Hardest Killers To Master In Dead By Daylight

Highlights

Dead by Daylight started as a casual party game but evolved into a competitive meta-driven experience for both killers and survivors.
Some killers, like The Hillbilly and Vecna, have unique mechanics that require skill and strategy to master effectively.
Players looking for a challenge can try mastering harder killers like The Blight and The Nurse, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

As a seasoned Dead by Daylight player with hundreds of hours under my belt, I can confidently say that the Nurse, played by the enigmatic Crotus Prenn Asylum inmate, is hands down the most challenging and rewarding killer to master. With her unique Blink ability, she offers a level of control and unpredictability that’s second to none.

Originally, Dead by Daylight was designed to be a lighthearted, hide-and-seek type game with a spooky theme. However, as with many multiplayer games, it evolved and gained a competitive aspect. While most killers in the game can be effective against various groups of survivors, survivors often have the advantage in advanced play due to their greater coordination and strategy.

In simpler terms, not all killers in “Dead by Daylight” are equally simple to excel at. Mastering these particular killers can present a greater challenge, but the sense of accomplishment upon doing so is often heightened.

15 The Hillbilly – Max Thompson Jr.

Precision Is Necessary To Land Chainsaw Dashes

Power: Chainsaw
Realm: Coldwind Farm

In the game, there are two chainsaw-wielding killers, and one of them is referred to as “The Hillbilly.” Given the devastating power of this tool, it can instantly defeat a Survivor upon contact. However, due to their dangerous nature, these implements come with certain restrictions.

When it comes to the Hillbilly wielding his chainsaw, quickly revving it up makes him charge forward in a straight path, maneuvering being nearly as difficult as old-school tank game controls. Consequently, Survivors can easily dodge chainsaw attacks by weaving around obstacles or even avoiding him in spacious areas of the map. However, mastering this killer requires significant skill, especially for new players.

14 The Lich – Vecna

Mechanics Can Be Tough To Remember And Use Effectively

Hardest Killers To Master In Dead By Daylight

Power: Vile Darkness
Realm: The Decimated Borgo

Vecna is a legendary adversary hailing from the Dungeons and Dragons mythology. This formidable lich boasts unlimited powers and a vast hoard of enchanted riches, making him an irresistible target for brave adventurers determined to bring his reign of terror to an end.

In an unexpected turn of events, Vecna became a formidable addition to the roster of villains in “Dead by Daylight,” bringing along novel gameplay elements with his extensive arsenal of abilities. His power to traverse the map as a spectral being and obstruct pallet placement are features that significantly enhance the role of the killer. However, newcomers to Vecna might overlook these skills in their eagerness to pursue their prey. Moreover, fortunate opponents can collect valuable items to employ against him.

13 The Knight – Tarhos Kovacs

Knowing When To Deploy Guards Is Never Simple

Power: Guardia Compagnia
Realm: The Decimated Borgo

In the olden gaming days, I, as the Knight, venture forth with my trusted sword and spectral trio of guards into the shrouded fog, accompanied by Survivor Victorio Tosscano. This ancient slayer of foes wasn’t exactly a crowd favorite among players, but perhaps it’s because mastering his gameplay proves to be quite a challenge.

Using three distinct guards at your disposal, you have the ability to summon one of them during a killing spree. Each guard brings unique advantages to assist in the murder, yet their presence erases telltale signs such as scratches and blood puddles, complicating the pursuit of elusive survivors. Importantly, most guards do not inflict injuries directly on survivors, adding an extra layer of challenge that requires strategic timing and a keen understanding of the game.

12 The Shape — Michael Myers

Evil Within Requires Time And Patience

Power: Evil Within
Realm: Haddonfield

Michael Myers occupies an unusual position in the meta, or underlying structure, of Dead by Daylight. While some may argue that his ability is among the simplest in the game to master, this isn’t necessarily the whole story. Michael Myers tracks survivors by pressing and holding the active power button, observing their movements. As he stalks, a meter fills up, granting him enhanced abilities at each tier, culminating in a time-limited, powerful third tier. From a theoretical standpoint, this mechanic appears straightforward to grasp and employ.

Mastering Myers presents a greater challenge than it may seem. Players must be aware that Myers does not relinquish tier two once obtained. Since this is a capability with restricted usage, proficient Myers players usually reserve tier three for crucial moments. Consequently, managing the meter to get it as close to 100% before saving it is essential. Adding to the complexity, Myers lacks an anti-looping mechanism, making him one of the more challenging killers to perfect.

11 The Ghost Face – Danny Johnson

Certain Maps Render His Power Near Useless

Power: Night Shroud

In “Dead by Daylight,” Ghost Face is similar to Michael Myers as a sneaky killer with a distinct playstyle. Unlike most other killers in the game, Ghost Face presents an extra challenge that some players find too daunting due to his unique mechanics. Although challenging to master, Ghost Face is an ideal option for those wanting to specialize in stealth-oriented killers. In contrast to Myers, Ghost Face can exert pressure on survivors earlier in the match since he doesn’t need to upgrade his ability. He can mark multiple survivors and reveal their locations prematurely. Additionally, Ghost Face can crouch, making it harder for survivors to detect him compared to Michael Myers.

