Dead by Daylight features over 20 Killers, each coming with its own unique Power. Some Killer Powers share similarities, such as being able to instantly put a Survivor into the Dying State; however, Survivors can counter each Killer by acting accordingly.
Still, not every Killer is easy to counter, such as Deathslinger or the Nurse, especially if the Killer player has a lot of experience with the Character. On the other hand, Killers with simple kits and a straightforward playstyle are easier to counter, than more complex characters.
How to counter The Trapper?
Trapper has not a particular strong Power, only being able to place Bear Traps on the Trial grounds. However, if you step into a Trap, the Trapper usually has enough time to get to you, even on larger maps. Experienced Trappers are typically territorial, so they want you to come into a certain area of the map.
To counter the Trapper, avoid tall grass and narrow pathways, as they are perfect spots for a Trap. Other popular trapping spots are around/inside the main building and the Killer Shack. Check around Windows and Pallet loops for traps and disable them if you’re not in a chase.
If the Trapper chases your or other Survivors early in the game, he should not be able to set up many Bear Traps already. However, if he uses the Iridescent Stone Add-on, a random closed Bear Trap will be activated (set) every 30 seconds. Definitely keep this in mind until you can confirm that he does not use Iri-Stone.
Best Perk to counter The Trapper:
Small Game:
You have the undeniable capability to sense danger. Get an auditory warning when looking in the direction of Killer Traps and Totems in a 45° cone within a range of 8/10/12 meters.
- Killer Traps include Bear Traps, Dream Pallets, and Phantasm Traps.
- For Phantasm Traps, the Detection range is increased by an additional 4 meters.
Small Game has a cool-down of 15/12/10 seconds each time it activates. Only works on Killer Traps that were set by the Killer.
How to counter The Wraith?
Wraith is one of the few stealth Killers, as his Power Wailing Bell allows him to become (almost completely) invisible to Survivors. After the Wraith uncloaks, he gets granted a speed burst for 1.25 seconds, in which he can quickly catch up to running Survivors.
To counter the Wraith, Survivors can stun him by blinding him with a Flashlight. Also, watch your surrounding environment closely, as the Wraith is slightly visible near Survivors. When he starts uncloaking, try to reach the next closest Pallet to try to stun him.
Spine Chill is the best counter to Wraith, as it lights up when a Killer is directly watching you within a range of 36 meters. Spine Chill works on every Killer, including the Shape, the Ghost Face, and the Pig.
Best Perk to counter The Wraith:
Spine Chill:
An unnatural tingle warns you of impending doom. Get notified when the Killer is looking directly in your direction and standing within a range of 36 meters.
While Spine Chill is active, Skill Check trigger odds are increased by 10% with success zones reduced by 10%.
While Spine Chill is active, your Repair, Healing, Sabotage, Unhooking, Vaulting, Cleansing, Exit Gate Opening, and Chest Unlocking speeds are increased by 2/4/6%.
How to counter The Hillbilly?
The Hillbilly is one of the strongest Killers in Dead by Daylight by default, so it is pretty scary to go against him, especially if the Killers player is experienced. If he lands a chainsaw hit on a Survivor, he will be put into the Dying State immediately.
To counter the Hillbilly, Survivors should play around objects such as large rocks, Pallets, and Windows. Survivors should never run in straight lines because it makes it easy to get a hit with the Chainsaw. They should rather act unpredictable, so faking vaults, doubling back, faking the double back, and so on.
If The Hillbilly is inexperienced, it can be easy for Survivors to counter the Chainsaw; but you should not underestimate the Killer completely. Perks that enable Survivors to get to the next window or safe loop faster, such as Sprint Burst, Lithe, or Balanced Landing, can be a good method to escape the Killer or extend the chase.
How to counter The Nurse?
Like the Hillbilly, the Nurse is also one of the strongest (if not the best) Killers available. Her Power Spencer’s Last Breath enables her to charge a Blink to teleport through walls, rocks, and other objects. She can also move down (and up) building levels with a single Blink.
