Dead by Daylight Getting Started: Roles, First 10 Hours, and the Settings That Matter
New to Dead by Daylight in 2026? This guide covers the Killer vs Survivor asymmetry, the 36+ killers roster, beginner-friendly picks on both sides, perk system basics, and a 10-hour roadmap that gets you to your first chase.
TL;DR: Dead by Daylight is a 4 vs 1 asymmetric horror game. Survivor side is easier for first-timers — just play the objective. Wraith is the easiest killer to start with. The first 10 hours are tutorials → 5 Survivor matches → 5 Killer matches → choose your main side.
Who this guide is for
- You just bought Dead by Daylight (or are about to) on Steam / PlayStation / Xbox / Switch
- You are unsure whether to play Killer or Survivor first
- You want a sane perk pick for the first 20 hours
- You do not need to read this if you already have Iridescent rank on either side
This is the first guide in our zero-to-rank Dead by Daylight series. Read the others in any order:
- Core Mechanics: Perks, Add-ons, and the Chase Loop — coming soon
- Survivor Tier List: Best Survivors for New Players — coming soon
- Killer Tier List: Best Killers for New Players — coming soon
1. The asymmetric format: 1 Killer vs 4 Survivors
Dead by Daylight is fundamentally asymmetric. Two sides, two completely different gameplay loops.
| Side | Goal | Win condition |
|---|---|---|
| Killer (1) | Hunt and sacrifice 4 Survivors | Sacrifice all 4 (or 3 if Entity closes hatch) |
| Survivor (4) | Repair 5 generators, escape | Repair generators, open exit gates, escape |
The Survivor loop (cooperative)
- Repair generators (5 total) — each takes ~80 seconds alone
- Avoid the Killer — don’t get caught
- Rescue teammates if they’re hooked
- Open exit gates when generators are done
- Escape through the gate or the hatch
The Killer loop (PvE + PvP)
- Patrol generators — find Survivors by generator noise
- Chase Survivors — when you spot one
- Hit them down — then pick them up
- Hook them — carry to a hook, place on it
- Repeat — Survivor goes through struggle phases on the hook
The asymmetry
- Killer is solo — you face 4 Survivors at once
- Survivors are a team — you cooperate, share info, save each other
- Killer is generally harder for new players because of the 1v4 pressure
Common pitfall: trying both sides equally. Pick a main side for the first 30 hours, then experiment.
2. Pick a side: which is easier for first-timers?
| Side | Difficulty for new players | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Survivor | ⭐⭐⭐ (easier) | 4 players cooperating, lower pressure per player |
| Killer | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (harder) | 1v4, must learn chase mechanics |
The recommendation
- First 10 hours: Survivor. 4 players carry you, you learn the maps and objectives
- After 10 hours: try Killer. See if you enjoy the asymmetric power fantasy
- Pick a main side based on which you enjoyed more
Common pitfall: starting as Killer and getting frustrated by 4 Survivors running circles around you. Learn the maps as Survivor first.
3. Best Survivor for new players
There are 39+ Survivors in DbD (the roster grows with each chapter). Most are similar at low levels — the difference is perks, not the character itself.
The “first time” tier
| Survivor | Why |
|---|---|
| Dwight Fairfield | Leader perk — share aura reading with nearby survivors. Easiest team perk |
| Meg Thomas | Quick & Quiet — no scratch marks after fast vaulting |
| Jake Park | Iron Will — no grunts of pain (huge for stealth) |
| Nea Karlsson | Balanced Landing — no fall stun after dropping pallets |
| Any DLC survivor | Their unique perks are often meta-defining |
The recommendation
- Start with Dwight or Jake. Their perks help the whole team
- Buy a DLC survivor if you have the budget — Feng Min, Yun-Jin, etc.
- Don’t worry about the character choice — it’s mostly cosmetic
The first 4 perks to use
For your first 10 hours, use these perks (they’re free for everyone):
| Perk | Survivor | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Will | Jake | No grunts of pain when injured (stealth) |
| Quick & Quiet | Meg | No scratch marks after fast vaults |
| Self-Care | self-healing at 50% speed | Free healing without a medkit |
| Bond | Dwight | See other survivors’ auras within 20m |
Common pitfall: not running perks. Even basic perks give you 100% more value than running 4 empty perk slots.
4. Best Killer for new players
There are 36+ Killers in DbD. Each has unique power and chase style.
The “first time” tier
| Killer | Difficulty | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wraith | ⭐⭐ | Undetectable wind bell, very forgiving chase |
| Trapper | ⭐⭐ | Place traps, ambush Survivors |
| Hillbilly | ⭐⭐⭐ | Chainsaw dash, mobile but loud |
| Nurse | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Teleport — high skill ceiling |
The recommendation
- Start with Wraith. He’s the simplest — you become invisible and chase at full speed
- Trapper is also good — you set up traps before Survivors arrive
- Skip Nurse for the first 30 hours. She requires precise blink mechanics.
The first 4 perks to use (Killer)
For your first 10 hours, use these perks:
| Perk | Killer | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Pop Goes the Weasel | Clown | Kick a generator, it regresses 25% (huge slowdown) |
| Corrupt Intervention | Plague | Block the 3 farthest generators for 2 minutes at match start |
| Barbecue & Chilli | Cannibal | See Survivor auras after hooking (aura reading) |
| Sloppy Butcher | Legion | Survivors heal slower when injured |
Common pitfall: trying to 4K every match. As Killer, 2 kills is a great match. You won’t 4K consistently until you have hundreds of hours.
