Pallet & Window Vaulting Techniques

Master Dead by Daylight vaulting. Learn survivor techniques for pallets and windows, including fast vaults, loops, and perks to enhance evasion.

Pallets and windows are critical tools for survivors in Dead by Daylight, offering vital opportunities to evade the killer and extend chases. Mastering the art of vaulting these obstacles efficiently can mean the difference between escaping and being caught.

Understanding Pallets

Pallets are wooden structures that survivors can drop to block the killer's path or create a temporary barrier. When a survivor drops a pallet, it can stun the killer if they are too close, giving the survivor precious seconds to escape.

Pallet Vaulting Techniques

• Standard Vault: Approaching a pallet and pressing the 'Jump' button will allow a survivor to vault over it. This is a fundamental escape maneuver.
• Fast Vault: If you approach a pallet with momentum and press the 'Jump' button at the right time, you can perform a fast vault. This is significantly quicker than a standard vault and is crucial for escaping immediate danger.
• Rushed Vault: If you vault a pallet too slowly or without sufficient momentum, you might perform a 'rushed vault.' This is a slower animation and can leave you vulnerable.
• Pallet Looping: Survivors often use pallets in conjunction with other map geometry to create 'loops.' This involves running around a central object (like a rock or a generator) and vaulting pallets as the killer approaches, forcing them to break the pallet or chase around the loop.
• Pallet Dropping Strategy: As a survivor, decide whether to drop a pallet immediately to create distance or to hold onto it as a last resort. Dropping it too early might waste its potential if the killer isn't close.

Understanding Windows

Windows are found in various structures across the maps. Survivors can vault through them to gain distance or break line of sight with the killer.

Window Vaulting Techniques

• Standard Window Vault: Approaching a window and pressing the 'Jump' button initiates a vault.
• Fast Window Vault: Similar to pallets, approaching a window with momentum and vaulting at the correct time results in a fast vault. This is essential for quickly escaping a killer's grasp.
• Rushed Window Vault: Vaulting a window too slowly or without proper momentum can result in a rushed vault, which is slower and more dangerous.
• Window Looping: Windows are often used in conjunction with other windows or pallets to create extended chase sequences. Survivors will vault through a window, circle around, and vault back through the same window or a nearby one.
• The '3-Gen' Window: Some windows are strategically placed near multiple generators. Survivors might use these to quickly move between objectives or to create difficult chases for killers trying to defend multiple generators.
• Killer Blocking Windows: Killers can stand in front of a window to prevent survivors from vaulting through it. This is a common defensive tactic.

Perks that Enhance Vaulting

Several survivor perks can improve vaulting abilities:

• Lithe: After performing a fast vault, gain a burst of speed.
• Sprint Burst: While not directly vault-related, the speed boost can help you reach windows and pallets with more momentum for fast vaults.
• Balanced Landing: After falling from a height, gain a burst of speed. This can be useful after vaulting from elevated positions.

Killer Counterplay to Vaulting

Killers can counter vaulting by:

• Anticipation: Predicting where a survivor will go and cutting them off before they reach a vault.
• Breaking Pallets: Destroying pallets to remove escape routes.
• Chasing Through Windows: Some killers can chase survivors through windows, albeit slower.
• Using Killer Powers: Certain killer powers can bypass or punish vaulting survivors.

Practice Makes Perfect

The best way to master pallet and window vaulting is through consistent practice. Pay attention to your momentum, the killer's position, and the available escape routes. Learning the optimal paths and vault timings on each map will significantly improve your survivability.