To counter the Nurse, Survivors should break the line of sight often as possible so that she has to predict where they will run. When the Nurse blinks, Survivors can run back to the Nurse, so she will go past them and has to use a second Blink to catch up. Stealth can also be very effective against the Nurse, as her Power doesn’t help finding Survivors quicker.
It can be easy to break a chase with an inexperienced Nurse player, but it can be difficult against players that have mastered her Power.
Best Perk to counter The Nurse:
Iron Will can be an effective counter to the Nurse, as the character’s Grunts of Pain make it easier to find them (and blink correctly). Dead Hard is also a great option, as you can dodge a hit when you are injured.
Note:Â Dead Hard can only be used if you are injured and do not have the Exhausted Status Effect.
Iron Will:
You’re able to concentrate and enter a meditative-like state to numb some pain.
Grunts of Pain caused by injuries are reduced by 50/75/100%.
Dead Hard:
Activate-able Perk. You can take a beating. When Injured, tap into your adrenaline bank and dash forward quickly to avoid damage.
- Press the Active Ability button while running to dash forward.
- Avoid any damage during the Dash.
Dead Hard causes the Exhausted  Status Effect for 60/50/40 seconds. Dead Hard cannot be used when Exhausted.
How to counter The Shape?
Michael Myers is another of the few Killers with stealth abilities. Michaels biggest strength is to be able to put Survivors straight into the Dying State with one hit if he reaches Evel Within III. To increase his tiers, he has to stalk Survivors by using his Power Evel Within.
To counter the Shape, Survivors should break the line of sight as often as possible to avoid getting stalked. When the Shape is in Evil Within Tier 3, Pallets and safe loops can help to avoid getting hit, besides a good hiding spot.
During the early game phase, it is easier to run the Killer because he has a slightly decreased movement speed and Lunge range. However, do not let the Shape stalk you, as he can reach Tier 3 with only one Survivor if he uses the right Add-ons.
Note: When Michael Myers is in his Tier 3, don’t bother healing because if he finds and hits you with a Lunge, you will instantly go into the Dying State. When his Tier 3 runs out after 60 seconds (default), start healing for more safety.
Best Perk to counter The Shape:
Sprint Burst and Decisive Strike are great options, which also work most Killers in Dead by Daylight. Sprint Burst allows you to get distance between you and the Shape, while Decisive Strike triggers a Skill Check, which will stun the Killer for 5 seconds if you hit it.
Decisive Strike:
Using whatever is at hand, you stab at your aggressor in an ultimate attempt to escape. After being unhooked or unhooking yourself, Decisive Strike will become active and usable for 40/50/60 seconds.
While Decisive Strike is active, when grabbed by the Killer, succeed a Skill Check to automatically escape the Killer’s grasp and stun them for 5 seconds, disabling Decisive Strike for the remainder of the Trial.
- Successfully stunning the Killer will result in you becoming the Obsession.
While Decisive Strike is active, the following interactions will deactivate it:
- Repairing a Generator.
- Healing yourself or other Survivors.
- Cleansing a Totem.
- Sabotaging a Hook.
- Unhooking other Survivors.
Increases the odds of being the Obsession. The Killer can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time.
How to counter The Hag?
Like Trapper, Hags are usually territorial because they have to setup their traps for later. However, Trapper and Hags traps are different because Survivors trigger the Hags Phantasm Traps by coming close. If the Trap is within 40 meters (default), the Hag can teleport to the Trap and hit the other player.
To counter the Hag, Survivors should be aware of their surroundings. If the Killer does not chase another player in the early game, expect that he set up most traps. Phantasm Traps can be destroyed by using Flashlights and do not activate if Survivors crouch or interacting with a Prop within its Area of Effect.
Pallets and windows are very against the Hag, as well as high obstacles. Hag is a very small Killer, so the Killer has to guess sometimes where the Survivor currently is. If you know that the Hag is chasing a Survivor, don’t be scared to trigger set Traps.