5. The first 10 hours: a step-by-step path
Hours 0–2: Tutorial
- Play the tutorial — it teaches movement, hiding, generators, chases
- Learn the basic controls: sprint, crouch, hide in lockers, drop pallets
- Do the “Killer Playground” tutorial for killer side basics
Hours 2–5: 5 Survivor matches
- Queue into Survivor Quick Play
- Goal: survive 2 of 5 matches (40% survival rate is good)
- Learn the 3 main maps: MacMillan Estate, Coldwind Farm, Autohaven Wreckers
- Don’t try to be a hero — repair generators, run from the Killer
Hours 5–8: 5 Killer matches
- Switch to Killer Quick Play (start with Wraith)
- Goal: hook 8+ Survivors across 5 matches
- Learn to patrol generators, break chase loops, hook survivors
- Don’t camp hooks — Survivors will rescue if you leave
Hours 8–10: Choose your main side
- After 5 matches on each side, pick the one you enjoyed more
- Buy perks (with in-game currency) to specialize
- Start learning advanced tactics (chase tech, perk synergies)
Common pitfall: not finishing the tutorial. The tutorial teaches core mechanics you’ll need in every match.
6. The 8 settings to change in your first hour
Display
| Setting | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Frame rate display | On | Free FPS counter |
| FOV | Default | The default FOV is calibrated for the game |
| Motion blur | Off | Track Survivors/Killers better |
Gameplay
| Setting | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Killer POV | Default (close) | The “close” Killer POV is what competitive players use |
| Survivor POV | Default | Standard third-person |
| Auto-pickup items | Off as Survivor | You want to choose what you pick up |
| Loudness indicator | On | Know when you’re making too much noise |
| Matchmaking region | Closest to you | Reduces lag, which is critical for chases |
Audio
| Setting | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| SFX | High | Hear footsteps, heartbeats, generator noises |
| Music | Low | Music hides audio cues |
Common pitfall: leaving music loud. Audio cues are how you know the Killer is nearby. The heartbeat sound, the chainsaw rev, the breathing — all matter.
7. The 5 basic rules of every Survivor match
Rule 1: Don’t be in the open
- Always work near a pallet, a window, or a wall
- Open areas = free chase for the Killer
Rule 2: Don’t chase the Killer
- If the Killer is chasing your teammate, run away, don’t try to body-block
- Work on a generator in the opposite corner
Rule 3: Don’t go down first
- Going down first means the Killer camps your hook
- Let more experienced Survivors take the first chase
Rule 4: Repair generators first
- The objective is generators. Don’t waste time looting chests or hiding.
- Repair, run, repair, run
Rule 5: Unhook quickly
- If your teammate is on a hook, go save them before they go to second stage
- But don’t go if the Killer is camping — they’ll get you both
Common pitfall: hiding in a locker for the entire match. The objective is to repair and escape, not hide forever.
8. The 5 basic rules of every Killer match
Rule 1: Patrol generators
- Generators are the Survivors’ objective. Pressure them.
- Check generators regularly; if one is being repaired, chase the Survivor off
Rule 2: Don’t camp hooks
- “Camping” means standing next to a hooked Survivor
- Most Survivors have tools to rescue safely — you’ll lose 3 Survivors for every 1 you camp
- Leave the hook and patrol generators
Rule 3: Break pallets and walls
- Pallets and walls slow your chase. Break them when you can
- This makes the next chase faster
Rule 4: Pick chases carefully
- Don’t chase a Survivor in a strong loop if you can pressure someone else
- Some chases are unwinnable. Cut your losses and pressure someone else
Rule 5: Endgame strategy
- Once 1-2 generators are left, stay near the exit gates
- Don’t let Survivors escape
Common pitfall: chasing one Survivor for 5 generators’ worth of time. Pressure multiple Survivors, not just one.
9. Frequently asked mistakes (the first week)
| Survivor mistake | Why it hurts | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Running in straight lines | Easy to chase | Run through pallets and windows |
| Self-caring when injured | Wastes time | Find a teammate to heal you |
| Not repairing during chase | Wastes objective time | Work on gens when not chased |
| Body-blocking the Killer | You die too | Run, let the Killer chase your team |
| Hiding in a locker all match | You don’t repair | Repair, run, repair |
| Killer mistake | Why it hurts | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Camping hooks | Survivors gen-rush | Patrol instead |
| Chasing strong loopers | Wastes time | Pressure gens |
| Not breaking pallets/walls | Slow chases forever | Break pallets |
| Ignoring ruin / gen slowdown | Survivors gen-rush | Run gen slowdown perks |
| Tunneling one Survivor | Gen-rushed | Spread pressure |
10. Next steps
You are ready for your first session. The natural next read is Core Mechanics: Perks, Add-ons, and the Chase Loop — once you understand the underlying rules, you’ll climb faster.
If you want to know which survivor is best right now, see Survivor Tier List: Best Survivors for New Players.
Version note (2026-07-18): Based on Dead by Daylight 8.x.x (mid-2026, current chapter). The 36+ Killer roster and 39+ Survivor roster are stable. The asymmetry (1v4) is unchanged since launch. New chapters add a Killer + Survivor each release; check the patch notes for the current chapter.
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