Top 15 Beginner-Friendly Killers in Dead By Daylight: Play Guide

Summary

• Dead by Daylight features 26 killers and maintains a strong player base, averaging thousands of monthly players.
• Key killers like The Demogorgon, The Clown, and Albert Wesker offer unique strategies and perks, enhancing gameplay variety.
• Beginners are recommended to start with easier-to-learn killers such as The Trapper, The Nightmare, and The Wraith before exploring more complex options.

When Dead by Daylight was released in 2016, it started with just three killers and four survivors, designed as a thrilling game of hide-and-seek where survivors had to outsmart the killer to escape. Few could have predicted its meteoric rise, transforming it into what some enthusiasts call the "Super Smash Bros. of horror."

With 26 killers and an average of 62 thousand players as of July 2021, Dead by Daylight continues to thrive. The game offers a solid tutorial that covers the basics, but mastering the intricacies of each killer can be challenging. Without friends to practice with, testing new killers is tough since there are no bot matches available. Choosing from 24 characters can be daunting, but some 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 2025, fans are buzzing with speculation about these new additions. Meanwhile, newcomers have ample time to experiment with various killers. Must-try characters include the iconic villain from Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons, the game's equivalent of a crazed clown, and the sunglasses-wearing mastermind from Resident Evil.

15 The Beast - The Demogorgon

Cover Distance With Portals

The Demogorgon, an interdimensional being from the sci-fi horror series Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons, entered Dead by Daylight in Chapter 13: Stranger Things. With its terrifying appearance and a mouth full of teeth, the Demogorgon is a killer that can outsmart survivors trying to escape by covering large distances. It can vanish and reappear where survivors least expect it.

How To Play The Demogorgon

The Demogorgon excels in surprise attacks, utilizing its Portals to cover vast distances. With the Of the Abyss Power, it can sense survivors near its Portals, enabling a swift leap attack. The Demogorgon can place up to six Portals across the map to facilitate 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 Exhausted on survivors repairing generators (Mindbreaker), and causing generator regression when a basic attack sends a survivor into the Dying State (Surge). Players should strategically place Portals near generators but out of immediate sight, and use feints to keep survivors off balance.

14 The Clown - Kenneth Chase, Jeffrey Hawk

A Killer Clown With An Infectious Laugh

Before becoming the Clown in the Fog, Kenneth Chase, also known as Jeffrey Hawk, led a life of solitude that fueled his fascination with living beings. Starting with small animals, he progressed to humans, using his ties to a traveling circus as a cover. His signature anesthetic, a noxious gas, hinders survivors during chases, making them easy targets.

How To Play The Clown

The Clown is a chase specialist, using the Afterpiece Tonic to release clouds of noxious gas that impair survivors' vision and movement. His perks enhance his chasing capabilities, such as blocking windows after vaulting (Bamboozle), reducing healing speed and increasing skill check rotations within his terror radius (Coulrophobia), and regressing damaged generators after hooking a survivor (Pop Goes The Weasel).

Survivors often pre-drop or pre-run to gain an advantage, requiring players to develop better game sense and map knowledge. Clown mains should identify when to pursue and when to focus on generator regression. Proper management of Tonics is crucial, with Purple Gas Clouds ideal for zoning chokepoints and Yellow Antidote Bottles for pre-chase preparation.

13 The Mastermind - Albert Wesker

Never Get Caught In His Attacks

Introduced in Chapter 25: Resident Evil: PROJECT W, Albert Wesker, known as the Mastermind, brings his superior genetics and mutated biology to Dead by Daylight. Skipping his confrontation with Chris Redfield, Wesker enters the Fog to eliminate weaklings using the Uroboros Virus.

How To Play

Albert Wesker's Virulent Bond allows him to charge a Bound Attack, lunging to auto-vault over pallets and windows or interact with survivors by lashing out or executing a grab-throw. These interactions infect survivors with the Uroboros Virus, leading to a Hindered Status Effect over time. His perks reflect his advanced genetics, such as detecting auras of nearby survivors while carrying one (Awakened Awareness), boosting vaulting speed after a nearby survivor's rushed vault (Superior Anatomy), and inflicting Broken on injured, dying, or hooked survivors until an exit gate is opened (Terminus).

Wesker mains should capitalize on his power's range and impact, finishing chases when advantageous. Alternating to knife plays is best against survivors adept at evading his more vicious attacks. Mastery of map knowledge and control is essential for leveraging Wesker's abilities effectively.

12 The Trapper — Evan MacMillan

The Trapper, one of the original killers since Dead by Daylight's 2016 launch, remains a solid choice for beginners. His straightforward skillset, pursuit capabilities, and reliance on bear traps make him an excellent starting point for new players.

How To Play The Trapper

Despite the name, The Trapper's kit is simple. Evan uses bear traps to immobilize survivors, gaining a movement speed bonus via Agitation when carrying them to hooks. As an Area Denial Killer, he sets traps to lead survivors away from objectives and into his traps. While trap placement requires learning, their ease of use makes them ideal for beginners. The Trapper can also break through pallets and walls more easily, deal increased damage to generators, and his presence complicates skill checks for survivors.

