March 2025 Dev Update
By ThatRyanBLast Updated: Mar 7, 2025
EDIT: Updated the Good Guy changes and dev note to clarify that the quicker acceleration will also apply to the start of Slice and Dice.
With the 8.6.0 Update quickly approaching, it's time once again to give you a look at the notable gameplay changes you can expect from the Public Test Build next week.
Read on for all the details:
STATUS EFFECT UPDATES
- [CHANGE] Decreased self-mending time to 10 seconds (was 12)
- [CHANGE] Decreased altruistic-mending time to 6 seconds (was 8)
DEV NOTE: We know that Deep Wound can be a frustrating mechanic to come up against as it slows down the pace of the game for Survivors. By reducing mending times, we hope to reduce this friction slightly. We want players to feel the urgency of triaging this status effect, but once they make the choice to act, we don’t want them to feel pulled away from the game for too long!
KILLER UPDATES
- [CHANGE] Decreased fatigue time to 2.5 seconds (was 3)
- [CHANGE] Increased fatigue move speed to 2.3 m/s (was 2.07)
- [CHANGE] Feral Frenzy lasts for 11 seconds (was 10)
- [CHANGE] Feral Frenzy cooldown is now 15 seconds (was 20)
- [CHANGE] Movement speed earned by hit during Feral Frenzy is now 0.24 (was 0.20)
- [CHANGE] Adjusted several Add-Ons.
DEV NOTE: To account for reduced mending times, we’ve adjusted Legion’s kit to ease the downtime between power uses. By extending Feral Frenzy and adjusting its cooldown and movement bonus, the goal is to provide Legion with a slight buff to their ramp-up as they weaken Survivors, giving them more opportunities to lean on their mobility. Then, with the adjustments to fatigue, they’ll be able to get back into chases quicker after Feral Frenzy ends to better close the deal.
These changes will make Legion feel like more of an active and mobile threat, reducing their reliance on a more passive status effect.
- [CHANGE] Increased tail attack charge time to .35 seconds (was .2)
- [CHANGE] Increased tail attack charge sound volume for survivors
- [CHANGE] Reduced missed attack cooldown time to 2.5 seconds (was 3)
- [CHANGE] Increased the Killer Instinct range when exiting a tunnel to 16m (was 12m)
- [CHANGE] Decreased the time it takes to get out of a tunnel to 1.5 second (was 2.25)
- [CHANGE] Increased amount of fire needed to burn The Xenomorph out of crawler mode to 175 (was 100)
- [CHANGE] Increased delay before the Xenomorph’s heat starts to dissipate to 15s (was 1)
- [CHANGE] Decreased the Xenomorph’s heat dissipation rate to 2/s (was 25)
- [CHANGE] Adjusted several Add-Ons to align with these changes.
DEV NOTE: In its current state, Xenomorph's tail attack tends to be a little too difficult to dodge, with a short window between wind-up and attack. To give Survivors more of a chance to anticipate and react to it, we’ve adjusted its charge time and made the wind-up louder. To balance this out, we’ve reduced the cooldown on misses so Xenomorph can keep pressure up.
We’ve also found that turret impact can be inconsistent, providing huge value at high skill levels and being very ineffective at lower levels. Rather than having turrets act as an immediate threat that dissipates quickly, heat build-up will remain for longer. This should help give a little more value to smaller bursts of heat that aren’t enough to knock Xenomorph out of crawler mode, as weaker turret placements can still build up over time. To ensure this sustained heat isn’t too punishing, we’ve balanced it with a higher heat threshold for Xenomorph.
We also did a pass on Xenomorph’s Add-Ons to buff some of its weaker, less used ones, while re-aligning some turret-based Add-Ons to fit with the above changes.
- [CHANGE] Reduced Hidey-Ho Mode cooldown to 12s (was 14)
- [CHANGE] Reduced time to reach max speed at the start of Slice and Dice and after Scamper
DEV NOTE: We know that the Good Guy’s utility and mobility in chases has historically been one of his core draws. While recent changes have made him less oppressive at lower MMR ranks, we've made some adjustments to help get him back in the action quicker and improve “movement feel”, particularly accelerating quicker as you activate Slice and Dice and after the Scamper action to get you up to max speed.
- [CHANGE] Increased the Hillbilly’s Terror Radius to 40 (was 32)
- [CHANGE] Increased the Blight’s Terror Radius to 40 (was 32)
- [CHANGE] Decreased the Pig’s Terror Radius to 24 (was 32)
- [CHANGE] Decreased the Ghost Face’s Terror Radius to 24 (was 32)
- [CHANGE] Decreased the Skull Merchant’s Terror Radius to 24 (was 32)
DEV NOTE: We’ve adjusted several Killer Terror Radiuses to better fit with their intended playstyles. Killers with high mobility that can zip across the map at high speeds have had their radiuses increased to give Survivors a greater chance to react to their approach.
