Top 15 Beginner Killers in Dead By Daylight: Strategies Included

Summary

• Dead by Daylight features 26 killers and maintains a robust player base, averaging thousands of players monthly.
• Key killers like The Demogorgon, The Clown, and Albert Wesker offer unique strategies and perks that enhance gameplay.
• Beginners should start with more straightforward killers such as The Trapper, The Nightmare, and The Wraith to ease into the game's complexity.

When Dead by Daylight launched in 2016, it started with a simple setup of three killers and four survivors. Designed as a thrilling game of hide-and-seek, it challenged survivors to outsmart the killer and escape the map. Few could have predicted its meteoric rise, but today, Dead by Daylight is often hailed as the "Super Smash Bros. of horror."

Boasting 26 killers and an average of 62 thousand players as of July 2021, Dead by Daylight continues to thrive. The game offers a helpful tutorial that covers the basics, but mastering each killer's nuances requires practice. Without friends to play with, testing out new killers can be challenging due to the absence of bot matches. Choosing from a list of 24 characters can be daunting for newcomers, yet some killers are more beginner-friendly.

Updated on January 15, 2025, by Rhenn Taguiam: As Dead by Daylight gears up for the release of a new Licensed Killer in March 2025 and an Original Survivor in April, fans are buzzing with excitement and speculation about these additions. While awaiting these new characters, newcomers have the perfect opportunity to explore and master the game's existing killers. Essential picks include iconic figures like the Demogorgon from Stranger Things, the menacing Clown, and Resident Evil's Albert Wesker.

15 The Beast - The Demogorgon

Cover Distance With Portals

The Demogorgon, an interdimensional entity from the sci-fi horror series Stranger Things, joined Dead by Daylight in Chapter 13. This killer uses its terrifying appearance and unique abilities to outmaneuver survivors. With its ability to vanish and reappear unexpectedly, the Demogorgon can catch survivors off guard.

How To Play The Demogorgon

The Demogorgon excels in surprise attacks through its Portals, which it can use to cover vast distances quickly. Its Of the Abyss Power alerts the Demogorgon to nearby survivors, allowing for swift and powerful lunges. Up to six Portals can be placed strategically across the map to aid in chases, though survivors can seal visible Portals.

Its unique Perks enhance its Portal interactions, such as blocking Vault locations upon Generator repair (Cruel Limits), inflicting Blindness and Exhaustion on repairing survivors (Mindbreaker), and causing Generator regression when a Survivor enters the Dying State (Surge). Demogorgon players should place Portals near Generators but out of direct sight, and employ feints to keep survivors guessing.

14 The Clown - Kenneth Chase, Jeffrey Hawk

A Killer Clown With An Infectious Laugh

Before becoming the Clown in the Fog, Kenneth Chase was a solitary child fascinated by life. As an adult known as Jeffrey, he used his connection to a traveling circus to satisfy his dark urges, collecting "keepsakes" from humans. His pursuit skills in Dead by Daylight are enhanced by his noxious gas, which slows and disorients survivors.

How To Play The Clown

The Clown's Afterpiece Tonic releases clouds of gas that impair survivors' vision and movement, making them easier to catch. His Perks further boost his chasing prowess, allowing him to block Windows after vaulting (Bamboozle), reduce Healing speed and increase Healing Skill Check rotations (Coulrophobia), and instantly regress damaged Generators after hooking a Survivor (Pop Goes The Weasel).

Survivors often try to pre-drop or pre-run to evade the Clown, requiring players to develop sharp game sense and map knowledge. Clown mains should assess the value of each chase and use Generator regression strategically. Balancing the use of Purple Gas Clouds for zoning and Yellow Antidote Bottles for pre-chase preparation is key.

13 The Mastermind - Albert Wesker

Never Get Caught In His Attacks

Albert Wesker, introduced in Chapter 25: Resident Evil: PROJECT W, is known as the Mastermind in Dead by Daylight. Bypassing his confrontation with Chris Redfield, Wesker enters the Fog with the Uroboros Virus, seeking to eliminate survivors. His superior genetics and mutated biology make him a formidable opponent.

