Survivors in Dead By Daylight have a plethora of Perks to choose from, each with its own pros and cons. Since new characters and abilities are released often the list of best Perks can change over time.
The meta of Dead By Daylight Perks has changed over the years, particularly with new scenarios, Survivors, and Killers joining the roster. Currently, there are 140 Survivor Perks in Dead By Daylight, which is a large number to sort through and determine which ones are best. However, some currently stand out among the rest in the current version of the game.
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Please note that despite the numbers, these perks are not in any particular order and represent some of the best perks to use to escape the trials.
15 Dramaturgy
Run Fast, Cause Chaos!
One of the newer Unique Survivor Perks in the game with the addition of the Nicolas Cage DLC in Dead By Daylight, this Perk plays into the meta and adds a hint of unpredictability. This perk causes the Survivor to run for 0.5 seconds before gaining a +25% Haste Status Effect with another effect. You will become Exhausted after using this perk for 60/50/40 seconds.
The last effect is random, which could cause the Survivor to be Exposed, to have a longer Haste Effect, to Scream, or to receive a random rare item. The Perk’s downside is that it requires the Survivor to be healthy, but the Haste effect can be a huge benefit to sprint to an Exit Gate or evade a Killer. The full effects can be seen in the table below:
Effect | Note |
|---|---|
Suffer from the Exposed Status Effect for 12 seconds | Exposed makes Survivors more vulnerable to a Killer's Basic Attack, where one swing can put them into a dying state. |
Extend the duration of Haste for another 2 seconds. | Haste makes your Speed faster. |
Scream without notifying the Killer. | This makes noise but does not directly signal the Killer. |
Receive a random Item or Rare rarity with a random selection of Add-Ons attached to it, automatically dropping any previous item. | The real potential of this effect is that you can randomly receive a very potent weapon or other rare item, allowing you to use more items more frequently for greater effect. |
14 Lithe
Vault & Sprint!
Lithe is a Unique Perk to Feng that gives the Survivor a chance to get away from the Killer. After performing a rushed vault, the Survivor breaks into a sprint of 150% of their normal Running Movement speed for 3 seconds.
This will then give the Survivor an Exhausted Status Effect for 60/50/40 seconds, depending on the prestige of the Perk in Dead By Daylight. This can provide the Survivor a needed burst to lose the Killer and find a place to lay low.
Lithe cannot be used while Exhausted.
13 Bardic Inspiration
Roll a D20
New for Chapter 32, which features Killer Vecna, Bardic Inspiration is the newest Perk for Survivors and is one of Aestri's unique Perks. This Perk comes with a special animation of the Survivor playing the lute and a rare smile for the Survivors of Dead by Daylight, allowing you to roll a d20. You can see the animation in the YouTube video by DStrike, featured above.
The roll will have varying effects, depending on your luck. A 1 will do nothing but make you scream, notably without the Killer knowing, while a 2-20 will give you some bonus percentage boost to your Progression on Skill Checks, shown in the table below. Bardic Inspiration has a cool-down of 90/75/60 seconds after completing the Performance or canceling it.
Roll | Percentage |
|---|---|
2-10 | +1% |
10-19 | +2% |
20 | +3% |
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12 Spine Chill
Speed Up With This Sixth Sense.
This general Perk activates whenever the Killer is within 36 meters of the Survivor and looking at them with a clear line of sight. This increases the Survivors action speed for Repairing, Healing, Sabotaging, Unhooking, Cleansing, Blessing, Opening, and Unlocking by 2-6% and lasts for 0.5 seconds after the Killer loses line of sight or exits the range.
Spine Chill can allow a Survivor to finish an important task before the Killer reaches them and potentially still have time to escape.
11 Prove Thyself
Work Faster, Together!
This is a Unique Perk belonging to Dwight that increases the Survivor’s Repair speed by 6-10% for each other Survivor within 4 meters of that Survivor up to 18-30%, and each Survivor in that range also receives the benefit of that Perk.
This can allow Survivors to repair Generators much faster when they are together, which can give them a head start early in the game if they use them well before the Killer has a chance to reach them. It can also allow them to finish them quicker as the match grows longer.
10 Deja Vu
Repairing Generators
While some may be surprised, this Perk has made its way into the top thresholds of Survivor Builds in Dead By Daylight by giving players a buff for completing the main objective, i.e., repairing the Generators. This is a General Perk available to any Survivor from the beginning, making it less challenging to acquire and more accessible to Prestige. It also changes what Auras Survivors can see.
This Perk was buffed as part of the 7.0.0 Patch, boosting both its Percentages and making the Perk active indefinitely.
For instance, it allows Survivors to see the Auras of 3 Generators closest to each other by proximity at all times, meaning you will always know where over half your objective can be found. It also increases the speed at which you can repair those Generators by 4/5/6%, giving you quite a boost to do so. And, if you happen to have or find a Map, the three Generators revealed to you will automatically show up on the Map, giving you better knowledge about maneuvering around the Killer and completing the objective.
9 Boon: Circle of Healing
Heal, Heal, Heal!
Circle of Healing is a Unique Perk to Mikaela that allows Survivors to create a Boon Totem out of a Dull or Hex Totem by blessing it. This Boon creates a radius of 24 meters in which any Survivor inside the radius will have an increase of 50-100% to Altruistic Healing speeds when not using a Med-Kit, and any injured Survivor will have their Aura revealed to other Survivors. This allows Survivors to work better together and help each other survive the night.
Ranges of percentages or duration of effects are based on the level of the Perk. Perks range from levels 1 to 3, which usually increases the effect of the perk in question and can be done by "Prestiging" the perk. A Perk cannot be assigned to another Survivor until it has been Prestiged on that Tier on the Survivor it came with. The cost to unlock a Perk at a certain Tier for other characters is shown in the table below.
