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Long time player Feedback on Current game balance

skmNitto skmNitto
in Feedback and Suggestions

Hi all!

I’ve been playing Dead by Daylight since Michael Myers was first released, and I’ve never felt compelled to make a post like this but the current state of the game has pushed me to speak up. I truly love this game and want to see it continue to thrive, but right now, the balance between killers and survivors feels worse than it has in a long time.

1. Fog Vials:
The recent nerf to fog vials has rendered them nearly useless. I could understand adding a longer cooldown as a balancing measure, but making them easier to see through and limiting their total use per match has taken away what made them worthwhile. When survivors can bring other items with much greater impact, there’s little reason to use fog vials anymore.

2. Clown Buff:
The recent Clown buff is insane and excessive. Killers are already faster than survivors by default, and with certain perks, Clown can now achieve up to a 40% haste buff, which feels unplayable. Perks that enhance killer speed are extremely accessible, and I don’t think the impact of stacking them on top of this buff was fully considered. I honestly think Clown needs to be temporarily killswitched until this can be reviewed.

3. The Ghoul:
Playing against the Ghoul is frustrating to the point where I frequently see multiple teammates disconnect. His grab ability needs a cooldown, with add-ons that can improve it if desired, because right now it feels oppressive and drives players away from even wanting to face him.

4. Springtrap:
Springtrap also needs a rework. His doors often spawn too close to generators, which creates unfair pressure. Adding an audio cue when he teleports would help survivors counterplay, especially since he already gains undetectable status for a long duration after teleporting (which I also feel lasts too long). Combined with his ranged attack, he becomes overwhelming in most matches, and like the Ghoul, I often see teammates DC against him. On top of that, cameras and doors feel practically useless because he always knows when we’re using them, making them easy bait for him to secure kills.

Overall Thoughts:
I understand survivors shouldn’t be overpowered, and I’m not asking for that, but the skill and power discrepancy between high-level and mid-to-low-level players is massive. Killers in low- to mid-level ranks often feel too strong because overpowered builds are very accessible, and killers like Ghoul, Springtrap, and now Clown make matches feel unwinnable unless you’re playing in a well-coordinated SWF team.

These issues don’t make the game more fun for either side: they lead to frustration, disconnects, and fewer people wanting to play survivor. I hope the team can take a closer look at these changes and consider small, targeted nerfs to improve the overall experience.

I would also love to hear feedback on this post from killer and survivor mains alike. No hate, I just really want to see this game improve.

Tagged: KillersSurvivors

Comments

  • azulababe azulababe

    TRUE!!!! THE DEVELOPERS ARE IDIOTS TO THIS POINT HAVING CLOWN BUFF 12%. THEY ARE SO PRO KILLERS NOT KNOWING THAT SURVIVORS ALSO PLAY. THEY ARE DRIVING THE PLAYERS AWAY. LOOK THERE ARE NO SURVIVOR ON CUE ALREADY. THE FOG IS USELESS, THE KILLER CAN SEE IN THE FOG. SO WHAT'S THE POINT OF THE FOG?! JUST A DECORATION? RATHER LISTENING TO THE KILLERS CRY, WHY DON'T THEY BAN KILLERS WHO CHEATS. THEIR ANTI CHEAT IS USELESS ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CHEAT HAS SWITCH TO USE OR NOT. WELL ALL CAPS BECAUSE THESE DEVELOPERS DOESN'T LISTEN TO SURVIVOR SIDE. SO BIAS!!!!!!!

  • Deadman7600 Deadman7600

    @azulababe said:

    TRUE!!!! THE DEVELOPERS ARE IDIOTS TO THIS POINT HAVING CLOWN BUFF 12%. THEY ARE SO PRO KILLERS NOT KNOWING THAT SURVIVORS ALSO PLAY. THEY ARE DRIVING THE PLAYERS AWAY. LOOK THERE ARE NO SURVIVOR ON CUE ALREADY. THE FOG IS USELESS, THE KILLER CAN SEE IN THE FOG. SO WHAT'S THE POINT OF THE FOG?! JUST A DECORATION? RATHER LISTENING TO THE KILLERS CRY, WHY DON'T THEY BAN KILLERS WHO CHEATS. THEIR ANTI CHEAT IS USELESS ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CHEAT HAS SWITCH TO USE OR NOT. WELL ALL CAPS BECAUSE THESE DEVELOPERS DOESN'T LISTEN TO SURVIVOR SIDE. SO BIAS!!!!!!!

    no need to shout

  • Deadman7600 Deadman7600

    I agree on the clown buff, fog vials and ghoul. Clown needs reverting, the ghoul needs his counterplay given more thought and I think the vials need to have at least their opacity increased again (I can see where they were coming from with the volume and limit tho).

    However I'd argue springtrap is a lot weaker than you've represented. Sure his door placements should be oriented more so they're facing gens so survivors can see the display but other than that he's pretty much Low A-High B. Nowhere near the level of current ghoul and clown. He can be oppressive, but if you counter the axe he basically becomes powerless Oni or blinkless nurse. The only other thing to think about is his undetectable, but I'd say he needs that, its what gives him his bite.