Best Perk to counter The Hag:
Urban Evasion (Nea Karlsson Teachable) is a solid option to counter the Hags Phantasm Traps, as your movement speed while crouching is increased up to 100%.
Urban Evasion:
Years of evading the cops taught you a thing or two about stealth.
Your Movement speed while crouching is increased by 90/95/100%.
How to counter The Doctor?
When it comes to tracking, there is no better Killer than the Doctor. With his Power Carter’s Spark, he can quickly find hiding Survivors and shock them. When a Survivor gets shocked by the Doctor, all interactions will be immediately canceled and put on a cool-down of 2.5 seconds.
To count the Doctor in Dead by Daylight, Survivors should stay out of his Terror Radius to avoid getting hit by his Static Blast ability. If needed, Pallets should be dropped earlier, when the Doctor charges his shock.
If you get put into Madness Tier 3, you can’t perform any Repairing, Healing, Sabotaging, Searching, or Cleansing interactions until you Snap Out of It.
Best Perk to counter The Doctor:
The best Perk to counter Doctor is Calm Spirit, a Teachable Perk of Jake Park. Equipping it will prevent Crows from flying away if you come close; plus, your character will resist the urge to scream when shocked by the Doctor.
Calm Spirit:
Animals seem to trust you as they often stay calm in your presence.
The chances of alerting nearby Crows are reduced by 80/90/100% and your urge to scream from pain is suppressed.
How to counter The Huntress?
Huntress is a strong Killer by default because her Power Haunting Hatchets allow her to start the Trial with 5 Hatchets (default) which can be thrown at a max speed of 40m/s. Those Hatchets have an extensive range and can also be thrown above objects to hit Survivors.
To counter the Huntress, Survivors should play around tall objects and Jungle Gyms to prevent an easy throw for the Killer. Survivors should also never run in straight lines because the Huntress can quickly throw her Hatchets back to back. Acting unpredictable is also a good way to counter her.
When you reach a Pallet, and the Huntress raises her Hatchet, do not drop the Pallet, as it gives her a free hit with it. You should rather continue to run the loop (if possible). Also, be aware of the Iridescent Head Add-on, which makes Hatchets even more deadly.
Best Perk to counter The Huntress:
Exhaustion Perks such as Sprint Burst or Lithe can be really helpful facing the Huntress, as they allow you got get distance. Dead Hard is helpful if you know the timing for dodging the Hatchets, and Decisive Strike always helps to escape the Killer.
Lithe:
After performing a rushed vault, break into a sprint at 150 % of your normal running speed for a maximum of 3 seconds.
Lithe causes the Exhausted Status Effect for several seconds. Lithe cannot be used when Exhausted.
How to counter The Cannibal?
Like the Hillbilly, the Cannibal (aka Bubba or Leatherface) uses a Chainsaw to down Survivors instantly. However, when Leatherface activates his Chainsaw Sweep, he can hit multiple targets instead of only one.
To counter The Cannibal, Survivors should abuse safe loops and windows as much as possible, as Pallets can be quickly destroyed with the Chainsaw. If the Cannibal uses all three charges, he cannot perform another Chainsaw attack. When there is no Pallet or Window near, try to force an M1 attack to get to the next loop.
If Bubba hits an obstacle during a Chainsaw Sweep, he will unleash a Tantrum, wildly slashing out and damaging any Survivors nearby. During the Tantrum, his movement speed is tremendously decreased and increases in length by 1 second for each Charge used.
Best Perk to counter The Cannibal:
The Cannibal’s biggest weaknesses are Pallets and Windows, so exhaustion Perks that help you to get to another Pallet/Window should be useful. A combination of Spine Chill and Resilience can also work, as they grant a 15% speed bonus (while injured) on vaulting.
Resilience:
You are motivated in dire situations.