11 The Nightmare — Freddy Krueger

Dead by Daylight excels at integrating iconic horror figures, with Freddy Krueger being a prime example. Introduced in 2017 as a DLC character, Freddy's dream-stalking persona and auto-stealthing ability make him an accessible killer 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 within 16 meters. This stealth advantage helps beginners surprise new survivors. Freddy's strength increases as generators are fixed, thanks to his Fire Up perk, and he can become obsessed with one survivor, increasing the time needed to open exit gates with each basic attack. He can also temporarily shut exits after hooking a survivor, making him a great choice for those learning the killer role.

10 The Cannibal — Leatherface

The Cannibal, available through the "Leatherface" DLC, is one of the easier killers to learn. His Barbeque & Chili perk is highly valuable across the killer roster. While effective against new survivors, he struggles against more experienced players.

How To Play Leatherface

Leatherface uses his chainsaw for a sweeping dash attack, starting with three charges per match. A charge initiates a 2-second sprint, boosting his movement speed and downing any survivors hit. However, using his ability builds a "tantrum" meter, which, when full, causes him to stop and swing wildly, downing survivors but halting his movement. Balancing his power with tantrums is crucial, especially against survivors skilled at looping.

9 The Deathslinger

Released with the 2020 Chains of Hate DLC, The Deathslinger offers a unique ranged ability reminiscent of FPS games. His weapon requires aiming down sights, making him appealing to FPS enthusiasts. While his perks may not be meta, they are suitable for new player lobbies.

How To Play Deathslinger

The Deathslinger's harpoon gun has a single shot before reloading, making misses costly. Successful hits allow him to reel in survivors, who can then be hit, leaving them injured with Deep Wounds. If not mended in time, Deep Wounds will down an injured player. Controller users may find his controls challenging due to limited sensitivity options in Dead by Daylight.

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 small 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 one at a time or continuously, slowing him down. Building his Main Event special allows him to throw unlimited blades quickly, downing nearby survivors. However, he must restock blades from lockers. Like the Deathslinger and Huntress, his effectiveness relies on good aim, which can be challenging with a controller due to basic sensitivity options.

7 The Huntress

The Huntress, available to all players, is identifiable by her haunting hum. While challenging to master, her power is simple 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 challenging, especially on cluttered maps. Her intuitive power and decent lunging attack make her a good choice for new players, though hatchets must be restocked at lockers.

6 Legion

Legion is one of the most mobile killers, with unmatched speed on foot. Their power is easy to learn but can be frustrating at higher levels.

How To Play Legion

Legion's Feral Frenzy allows them to sprint and chain attacks, losing sight of survivor tracks but gaining the ability to slide over pallets and vault windows. Survivors hit during Feral Frenzy become injured and afflicted with Deep Wounds, while others in the terror radius are temporarily marked. However, Legion cannot down survivors during Feral Frenzy, requiring players to finish them off without the power, making Legion easy to learn but weaker overall.

5 The Doctor

The Doctor is considered challenging for survivors, especially in new lobbies. His ability is powerful when used correctly, though understanding its effects can be complex.

How To Play The Doctor

The Doctor induces Madness in survivors using Static Blast within his terror radius, causing them to scream and reveal their positions. Madness has three tiers, with increasing negative effects. Shock Therapy, used when Static Blast is on cooldown, also induces Madness but in a smaller area. As Madness builds, survivors face backward skill checks, hallucinated pallets, and fake terror radius notifications, making Madness a constant passive debuff.

4 The Pig — Amanda Young

Amanda Young, known as The Pig from the SAW franchise, is a stealthy killer. Her ability to crouch grants the Undetectable effect, removing her terror radius and red killer light, and masking her aura. Though slower while crouched, she can surprise unsuspecting survivors.

How To Play The Pig

From a crouched state, The Pig can activate the Ambush Dash to sprint and attack, either injuring or downing survivors. After downing a survivor, she can place a reverse bear trap on their head, which becomes active after a generator is completed, killing the survivor after 150 seconds unless they find the right key in a Jigsaw box. While The Pig has more to learn than some killers, her ability and traps are straightforward.

3 The Hillbilly

The Hillbilly, inspired by Leatherface, offers a different take on the chainsaw rush. His power is easy to learn but challenging to control, especially for controller users.

How To Play The Hillbilly

The Hillbilly's chainsaw rush propels him forward at twice his regular speed in a straight line, downing survivors on impact and destroying pallets and breakable doors. While user-friendly, he can be easily dodged or baited into obstacles. Mastering the Chainsaw Rush requires skill in turning and maneuvering, making him less approachable for beginners, particularly those using controllers.

2 The Shape — Michael Myers

Michael Myers, the first licensed killer in Dead by Daylight, is a recognizable slasher icon. His power is simple to learn, making him suitable for new players, though he is considered a late-game killer.

How To Play The Shape

Myers builds his power meter by stalking survivors, moving slower while doing so. Stalking highlights survivors, with white-highlighted ones building the meter faster than red-highlighted ones. At tier three, Myers can down survivors in one hit until his meter reverts to tier two. Reaching tier three multiple times becomes harder as the game progresses, with the skill lying in knowing when to activate it and how to move effectively.

1 The Wraith

The Wraith, one of the original killers, is highly forgiving, especially against new survivors. He is the best option for beginners learning to play as a killer.

How To Play The Wraith

The Wraith can cloak himself by ringing his Wailing Bell, gaining the Undetectable status and becoming nearly invisible. He must uncloak to attack, receiving a speed boost upon doing so, which can help him catch survivors even if they spot him uncloaking. The Wraith's power is easy to learn, making him a fun and accessible choice for new players.