Tracking & Locating Survivors

Master killer tracking in Dead by Daylight. Learn to use sound, visual cues, killer powers, and perks to locate survivors efficiently.

As a killer in Dead by Daylight, your primary objective is to hunt down and sacrifice survivors. Effective tracking and locating are fundamental skills that separate a successful killer from one who struggles to find prey. Mastering these techniques will lead to more chases and ultimately, more sacrifices.

Auditory Cues: The Killer's Ears

Sound is your most powerful tool for locating survivors. Pay close attention to:

• Generator Repair Sounds: The distinct chugging sound of generators being repaired is a constant indicator of survivor activity. The louder the sound, the closer you are.
• Survivor Grunts of Pain: Injured survivors emit pained noises. These can be heard from a considerable distance, especially when they are running or performing strenuous actions.
• Pallet Stuns and Drops: The sound of a pallet being dropped or a survivor being stunned by one can pinpoint their location.
• Loud Noise Notifications: Failed skill checks on generators, rushed vaults, and certain perk activations create loud noises that alert you to a survivor's presence and actions.
• Footsteps: While subtle, the sound of running footsteps can indicate a survivor's direction of movement.

Visual Cues: What to Look For

Beyond sound, visual cues are essential for tracking survivors:

• Scratch Marks: Survivors leave behind red scratch marks when they run. These marks persist for a short duration and can be followed to track their path. The density and freshness of scratch marks indicate recent movement.
• Blood Pools: Injured survivors leave behind blood pools. These are more persistent than scratch marks and can be followed even after the survivor has moved on.
• Crow Disturbances: Crows are often found perched around the map. If a survivor passes too close to a crow, it will fly away, creating a visual disturbance that can alert you to their presence.
• Generator Aura: Generators that are being repaired by survivors will have a subtle glow. This is a constant indicator of active objectives.
• Perk Indicators: Certain survivor perks can reveal their location or intentions through visual cues, such as auras or status effect icons.

Killer Powers and Abilities

Many killer powers are designed specifically for tracking and locating survivors:

• The Wraith's 'Wailing Bell': Allows him to become invisible and move faster, enabling him to sneak up on survivors.
• The Nurse's 'Blink': Enables her to teleport short distances, allowing her to traverse the map quickly and intercept survivors.
• The Hag's 'Phantasm Traps': Survivors stepping on these traps trigger a visual and auditory cue, alerting the Hag to their presence.
• The Spirit's 'Phase Walk': Allows her to become invisible and move at high speed, with visual cues of her movement appearing as 'spirit's fury.'
• The Dredge's 'Nightfall': Gradually darkens the map for survivors, reducing their visibility and making them easier to spot.

Map Knowledge and Prediction

Understanding the layout of each map is crucial for predicting survivor behavior. Survivors will often gravitate towards:

• Generators: They need to repair them to escape.
• Pallets and Windows: These are key for evasion and looping.
• Looping Structures: Areas with multiple pallets and windows that can be used to create distance.
• Exit Gates: The final escape route.

By anticipating where survivors are likely to go, you can patrol effectively and intercept them.

Using Perks for Tracking

Several killer perks are designed to aid in tracking:

• Whispers: Provides an audio cue when you are within a certain range of a survivor.
• BBQ & Chili: Reveals the auras of survivors located far from the hook after you hook a survivor.
• Discordance: Alerts you when multiple survivors are working on the same generator.
• Pop Goes the Weasel: Allows you to regress a generator's progress significantly when you hook a survivor.

The Importance of Patrols

Regularly patrolling generators is essential. Don't just patrol one generator; move between them to cover more ground and increase your chances of finding survivors. Listen for sounds and look for visual cues as you move.