How Dracula (The Dark Lord) powers work in Dead by Daylight

Dracula, the Dark Lord from the Castlevania series, has found his way into the Dead by Daylight fog. He has a handful of traits that make him truly terrifying, and he still has his main power, Vampiric Shift, to transform into distinct animal forms.

You can use the Dark Lord’s Vampiric Shift to change from his standard form into his wolf or bat transformation. While in each form, he has various unique powers and bonuses that make them ideal for any situation. You’ll want to swap between them when hunting down Survivors to chase them all down before they repair the generators and escape from the Dead by Daylight match. Mastering the Dark Lord’s Vampiric Shift won’t be easy, though.

How to use The Dark Lord’s Vampiric Shift in Dead by Daylight

Beyond his standard form, the Dark Lord can use two other transformations: his Wolf Form and his Bat Form. In his standard Vampire form, the Dark Lord can unleash spells against Dead by Daylight Survivors.

You can use the Hellfire spell in the Vampire Form, an ability he can use in the Castlevania series. The Hellfire Spell fires out before the Dark Lord, bringing up seven pillars of flame that travel seven meters. You can fire it across low obstacles, potentially damaging nearby Survivors as they attempt to evade you. You’ll want to be a short distance from them when you use it. You’ll also want to prepare your shot to limit the chance of the Survivor evading the attack.

When you change into the Wolf Form, the Dark Lord hunches down and becomes a four-legged hunting machine. You become far more effective at tracking Survivors, tracking their blood pools and scratch marks far more easily. In the Wolf Form, your movement speed increases, making it easier to chase them down. There are also distinct Scent Orbs that appear while hunting Survivors, and if you collect enough of them, you can use the Pounch attack against Survivors, damaging them.

If you go into the Bat Form, the Dark Lord receives the Undetectable status effect, making it far more difficult for Survivors to track him down. The Dark Lord also struggles to see the Survivors, as they become invisible, but their scratch marks are easier to find. While in the Bat Form, the Dark Lord’s movement speed increases, and he can teleport to any vault point within 32 meters of the Bat.

You’ll want to master knowing when to swap between the three forms, relying on the Vampire Form to carry Survivors to the hooks for sacrifices to The Entity. You also have the chance to try out Trevor Belmont’s perks, or any of The Dark Lord’s perks, during the Public Test Build ahead of their official launch in Dead by Daylight.