Grants 3/6/9% increased Repairing, Healing, Sabotage, Unhooking, Vaulting, Cleansing, Gate Opening, and Chest Unlocking speeds while Injured.
How to counter The Nightmare?
After his rework, the Nightmare (aka Freddy Kruger) became a much stronger Killer, despite being one of the weakest for a long time. He now pulls Survivors passively into the Dream World, where Survivors are vulnerable to his Dream Abilities, such as Dream Snares, Dream Pallets, and Dream Projection.
To counter The Nightmare, Survivors should abuse Pallets and vaults as much as possible, as the Killer has to waste time to break the Pallet or walk around the obstacle. Failing a Skill Check in order to wake up is also a viable strategy to counter the Nightmare’s abilities.
Also, try to remind which Pallets were used by you and other Survivors to avoid Dream Pallet mind games. Dream Pallets are destroyed immediately after throwing them down and do not stun the Killer.
Perks that let you gain distance to the Nightmare and alarm you when he comes near work great against him. However, the best counter to Freddy are strong Pallet loops, which can be found on any Realms.
How to counter The Pig?
The Pig (aka Jigsaw) is another stealth Killer, which is also smaller than most Killers. Her Power Jigsaw’s Baptism allows her to crouch and dash, as well as placing Reverse Bear Traps onto downed Survivors.
The best way to counter The Pig is to abuse Pallet loops, high obstacles and to get off the Reverse Bear Trap as fast as possible. Keep a keen eye on your surroundings, and start running immediately if you hear the Pig’s unique sound when she starts a dash attack.
Best Perk to counter The Pig:
Perks that alarm the player when The Pig comes closer are a great way to counter her stealth ability, such as Premonition or Spine Chill.
Premonition:
You have the undeniable capability to sense danger. Get an auditory warning when looking in the direction of the Killer in a 45° cone within a range of 36 meters.
Premonition has a cool-down of 60/45/30 seconds each time it activates. Premonition trumps any of the Killer’s stealth abilities.
How to counter The Clown:
Clown is another Killer with a throwing-type Power, called The Afterpiece Tonic. He is able to throw two types of bottles, both having different effects, onto Survivors and himself. The purple gas intoxicates Survivors, slowing them down and making it easier to catch them. The yellow bottle invigorates the Clown and Survivors, granting a 10% speed bonus for 5 seconds.
To counter the Clown, Survivors should stay close to Pallets because they still can be fast vaulted, even if they are intoxicated. Getting distance to the Killer by abusing strong loops or Exhaustion Perks is also very effective against the Clown.
Best Perk to counter The Clown:
Sprint Burst, Dead Hard, and Decisive Strike work very well against the Clown, as well as other Killers. Other Exhaustion Perks such as Lithe or Smash Hit are also solid choices.
Smash Hit:
When your rival makes a mistake, you seize the opportunity.
After stunning the Killer with a Pallet, break into a sprint a 150% of your normal running speed for a maximum of 4 seconds.
Smash Hit causes the Exhausted Status Effect for 60/50/40 seconds. Smash Hit cannot be used when Exhausted.
How to counter The Spirit:
Spirit is a powerful Killer by default because of her Power, Yamaoka’s Haunting. She can enter a Phase Walk, becoming completely invisible and gaining increased movement speed. However, during her Phase Walk, she loses the ability to see Survivors but still sees the Scratch Marks.
To counter The Spirit, Survivors is to break the line of sight and predict the Killer’s movement. Also, predicting a faked Phase Walk can waste a lot of the Killer’s time, as well as faking vaults when she is phase walking.
Best Perk to counter The Spirit:
The best counter Perks for the Spirit are Iron Will and Dance With Me. Iron Will makes the characters grunts completely silent (only on Tier 3), while Dance With Me makes you not leaving any Scratch Marks after performing a fast vault or leaving a locker.
Dance With Me:
When performing a rushed action to vault a Window or leave a Locker, you will not leave any Scratch Marks for the next 3 seconds.
Dance With Me has a cool-down of 60/50/40 seconds.
