Highlights

• Decisive Strike - A powerful perk that allows players to escape the Killer's grasp after being unhooked, making it useful for players who often get caught or distract the Killer.
• Self-Care - Allows Survivors to heal themselves without a med-kit, making it a valuable perk for staying alive and supporting the team.
• Desperate Measures - Increases healing and hooking speeds, making it a great perk for players focused on healing and supporting their fellow Survivors.

There are more than 50 perks for Survivors in Dead By Daylight and each has its own roles and niche uses in the game. For beginners, it can be hard to identify which perks are most valuable, and even veterans can get pigeonholed over time without realizing there are better choices for keeping themselves alive.

Therefore, it's good for players to have an idea of some of the most powerful survivor perks in Dead by Daylight and their primary uses. While perks like Sole Survivor are immensely powerful for the individual, it doesn’t benefit the team so it doesn’t make the list, after all the goal is to get everyone out alive.

Updated on January 15th, 2024, by Mara Cowley: As a surviving multiplayer game constantly give new content and tweaks to balance, Dead by Daylight is an evert shifting game, with the meta in constant metamorphosis. As such, it is important players keep up to date with these changes to give themselves the best shot at surviving each trial, as the best survivor perks of two months ago might not be the best ones the next. This article has been given a needed update to match the current DbD meta, and to include more perks from new releases that are deserving of recognition.

27 Decisive Strike

Allows Players to Escape the Clutches of a Killer After Being Unhooked.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints – Decisive Strike lasts 40 seconds
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints – Decisive Strike lasts 50 seconds
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints – Decisive Strike lasts 60 seconds

This perk is more useful for players who find themselves getting caught often or who are fulfilling the role of keeping the Killer distracted. After being freed or freeing oneself from a Hook Decisive Strike kicks in and is available to use for up to 60 seconds at Tier III.

When grabbed by the Killer with this perk active, players can perform a skill check which will automatically free them from the Killer’s grasp and stun them for five seconds. Players do become the Obsession of the Killer afterward, but it’s often worth it. Laurie gets this ability automatically.

26 Self-Care

Unlocks the Ability Heal Without a Med-Kit.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints to self-heal 25% normal Healing Speed.
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints to self-heal 30% normal Healing Speed.
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints to self-heal 35% normal Healing Speed.

In every game, Survivors will inevitable take damage and typically the only way to heal is via Med-Kits, which are uncommon and get used almost as soon as they are found.

Self-Care allows the survivor to heal themselves without but at the cost of normal healing speed, as it would otherwise be too powerful of a perk. There’s no limit to the number of uses and a dedicated healer can keep the entire group in decent shape without ever finding a Med-Kit. Claudette Morel gets this perk automatically.

25 Desperate Measures

Increases Healing and Hooking Speed to Help Survivors Outrun the Killer.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints - Healing/Unhooking speeds are increased by 10% per Survivor, for up to 40%
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints - Healing/Unhooking speeds are increased by 12% per Survivor, for up to 48%
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints - Healing/Unhooking speeds are increased by 14% per Survivor, for up to 56%

For players looking for a role focused on healing and support, Desperate Measures is what they're looking for. Belonging to Felix Richter, Desperate Measures will increase the action speeds in both healing and unhooking Survivors by up to 14% per injured Survivor, which can total up to a 56% increase.

Desperate Measures is a simple perk but one that will certainly come in handy, as Survivors are being injured and hooked all the time. Even with multiple injured Survivors, players with this perk will end up being a huge savior to the other Survivors.

24 Botany Knowledge

Players Can Heal Faster, But at the Cost of Med-Kit Efficiency.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints for 30% Increased Healing Speed
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints for 40% Increased Healing Speed
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints for 50% Increased Healing Speed
• Med-kit efficiency reduced by 20%

Avoiding damage is practically impossible for Survivors. As a result, healing is a critical component for staying alive and winning the round. This makes Botany Knowledge a very handy perk for Survivors to stay alive.

This also has a significant advantage for the rest of the team as this player can be the designated healer. Claudette comes with this perk automatically and it must be unlocked for everyone else.

