daylight

Core Killer Perk Archetypes
- Gen Slowdown/Regression 📉: Perks that interfere with generator repairs. (e.g., Pop Goes the Weasel 🤡)
- Information 🗺️: Perks that tell you where Survivors are. (e.g., Barbecue & Chilli 🍖)
- Chase 👟: Perks that help you end chases faster. (e.g., Brutal Strength 💪)
- Endgame 🚪: Perks that activate once the gens are done. (e.g., No One Escapes Death 💀)
Sample Killer Builds
- The Gen Kicker 🦵: Pop Goes the Weasel, Eruption, Call of Brine, Nowhere to Hide. Create immense pressure by kicking gens!
- The Aura Reader 👀: Barbecue & Chilli, Lethal Pursuer, I’m All Ears, Floods of Rage. You’ll almost always know where someone is!

Your Toolkit: A Deep Dive into Items & Add-Ons

Item	Primary Function
Med-Kit ❤️‍🩹	Heal yourself or others faster.
Toolbox 🛠️	Repair generators faster or sabotage hooks.
Flashlight 🔦	Blind the Killer to cause a stun or perform a save.
Map 🗺️	Track the location of objectives like generators and totems.
Key 🔑	Open the Hatch for an alternate escape route.

Item-Specific Tips & Tricks
- Med-Kit Efficiency: The perk Botany Knowledge increases healing speed but makes your Med-Kit consume more charges. 🤔
- Toolbox Specialization: Some toolboxes are best for raw repair speed, while others are designed for sabotaging hooks quickly.
- Advanced Flashlight Usage: Beyond saves, a quick blind can force a Killer to drop a pallet they are breaking or cancel them out of certain powers. 💡

Survivor Quick-Reference: More Tips 🤯

99 the Exit Gates. 🤏 Don’t open them fully right away. This prevents the Endgame Collapse timer from starting.
Tap a Generator to Stop Regression. 👆 If a Killer kicks a gen, just tap it for a split second to stop it from losing progress.
Listen for the Hatch. 👂 When you are the last Survivor, it makes a distinct windy sound.
Identify the Killer Early. Jigsaw boxes mean The Pig 🐷. A glowing green fountain means The Plague 🤮.
Don’t Heal in the Killer’s Terror Radius. ❤️ Too risky! Finish the heal in a safer location.
Use Lockers to Dodge Projectiles. 🚪 You can hop in a locker to dodge a hatchet from The Huntress.
Crouching Makes You Harder to Hit. 🙇‍♀️ Sometimes a Killer’s lunge will go right over your head!
Don’t Attempt to Escape Hook (Usually). 🚫 The 4% chance is not worth it. Failing speeds up your death.
Wiggle! 💪 When the Killer picks you up, hit the skill checks to eventually break free.
Spread Out at the Start. 🗺️ Don’t all jump on the same gen. Apply pressure across the map.
Lead the Chase Away from Gens. ➡️ If you’re being chased, run away from where your teammates are working.
Use Gestures. 👉 Use the “point” and “come here” gestures to communicate non-verbally.
Don’t Drop Pallets Too Early. ⏳ Wait until the Killer is right behind you to get the stun.
Look Behind You in a Chase. 👀 This is a critical skill for knowing what the Killer is doing.
Don’t Waste Your Speed Boost. 💨 After being hit, use the speed boost to run to the next safe loop.
Cleanse Dull Totems. ✨ This can prevent powerful endgame perks like NOED from activating.
Bodyblock the Basement Exit. 🧍‍♀️ A healthy Survivor can stand at the top of the stairs to block the Killer.
Crouch to Avoid Crows. 🤫 Running near a crow will alert the Killer. Crouch to move past them silently.
Don’t Stay Idle. 😴 Crows will circle above your head if you stand still for too long.
Heal a Downed Survivor at the Exit Gate. ❤️‍🩹 This prevents the Killer from picking them up.
Use a Key to Open the Hatch. 🔑 If the Killer closes the hatch, a Key can reopen it.
Fake a Vault. 😜 Run towards a window then turn away at the last second to bait a lunge.
Don’t Self-Care in a Corner. 🕰️ The perk Self-Care takes a long time. It’s a waste of time.
Learn Totem Spawns. 📍 Each map has a set of possible totem locations. Learning them helps a lot.
Drop Items for Teammates. 🎁 You can drop your item for a friend who might need it more.
Use Flashbangs to Create Diversions. 🎇 You can drop it to distract the Killer or use it for a blind.
Take Advantage of the Killer’s Cooldown. 👍 After a Killer misses, use that window to gain distance.
Don’t Unhook in Front of the Killer Without Borrowed Time. 🛡️ The perk Borrowed Time is essential for risky saves.
Know When to Give Up on a Teammate. 😢 Sometimes, the best play is to finish the gens and leave.
Run in Unpredictable Paths. zig-zag Don’t always run in a straight line. Be unpredictable!

Killer Quick-Reference: 12 More Tips 😈

Listen with Headphones. 🎧 Good headphones will let you hear a Survivor’s breathing from far away.
Check Lockers. ✅ Always check lockers near gens you’ve pressured or near a hook.
Force Survivors into Dead Zones. 💀 Intentionally chase Survivors into areas where all the pallets have been used.
Look at a Wall When Picking Up. 🧱 To avoid a flashlight save, face a wall before you pick up.
Fake a Pickup. 😉 Tap the pickup button but don’t hold it to bait a Survivor out of hiding.
Use Your Power to Zone. 🚧 Use your power to force a Survivor to run in the direction you want.
Identify the Obsession. 🕷️ Many perks interact with the Obsession, so knowing who it is is valuable.
Don’t Break Every Pallet. 🤔 Sometimes leaving a pallet up can be a mind game.
Learn to “Flick” Your Camera. 🖱️ For rush Killers, a quick camera flick can help you land hits around corners.
Don’t Be Afraid to Drop a Survivor. 🤚 If you see another Survivor nearby, sometimes it’s better to drop the person you’re carrying and chase them.
Proxy Camping. 🏕️ Instead of standing right next to the hook, patrol a short distance away.
Remember the Basement Hooks are Unbreakable. 💪 The four hooks in the basement cannot be sabotaged.

Conclusion: Death is Not an Escape ♾️

You return to the campfire once more. The Fog recedes, but the memories of the trial remain—the thrill of the chase, the terror of being caught, the triumph of a narrow escape. 🎉 The knowledge in this guide is a weapon, a shield, a map through the darkness. But remember that true mastery comes from experience. Every death is a lesson. 🎓 Every escape is a story to be told. The Entity’s game is endless, but now, you are no longer just a participant. You are a contender. 👑

Finally, remember the most important tip of all:

Have Fun and Be a Good Sport. ❤️ Dead by Daylight is, at its heart, a game. The most memorable moments often come from funny interactions and unexpected plays. Whether you win or lose, a simple “gg” (good game) at the end goes a long way. 👍 Respect your opponents, learn from your mistakes, and never forget to enjoy your time in the Fog. After all, you’ll be back here soon enough. 😉

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial fan work, all trademarks and copyrights for Dead by Daylight belong to the developer Behaviour Interactive Inc.

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