Survivor Guide
Everything you need to know about playing as a Survivor in Dead by Daylight. From basic objectives to advanced looping techniques.
The Survivor Role
As a Survivor, your goal is simple: escape the trial. You'll work together with three other Survivors to repair five generators, power the exit gates, and flee before the Killer catches you. However, executing this plan is anything but simple.
Survivors play from a third-person perspective, giving you better situational awareness than the Killer. Use this to your advantage by constantly checking your surroundings and planning escape routes before you need them.
Main Objectives
1. Repair Generators
Five of the seven generators on the map must be repaired to power the exit gates. Hold the repair button and complete skill checks to progress. Failing a skill check causes a loud noise notification and regresses the generator. Great skill checks provide bonus progress.
2. Open Exit Gates
Once all five generators are complete, two exit gates become available. Find a gate switch and hold the interaction button for about 20 seconds to open it. Be careful - the Killer will be patrolling the gates during the endgame.
3. Escape
Leave through an open exit gate or find the hatch. The hatch spawns when there's only one Survivor left, or when the number of completed generators is one more than the number of living Survivors.
Essential Survival Tips
Learn to Loop
Looping is the art of running the Killer around obstacles (pallets and windows) to waste their time. The longer you can keep the Killer occupied, the more time your teammates have to repair generators.
Stay Aware
Always know where the Killer is. Listen for their terror radius (heartbeat), watch for their red stain, and pay attention to your teammates' actions. Information is survival.
Heal Strategically
Being injured isn't always bad - you can work on generators while hurt. Sometimes it's better to stay injured and keep working than to spend time healing. Judge based on the situation.
Help Your Team
Dead by Daylight is a team game. Unhook your teammates, take protection hits, and don't leave others to die. A team that works together escapes together.
Popular Survivor Perks
These are some of the most commonly used and effective perks:
Adrenaline
You are fuelled by unexpecting energy when on the verge of escape. Once the Exit Gates are powered, Adrenaline activates: Instantly heal the equivalent of 1 Health State. Grants a +50 % Haste Status Effect for 3 seconds. Adrenaline ignores an existing Exhausted Status Effect , but causes it for 60/50/40 seconds.
Borrowed Time
You are fuelled with an unexpected energy when saving an ally from a Hook. The Survivors you unhook benefit from the following effects: Extends the duration of their Endurance Status Effect by 6/8/10 seconds. Extends the duration of their Haste Status Effect by 10 seconds. "Probably stings like hell, but it ain't gonna kill ya. Up and at 'em soldier. Time to move!" — Bill Overbeck
Dead Hard
You can take a beating. After being unhooked or unhooking yourself, Dead Hard activates whenever you are injured and running, and allows you to tap into your adrenaline bank to avoid taking further damage: Press the Active Ability button to trigger the Endurance Status Effect for 0.5 seconds. Dead Hard deactivates after use. Dead Hard causes the Exhausted Status Effect for 60/50/40 seconds.Dead Hard cannot be used when Exhausted. "We were walkin' through t'ginnel one night when a beer bottle flew past me, then another, and another.I thought to myself "Gonna 'ave some fun 'ere lads, let's get stuck in!".It were a right dust up, I swear down!" — David King
Decisive Strike
Using whatever is at hand, you stab your aggressor in an ultimate attempt to escape. After being unhooked or unhooking yourself, Decisive Strike activates for the next 40/50/60 seconds: When grabbed or picked up by the Killer, succeed a Skill Check to stab the Killer and escape from their grasp. Stuns the Killer for 4 seconds. Causes you to become the next Obsession. Decisive Strike is deactivated once the Exit Gates are powered.Decisive Strike is disabled for the remainder of the Trial after use. Decisive Strike is deactivated prematurely when performing a Conspicuous Action and remains disabled for the remainder of the Trial. Increases your chance of becoming the initial Obsession by increasing the default value by +100 %.The Killer can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "There is nothing to be scared of." — Laurie Strode
Iron Will
You are able to concentrate and enter a meditative-like state to numb some pain. Reduces the volume of Grunts of Pain while in the Injured State by 80/90/100 %. Iron Will cannot be used when suffering from Exhaustion, but does not cause the Exhausted Status Effect.
Sprint Burst
Starting to run triggers Sprint Burst: Grants a +50 % Haste Status Effect for 3 seconds. Sprint Burst causes the Exhausted Status Effect for 60/50/40 seconds.Sprint Burst cannot be used when Exhausted. "See you if you can catch up..." — Meg Thomas
All Survivors (44)
Each Survivor has three unique teachable perks. Click on a character to view their perks.
View all 44 Survivors