How To Play

Wesker's Virulent Bond allows him to charge a Bound Attack, enabling him to lunge, auto-Vault over obstacles, and interact with survivors by lashing out or executing a grab-throw. Each interaction inflicts the Uroboros Virus, leading to the Hindered Status Effect. His Perks reflect his advanced genetics, allowing him to detect nearby Survivor Auras while carrying one (Awakened Awareness), increase Vaulting speed after a nearby Survivor's Rushed Vault (Superior Anatomy), and inflict Broken on all injured, dying, or hooked Survivors until an Exit Gate is opened (Terminus).

Wesker players should capitalize on his long-range attacks and the debilitating effects of his Power. Alternating to knife play can be effective against survivors adept at dodging his more aggressive moves. Mastery of map control and distance management is crucial for maximizing Wesker's deadly potential.

12 The Trapper — Evan MacMillan

Since its launch in 2016, The Trapper has been a staple in Dead by Daylight. Despite numerous updates and new killer introductions, The Trapper remains a reliable choice for beginners due to his straightforward mechanics and effective area denial strategy. His presence helps new players navigate the game's intricacies.

How To Play The Trapper

The Trapper's simplicity belies his effectiveness. Evan uses bear traps to ensnare unsuspecting survivors, who can then be easily hooked. His Agitation perk provides a movement speed bonus when carrying a Survivor, making it easier to reach a hook.

As an Area Denial Killer, The Trapper strategically places traps to divert survivors from objectives. While mastering trap placement takes practice, the straightforward nature of his kit is ideal for beginners. The Trapper can also break through pallets and walls more easily and deal increased damage to generators, adding to his imposing presence.

11 The Nightmare — Freddy Krueger

Dead by Daylight excels at incorporating iconic horror figures, and Freddy Krueger is a prime example. Introduced in 2017 as a DLC character, Freddy's dream-stalking persona and auto-stealth ability make him accessible 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 at 16 meters. This stealth capability helps beginners surprise less vigilant survivors.

Freddy's strength grows with each fixed generator thanks to his Fire Up perk, and he can become obsessed with a single Survivor, increasing the time needed to open Exit Gates with each basic attack. He can also temporarily block exits after hooking a Survivor. His auto-stealth, increased action speed, and ability to manipulate exits make him a solid choice for new players learning the ropes.

10 The Cannibal — Leatherface

With the "Leatherface" DLC, players gain access to The Cannibal, a killer who's easy to learn but can feel overpowering against new survivors. His Barbeque & Chili perk is highly versatile across the killer roster, though his effectiveness diminishes against more experienced players.

How To Play Leatherface

Leatherface uses his chainsaw for a sweeping dash attack, starting with three charges per match. Activating a charge initiates a 2-second sprint, boosting his movement speed and downing survivors hit by the attack. However, using his ability builds a "tantrum" meter; once full, Leatherface stops moving and swings his chainsaw wildly, potentially downing survivors but also halting his movement. Balancing his power and tantrums is key, especially against survivors skilled at looping.

9 The Deathslinger

Introduced in the 2020 Chains of Hate DLC, The Deathslinger offers a unique ranged ability reminiscent of FPS games. His weapon requires precise aim, making him an intriguing choice for players who enjoy first-person shooters.

How To Play Deathslinger

While his perks may not be top-tier, they are sufficient for new player lobbies. The Deathslinger's harpoon gun has a single shot before reloading, making misses costly. A successful hit allows him to reel in survivors, who can then be hit again, leaving them injured and suffering from Deep Wounds, which can down them if not mended in time.

Controller users may find his aiming challenging, as Dead by Daylight lacks the detailed sensitivity and dead zone options found in many FPS games on consoles. Nonetheless, with practice, mastering the Deathslinger's controls can be rewarding.

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 blades at survivors, building their laceration meter and causing damage upon reaching six hits.

How To Play The Trickster

Activating Showstopper lets The Trickster throw blades either one at a time or continuously, though the latter slows him down. Building up the Main Event special through blade throws allows him to throw an unlimited number of blades quickly, downing nearby survivors. However, blades must be restocked from lockers around the map.

Like the Deathslinger and Huntress, The Trickster relies on good aim, which can be challenging for controller users due to basic sensitivity options. Mastering his aiming is crucial for maximizing his effectiveness.

