Summary
- Dead by Daylight is a popular asymmetrical horror game with 26 killers and an average of 62,000 monthly players as of July 2021.
- Key killers like The Demogorgon, The Clown, and Albert Wesker each offer unique strategies and perks, enhancing the game's diversity.
- Beginners should start with easier killers like The Trapper, The Nightmare, and The Wraith to familiarize themselves with gameplay mechanics.
When Dead by Daylight launched in 2016, it began with a modest lineup of three killers and four survivors. The game's initial concept was a thrilling game of hide-and-seek where survivors used their wits to evade the killer and escape the map. Few could predict its meteoric rise to become what some fans affectionately refer to as the "Super Smash Bros. of horror."
With 26 killers and a robust player base of approximately 62,000 players as of July 2021, Dead by Daylight continues to thrive. While the game provides a decent tutorial covering the basics, it doesn't delve into the intricacies of each killer's abilities. Without the option for bot matches, newcomers may find it daunting to experiment with different killers. However, certain killers are more beginner-friendly and serve as an excellent starting point.
Updated on January 15, 2025, by Rhenn Taguiam: With new characters slated for release in March and April 2025—a Licensed Killer and an Original Survivor—fans of this acclaimed co-op horror game are eagerly anticipating their arrival. As speculation mounts about the new killer, new players have ample time to master the existing roster. Notable killers to explore include the iconic villain from Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons, the game's version of a crazed clown, and Resident Evil's sunglasses-wearing mastermind.
15 The Beast - The Demogorgon
Cover Distance With Portals
The Demogorgon, an interdimensional creature from the sci-fi horror series Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons, entered Dead By Daylight in Chapter 13: Stranger Things. Its menacing appearance, complete with a mouth full of teeth, belies a killer capable of outsmarting survivors. By vanishing and reappearing through its Portals, the Demogorgon can surprise survivors who believe they can escape by simply running.
How To Play The Demogorgon
The Demogorgon excels in surprise attacks, utilizing its Portals to cover vast distances. Its Of the Abyss Power allows it to sense survivors near its Portals, enabling a swift, powerful leaping attack. Players can set up to six Portals across the map to facilitate chases, although survivors can seal visible Portals. Unique perks like Cruel Limits, Mindbreaker, and Surge enhance its interactions with Portals and generators. Effective strategies include placing Portals near, but not directly beside, generators and using fake Portal-hopping and lunges to keep survivors off balance.
14 The Clown - Kenneth Chase, Jeffrey Hawk
A Killer Clown With An Infectious Laugh
Before becoming the Clown, Kenneth Chase was a solitary child who developed a fascination with living creatures. As an adult, now known as Jeffrey Hawk, he used his association with a traveling circus to indulge his dark obsession with collecting human "keepsakes." After his crimes were uncovered, he fled across the United States until the Fog enveloped him. In Dead by Daylight, the Clown uses his Afterpiece Tonic to release noxious gas, hindering survivors' progress during chases.
How To Play The Clown
The Clown thrives in pursuits, using the Afterpiece Tonic to create clouds of noxious gas that impair survivors' vision and movement. His perks, such as Bamboozle, Coulrophobia, and Pop Goes The Weasel, enhance his ability to chase and control the game's flow. Mastering the Clown requires developing map knowledge and strategic use of Tonics, with Purple Gas Clouds ideal for zoning chokepoints and Yellow Antidote Bottles best used for pre-chase preparation.
13 The Mastermind - Albert Wesker
Never Get Caught In His Attacks
Albert Wesker, introduced in Chapter 25: Resident Evil: PROJECT W, is dubbed the Mastermind in Dead By Daylight. Bypassing his confrontation with Chris Redfield, Wesker finds himself in the Fog, utilizing the Uroboros Virus to eliminate survivors. His superior genetics and mutated biology make him a formidable adversary.
How To Play
Albert Wesker's Virulent Bond allows him to charge a Bound Attack, enabling a lunge that can auto-vault over pallets and windows or interact with survivors through lashing or grabbing. These interactions infect survivors with the Uroboros Virus, eventually leading to a Hindered Status Effect. His perks, including Awakened Awareness, Superior Anatomy, and Terminus, reflect his genetic enhancements. Effective Wesker gameplay involves leveraging his power to control distance and strategically finishing chases.
12 The Trapper — Evan MacMillan
The Trapper, one of the original killers since Dead By Daylight's 2016 launch, remains a solid choice for beginners. His straightforward skillset, focused on pursuit and trap-setting, allows new players to "feel their way around the game."
How To Play The Trapper
The Trapper's simplicity belies his effectiveness. Using bear traps to immobilize survivors, he can easily pick them up and take them to a hook, aided by a movement speed bonus from Agitation when carrying a survivor. As an Area Denial Killer, strategic trap placement is key, but the ease of setting them makes the Trapper ideal for beginners. His ability to break through pallets and walls, along with increased generator damage, further enhances his presence on the map.
11 The Nightmare — Freddy Krueger
Dead by Daylight excels at integrating iconic horror figures, and Freddy Krueger, introduced in 2017 as a DLC character, is a prime example. His auto-stealthing ability makes him an accessible choice for beginners.
