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

Mastering Dead by Daylight: A Killer Guide for Beginners

Dead by Daylight, with its impressive roster of 26 killers, offers a thrilling blend of stealth, pursuit, and psychological horror. While the game provides a basic tutorial, mastering each killer's unique abilities and perks requires practice and understanding. This guide focuses on killers ideal for beginners, paving the way for exploring the game's more complex characters.

Top Killers for New Players:

This list ranks killers based on ease of use and effectiveness for beginners, followed by a brief overview of their gameplay:

1. The Wraith: This original killer offers a forgiving power. His ability to cloak himself using the Wailing Bell provides a significant advantage, allowing for surprise attacks. Uncloaking grants a speed boost, making for quick downs. His straightforward gameplay makes him perfect for learning the basics.

2. The Shape (Michael Myers): While a late-game killer, Michael Myers' power is deceptively simple. Building his terror radius through stalking survivors is intuitive, and reaching Tier 3 for one-hit downs is satisfyingly straightforward. The challenge lies in strategic stalking and knowing when to unleash his full power.

3. The Hillbilly: Inspired by Leatherface, the Hillbilly uses a chainsaw rush for instant downs. While the chainsaw's control can be challenging, its simplicity makes it a good learning tool for understanding movement and map awareness. Mastering the chainsaw rush is key to his effectiveness.

4. The Pig (Amanda Young): This stealth-focused killer utilizes the iconic reverse bear traps. Her ability to crouch and become undetectable adds a layer of strategy, but the core mechanic of placing and activating the traps is relatively easy to grasp.

5. The Doctor: While considered difficult by some, The Doctor's Madness effect, though nuanced, is fundamentally about applying debuffs. Learning to manage Static Blast and Shock Therapy to build Madness levels is a great way to understand survivor manipulation.

6. Legion: Legion's high mobility and Feral Frenzy make for exciting chases. The ability to chain attacks and slide across obstacles is fun and easy to learn, even if mastering the power's nuances takes time.

7. The Huntress: The Huntress’s hatchet throwing requires aim, but the basic mechanic is simple. Learning to lead your throws and understand map layouts is crucial for improvement. Her intuitive power makes her a good starting point.

8. The Trickster: Trickster's Showstopper ability, while requiring aim, is relatively straightforward. Learning to manage blade throws and the Main Event is key to his effectiveness.

9. The Deathslinger: The Deathslinger's ranged attack is unique and enjoyable for FPS fans. While aiming accurately takes practice, the core mechanic is easy to understand. Controller users might find the aiming more challenging due to limited sensitivity options.

10. The Cannibal (Leatherface): Leatherface's chainsaw rush is powerful but can be challenging to master. His Barbeque & Chili perk is highly beneficial, but his effectiveness against experienced survivors diminishes.

11. The Nightmare (Freddy Krueger): Freddy's Dream Demon power provides a stealth advantage, making him easier to learn than many others. His perks further enhance his gameplay.

12. The Trapper: The Trapper's bear traps are simple to use, making him a great starting point for learning area denial strategies.

More Challenging Killers (For Later):

Once comfortable with the above, consider exploring killers like The Demogorgon, The Clown, and Albert Wesker. These offer more complex gameplay mechanics and require a deeper understanding of the game.

This guide provides a starting point for your Dead by Daylight journey. Remember, practice makes perfect! Experiment with different killers, learn their strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly, have fun!