Dead By Daylight best survivor builds (November 2022)

The beauty of Dead By Daylight is that there isn’t one linear path to winning as a survivor. When considering the perks and items that you bring into each match, it pays to strategically consider what type of survivor you’ll want to be. Will you be relying on stealth? Do you want to play aggressively to hinder the killer? Do you want to stick with the group, or fly solo?

In these instances, certain perks and items are rendered completely useless if used in the wrong context. With that being said, here are some pointers to keep in mind as you narrow down your survivor play style.

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Stealthy and solo builds in Dead by Daylight

Being stealthy in Dead By Daylight is all about knowing where every character and objective is on the map to avoid danger. Some invaluable perks to consider if you’re going the sneaky build route are:

• Iron Will (Jake Park) - Reduces the noises that you make when in the injured state
• Empathy (Claudette Morel) - Reveals the auras of injured survivors to you from almost across the entire map
• Spine Chill (All Survivors) - Activates when the killer is in close proximity and facing you
• Urban Evasion (Nea Karlsson) - Increases movement speed while crouching
• Self-Care (Claudette Morel) - Enables you to heal yourself without a med-kit or help from other survivors

Combining these perks enables you to preemptively escape from imminent danger, and gives you options to take care of yourself if you get into a scuffle with the killer. In terms of items, med-kits should be your go-to for sneaking off into the shadows and healing up on your own when needed.

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Healer and support builds in Dead by Daylight

Sticking with a group of Survivors can pay off big time during each match - after all, you can heal each other when needed and tackle generators together. Keep these perks in mind if you want to focus on supporting your fellow survivors:

• Borrowed Time (Bill Overbeck) - Briefly grants the “endurance” status to survivors that you rescue from the hook
• Kindred (All Survivors) - Reveals the auras of survivors and the killer when a survivor is hooked
• Prove Thyself (Dwight Fairfield) - Provides a speed bonus while repairing generators when other survivors are in close proximity
• We’ll Make It (All Survivors) - Provides a brief boost in healing after rescuing a Survivor from a hook
• For The People (Zarina Kassir) - When using a med-kit, enables you to instantly heal a survivor by a full health-state
• Botany Knowledge (Claudette Morel) - Increases the efficacy of med-kits.
• Boon: Circle Of Healing (Mikaela Reid) - Allows a safe area with increased healing speed and self-care perk for those who do not have it.

With builds that include these perks, your teammates will be singing your praises for making their lives easier. For items, med-kits are a safe bet to heal your fellow survivors, and maps can sometimes come in handy for pointing out objectives if paired with the proper add-ons like Glass Beads or Crystal Beads.

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Fun aggressive builds in Dead by Daylight

As a Survivor, you aren’t entirely helpless when it comes to fighting back against the Killer. In fact, playing aggressively can not only save your skin, but also be the difference in which of your fellow survivors also escapes the match. When going toe-to-toe with the Killer, consider these perks:

• Dead Hard (David King) - Enables you to quickly rush forward to avoid an attack.
• Decisive Strike (Laurie Strode) - A one-time opportunity to break-free from the Killer’s grasp after being hooked
• Blast Mine (Jill Valentine) - A unique ability that allows you to place a trap on a generator that can stun the Killer
• Head-On (Jane Romero) - Enables you to burst out of lockers and stun the Killer if they’re in close proximity
• Smash-Hit (Yun-Jin Lee) - Grants a sprint burst after stunning the Killer with a palette

This playstyle is high-risk for high-reward. While you’ll be putting yourself in harms way, these perks can help you to distract the Killer while your teammates finish objectives, or save you and your team from certain death. If you’re really feeling like a hero, bring flashlights along with you for stunning the Killer, or pulling off a Flashlight save when a teammate is in the Killer’s grasp.

That's all you need to know about the best Survivor builds in Dead by Daylight. Be sure to check back regularly to see how your build could be improved. In the meantime, check out the killers we wish to see in Dead by Daylight soon, or some games like DBD for when you need a break.

This article was updated on 4rd November 2022 by Luke Hinton, with previous updates by Kelsey Raynor.