Dead by Daylightis packed with all sorts of different characters and perks. For new players, it can be quite overwhelming to figure out where they should start. Some perks are undoubtedly much better than others, and having thebest loadout possiblewill increase the player’s chance of survival. Whilst each Survivor comes with their unique perks, some Survivors, in particular, have an incredibly strong load out and are worth prioritizing over others.
These characters can either be bought with Auric Cells, or unlocked with Iridescent Shards. Auric Cells cost real money, and Iridescent Shards take a lot of time to gather, so it’s fair that players will want to be careful about what they spend their currency on. To get the most bang for their buck, players should consider unlocking theseDead by DaylightSurvivors first.
Updated on August 06, 2025, by Rhenn Taguiam:Newcomers to Dead By Daylight who get easily frustrated by choosing a “weak” Survivor might realize they’ve just chosen the wrong character - and it can really take a while to find a comfortable pick given the game’s vast roster. Among the game’s available Survivors, and with other teammates who are also picking their choice of Survivor, just who is the most ideal pick for beginners? Thankfully, there are must-try unlocks for the strength of their Perks, with abilities that give Survivors advantages on chases, Generator repairs, and more technical aspects.
Appears in
Founding Member of STARS
Unique Perk 1Blast Mine
Activate this Perk after repairing a Generator for 40%, which will:
Unique Perk 3Resurgence
After being Unhooked or Unhooking oneself will grant a significant Healing progress
Players who got throughResident Evil 3withJill Valentineknow she’s a force to reckon with, and such isJill’s situation inDead By Daylight.Unlike other Survivors who focus on outrunning enemies and detecting them, Jill is more of a proactive protagonist - ensuring that Killers will have an annoying time taking them down as long as she’s on the battlefield. Jill’sCounterforcealone ensures she can cleanse Totems much faster, giving the team windows of opportunity to use more unique skills.
Meanwhile,Resurgencecan give players a second wind to deal with Killers for the rest of the match, as Unhooking themselves will grant a massive Healing progress that can get Jill back in the fight in no time. Perhaps most interesting is herBlast Minethat she can install in a Generator she repairs for 40%. Despite being a one-off ability, the Killer who kicks the rigged Generator will be stunned for 4-seconds - which might not be a lot of some, but could be crucial seconds for the team to regroup, finish repairing Generators, or get time to set up even more traps.
Determined Survivor
Unique Perk 1Decisive Strike
After being Unhooked or Unhooking oneself, Laurie can use this action to:
Unique Perk 3Sole Survivor
When another Survivor is killed or sacrificed, Laurie gets 1 Token, where:
If they are the Last Survivor Standing, this Perk gives:
Perhaps one of the progenitors of the Sole Survivor trope in fiction, it makes sense forLaurie StrodeofHalloweenfame to become a Survivor whose focus is to bring the Killer’s attention to them. Their skills are focused on distracting the foe hopefully long enough to ensure the rest of the team manages to secure the objective. It’s what makesDecisive Strikesuch a powerful Perk to obtain, as transferring this to the right Survivor ensures they have a fighting chance against Killers who love to hook them.
Other than Decisive Strike,Laurie’s two other Perksensure they always have the Killer’s attention.Object of Obsessionis a nifty Killer detector that can give Laurie and the team a short window of escaping the Killer once their location is discovered. AndSole Survivorensures death is an advantage, as each Survivor dying gives Laurie an undetectability radius and being the Sole Survivor grants her a much-needed speed boost to finish the last berth of the match.
Unique Perk 2Dance With Me
Rushed Actions to vault a Window or exit a Locker will Suppress the creation of Scratch Marks for a short duration
Unique Perk 3Windows of Opportunity
See Auras of Breakable Walls, Pallets, and Windows at certain meters
After country singerKate Densonisteleported to the Fog, she has to use her “connection” with nature to find a way to get out. This is reflected in her slate of abilities that give her ways of outlasting Killers early on, even if some of her Perks fall flat in comparison. Her shining glory is with herWindows of Opportunity, as always seeing the Auras of obstacles they can traverse can be a saving grace in high-stakes chases.
Unfortunately, Kate does suffer from lackluster secondary Perks. The Suppression of Scratch Marks from Locker exits and Window vaults could be useful for Kate players who know how to confuse the Killer with their chase paths. Meanwhile,Boil Overcan be Kate’s get-away-from-jail card for Killers who recklessly carry her on heights.
Plucky Documentarian
Unique Perk 1For the People
Use the Active Ability while healing another Survivor without the Med-Kit to:
After being Unhooked or Unhooking oneself, this Perk will:
Repairing a Generator for at least 3 seconds will:
Zarina Kassiris a journalist through and through, and she wants her stories to help those in need - even if it means venturing into the Fog to retrieve them. InDead By Daylight, Zarina will use her street smarts to help players outwit Killers - even when they think they have the upper hand.
Among Zarina’s Perks, players might not like theRed Herringas much due to its nature.Zarina’s last-touched Generatorwill be highlighted until she starts choosing another one, and the Killer at the Generator’s location will hear a Loud Noise if Zarina enters a Locker - regardless of whether she’s not in the vicinity. Meanwhile,For the Peopleis a spectacular sub-healing power, as Zarina can “trade” her health with another Survivor - useful if the party has designated strengths. Lastly,Off the Recordis Zarina’s ace in the hole, as this makes sure she gets extra survivability after being hooked - the Killer won’t see her aura for a while after being Unhooked and even get Endurance afterwards, giving her a chance to escape.
Killers who perform Damage or Break Actions will trigger Alert:
Players who feel like they should transform the horrors ofDead By Daylightinto a sport would easily get in the headspace ofFeng Min, whose title of Focused Competitor is easily justified by her backstory as an E-Sports player pressured by fame into accidentally going into the Fog. Despite this setback, Feng Min is determined to leave this horrid realm using her unique skills - Perks make her a must-unlock for players who want to dominate matches easily.
Feng Min is the perfect choice for players who like focusing on the objective.Techniciancan suppress the noise during and after Skill Check fails, making it less punishable to players. However, players should grabFeng Min to get access to her other two Perks: one where the Killer’s Aura is highlighted whenever they Break or Damage something (Alert), and another where a Rushed Vault gives Feng Min a much-needed speed boost to outrun Killers who are trying to chase her (Lithe).