Perk Tier | Cost |
|---|---|
I | 2500 |
II | 3250 |
III | 4000 |
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8 Deadline
Desperation Turned To Adrenaline
Deadline is one of the Unique Perks of Alan Wake, who was introduced as part of Chapter 30.5 and was given his own small DLC. He was brought in around the same time as his appearance in Alan Wake II, representing that character as opposed to his appearance in the first game. This Perk mirrors his own desperation to end the nightmare and find the light. You can see how his character operates in Straz's video.
Whenever you are Injured, this Perk will automatically activate, and while it increases the odds of performing skill checks by 6/8/10%, it also reduces the penalty for missing them by more than 50%. It means that you may miss one while healing yourself or someone else, but the consequences for doing so are much lower. Additionally, it may cause Skill Checks to appear in random places, but keeping an eye out for unusual things is nothing strange in this game.
7 Sprint Burst
Get A Boost of Speed.
Sprint Burst is another Unique Perk for Meg, which activates when a Survivor starts to run. As they do, they will sprint at 150% of their normal Running Movement speed for 3 seconds. Afterward, the Survivor will be Exhausted for 60/50/40 seconds, but the burst of speed can give Survivors in Dead By Daylight enough time to reach an Exit Gate or evade a Killer.
Sprint Burst cannot be used while exhausted.
This can be especially useful when paired with other Perks, such as Window of Opportunity, which was mentioned later. It can give you useful information about how to maneuver around the Killer or how to escape. You will have to be strategic about when to use it, but players should not have too much trouble finding a place to hide with a careful selection of Perks.
6 Kindred
Show Your Teammates The Way.
Kindred is a general Perk that boosts Survivors Aura-spotting abilities depending on whether they or another Survivor is hooked. If they are hooked, the Auras of all Survivors are revealed to each other, and if a Killer is lingering within 8-16 meters of their hook, their Aura can be seen by all Survivors.
If another Survivor is hooked, a Survivor with Kindred can see the Aura of all other Survivors and the Killer’s as well if they are within 8-16 meters of the hooked Survivor. Knowing where other Survivors are is invaluable, and the additional Perk of seeing a lurking Killer is a great benefit.
5 Still Sight
All-Seeing Eyes
Another unique perk for Aestri in Chapter 32 of Dead By Daylight, Still Sight, gives the Survivor a rare chance to see more than they should. By standing still for 6/5/4 seconds, Still Sight will automatically activate and show you a few different Auras. Within 18 meters of your location, you can see the Killer and any Chests and Generators, allowing you to get a full look at the land.
This means players can keep track of the Killer's location and hide quickly and quietly if it is close enough to you. Additionally, knowing if there's an unrepaired Generator nearby or a Chest with some rare goodies is important information to keep in mind. In this game, knowledge is power, and you will want to have as much as you can go into the final escape run.
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4 Adrenaline
End-Game Energy Boost.
The Adrenaline Perk is another Unique Perk for Meg, which triggers in the endgame when the Exit Gates are powered on. It instantly heals the Survivor by one health State and grants a sprint bonus of 150% of the Survivor’s normal Running Movement speed for 5 seconds.
If disabled, Adrenaline will activate if the Survivor is freed, and will wake players from the Dream World if playing against the Nightmare. It will give the player an Exhausted Status Effect for 60/50/40 seconds afterward.
3 Made for This
Injuries Create Haste.
One of Gabriel’s Unique Perks, Made for This, will activate whenever the Survivor is in the Injured State. It will grant the Survivor a 1-3% Haste Status Effect while running and the Endurance Status Effect for 6-10 seconds after completing a Healing action on another Survivor.
It cannot be used while Exhausted, but unlike other similar Perks, it does not cause Exhaustion. This can allow Injured Survivors to outrun the Killer and give them a boost for helping someone else instead of themselves, adding to the teamwork aspect of Dead By Daylight.
2 Windows Of Opportunity
More Information For You
A unique Perk for Kate Denson, part of Chapter 8: Curtain Call, is another informational boost that gives you more potential to see auras around you. This one, however, shows you all Breakable Walls, Pallets, and Windows near you within 24/28/32 meters, which alone can be useful information when the Killer is trying to chase you down and you need an escape plan. It does not do anything else on its own, but that's nothing bad.
While Kate Denson retired in January 2024, she is still available for purchase in the game's store, meaning players can still obtain her Perks.
As seen in WhosGonnaStopMe's video, this Perk has risen to the top of the meta and is currently one of the most popular Perks. When paired with Perks that help players run away or escape the Killer, it can be especially useful. You do not have to squint while panicking if you can automatically see viable escape routes; anything that makes you faster will only improve it.
1 Off the Record
Stay Quiet After Being Saved.
This is a Unique Perk for Zarina, which favors a stealthy Survivor build in Dead By Daylight. After being unhooked by another Survivor or yourself, this Perk activates for the next 60-80 seconds. It prevents the Killer from revealing the Survivor’s Aura and suppresses Grunts of Pain, as well as giving the Survivor the Endurance effect.
This gives players time to creep away from the Killer and reset. It will deactivate if the Exit Gates are powered, at which point it will pay to be faster instead of sneaky. This lets you run as fast as you can to escape from the arena and make the Killer disappointed in Dead By Daylight.
Source: Otz Clips/YouTube, Naymeti/YouTube, DStrike/YouTube, Straz/YouTube
Dead by Daylight
- Released
- June 14, 2016
- Genre(s)
- Horror , Survival
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Behaviour Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Behaviour Interactive