We’ve also reduced the radiuses for stealthy Killers to better fit their playstyles. The Skull Merchant is a slight outlier here. While she can gain Undetectable by deploying a drone, we felt she could still benefit from added stealth support.
NEW FEATURES
- [NEW] If one of the following conditions is met, the "Surrender” option will become available on the Match Details screen
- When all remaining Survivors are bots, the Killer can Surrender without a disconnection penalty
- When no generator has been completed for 10 consecutive minutes, the Killer can Surrender without a disconnection penalty
- When all other remaining Survivors are bots, the Survivor can Surrender without a disconnection penalty
- When all Survivors are in the Dying State, the Survivor can Surrender without a disconnection penalty
DEV NOTE: We know it can be frustrating to find yourself in a scenario that’s unwinnable when you would rather move on. To address these scenarios, as well as cases where the opposing side has been fully replaced by bots, we’ve added a Match Surrender option.
We’re currently targeting the most disruptive cases but will continue to monitor player behaviour to identify if there are further opportunities for expanding on this option.
And for all you Plot Twisters out there, we see you – this will not trigger the Surrender option.
- [NEW] Expanded the Forsaken Boneyard realm with a Shack-focused map
- [NEW] Updated the existing map tiles to improve navigation
DEV NOTE: We’re expanding the Forsaken Boneyard realm and map pool with a new map layout with the Killer Shack at its center, featuring updated map tiles. Specifically, we’ve heard your feedback that Eyrie of Crows can be difficult to navigate at times thanks to collisions with certain aesthetic elements.
We’ve opted to remove the large bunches of branches from map tiles on this Shack map, while also introducing double pallet tiles that we hope will add some exciting new looping possibilities.
PERK UPDATES
QUICK AND QUIET
- [CHANGE] Decreased the cooldown to 25/20/15 seconds (was 30/25/20)
DECEPTION
- [CHANGE] Increased the time during which you leave no scratch marks to 5 seconds (was 3)
- [CHANGE] Decreased the cooldown to 25/20/15 seconds (was 30/25/20)
DANCE WITH ME
- [CHANGE] Increased the time during which you leave no scratch marks to 5 seconds (was 3)
- [CHANGE] Decreased the cooldown to 25/20/15 seconds (was 30/25/20)
RED HERRING
- [CHANGE] Decreased the minimum generator repair time needed to trigger this perk to 1 second (was 3)
- [CHANGE] Decreased the cooldown to 25/20/15 seconds (was 60/50/40)
DEV NOTE: While these Perks specialize in misdirecting the Killer, we’ve found that their cooldowns don’t match their value. By reducing their cooldowns and increasing the duration of their effects (specifically Deception and Dance With Me), we hope to give these off-meta Perks a better chance at value in deception-based builds.
KNOCK OUT
- [CHANGE] When a Survivor drops a pallet, if they move 6m away from it within 6s they gain 5% Hindered for 3/4/5s
DEV NOTE: Knock Out is a perk that’s associated with slugging, leading to some particularly unfun game styles. We’re looking to make changes to the perk whilst keeping it useful for Killers.
ALIEN INSTINCT
- [CHANGE] Increased the aura reveal duration to 8 seconds (was 5)
- [CHANGE] Increased the duration of Oblivious to 40/50/60 seconds (was 16/18/20)
HYSTERIA
- [CHANGE] Increased the duration of Oblivious to 30/35/40 seconds (was 30/30/30)
- [CHANGE] Decreased the cooldown to 20 seconds (was 30)
DEATHBOUND
- [CHANGE] Shortened the range at which this perk activates to 12/8/4 meters (was 16/12/8)
NEMESIS
- [CHANGE] Increased the aura reveal duration to 8 seconds (was 4)
DEV NOTE: Similar to the above, we identified some Killer Perks that have also been underperforming, boasting lower pick and kill rates.
We’ve adjusted their values to help increase their viability in more specialized Perk builds.
Until next time...
The Dead by Daylight Team
Comments
I feel like coulrophobia is going to be a little oppressive on a killer like blight that can get tags so easily. Hearing TR isn't going to make that much of a difference vs people already swf and might just end up confusing survivors just as much as it helps them prepare for him coming.
W changes!! Yes! 🙌🏼
(Is the new trailer out also for the new killer?)