How to counter The Legion:
Within his Power, Feral Frenzy, Legion is the only Killer which has the ability to vault Pallets like Survivors. His Power makes him faster as well and reveals all Survivors within his Terror Radius, which are not afflicted with the Deep Wound status effect.
To counter Legion, Survivors should try to stun him with Pallets, which will drain 50% of his Power gauge. During a Frenzy rush, the Legion can’t see Scratch Marks and Pools of Blood, so Survivors should break the line of sight and hide behind walls and other obstacles.
Note:Â If the Killer misses a hit on a Survivor while Feral Frenzy is active, it will cancel automatically, and the Legion will suffer from a Frenzy Fatigue for 4 seconds by default.
Iron Will, Sprint Burst, Lithe, and Resilience are great Perks against Legion. Iron Will makes it easier to hide, and Sprint Burst/Lithe/Resilience easier to create distance.
How to counter The Plague?
The Plague is a Killer, which is quite powerful if played right, but Survivors can do a lot against her. When she has her Ingest Corruption ready, she has similarities to Myers Evil Within Tier 3, but she can down multiple Survivors at once.
To counter the Plague, Survivors should use cover to avoid getting hit by her Vile Purge. Sick Survivors should only cleanse on the opposite side of the map (based on the Killers location), so the Plague has to leave the area to get her Corruption. Try to force an M1 attack before becoming broken to get to another loop area.
Generally, if you have to face The Plague in DBD, don’t cleanse right away after getting sick. An early cleanse can snowball heavily and gives the Killer his stronger Power.
Best Perk to counter The Plage:
Resilience is a great Perk to run, especially against Plagues. Most of the time, you’ll probably be injured/broken, and Resilience makes almost everything 9% faster (healing, repairing, cleansing, etc.).
Resilience:
You are motivated in dire situations.
Grants 3/6/9% increased Repairing, Healing, Sabotage, Unhooking, Vaulting, Cleansing, Gate Opening, and Chest Unlocking speeds while Injured.
How to counter The Ghost Face?
Ghost Face is similar to Myers, but his Power Night Shroud allows him to be undetectable all the time until he hits a Survivor, gets revealed, or misses a hit.
To counter Ghost Face, Survivors should avoid getting stalked by running Perks like Spine Chill. If possible, snap Ghost Face out of his Power so he doesn’t have the ability to insta-downing. If you got marked, run to the next safest Pallet or Jungle Gym, and avoid getting hit until the timer runs out.
Breaking the line of sight to Ghost Face is also very effective. However, keep in mind that he can expose Survivors 2x quicker if he leans out behind cover.
Best Perk to counter Ghost Face:
Spine Chill and Premonition are the biggest counters to Ghost Face’s Night Shroud because they alarm the player even if the Killer has the Undetectable status effect applied.
Premonition:
You have the undeniable capability to sense danger.
Get an auditory warning when looking in the direction of the Killer in a 45° cone within a range of 36 meters.
Premonition has a cool-down of 60/45/30 seconds each time it activates. Premonition trumps any of the Killer’s stealth abilities.
How to counter The Demogorgon?
If played right, The Demogorgon can apply a lot of map pressure onto Survivors because of his portals and Shred ability.
To counter the Demogorgon, Survivors should act unpredictably and never run in a straight line when the Killer changes his Shred. When another Survivor is getting chased, break the Portals near Generators, and leave them in areas where Generators are done.
When getting chased by The Demogorgon, look behind you and see if his face is opening (when he charges his Shred). Do not vault a window when Shred is charged, as it will give him a free hit.
Most of the meta Perks work against the Demogorgon, including DS, Sprint Burst, and Dead Hard. The main counter to him is still looping and doing Generators asap.
How to counter The Oni?
Oni is similar to Billy because of his ability to dash and install-down Survivors. His Power Yamaoka’s Wrath makes injured Survivors drop Blood Orbs, which the Oni can absorb to charge his Power.
