Dead By Daylight: The 15 Best Killers For Beginners (& How To Play Them)

Dead by Daylight Killer Guide: Mastering the Hunt

Dead by Daylight, a consistently popular multiplayer horror game, features a diverse roster of 26 killers. This guide focuses on helping beginners navigate the killer selection, highlighting both easy-to-learn and more complex options. While the game offers a basic tutorial, mastering each killer requires practice and understanding their unique abilities and perks.

Top Killers for Beginners:

We'll start with killers ideal for newcomers, focusing on straightforward mechanics and impactful strategies.

1. The Wraith: One of the original killers, The Wraith's power is simple yet effective. He can cloak himself using his Wailing Bell, becoming nearly invisible to survivors. Uncloaking provides a speed boost, allowing for quick attacks. His ease of use makes him perfect for learning the fundamentals.

2. The Shape (Michael Myers): An iconic slasher, Michael Myers relies on a power meter built by stalking survivors. Reaching tier three grants one-hit downs, making him powerful in the late game. While his strategy is less about immediate action and more about strategic stalking, his core mechanic is easy to grasp.

3. The Hillbilly: Inspired by Leatherface, The Hillbilly utilizes a chainsaw rush for high-speed chases and pallet destruction. The power is simple to activate, but mastering its control and trajectory takes practice. Despite the skill ceiling, the core concept is easy to pick up.

4. The Pig (Amanda Young): This stealth-focused killer can crouch, granting Undetectable status. Her Ambush Dash allows surprise attacks, and her signature reverse bear traps add a unique strategic layer. While more complex than the previous three, her core mechanics are still relatively easy to understand.

5. The Doctor: While considered "Hard" in-game due to the complexity of his Madness effect, The Doctor's powers (Static Blast and Shock Therapy) are straightforward to use. Mastering the Madness mechanic and its impact on survivors takes time, but the basic application is simple enough for beginners.

6. The Legion: Legion's Feral Frenzy allows for rapid movement and chained attacks, making them highly mobile. While they can't down survivors while in Frenzy, their speed and ability to easily vault obstacles make them a fun and relatively easy killer to learn.

7. The Huntress: The Huntress throws hatchets, a simple yet challenging ability requiring aim and prediction. Her straightforward power makes her a good choice for learning ranged attacks, though mastering accuracy takes time.

8. The Trickster: The Trickster’s Showstopper ability involves throwing blades to build up a laceration meter, eventually injuring or downing survivors. His power requires aim, similar to the Huntress, but provides a satisfying sense of progression as the meter fills.

9. The Deathslinger: This killer uses a harpoon gun for ranged attacks, reeling in survivors. While demanding aim, the core mechanic is easy to understand, making him a good choice for FPS fans. Controller users may find the aiming more challenging due to the game's sensitivity options.

10. The Trapper: The Trapper sets bear traps, a straightforward power for area denial. His easy-to-understand kit makes him a solid choice for beginners to learn the basics of trap placement and pursuit.

11. The Nightmare (Freddy Krueger): Freddy's Dream Demon power allows him to be invisible at a distance, making ambushes easier. His other perks enhance his power as generators are repaired, making him a strong choice for beginners.

12. The Cannibal (Leatherface): Leatherface's chainsaw sprint is powerful, instantly downing survivors. While his ability has a high skill ceiling, the basic use is simple, and his Barbeque & Chili perk is highly valuable.

More Advanced Killers:

Once comfortable with the basics, consider these more complex killers:

• The Demogorgon: Uses portals for strategic repositioning and surprise attacks. Requires map awareness and understanding of portal placement.
• The Clown: A chase-focused killer using noxious gas to hinder survivors. Requires map knowledge and understanding of gas cloud placement for effective zoning.
• Albert Wesker: Uses the Uroboros Virus to infect and hinder survivors. Requires understanding of his lunge attack and its range for maximum impact.

This guide provides a starting point for your Dead by Daylight killer journey. Experiment, practice, and discover your preferred playstyle! Remember that even the "easy" killers require skill and map awareness to truly master.