Dead by Daylight Beginner's Guide: Generators, Skill Checks and Escaping the Hook
For new Dead by Daylight players: Survivor and Killer roles, repairing generators, skill checks, hook stages, exit gates and the hatch, default keys and common beginner mistakes.
Dead by Daylight is Behaviour Interactive's asymmetric multiplayer horror game: four Survivors play against one Killer. Survivors play in third person with better awareness of their surroundings; the Killer plays in first person, focused on their prey. Maps are generated with a different layout every match.
This guide is for new players who either don't know what to do in their first matches or get caught in the first chase. It focuses on the Survivor side, with separate steps covering the Killer's basic tasks.
Below you will find the goal of the game, default PC keys, first steps, concrete tips, common beginner mistakes and the questions people ask most.
Goal of the game
The Survivors' main task is repairing generators. According to the official wiki, a standard trial spawns 7 generators and 5 must be repaired. Once five are done, the two exit gates are powered; opening a gate switch takes 20 seconds, and a Survivor who leaves through an open gate has escaped. When only one Survivor remains, the hatch opens and the last player can escape through it as well.
The Killer's job is to injure Survivors, down them, carry them to a hook and sacrifice them to the Entity. Teammates can rescue a hooked Survivor, but each new hooking moves them to the next stage, and on the third they are sacrificed. When a gate is opened or the Killer closes the hatch, the Endgame Collapse starts: anyone still in the trial when the 2 minute timer runs out is lost. Matches earn you Bloodpoints, which you spend in your character's Bloodweb to unlock perks, items and add-ons.
Controls
| Key | Action |
|---|
| W A S D | Move (both roles) |
| Left Shift (hold) | Survivor: run (leaves scratch marks the Killer can see) |
| Left Ctrl (hold) | Survivor: crouch and move without scratch marks |
| Left click (hold) | Survivor: repair, heal, unhook, open gates |
| Space | Survivor: vault windows, drop pallets, enter lockers; hit skill checks |
| Right click | Survivor: use held item (flashlight, toolbox, map, etc.) |
| E | Survivor: use a perk's active ability |
| R | Survivor: drop item ยท Killer: drop the carried Survivor |
| Left click | Killer: attack (hold to lunge) |
| Right click | Killer: use your Killer's power |
| Space | Killer: break pallets, damage generators, vault, search lockers, pick up and hook Survivors |
| Left Ctrl | Killer: extra function tied to some Killers' powers |
First steps
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Play both tutorials
The in-game How To Play tutorials cover the basics for both roles: scratch marks, vaulting, skill checks, unhooking, lockers and the hatch. Even if you plan to play Survivor, the Killer tutorial shows you what the other side sees.
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Find a generator right away
As a Survivor, your first job is to go to a generator and start repairing. Joining one someone is already working on is faster, but the wiki notes an efficiency penalty for repairing together; four players on one generator is usually wasted time.
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Get used to skill checks
During repairs and heals, a gong sounds and a dial appears. Press Space when the needle is in the marked zone. Hitting the white part (Great) gives bonus progress; missing pauses the action, costs progress and alerts the Killer with a noise notification.
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Listen for the heartbeat
When the Killer approaches you hear a heartbeat that grows louder as they get closer. It means you are inside the Killer's Terror Radius. Leaving the generator to hide or move away for a while is often the right call.
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Use pallets and windows in chases
Use pallets and windows while the Killer chases you. Dropping a pallet while the Killer is under it stuns them. The Killer can break dropped pallets, so pallets are a limited resource on each map; do not waste them.
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Rescue hooked teammates
If a teammate is hooked, wait until the Killer walks away, then unhook them with left click. Unhooked Survivors get brief extra protection. Trying to unhook yourself has a very low chance and each failed attempt shortens your time.
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Do not linger once gates open
When five generators are done, find the switch and open a gate. Once a gate opens the Endgame Collapse begins; going back for teammates is brave, but everyone still inside when the timer ends is lost.
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As Killer, patrol generators
As the Killer you see unrepaired generators outlined in red. Follow the red scratch marks Survivors leave when running and the blood of injured Survivors. Damaging a generator with Space regresses its progress and slows Survivors down.
Tips and tactics
- Running leaves marksEverywhere you run you leave red scratch marks only the Killer can see. If the Killer is not near, walk or crouch; save running for chases.
- Fast vaults have a costVaulting a window or pallet while running is much faster but loud, telling the Killer where you are. If the Killer cannot see you, vault slowly.
- Do not loop the same windowAccording to the wiki, vaulting the same window three times in a row during a chase blocks it for you for a while. Use several obstacles instead of circling one window.
- Lockers are not always safeIf you are seen entering a locker, the Killer pulls you straight out. Injured Survivors make noise even inside. Use lockers only when the Killer did not see you and you are healthy.
- Heal when injuredInjured Survivors groan and leave blood, making them easier to find. Healing a teammate without a med-kit takes about 16 seconds; heal each other at a safe moment.
- Wiggle when carriedWhen the Killer carries you, wiggle by hitting the skill checks with the skill check key (Space by default). According to the wiki, succeeding continuously frees you after 16 seconds, which forces the Killer to find a nearby hook quickly.
- Track hook stagesOn your first hook, teammates have time to rescue you. In the second stage you struggle against the Entity by hitting skill checks. On a third hook you are sacrificed immediately; watch the player icons on screen to see who is on which stage.
- Cleanse totemsTotems are hidden around the map. Some Killer perks are tied to Hex totems, and cleansing one (14 seconds according to the wiki) disables that perk. If you have a quiet moment, cleanse totems you find.
- As Killer, leave after hookingStanding next to a hooked Survivor (camping) is penalized by the anti-camp Resolve meter: if the Killer stays within 16 metres too long, the hooked Survivor can unhook themselves with certainty. After hooking, go back to patrolling generators.
- Focus Bloodpoints on one characterEarly on, spend points on one Survivor and one Killer rather than spreading them. You progress through that character's Bloodweb faster and reach useful perks sooner.
Common mistakes
- Staying put when you hear the heartbeat: the Killer sees generator locations, so a Survivor lingering on repairs is easy to catch.
- Missing skill checks: every failed press costs progress and sends the Killer a noise notification.
- Dropping pallets too early: a pallet wasted before a chase is missing when you really need it.
- Rushing to unhook while the Killer is nearby: the rescued Survivor goes down again and the rescuer gets caught too.
- Lingering after gates open: anyone who has not left when the Endgame Collapse timer ends is lost.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dead by Daylight free?
No, it is a paid game on Steam. Extra characters are sold as separate content packs; some characters can also be unlocked with in-game currency.
Does it support Turkish?
According to Steam, it has a Turkish interface and Turkish subtitles. Turkish audio is not listed.
Can I play alone?
The game is online multiplayer. You can queue alone with random Survivors or play Killer against four strangers. Apart from tutorials and custom games with friends there is no single-player story mode.
Should I play Survivor or Killer?
Survivor is usually an easier start for new players because you also learn from three teammates' mistakes. Killer requires knowing maps and Survivors' chase tactics; after the tutorials, try both roles.
How long does a match take?
It depends on how fast generators get done and how well the Killer plays. According to the official wiki the Endgame Collapse lasts at most 4 minutes; a whole match is usually several times that.
This guide was written for version: This guide reflects the live version as of September 2026. Keys are the PC defaults and can be changed in settings; numbers (timers, generator count) apply to standard trials and may change with patches, and event modes (e.g. 2v8) use different rules.
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