The best way to counter The Oni is not to get hit by his M1 attack. Blood Orbs only drop when a Survivor is injured, and not getting hit prevents him from getting his Power. However, when you got injured, heal as soon as possible to prevent more Blood Orbs from spawning. If the Oni goes into Blood Fury, hiding from him is a viable strategy to survive.
Because Oni heavily relies on injuring Survivors, Perks that enable you to get a good amount of distance to him or to extend the chase work very well. This includes the common exhaustion Perks like Sprint Burst, Smash Hit, Lithe, and Balanced Landing.
How to counter The Deathslinger?
Deathslinger is the first Killer in Dead by Daylight which lets the player aim down sight with his weapon. This Killer is very scary to go against, as he has a good reach and can end chases quickly.
To counter the Deathslinger, Survivors should break the line of sight and play around with tall objects that the Killer can not shoot over. Pallets should also be used earlier than on other Killers because Deathslinger can pull Survivors to him, allowing him to hit them even through windows but not through Pallets.
Spine Chill works decently against the Killer, as most Deathslinger players use Monitor & Abuse to decrease their Terror Radius.
How to counter The Executioner?
The Executioner, aka Pyramid Head, is one of the stronger Killers because of his Power Rights Of Judgement. His kit is more chase-oriented, so his ability to defend Generators from being repaired is almost non-existent.
To counter Pyramid Head, Survivors should never run in straight lines when the Killer is close because it will give him a free hit with his range attack. Breaking the line of sight is also viable, as the Killer has to guess where you’re running to hit you with his Power.
Dead Hard can help you to extend the chase with the Killer, as you can dodge one of his attacks if you are injured. However, there are no Survivor Perks that help you counter his Power directly, such as Calm Spirit to the Doctor.
How to counter The Blight?
Within his Rush ability, The Blight is one of the fastest Killers’ in the game, giving him a lot of map pressure and good chase potential. However, his speed within a Rush can also be his demise.
Acting unpredictably and preferring smaller loops are great ways to counter The Blight. When Blight is chasing you, run to more open areas, and stay away from Jungle Gyms and buildings, so he has nothing to bounce off of.
Also, if he decides to perform a Rush, quickly change the direction to avoid getting hit.
How to counter The Twins?
Currently, The Twins are the only Killer, enabling the player to control two different characters, Victor & Charlotte. Their Power Blood Bond enables them to separate themselves, one being active, while the other is inactive. However, the player can switch between them, doubling the threat to Survivors.
Most of the time, the player will use Victor to find and injure Survivors, so the best way to counter The Twins is to avoid Victor’s pounces and kick him while he is vulnerable or inactive.
That said, to avoid getting hit by Victor, Survivors can also jump into Lockers. Victor will then only trap the Survivor inside the Locker for a few seconds.
How to counter The Trickster?
The Trickster is the newest range-type Killer like Huntress and Deathslinger, so there are similarities on how to counter them.
The best way to counter The Trickster is to break the line of sight, hide, abuse tall obstacles and walls, and not run in straight lines. Open areas should also be avoided at all costs.
Generally, you want as much distance between you and the Trickster, so any Perks that give you a speed boost should be considered using, such as Sprint Burst, Dead Hard, Lithe, Smash Hit, and Balanced Landing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Dead by Daylight offers a diverse range of killers, each with unique abilities and powers that can pose significant challenges to survivors. However, with the right strategies, an understanding of each killer’s strengths and weaknesses, and the appropriate use of perks, survivors can effectively counter these threats.
From the territorial Trapper to the stealthy Wraith, the powerful Hillbilly to the unpredictable Nurse, and the newest range-type killer, The Trickster, each killer requires a unique approach.
Remember, the key to success lies in adaptability, unpredictability, and the strategic use of resources. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a newcomer to the game, these insights will help you navigate the trials and increase your chances of survival. So, equip your best perks, stay alert, and may your survival instincts guide you in the eerie world of Dead by Daylight