Ghost Face may not reach the expertise of a skilled Nurse or Blight, but he can be highly efficient in most matches once his techniques are perfected. While Ghost Face isn’t as strong on specific maps, mastering them is crucial for becoming the top stealth killer in the game.

10 The Twins – Charlotte And Victor Deshayes

Managing Two Killers Is A Tough Balancing Act

Power: Blood Bond

As a gamer, I can tell you that controlling the abilities of a killer is already a challenge. But get ready for an even greater test: playing as The Twins. You see, instead of just managing one killer’s powers, now you’re dealing with two. Charlotte is your primary character, but Victor, her evil twin, acts as her unique ability.

Victor dashes around swiftly, yet fails to spot survivor markings. With his exceptional ability, he launches surprise attacks on survivors. Injured survivors succumb instantly, while healthy ones are repeatedly targeted for a duration of 8 seconds. Once Victor has finished attacking, control shifts back to Charlotte, who must locate the attacked survivor. There’s much more that Victor is capable of, but mastering these killers presents a significant challenge due to the demands of managing two distinct characters.

9 The Oni – Kazan Yamaoka

His Speed Makes Him Incredibly Hard To Control

Power: Yamaoka’s Wrath
Realm: Yamaoka Estte

In the intriguing game of “Dead by Daylight,” the Oni stands out as one of the most formidable foes with deep roots in Japanese folklore. Contrary to expectations, this daunting figure is not only among the deadliest but also remarkably swift. When the Oni inflicts harm on survivors, they discharge blood orbs. These orbs serve a dual purpose: they can be gathered by the Oni, filling up his power gauge, which ultimately triggers his extraordinary ability referred to as “Blood Fury.”

During Blood Fury, the Oni character gains the ability to rapidly dash across the map with Demon Dash, moving at an alarming speed. In contrast to Legion’s sprint, this move can be challenging to master. Moreover, the Oni’s lunge attack transforms into the formidable Demon Strike during Blood Fury. This strike extends further than a typical lunge and instantly knocks down survivors regardless of their health status. The Oni has the potential to become one of the most powerful killers in the game; however, achieving this requires considerable practice and some fortune with the map’s spawn locations.

8 The Blight – Talbot Grimes

His Dash Is Powerful But Quite Hard To Learn

Power: Blighted Corruption

As a dedicated gamer who’s delved deep into the world of high-level gameplay, I can’t deny Blight’s place among the elite killers. However, mastering his unique ability, Rush, has been quite a challenge for me. With each character having its quirks, Blight’s Rush stands out as peculiar.

In the upcoming encounter with Rush, be prepared for a deadly version of it. The Blight has the ability to assault survivors during this lethal variant. All he needs is to collide first with an object or surface. Prolonging lethal rushes can be achieved by crashing into obstacles as you advance. If a survivor is at a distance but within reach in three rushes, consider bouncing the Blight all the way there and relentlessly chase them down. With sufficient practice, this formidable killer can rise to the top rank in skilled hands.

7 The Plague – Adiris

Players Need To Be Vigilant Of All The Survivors Statuses

Power: Vile Purge
Realm: Red Forest

The Plague is a particularly unpleasant enemy in “Dead by Daylight,” known for her distinctive skill that involves projectile vomiting. This isn’t just off-putting; she can contaminate items such as generators and lockers with her vomit. At its worst, the infection causes survivors to sustain damage and be afflicted by the Broken status effect. Unfortunately, this debuff prevents them from healing until they manage to rid themselves of the illness.

The sickness can be cured at one of many pools placed on the map. These Pools of Devotion heal survivors completely and are also what makes the Plague so tricky to play. She can injure survivors and infect them, but they can fully heal themselves at the pools. However, The Plague can also drink from these used pools to upgrade her bile into Corrupt Purge, which makes her vomit more lethal. Playing the Plague is all about player decisions. The right decisions need to be made at the right times, and infections need to be watched closely. Once a player has mastered the Plague, though, they will find that there are few other killers in the game that can hold a three-gen better than she.

6 The Executioner – Pyramid Head

Rites Of Judgment Is Hard To Land

Power: Rites of Judgment
Realm: Silent Hill

In the terrifying realm of horror video games, there’s arguably no figure as renowned as Pyramid Head from the Silent Hill series. With his towering pyramid-shaped head and menacing sword, he leaves an indelible mark on anyone who crosses his path. When he drags his blade along the ground, it generates a chilling trail of barbed wire. Should an unlucky survivor come into contact with this lethal obstacle, they’ll be struck with the agonizing curse of Torment.

Survivors who are mentally anguished can be confined in Penitentiary Enclosures instead. These enclosures function similarly to traps without requiring Pyramid Head’s direct intervention. Pyramid Head is equipped with a long-range attack as well. By pressing the attack button while performing Rites of Judgment, Pyramid Head launches barbed wires in a straight line. This projectile can penetrate walls and surprise survivors unawares. However, its trajectory is predictable, making it simpler for survivors to evade. Despite this limitation, Pyramid Head remains vulnerable during the attack’s recovery phase.

