The Stranger Things DLC may no longer be available, but players who already own The Demogorgon retain access to one of the most fun and interesting killers in Dead by Daylight. It's truly a terrifying opponent for any survivor to face.
Unlike the more humanoid killers who populate most of the game's roster, The Demogorgon is a terrifying monster from another dimension altogether. It is alien and merciless with a set of powers to match, but its abilities are more nuanced than some, and many players find it tricky to make the most of its talents. With a few simple tips, though, players will be traversing the Upside Down with the best of them.
10 Don't Hold Shred
The Demogorgon's Shred is a powerful leaping slash attack. It covers ground quickly, but must be charged to use. The charge time itself is brief, but new Demogorgon players often find themselves holding the charge, waiting for the right moment to unleash it upon a survivor. However, doing so is a mistake.
Every killer has their nuances, and this is one of Demogorgon's. When charging, The Demogorgon's movement speed is significantly reduced. Chases become effectively impossible while holding the Shred. It's therefore best to wait until the last moment to charge and release the Shred, minimizing the amount of time The Demogorgon is slowed.
9 Shred Pallets
The Demogorgon's Shred ability is useful for several reasons, one of which is its utility as a pallet-destroyer. Because it can cover ground and destroy a pallet or breakable wall in a single move, Shred can be a significant time-saver.
In Dead by Daylight, every second elapsed can be the difference between a kill and an escape, and The Demogorgon's ability to rip apart pallets with little charge-time required can be potent in the right hands. A good killer can use survivors' knowledge against them, faking a pallet-shred to lure them into an unsafe position.
8 Remember Portal Cooldown
By using Channel Abyss, The Demogorgon can travel through the Upside Down, traversing the map in an instant. After using this power, The Demogorgon is unable to do so again for 10 seconds.
While this cooldown isn't a burdensome one, it's long enough that crafty survivors can punish a Demogorgon player who mistimes their movements. They can use this time to seal a portal, cleanse a totem, or simply reposition themselves somewhere more advantageous. Always keep in mind how long it will take to traverse from one important part of the map to another after using a portal, otherwise, survivors may gain valuable time.
7 Activate Portals Wisely
When The Demogorgon places a new portal, that portal is inactive: invisible to survivors but highlighted in a white aura for The Demogorgon. Using a portal as either an entrance to or exit from the Upside Down activates it, revealing it to survivors and turning its aura yellow. Active portals can be cleansed by survivors, so choosing where to place them is a trade-off.
It's a weakness any of the best survivor builds can seize on. The closer they are to The Demogorgon's objective, such as a generator, the more likely they are to be found and cleansed, but the faster the killer can launch attacks from them. Every time a portal is activated, it is both empowered and made vulnerable.
6 Fake Shreds To Bait Survivors
Shred is a fast attack and covers great distance, but it doesn't allow for much horizontal movement. Good survivors use this knowledge to their advantage, veering off course if they see The Demogorgon charging a Shred on the line they're taking.
Killers can play a mind game of their own, faking a Shred by starting to charge it when the survivor is approaching a window or pallet. The Demogorgon can then immediately cancel Channel Abyss, resuming pursuit of the survivor without significant loss of speed. As with any mind game, the more experienced the survivor, the more difficult this tactic becomes to execute successfully.
5 Shred From Heights
While The Demogorgon's Shred can cover significant distance over flat ground, it can cover even more when the killer launches the attack from elevation. The Demogorgon can use Shred from a staircase, balcony, hill, or other high ground to travel much farther than normal.
Not only can this feature reduce the time it takes the killer to get in chases, but it can also be used to land unexpected hits on survivors who believe themselves to be at a safe distance. It takes practice to perfect, but with time, Demogorgon players will be landing flying leaps like a movie ninja.
4 Double Up On Vital Portals
Traveling the Upside Down via portals grants The Demogorgon excellent cross-map movement, but survivors can shut down these underground highways by cleansing them. To prevent survivors from cutting the killer off from vital parts of the map at inopportune moments, it is often wise to place two portals in critical areas.
Whether The Demogorgon is defending a Hex totem, the basement, or a tidy three-gen, placing the second portal in the vicinity will prevent survivors from rapidly depriving the killer of movement, making things easier. While this strategy limits the number of portals that can be spread elsewhere, it can be vital for maintaining map-wide pressure.
3 Adjust Shreds As Needed
The length of the leap when one Shreds varies based on how long The Demogorgon held Channel Abyss before releasing the power. A normal Shred is preferred when The Demogorgon has extra time and needs to cover more distance, while a short Shred is preferred when the opposite is true.
Mixing up the timing and distance of Shreds can also help keep survivors guessing, promoting costly mistakes from which they may not recover. A good Demogorgon player learns the best time to use a short or long Shred as well as a regular lunge, striking survivors at whatever distance is necessary.
2 Use Portals For Information
When a survivor stands by an active portal, The Demogorgon hears their heartbeat, revealing their position. Though not as immediately impressive as the ability to traverse the map, this feature of portals can be extremely powerful.
Tracking the survivors' whereabouts in order to engage in chases and disrupt their activities is mandatory for any successful killer. The Demogorgon's portals can even be placed for just this purpose, occupying a space that might not be ideal for movement, but delivers crucial information to the killer. Knowledge kills as well as claws.
1 Attack By Surprise
When players think of stealth killers in Dead by Daylight, they typically think of The Wraith, The Shape, The Ghost Face, and The Pig. The Demogorgon is stealthy too, but in ways that require considerable practice to best capitalize on. The killer becomes stealthy whenever traveling through and briefly after emerging from a portal, allowing surprise attacks on unsuspecting survivors.
A survivor in the midst of cleansing a portal is also oblivious, deaf to the killer's terror radius and therefore vulnerable. Stealth is just another trick to be pulled from The Demogorgon's back, ensuring no one escapes the Entity's realm.
Dead By Daylight was released in June 2016 and is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and Stadia.