The main thing I’m happy about is the longer scratch mark hiding. 5 seconds is a massive difference to 3 seconds. You can now basically just use it for the scratch marks.
Yes, I was experimenting with Lightweight and it's a massive change! Definitely gamechanging and potentially creates more chase alternatives than Finesse.
Probably still not going to be meta obviously, but more pick rate is good!
I don't understand the Xeno changes because every other killer has a quicker wind up charge compared to Xeno. Yes, you can argue that his tail allows him to reach over pallets and injure you - but as @Reinami mentioned - they are outclassed by other ranged killers and it's a net nerf to the killer as a whole.
Compare them to any other ranged killer and they have more ease of access with wind up, letting go of the attack, and the tail is a bit wonky (I've tried their adept before). To me, at least when I play against a Xeno - it does take a while for me to break them out as a good Xeno will know to break the turret, so I'm not a huge fan of making them tankier but I can see the gripes that Xeno players are talking about when they break them out of their power. I don't think these changes are the way to go, per se.
Well that's what I mean. It shouldn't called a surrender. Killers can still stay around if they want, but whether they do or not, the end condition should be a win. Giving it a different term than surrender I think would make that a lot clearer.
I'm actually so happy to see Pig and Ghostface given lower TRs, but Billy and Blight given bigger ones. This is how you SHOULD do TRs, if they're really fast and hard to pin down, they need a bigger one but if they're meant to be stealthy, they need a smaller one.
It literally never made any sense that stealth Killers and the fastest Killers got the same as everyone else. Like, ever.
I am mostly happy with the perk changes. knockout especially needed a change badly. Mostly happy with the Killer buffs. Mostly happy with the Surrender option but there needs to be some looking at how certain perks or how hiding might impact this give up option.
I would also like to see a Surrender option for Killers when they see all gens done in under 5 minutes before they can get at least 4 hooks. It seems like thre's a lot here for Survs wanting to surrender but seriously, I don't want to play with Survivors who I have to force out of the gate while they teabag, please consider adding that for the Killer. Griefing should not be a thing that is rewardable with a "win" for Survivors, but is punished for Killers only. And yes, teabagging at the gate is griefing, and I am tired of pretending it isn't. We all know it is.
We do not need a "more navigable" Eyrie of Crows, we need a less Survivor sided Eyrie of Crows. These changes make it MORE Survivor sided, not less. It's not okay to expect M1s to play on maps that massively outclass them while M2s can handle these no issues.
I think alot of newer players make the mistake of placing them near gens and therefore near the exit stations because they use them as early warning alarm systems more than anything else. So they know the killer is coming, they pre-run, turret is immediately destroyed and Xeno is still in its power.
I can literally only recall one solo queue game in recent memory where the whole team played like a perfect hive mind. Turrets were placed, and always replaced, strategically in between tiles. They provided enough of a distraction that you could effectively plot your next course of action. I remember thinking 'this is definitely how the devs intended Xeno games to play out,' but the fact is these sorts of games are so so rare.
Turret inflict 66 charges/s. Meaning you currently lose Crawler in 1.5s. With the changes you will lose Crawler mode in 2.65s but your heat will basically never ever full recover. In short you have 1 health bar and after that, you need to get into the tunnels. You probably can tank up to three turrets with 2.65s of "HP". But you you will lose your power no matter how good you play.
The tail attack nerf means you will miss a lot more of quick reaction shots in shack for exemple since your delay is almost doubled. Survivors having more time to dodge a power supposed to be very strong in exchange for turrets will probably feel really bad too. This will need an adaption time but overall the tail is weaker, the turrets are way stronger, you are guaranted to lose your power despite your skill level with the character. Also the reduced cooldown is sad, since it's only for misses, a guy hitting most of it's tail strikes will have no buff, the delay is the same as nemesis but with 0.75s of cooldown more if you hit your strike. I expected the tail cooldown to be lowered, not only the misses, this isn't that big of a deal then.
The only net positive thing is the tunnel exit time which is really good. Everything else is either very minor or nerfs.
I see what they are going for, but for now, this seems like a patch solely made to make survivors less frustrated facing it, which is noble but pointless, Xenomorph had a terrible first impression and it's bad reputation will probably never wash off. People will want to play this character even less since you will feel powerless against turrets.
Hey folks! Wanted to pop in here with a little Dev Update update so it doesn't get missed. We made some adjustments to the Good Guy section to clarify on the changes you'll be able to play around with on the PTB.
The quicker acceleration we originally mentioned will also apply to the start of Slice and Dice (in addition to the previously-mentioned period after the Scamper action).