  • Starlesque Starlesque

    @skmNitto said:

    Hi all!

    I’ve been playing Dead by Daylight since Michael Myers was first released, and I’ve never felt compelled to make a post like this but the current state of the game has pushed me to speak up. I truly love this game and want to see it continue to thrive, but right now, the balance between killers and survivors feels worse than it has in a long time.

    1. Fog Vials:
    The recent nerf to fog vials has rendered them nearly useless. I could understand adding a longer cooldown as a balancing measure, but making them easier to see through and limiting their total use per match has taken away what made them worthwhile. When survivors can bring other items with much greater impact, there’s little reason to use fog vials anymore.

    2. Clown Buff:
    The recent Clown buff is insane and excessive. Killers are already faster than survivors by default, and with certain perks, Clown can now achieve up to a 40% haste buff, which feels unplayable. Perks that enhance killer speed are extremely accessible, and I don’t think the impact of stacking them on top of this buff was fully considered. I honestly think Clown needs to be temporarily killswitched until this can be reviewed.

    3. The Ghoul:
    Playing against the Ghoul is frustrating to the point where I frequently see multiple teammates disconnect. His grab ability needs a cooldown, with add-ons that can improve it if desired, because right now it feels oppressive and drives players away from even wanting to face him.

    4. Springtrap:
    Springtrap also needs a rework. His doors often spawn too close to generators, which creates unfair pressure. Adding an audio cue when he teleports would help survivors counterplay, especially since he already gains undetectable status for a long duration after teleporting (which I also feel lasts too long). Combined with his ranged attack, he becomes overwhelming in most matches, and like the Ghoul, I often see teammates DC against him. On top of that, cameras and doors feel practically useless because he always knows when we’re using them, making them easy bait for him to secure kills.

    Overall Thoughts:
    I understand survivors shouldn’t be overpowered, and I’m not asking for that, but the skill and power discrepancy between high-level and mid-to-low-level players is massive. Killers in low- to mid-level ranks often feel too strong because overpowered builds are very accessible, and killers like Ghoul, Springtrap, and now Clown make matches feel unwinnable unless you’re playing in a well-coordinated SWF team.

    These issues don’t make the game more fun for either side: they lead to frustration, disconnects, and fewer people wanting to play survivor. I hope the team can take a closer look at these changes and consider small, targeted nerfs to improve the overall experience.

    I would also love to hear feedback on this post from killer and survivor mains alike. No hate, I just really want to see this game improve.

    I appreciate you- I created a forum, I too have kept quiet until recent. Feel free to view:

    @Starlesque said:

    DBD has been going strong for over 9 years - with plenty of epic moments - and some frustrating ones too.

    Lately, more of us in the community are noticing bugs, balance issues, and overall concerns.

    This thread isn't just to vent - it's a space to share pain points, suggest fixes, and spark ideas to keep the game fun and thriving in hopes BHVR reads our post.

    What We've Noticed:

    • Some Killers (Like Clown) remain frustrating to face, even after being buffed.
    • Pigs suddenly S-tier killer increasing likelihood of having heads popping off.
    • Ongoing issues with maps, chase mechanics, sound effects, and streaming party errors.
    • New content release sometimes introduce more bugs than fixes.

    With the recent layoffs at BHVR, it's hard not to wonder if quality control has taken a hit. The game's nearly a decade old - some cracks are becoming a bigger problem.

    Here's what players keep brining up in chats, streams, and forums.

    • Give OG killers some love - updated moris, animations, even rework. - My suggestion
    • Slow down on content drops and focus on stability
    • Bring back or try new event modes - Lights Out, My little Oni, or something fresh. - My suggestion
    • One licensed killer a year is enough - let's see more original ideas or continue to get community involved in creation.
    • Introducing new surviors/killes comes with additional perks, it make overwhelmnew comers.
    • TRYKS either as Killer (my request & community) and or legendary skin for Sable (community). She has 30 voice lines, exisit in the world of DBD and would make a unique killer. Plus, Tryks and Sable have a connection as being one in the same Tryks (Je-Zable) = Sable.

    Check out these forum.

    My forum drawing the parallel between the two: Request TRYKS aka JeZable as a killer (Playable character)

    • https://forums.bhvr.com/dead-by-daylight/discussion/comment/3975571#Comment_3975571?utm_source=community-search&utm_medium=organic-search&utm_term=tryks

    Communty forum: Request for Tryks:

    • https://forums.bhvr.com/dead-by-daylight/discussion/417741/please-make-tryks-a-permanent-feature-in-dead-by-daylight
    • https://www.reddit.com/r/deadbydaylight/comments/1lxsx3l/thoughts_on_tryks_as_a_character_in_dbd/

    Now, I open the floor to you all…

    • What's working, what's not?
    • Any bugs that ruin the fun for you?
    • What small or big changes woudl keep you in the Fog?

    This isn't a rant thread - it's a community check-in. Personally, I've invested time and money into this game, and I'd hate to see it fall apart.

    See TikTok complaint: https://www.tiktok.com/@frickingnick /video/7376867350294842667

    Youtube complaint: https://youtu.be/q6NxmkKvgdY?si=jqYiOZKlyR1HCYSo

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