23 Urban Evasion

Players Can Stealth Without Sacrificing Speed.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints to increase Movement Speed by 90%
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints to increase Movement Speed by 95%
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints to increase Movement Speed by 100%

This simple passive perk is immensely powerful for players in almost any given situation. It dramatically improves the survivor’s movement speed while crouching. At Tier III it doubles the survivor’s speed when compared to other survivors.

Whether it’s evading detection, sneaking across large portions of the map, recovering from exhaustion, or coming to a downed ally’s aid this perk is invaluable. Nea Karlsson gets it automatically.

22 Spine Chill

Whenever the Killer is Close, the Survivor Gains a Speed Buff.

• Tier I - 2,500 Bloodpoints - Speeds for Healing, Repairing, Sabotaging, Unhooking, Cleansing, Blessing, and Unlocking is increased by 2%
• Tier II - 3,250 Bloodpoints - Speeds for Healing, Repairing, Sabotaging, Unhooking, Cleansing, Blessing, and Unlocking is increased by 4%
• Tier III - 4,000 Bloodpoints - Speeds for Healing, Repairing, Sabotaging, Unhooking, Cleansing, Blessing, and Unlocking is increased by 6%

As a general perk available to all Survivors, it can easily become one of the most useful overall perks in the game. Spine Chill automatically activates whenever the Killer is looking in the player's direction.

When this happens, the Action Speeds in a variety of areas will be increased, ranging from Healing to Repairing and everything in between, helping them do what they need to and escape before the Killer catches up with them.

21 Windows Of Opportunity

Vault Locations Will be Highlighted Yellow, Letting Players See Where They Should Go Next.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints – Auras of objects within 24 meters are visible.
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints – Auras of objects within 28 meters are visible.
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints – Auras of objects within 32 meters are visible.

Utilizing objects such as breakable walls and pallets can be key when evading the Killer. Players who want an easier time finding these objects will want to have Windows of Opportunity. This perk, belonging to Kate Denson, allows players to see the auras of breakable walls, pallets, and windows from within a certain range that increases with each tier.

This perk is especially useful for beginners, as getting into a chase with a Killer on an unfamiliar map might be chaotic if players don't know what's around them. Veteran players may find themselves using this perk less and less, but whenever a new map is added to the game, returning to Windows of Opportunity for a round or two may not be the worst idea.

20 Off the Record

Hides the Survivors Aura from the Killer, Allowing Them to Remain Undetected.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints - Perk is activated for 60 seconds
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints - Perk is activated for 70 seconds
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints - Perk is activated for 80 seconds

Off the Record is a great perk that players can use to avoid being found by the Killer. A perk belonging to Zarina Kassir, Off the Record activates after players are unhooked, whether by themselves or from other Survivors. For up to the next 80 seconds, the player's aura will be undetectable to the Killer, meaning they can easily slip away completely unnoticed.

When this happens, players are also given the Endurance status effect and the suppression of any Grunts of Pain. So not only will players' auras be invisible with this perk, but they'll also be able to slip away silently.

19 For The People

At the Cost of the Players Health, They Can Immediately Heal Another.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints – Broken after healing lasts for 80 seconds
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints – Broken after healing lasts for 70 seconds
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints – Broken after healing lasts for 60 seconds

For players wanting to help heal others, For the People may be an effective perk. It can only be activated if the player is at full health, but For the People allows players to heal other survivors a full Health State without the need of a Med-Kit. As a downside, doing so will make the player become the Obsession. However, having this perk gives players a 0% chance of being the Killer's initial Obsession.

It would be understandable if some players might hesitate to grab this perk since they become the new Obsession instantly after using it. However, for any players who want to focus on teamwork and helping others over themselves, For the People can be a powerful grab. This perk is exclusive to Zarina Kassir.

18 We're Gonna Live Forever

Give Endurance to Other Survivors to Help Them Survive.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints to consume 1 token to grant Endurance status effect for 6 seconds.
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints to consume 1 token to grant Endurance status effect for 8 seconds.
• Tier III - 4,000 Bloodpoints to consume 1 token to grant Endurance status effect for 10 seconds.