People have given up on Chucky. It's so funny they keep trying to make him work in these other ways, not knowing there was nothing wrong with him to begin with. Cash grab killer.
That's why they always pick the map offering. It's very survivor sided, not just in the size and the pallets, but in the sound.
Can we have Hag and Deathslinger's smaller ones back, then?
What's Chucky gonna do? Get stepped on? He's nothing with all the nerfs he's suffered. He needs to go back to the manual Scamper and the quicker dash attack.
They don't. They don't understand the character design at different levels. These changes were made for the bottom level survivors, and is an overall nerf. I can't believe it. Who was complaining about him?
Thanks for letting us know! I've updated this post with the most recent version of that section.
I doubt this will become the norm, but survivors could start running Plot Twist as a way to force the surrender option, maybe with No Mither but I doubt everyone would do that. As lets say the survivors are all injured because of say, Legion, then they all Plot Twist and surrender.
Not a cause for concern just something to think about.
hag definitely. The supposed problem with a 24 M Slinger is Monitor And Abuse but.... that argument don't hold up that well anymore.
and this is going off on a tangent here. Undetectable have been massively power creep recently to the point that any killer can have 0TR most of the game. If slinger tr being low is problematic for gameplay counter then why is undetectable so easily available these days. unpopular opinion i think unforeseen is overpowering bs personally but that whole different conversation.
The dev update clarifies that Plot Twist won't activate the surrender option, ftr.
Oh that is good foresight they had then, as that could have been a source of griefing.
The terror radius reduction for stealth killers is not good, why encourage stealth killers to not use their power for stealth? As if stealth killers weren't already easy to play now you're being encouraged to play them with even less effort
🐖🐽🐷
Wait… New Killer?! 😱
All they had to do was put the blindness on a timer or increase the range a bit instead they’ve gave it this really weird effect which doesn’t even fit with the theme of the perk.
Yep!
We get it probably next week
Counterpoint: Why should we have to give 120% effort with a simple power on Killers widely not considered the strongest in order to win consistently, but only 80% effort on A tiers for the same results? You can still win consistently and even winstreak as Blight not being amazing as long as you have the right perks. You have to be pretty godly at Pig AND be sure you have a decent perk setup to win against a good team as Pig, and you will never reach the winstreak potential a Blight will.
In no universe do you have to put in more effort on killers like pig or ghostface than most A tier killers like plague or singularity, it's just that those killers are so weak and have very little skill expression that they can't accomplish much of anything, and they should stay weak so long as they have "weak" skill expression
I would love it if Deathslinger got his old TR back.
But why revert Hag? She only had it decreased from 28 to 24, why nerf her back?
Yeah, the logic on killer nerfs almost never holds up, because of inconsistencies like that. If a ranged killer is OP when given a smaller terror radius, why let them run 4 Undetectable perks? Why does Deathslinger have an Undetectable add-on and TR add-ons?
None of the stealth killers have ever been easy to play. They're just weak, with little to no anti-loop, no real mobility, etc. So the 1 redeeming thing they have IS their stealth.
Is that how it was? She's been so irrelevant for so long, I must have forgotten. Yes, make her TR 24m.
they are easy to play, just because they're weak doesn't mean they aren't
Ghostface and Pig are Killers that by necessity miss out on chase points because they're ambush Stealth Killers. There are other Killers who miss points in other things; Plague misses Malicious for example because Survivors never heal against her. Your point here doesn't track, they are by nature of their powers disadvantaged due to how they're built. Their powers worked better with older gameplay elements in play, so you have to work harder to feel accomplished with them now.
It's not a weakness thing or the fault of their power at all, nor is skill expression even the issue here, because Killer as a whole regardless of who you play is almost always just about good macro play and power use. There is no more inherent skill in using someone like Dracula than someone like Myers; that's a common misconception and an unfair comparison. It's a "these Killers were built for an emblem system that doesn't exist anymore and now they suffer for it." It's very hard to climb in pip each month with these characters, period. If you feel otherwise, IDK what character you are playing but it surely isn't these ones.
That's exactly it, they are tactically based macro Killers that use Stealth to get an edge in before the chase happens. It's kinda the same with health pressure Killers - a one trick pony that puts it all in on one style of controlling Survivors, and so you actually need MORE skill to use them well and win consistently alongside very good Killer skill in general, than with someone with an easier to spam or pressure power like say… Nemesis.
It's not that these Killers are even weak, it's just that other Killers are so strong and easily won with that they got powercrept. Stealth and health pressure are pretty strong as tactical play actually, if you know how to use them, as stuff like the stealth and healing metas on Survivors proved.