.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1100&h=550&dpr=1.5)
Finding survivors in Dead by Daylight can sometimes be challenging, even for the most experienced killers. When survivors adopt stealthy play styles, they may be able to blend into the environment or obscure their locations from the killer, making for a tough match. When other players bring their strongest perks and know how to properly use them, it can certainly put the killer in a precarious position.
Stealthy survivors aren't a death sentence for killers, though. Killers have several ways to counter even the stealthiest of survivors, both through perks and through strategy. Here are a number of ways killers can sniff out survivors' locations and win more trials in Dead by Daylight.
5 Use Aura-Reading Perks
Aura reading perks are a great way to find survivors since auras show a survivors' exact location and are often visible across the map. Depending on which killer a player is using, different aura-reading perks might provide value. For early-game pressure, The Nemesis' Lethal Pursuer is a good pick; players can see the auras of all survivors at the beginning of the match, offering them an advantage when they need it most.
For mid-game, The Cannibal's Barbeque and Chili is a strong choice since it allows the killer to see survivors' auras across the map after the killer makes a hook. Bitter Murmur shows survivors' auras after a generator is completed, making it a good choice for pressure throughout the match. The Ghost Face's I'm All Ears lets the killer see a survivor's aura after taking a fast vault, allowing the killer to mind-game a loop more effectively. Depending on the map, some aura-reading perks may be stronger at certain times.
4 Use Loud Noise Notification Perks
Some perks trigger loud noise notifications that alert the killer to survivors' locations at critical times. These perks can help the killer locate unsuspecting survivors since survivors are not usually notified that the killer has information about where they are.
For example, The Hillbilly's perk Tinkerer sets off a loud noise notification at a generator when it reaches 75%; of course, if a generator is being worked on, the killer can infer that a survivor is working on it. Depending on how fast the generator reached this point, the killer may even be able to guess how many survivors are working on the generator. Since Tinkerer grants Undetectable, it gives the added bonus of being able to sneak up on survivors after finding them. Other perks can help in a chase, too; Spies from the Shadows, a generic perk, grants a loud noise notification each time a survivor scares a crow.
The following perks can also assist with finding survivors through loud noise notifications:
- Discordance (The Legion)
- Hangman’s Trick (The Pig)
- Hex: Thrill of the Hunt
- No Way Out (The Trickster)
3 Look For Scratch Marks
Scratch marks are one of the most reliable ways to find survivors; whenever survivors run, they leave bright red scratch marks behind that only the killer can see. In other words, if a survivor continues running, scratch marks will lead the killer to their precise location. Survivors can always stop running, though, so the killer should search around an area if they see scratch marks suddenly and inexplicably stop.
Some perks can hide or obscure scratch marks, so killers should keep these perks in mind as they search for survivors. For example, Boon: Shadow Step hides all scratch marks within its radius, and Lightweight makes scratch marks disappear more quickly. Most experienced players know how to use these perks - and their sense of the surrounding environment - to fool the killer and throw them off their scratch marks, so killers should not rely only on them.
2 Keep An Eye On Crows
If the killer sees a crow fly away, they shouldn't ignore this critical cue. A disturbed crow means a survivor is in the area! While it may not be immediately apparent where the survivor is when the killer hears a crow, killers should search around an area if they see even one crow fly; survivors will sometimes accidentally disturb a crow before hiding.
Of course, the killer can also disturb crows, so players should make sure that they don't run after a crow they've disturbed only to realize there wasn't a survivor nearby at all. Like most other ways to find survivors, there are ways for players to counter crows; crouching slowly near them will prevent them from flying off, and the perk Calm Spirit prevents a survivor from scaring any crows whatsoever.
1 Listen For Grunts Of Pain
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
When survivors are injured, they will elicit grunts of pain. The killer can listen for these sounds to determine the location of an injured survivor, whether they're in a locker, running out in the open, or hiding behind a rock. Using a headset when playing killer is critical since it helps with realizing which direction survivors are coming from.
Survivors make more noise than just grunts of pain, but killers will have to listen especially closely if they want to hear them since they are more subtle. Survivors' footsteps and breathing are soft, but observant killers can use them to find survivors regardless of if they are injured. Killers should keep in mind, though, that survivors can silence these noises with perks (namely Iron Will), making finding them more complicated.
Dead by Daylight is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mobile, and Google Stadia.