5 The Hag – Lisa Sherwood

Survivors Can Easily Play Around Traps

Power: Blackened Catalyst
Realm: Backwater Swamp

In the intricate world of “Dead by Daylight,” the Hag is among the challenging killers, relying heavily on strategic planning from the players. Her unique ability may seem straightforward, but mastering it can prove to be quite an accomplishment. Due to her short reach and sluggish speed, she is not the best option for pursuing victims in a chase. Instead, her strength lies in the use of Phantasm Traps.

The Hag can paint up to 10 Phantasm Traps at a time. If the Hag is within 40 meters of the tripped trap, she can instantly teleport to the trap and surprise the survivor with a claw to the face. Playing the Hag effectively takes some time, as she is more of a defensive killer. She relies on getting a hook and then snowballing from there with webs of traps, but unfortunately, players can play around traps by crouching or even destroying them using a flashlight.

4 The Artist – Carmina Mora

Her Crows Are Debilitating To Survivors But Tough To Land

Power: Birds of Torment
Realm: Forsaken Boneyard

The Artist’s benefits are considerable on several killers, making her an extremely efficient killer in the game when it comes to disrupting survivors’ looping strategies. Her skill is a long-range crow attack that penetrates walls and injures survivors if they are within proximity. If not, they will be encircled by birds. This enables The Artist to spot survivors behind walls and focus her assault on them with another round of crows, inflicting harm as long as they are besieged by the birds.

As a gamer, I’d put it this way: The Artist isn’t my strongest suit when it comes to verticality. Her crows only fly in a straight line when I summon them, and there’s no option to guide them up or down like the Nurse’s power. Players can even scare away the birds or make them scatter as soon as they enter a locker. Despite having an impressive reach for controlling the map, experienced Survivors can still outmaneuver me. But when I get a good grip on The Artist, she’s a formidable Killer indeed.

3 The Nurse – Sally Smithson

One Of The Strongest Killers Requires Dedicated Practice

Power: Spencer’s Last Breath
Realm: Crotus Prenn Asylum

As a huge fan of the game, I’d describe the Nurse as the most exceptional killer with a unique skill set and a challenging learning curve. Her special ability is called Blink, which allows her to teleport short distances, up to approximately 20 meters. What’s more impressive is that she can chain another Blink, covering a maximum distance of 12 meters. If you’re tired of survivors endlessly looping or using pallets as an escape mechanism, just blink right through their loops and inflict damage on them instead!

I’m glad the challenge of playing the Nurse is high, making her an appealing pick for experienced gamers. She isn’t a walk in the park for everyone who decides to try her out. In fact, when starting off, it can be tough to land even a few hooks with her. However, investing time and effort into mastering her unique mechanics opens up a world of possibilities. The Nurse’s power is unmatched in Dead by Daylight, making the journey to becoming proficient with her all the more rewarding.

2 The Onryo – Sadako Yamamura

It Takes Knowledge and Practice to Known When to Manifest

Power: Deluge of Fear

In the chapter “Sadako Rising” of our story, we introduce the character of The Onryo, who becomes prominent in the Japanese horror film “Ringu.” This character has its roots in the series of novels with the same title. The Onryo is among the tiniest killers in the game, which makes her hard to detect in specific areas. However, her being small comes with few advantages as she can be outmaneuvered by skilled survivors and her power can frequently be disregarded.

Paraphrasing: Sadako has the ability to appear and disappear while pursuing survivors, altering her terror radius and level of threat. She can transport herself to various TVs scattered throughout the map, instilling a debuff called “Condemned” on nearby survivors. Survivors fully affected by “Condemned” can be eliminated during their “Dying State” by Sadako’s piercing gaze. Survivors may also retrieve VHS tapes from TVs, turning them off and advancing the “Condemned” debuff. However, hooking a survivor will permanently set in place whatever level of “Condemned” they had at that moment. This game mechanic has been beneficial for players mastering Sadako, but she remains challenging to learn.

1 The Spirit – Rin Yamaoka

Newer Players Will Find it Impossible to Phase Walk Effectively

Power: Yamaoka’s Haunting
Realm: Yamaoka Estate

In the gaming community, there’s constant debate over which character, between the Nurse and the Spirit, reigns supreme as the most effective killer. Much like the enigmatic Nurse, the Spirit is a formidable foe that requires extensive practice to master. Newcomers may find herself underwhelming at first. However, once the Spirit enters her “Phase Walking” state, she becomes a force to be reckoned with. During this phase, she leaves behind a decoy called a Husk and moves swiftly at an accelerated pace for a brief period. While in this state, she can no longer see survivors directly but can still detect their presence through their scratch marks and audible cues.

During Phase Walking, she doesn’t emit a terror radius and is hardly noticeable. Survivors can only detect her presence by observing her momentary appearances and disappearances. With ease, she approaches generators being repaired and snatches survivors away in an instant. Like the Nurse, the Spirit’s greatest adversary is herself. Few strategies exist for counteracting her apart from hoping she errs.

2024-07-17 23:55