We're Gonna Live Forever is one of the strongest assets players can acquire if they want to play as a team. Exclusive to David King, We're Gonna Live Forever first increases players' Healing Speed significantly when healing a dying Survivor. By performing helpful activities, players can acquire tokens. These activities include performing a Safe Hook Rescue, blinding the Killer to rescue a carried Survivor, or taking a Protection Hit for any injured Survivor.

In turn, players can then use these tokens to grant the Endurance status effect to any Survivor who has been healed from the Dying State. The Endurance effect also lasts longer with each increased Tier. This perk may not do much for the player using it, but it does wonders for the other players in the game.

17 Deliverance

Raises the Chances of Self-Unhook to 100%.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints - Broken after unhooking lasts 100 seconds.
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints - Broken after unhooking lasts 80 seconds.
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints - Broken after unhooking lasts 60 seconds.

It’s nice to get rewarded for being a good team player. Deliverance does just this by giving the player a 100% guarantee to Self-Unhook after performing a Safe Hook Rescue for someone else. There is no time limitation for this perk and it can be activated repeatedly.

The ability to self-unhook is tremendous towards the end of the round whenever other teammates might be dead. It can also come in handy for players who are sacrificing themselves to help others get away. A Survivor that can unhook themselves is a major headache for the Killer. Adam gets this ability automatically.

16 Circle of Healing

Self Care With Greater Efficiency.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints – Healing speed increased by 50%
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints – Healing speed increased by 75%
• Tier III - 4,000 Bloodpoints – Healing speed increased by 100%

As far as healing goes, Circle of Healing is one of the most valuable perks in the game. A boon belonging to Mikaela Reid, Circle of Healing can be activated during the Trial by creating a Boon Totem. Doing so will create a soft chime within a radius of 24 meters. Any player within that 24-meter radius will have their healing speeds increased. They will also unlock the Self-Care ability, meaning that they can self-heal at 50% of their normal healing speed without a Med-Kit.

However, it comes at the cost the Survivors can no longer a Med-Kit on themselves, and that the healing speed no longer stacks when using the Med-Kit. But, the ability to heal at a greater speed can still prove clutch in close matches.

15 Head On

Stun the Killer Upon Rushing Out of a Locker, Allowing a Quick Escape.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints - Exhausted will last 60 seconds.
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints - Exhausted will last 50 seconds.
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints - Exhausted will last 40 seconds.

Hiding in Lockers is an underutilized mechanic in Dead By Daylight. It’s not game-changing by any means, but it can be a great way to avoid detection or in niche cases get the drop on the Killer.

Jane’s perk Head On accomplishes the latter by giving a special ability after being in a locker for at least three seconds. Upon leaving in a rush the player can stun the Killer for three seconds if they are in range. It’s not much, but it’s enough to get away or buy time for teammates.

14 Prove Thyself

Repair Generators Quicker to Get Ahead of the Killer.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints to get 6% Increase to Repairing Speed, up to a meximum of 18%.
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints to get 8% Increase to Repairing Speed, up to a maximum of 24%.
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints to get 10% Increase to Repairing Speed, up to a maxmimum of 30%.

When playing Dead By Daylight, the main object of the game is to repair 5 of the generators spread across the map to power the Exit Gates which will allow them to escape the Killer alive. As such, the players' focus will mostly be on the generators, and there are perks to help in this regard.

Prove Thyself is the best perk surrounding generators and repairing survivors have at their disposal, as it increases repair speed per Survivor cooperating on a generator. This means Survivors have a good chance at getting ahead of the Killers hook count, increasing their odds for survival.

13 Resilience

At the Cost of the Players' Health, they Gain a Speed Increase for All Actions.

• Tier I - 2,500 Bloodpoints - The Action speeds for healing, repairing, sabotaging, unhooking, vaulting, cleansing, blessing, opening, and unlocking are increased by 3% when in the Injured State.
• Tier II - 3,250 Bloodpoints - The Action speeds for healing, repairing, sabotaging, unhooking, vaulting, cleansing, blessing, opening, and unlocking are increased by 6% when in the Injured State.
• Tier III - 4,000 Bloodpoints - The Action speeds for healing, repairing, sabotaging, unhooking, vaulting, cleansing, blessing, opening, and unlocking are increased by 9% when in the Injured State.

