When it comes to selecting Survivor Perks in Dead by Daylight, it can be overwhelming to know some of the best options. But there are some Survivor Perks that are standout choices that you should always bring with you.
You can only use four Perks at a time when playing as a Survivor, which means you need to mix and match which ones you’re using. Some Perks in Dead by Daylight are better if you’re working alongside specific characters, and others are better against specific Killers based on their abilities and their overall playstyles. We’re going to list out some of the best Survivor Perks that will always be helpful to you, regardless of who you’re working with and any of the Killers you’re against.
The 10 best Survivor Perks in Dead by Daylight
All Survivor Perks have a chance to appear in your character’s Bloodweb, meaning you need to use Bloodpoints to unlock a character. If you want to guarantee a Perk is always available on any character, you must prestige the character with that unique Perk at least once to get the tier-one versions of those Perks across every character you own in Dead by Daylight. You can, however, prestige a character to level three to reach tier-three Perks for every character you unlock.
These are some of the best Survivor Perks you can use in Dead by Daylight, how they work, and what makes them fantastic choices.
10. Better than New
The Better than New Perk comes from Rebecca. With it, after completing a healing action on another teammate, it increases their Healing, Unlocking, Cleansing, and Blessing actions by 12/14/16%, which is a good way to keep your teammates focused on objectives. If you grab this Perk, more often than not, you want to bring a Med-Kit with you or focus on staying close to your allies in Dead by Daylight, making sure the Killer can’t hook them and they can readily find other items to aid them during a match.
- Pros
- Works well in aiding teammates
- Keeps teammates focused on objectives
- Provides benefits to teammates, beyond healing them
- Cons
- Forces you to focus on your teammates
- If you can’t find teammates, you can’t use this Perk
- Doesn’t aid in repairing generators
9. Borrowed Time
Borrowed Time is a perk you can get from Bill. With it, whenever you unhook an ally, the duration of their Endurance status effect increases by 6/8/10 seconds and their Haste by 10 seconds. It makes it easier for your teammates to get away when they’re hooked by the Killer, increasing the chances of getting away if the Killer is nearby or when they want to run off and heal. Unfortunately, this does leave you open to getting hit next. You might need it against The Xenomorph.
- Pros
- Increases the chance of a teammate getting away
- Makes it more difficult for the Killer to land another hook on a Survivor
- Cons
- Increases the chances you will get knocked down by the Killer if they’re nearby after unhooking a Survivor
8. Boil Over
You can get Boil Over from Kate. Whenever a Killer picks you up and carries you to a hook, this Perk increases the struggle effects on the Killer whenever you wiggle by 60/70/80% and suppresses the ability of the Killer to see the Hooks within 16 meters. You also gain 33% of your Wiggle progression if the Killer drops down from a height. This is a great Perk to have in Dead by Daylight as it directly benefits you, but you can only use it when the Killer knocks you down and doesn’t directly assist your teammates.
- Pros
- Makes it difficult for the Killer to hook you
- Lowers the chance of being offered to the entity
- Forces the Killer to waste time on you, and not focus on generators
- Cons
- Only benefits you, and not your teammates
- You have to wait until the Killer knocks you down
7. Boon: Circle of Healing
Boon: Circle of Healing comes from Mikaela, and you can use it to cleanse a Boon, granting other Survivors the chance to heal their teammates faster by 50/75/100% while in the radius. The boon has been knocked down by some of the Dead by Daylight players because it used to allow everyone to heal themselves without a teammate, but the benefits of it are still good if you can coordinate with your teammates. However, it’s easy for the Killer to see the aura of Circle of Healing.
- Pros
- Survivors can see each other’s aura in this area when injured
- Increases the rate at which teammates can heal each other
- Cons
- Players can’t heal themselves anymore
- Easy for Killer to see the Circle of Healing aura
6. Unbreakable
The final Perk I want to recommend comes from Bill and is called Unbreakable. Once per match, whenever you enter the Dying state, you can completely recover from it, and your Recovery speed goes up by 25/30/35%. Although this Perk only works once, it’s a great way to make sure you can get up after the Killer knocks you down and is focused on someone else. The problem is most Killers typically go straight after you when they knock you down, so you may not be able to use it much.
- Pros
- Allows you to recover from the Dying state
- Increases your Recovery speed while in the Dying state
- Makes it harder for the Killer to hook you
- Cons
- Can only use this once per match
- Killer can prevent you from using this effect
5. Leader
The Leader Perk from Dwight is a great choice for those who like to work together in teams. While you are within eight meters of other Survivors, their Healing, Sabotaging, Unhooking, Cleansing, Opening, and Unlocking increase by 15/20/25%, and the effect lingers for 15 seconds when they leave your range. You can nearly never go wrong with this Perk to enhance your Dead by Daylight team, but it does require you to find them.
- Pros
- Boosts your teammates in whatever task they’re doing
- It makes it more difficult for the Killer to outmaneuver everyone, increasing the chances of completing Generator
- Cons
- You have to be close to teammates for this to work
4. Plot Twist
Plot Twist comes from Nicolas Cage, and if you ever find yourself in an Injured State, you can activate Plot Twist. This forces your character to enter the Dying State, and they can begin to recover as if they were knocked down by a Killer. If you fully recover yourself, you return to full health, and you receive a 50% Haste for 2/3/4 seconds. It’s a great way to heal yourself if you can’t find a teammate to help out. The problem is you are vulnerable to the Killer finding and hooking you in this state.
- Pros
- Allows you to fully heal when you’re Injured without a teammate
- Makes it difficult for the Killer to find you while in the Dying state
- Cons
- You might give the Killer a free hook if they sneak up on you while you use Plot Twist
3. Fogwise
One of Vittorio’s unique perks is Fogwise. The effect activates when you succeed on a Great Skill Check while repairing a Generator, and you can see the Killer’s aura for 4/5/6 seconds. This Perk is always a great choice to make sure you stay on top of the Killer’s position, where you can share their location with your teammates. The trick is getting the Great Skill Checks. It’s a good way to track down Wesker or Ghost Face.
- Pros
- A consistent way to know the Killer’s location
- Makes it difficult for the Killer to sneak up on you
- Cons
- Requires a Great Skill Check when repairing a Generator for it to activate
2. Prove Thyself
A second Perk you can get from Dwight is Prove Thyself, and it’s another helpful Perk for anyone who wants to be a team player. With it, whenever a teammate is helping you repair a generator, your Repair speed increases by 6/8/10%, for a maximum of 18/24/30%, and is applied to other Survivors in range. It’s a great way to get the drop on a Killer if you and another teammate are working together to focus on generators, but it does force the two of you to stick together.
- Pros
- Dramatically increases the Repair Generator action
- This applies to teammates who are helping you Repair
- Cons
- Requires you to be close to teammates and move with them
1. Spine Chill
If you don’t want a Killer to sneak up on you, Spine Chill is an incredible Perk and is available to everyone. When a Killer is within 36 meters of you and in clear sight of you, Spine Chill works its magic, increasing the effects of any action you’re doing by 2/4/6%. It’s a great way to signal to yourself that the Killer could be coming after you and gives you a chance to complete whatever you’re working on before they reach you. Great against the Shape or Ghost Face.
- Pros
- Lets you know when the Killer sees and is coming after you
- Increases the chances of you finishing your task
- Cons
- The Killer sees and is likely chasing you