7 The Huntress

Available to all Dead by Daylight players, The Huntress is identifiable by her haunting hum. While challenging to master, her power is straightforward and easy to learn, making her suitable for beginners.

How To Play The Huntress

The Huntress primes a throwing hatchet by holding down the power button, releasing to launch it forward. Without a crosshair or aiming sights, hitting survivors can be tricky, especially for controller players, and certain maps can hinder accuracy due to clutter.

Despite her difficulty to master, The Huntress's intuitive power and decent lunging attack make her a good choice for new players. Her hatchets can surprise survivors from various distances, but they must be restocked at lockers.

6 Legion

Legion is one of the most mobile killers in Dead by Daylight, offering unmatched speed on foot. Their power is easy to learn but can be frustrating at higher levels of play.

How To Play Legion

Legion's Feral Frenzy allows them to sprint and chain attacks, losing sight of survivor trails but gaining the ability to slide across pallets and vault windows. Survivors hit during Feral Frenzy become injured and afflicted with Deep Wounds, and others in the terror radius are temporarily marked for Legion to pursue.

However, Legion cannot down survivors while in Feral Frenzy, requiring players to finish them off outside of the power. This makes Legion easy to learn but less effective against seasoned survivors.

5 The Doctor

The Doctor is known for being challenging for survivors, especially in new lobbies. His ability is potent when used correctly, though it requires understanding its effects on survivors.

How To Play The Doctor

The Doctor uses Static Blast to induce Madness within his terror radius, causing survivors to scream and reveal their positions. Madness has three tiers, each inflicting progressively worse effects. Shock Therapy, used when Static Blast is on cooldown, also induces Madness but in a smaller area in front of the Doctor.

Madness effects include backward skill checks, hallucinated pallets, and fake terror radius notifications, constantly debuffing survivors. The Doctor's effectiveness lies in repeatedly inducing Madness.

4 The Pig — Amanda Young

Amanda Young, known as The Pig from the SAW franchise, offers stealthy gameplay. While tricky to master, her crouching ability grants the Undetectable effect, removing her terror radius and red killer light, and masking her aura.

How To Play The Pig

From a crouched position, The Pig can use the Ambush Dash to sprint forward and attack survivors, either injuring or downing them. After downing a survivor, she can place a reverse bear trap on their head, which activates upon generator completion and kills the survivor after 150 seconds unless they find the key in a Jigsaw box.

The Pig's mechanics are more complex than some other killers, but her ability and traps are straightforward and effective once understood.

3 The Hillbilly

Before securing licenses for iconic horror figures, Dead by Daylight's developers created killers inspired by them, like The Hillbilly, who echoes Leatherface. However, his chainsaw rush functions differently.

How To Play The Hillbilly

The Hillbilly's chainsaw rush propels him forward at double speed in a straight line, downing survivors on impact and destroying pallets and breakable doors. While simple to activate, controlling the rush can be challenging, making it easy for survivors to dodge or bait him into obstacles.

Mastering the Hillbilly's movement and turning during the rush is crucial, especially for controller players facing limited sensitivity options. While not ideal for beginners due to its control challenges, other killers offer more forgiving gameplay for new players.

2 The Shape — Michael Myers

Michael Myers, the first licensed killer in Dead by Daylight, is a recognizable slasher icon. His power is easy to grasp, making him suitable for new players, though he's considered a late-game killer due to the time needed to charge his power.

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 becomes a one-hit down killer until his meter depletes back to tier two.

Using Myers effectively involves knowing when to activate tier three and navigating the map efficiently. His power requires minimal skill to use but mastering his timing and movement can be challenging.

1 The Wraith

As one of the original killers in Dead by Daylight, The Wraith offers a forgiving power, particularly against new survivors. He's the ideal choice for beginners learning the game's mechanics.

How To Play The Wraith

The Wraith can cloak himself using his Wailing Bell, granting him the Undetectable status and near-invisibility. While cloaked, he cannot attack and must uncloak to deal damage. Uncloaking provides a brief but significant speed boost, allowing him to catch and injure or down survivors.

The Wraith's straightforward power and availability make him an excellent choice for new players. His mechanics are easy to learn, and he offers a fun and engaging gameplay experience.