How To Play The Nightmare
Freddy's Dream Demon power allows him to remain visually invisible to survivors at a distance, becoming intermittently visible as he closes in and fully visible within 16 meters. This stealth advantage helps new players ambush unsuspecting survivors. Freddy's power grows with each fixed generator thanks to his Fire Up perk, and he can become obsessed with a single survivor, increasing the time to open Exit Gates with each basic attack. His ability to temporarily block exits adds another layer of strategy, making him a great learning tool for new killers.
10 The Cannibal — Leatherface
Players who purchase the "Leatherface" DLC gain access to The Cannibal, a killer who is easy to learn but can feel overpowered against new survivors. However, his effectiveness diminishes against more experienced players.
How To Play Leatherface
Leatherface's chainsaw dash attack, available with three initial charges, allows him to sprint for two seconds, swinging his chainsaw to down any survivor he hits. However, using his ability builds a "tantrum" meter, which, when full, causes him to stop and swing wildly, downing survivors but halting his movement. Balancing his power with the risk of tantrums is crucial, especially against survivors adept at looping.
9 The Deathslinger
Introduced in the 2020 Chains of Hate DLC, The Deathslinger's unique ability to aim down the sights of his weapon appeals to fans of FPS games. While his perks may not be meta, they are suitable for new player lobbies.
How To Play Deathslinger
The Deathslinger's harpoon gun requires precise aim, with one shot before reloading. Successful hits allow him to reel in survivors, who can then be injured and afflicted with Deep Wounds. Controller users may find his aiming challenging due to limited sensitivity options, but his straightforward ability makes him an intriguing choice for beginners.
8 The Trickster
Initially considered one of the weakest killers, The Trickster received a significant buff on July 27, 2021, enhancing his viability. His Showstopper ability allows him to throw multiple blades, building a laceration meter on survivors.
How To Play The Trickster
Activating Showstopper lets The Trickster throw blades to fill survivors' laceration meters, causing damage upon reaching six hits. He can throw blades continuously, though this slows him down. Activating Main Event allows for rapid, unlimited blade throws, downing nearby survivors. However, he must restock blades from lockers. Like the Deathslinger, his effectiveness hinges on good aim, which can be challenging on controllers without advanced sensitivity options.
7 The Huntress
Available to all Dead by Daylight players, The Huntress is identifiable by her haunting hum. While mastering her can be challenging, her power is simple and easy to grasp.
How To Play The Huntress
The Huntress primes a throwing hatchet by holding the power button and releases it to launch. Without a crosshair or aiming sights, hitting survivors can be difficult initially, especially on controllers. Her hatchets must be restocked at lockers, but their ability to catch survivors off-guard makes her a formidable threat from any distance.
6 Legion
Known for their unmatched mobility, Legion's power is easy to learn but can be frustrating at higher skill levels.
How To Play Legion
Legion's Feral Frenzy allows them to sprint and chain attacks, ignoring survivor scratch marks and blood pools. Survivors hit during Feral Frenzy are injured and afflicted with Deep Wounds, while others in the terror radius are marked for Legion's next attack. However, Legion cannot down survivors during Feral Frenzy, necessitating a strategic shift to finish them off without the power.
5 The Doctor
The Doctor is considered one of the more challenging killers for survivors, especially in new lobbies. His ability, while powerful, requires understanding its effects on survivors.
How To Play The Doctor
The Doctor induces Madness in survivors using Static Blast within his terror radius, revealing their positions and causing Madness damage. Shock Therapy, used when Static Blast is on cooldown, also induces Madness but in a focused area. As Madness builds, survivors face negative effects like backward skill checks and hallucinations, making The Doctor a constant debuffing threat.
4 The Pig — Amanda Young
Fans of the SAW franchise will recognize Amanda Young as The Pig. Her stealthy gameplay can be tricky but rewarding, thanks to her ability to crouch and become Undetectable.
How To Play The Pig
From the crouched state, The Pig can use Ambush Dash to sprint and attack survivors, either injuring or downing them. After downing a survivor, she can place a reverse bear trap on their head, which becomes active after a generator is completed, killing the survivor unless they find the right key in a Jigsaw box. The Pig's ability is straightforward, with the traps doing much of the work once placed.
3 The Hillbilly
Inspired by Leatherface, The Hillbilly's chainsaw rush operates differently, offering a unique challenge.
How To Play The Hillbilly
The Hillbilly's chainsaw rush propels him forward at twice his normal speed in a straight line, downing survivors on impact and destroying pallets and breakable doors. While easy to activate, mastering control and maneuverability is crucial, especially for controller users who may struggle with limited sensitivity options.
2 The Shape — Michael Myers
As the first licensed killer, Michael Myers is an iconic choice for beginners due to his simple power. Known as a late-game killer, his effectiveness grows over time.
How To Play The Shape
Myers builds his power meter by stalking survivors, which can be activated with the power button. Stalking slows Myers but highlights survivors, with white-highlighted survivors building the meter faster than red-highlighted ones. At tier three, Myers can down survivors in one hit, but maintaining this state becomes harder as the game progresses. The skill lies in timing tier three activations and strategic movement.
1 The Wraith
As one of the original killers, The Wraith's forgiving power makes him an excellent choice for beginners learning the game.
How To Play The Wraith
The Wraith cloaks himself using his Wailing Bell, becoming nearly invisible and gaining the Undetectable status. He must uncloak to attack, receiving a speed boost upon doing so. This makes him an effective choice for new players, as his power is easy to learn and he's widely available.