Resilience might be slightly risky since it requires players to be in the Injured State, though the effects can be rewarding. This perk, available to all survivors, comes into effect whenever players enter the Injured State. Here, the Action speeds of a variety of effects, ranging from healing to repairing, will be increased.

Since Resilience is only active when in the Injured State, it may not be in the best interest of everyone. But for players who find themselves in this state more often, or for players who perhaps are looking for a bit of a challenge, Resilience can be quite useful. Plus, it's always helpful to have a boost when things aren't going well.

12 Unbreakable

Players Can Pick Themselves Up From the Dying State.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints for recovery speed increase of 25%.
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints for recovery speed increase of 30%.
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints for recovery speed increase of 35%.

Sometimes solid teamwork is about being the MVP for the team. This could be by staying alive or keeping the Killer distracted while allies get things done. The Unbreakable perk is good for this kind of playstyle.

With Unbreakable players can completely recover from the Dying state once per trial. This is huge when the Killer gets overconfident and leaves them behind. Instead of putting an ally at risk the Survivor can pick themselves up and get back to work.

11 Dead Hard

Gain the Endurance State to Tank One More Hit.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints - Exhausted lasts 60 seconds
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints - Exhausted lasts 50 seconds
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints - Exhausted lasts 40 seconds

When a Killer is breathing down the player's neck and they've already taken some damage Dead Hard can be the perk to get them some breathing room if not outright escape. While running, if the player is in an injured state they can press the button to gain Endurance for 0.5 seconds.

Being able to take one more hit can be the difference between life and death. It’s tricky to use effectively, but with some practice, it’s a great way to distract the Killer, save players, and help them ultimately escape. David King gets this perk automatically.

10 Chemical Trap

Slows the Killer, Buying the Survivor Precious Time to Escape.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints - Trap stays active for 100 seconds
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints - Trap stays active for 110 seconds
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints - Trap stays active for 120 seconds

Even for most seasoned survivors, chases can often end in the Killers favor due to factors such as Bloodlust and the Killers base movement speed. If Survivors could find a way to slow them down, it could but them enough time to escape their clutches.

This is exactly what Chemical Trap does, a perk belonging to Ellen Ripley. After repairing a Generator for a total of 70/60/50% of total progress, the perk activates, allowing Survivors to trap a dropped pallet. If the Killer breaks the pallet, the trap is sprung, slowing them by 50% of their normal movement speed for 4 seconds.

9 Bond

Reveals the Auras of Other Survivors to Cooperate More Effectively.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints to reveal Survivor auras in 20 meters
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints to reveal Survivor auras in 28 meters
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints to reveal Survivor auras in 36 meters

There’s a reason Dwight Fairfield is considered the strongest starting survivor in the game. His other ability Bond is immensely powerful for players fulfilling the leader role. It reveals all allies when they are within 36 meters at Tier III.

This is great for coordinating repair efforts, directing lost players, and preventing players from accidentally luring the killer to the group. The player's efforts at survival are absolutely suicidal if at least one player in the group doesn’t have this ability and knows how to relay the information effectively.

8 Reassurance

Pauses Hook Timer to Give Survivors More Time to Organize a Safe Rescue.

• Tier I – 2,500 Bloodpoints to pause Hooker Time for 20 seconds
• Tier II – 3,250 Bloodpoints to pause Hooker Time for 25 seconds
• Tier III – 4,000 Bloodpoints to pause Hooker Time for 30 seconds

As the resident medic of S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team, Rebecca's perks reflect this, as most of them revolve around staving death away from her teammates. One of these perks is Reassurance, which can but precious time for hooked Survivors.

By pressing the Active Ability button while in 6 meters of a hooked Survivor. Reassurance then kicks into action, pausing their hook timer for up to 30 seconds. This can be useful for when the Survivor gets into a chase on the way to the hook, as then they can buy time for another Survivor to come in for the rescue.