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• @ThatRyanB said:

  https://us.v-cdn.net/6030815/uploads/7MUI0WBMW3DK/dbd-designpreview-sm-banner-1920x1080.png

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  Welcome back to another edition of the Skull Merchant Design Preview! As we mentioned in our recent status update, we received a great deal of valuable feedback from you on our initial rework proposal. Today, we’re excited to share an evolution of this rework!

  This places a considerable focus on Skull Merchant’s role as a high-tech hunter – a modern slasher, if you will – who uses the tools at her disposal to generate a network of information as she keeps tabs on her prey, weakens them, and then goes in for the kill when the time is right.

  Let’s first dive into the specific changes:

  WHAT’S CHANGED?

  • We’ve removed the Killer aura reveal when hacking a Drone.
  • The Global Detection Power detects Survivors who are running or walking, keeping this consistent with how Drones detect players.
  • Stealth Drone scan lines are now visible, but will not extend entirely down to the ground, providing a visual indicator for Survivors to crouch-walk as a counter action.
  • Skull Merchant has two different types of Drones:
    • 5 deployable Stealth Drones, as previously mentioned
    • 1 Drone Buddy (name pending!) that hovers directly over her shoulder. Note: This is not a separate AI-controlled entity.
  • Stealth Drones function as previously stated, but Drone Propulsion only injures – not downs – Survivors.
    • Any Survivor hit by Drone Propulsion is tagged and tracked with a Claw Trap.
    • Claw Traps can be removed by Survivors following a held interaction.
  • Skull Merchant gains an activatable ability that fires an EMP dart from her Drone Buddy.
    • This ranged attack has a small AOE and downs Survivors tracked with a Claw Trap.
    • The EMP dart does not hurt Survivors if they are not tracked with a Claw Trap.

  Sound interesting? Let’s break this down by looking at it in the context of an example chase from the perspective of Skull Merchant:

  DEPLOY AND DETECT

  Your first order of business is to make use of the tools in your arsenal to figure out where Survivors are. You begin by deploying a Stealth Drone and piloting it to a high traffic loop, where you leave it passively scanning. Switching focus back to Skull Merchant, you head towards another loop, activating your Global Detection Power in hopes of catching a Survivor heading to their first gen.

  https://us.v-cdn.net/6030815/uploads/KUI0CVR2BROW/killer-redlightgreenlight.png

  Both the Global Detection Power and your passive Stealth Drone detect separate Survivors, notifying you of their whereabouts on your radar. You’re now perfectly situated for a chase...

  TAG AND TRACK

  Switching focus back to the idling Stealth Drone, you see the Survivor who was detected running away. Making use of the Stealth Drone’s increased movement speed, you give chase.

  Mid-chase, you see an opportunity to strike, launching your Stealth Drone forward with Drone Propulsion and hitting the Survivor. Not only does this injure them, but it attaches a Claw Trap to them. This inflicts the Broken status effect and tracks the Survivor on your radar.

  https://us.v-cdn.net/6030815/uploads/6NXWPBOPDGVL/killer-dronepropulsion.png

  While Drone Propulsion can’t be used to down a Survivor, this opens them up to her other ability...

  USE EMP DART TO DOWN

  At this point, Skull Merchant could take matters into her own hands and hunt down the Claw Trapped Survivor by hand with an M1 attack, but where’s the fun in that? Hovering over her shoulder at all times is her prized Buddy Drone, which hides a secret weapon.

  By charging up and releasing the activatable ability when in control of Skull Merchant, her Buddy Drone fires a short-to-mid range EMP dart that hits with a small AOE. If a Survivor is being tracked with a Claw Trap, the dart will activate this fearsome contraption, downing them. Good hunting!

  https://us.v-cdn.net/6030815/uploads/QW3K6M9U65KI/killer-buddydronerangedattack.png

  A SURVIVOR PERSPECTIVE

  All that’s well and good, but if you’re a Survivor, how are you supposed to deal with these high-tech tools?

  • Stealth Drone passively scanning an area? Either crouch-walk to avoid the scan lines or hack it to send this Drone back to Skull Merchant’s personal stores.

  https://us.v-cdn.net/6030815/uploads/GGD11LPZ7AXI/survivor-standstillorcrouch.png

  • Hear the Global Detection Power notification? Same as above – begin crouch-walking or stop moving altogether to avoid having your location given away.
  • Notice a Stealth Drone being piloted? Keep to tight loops and be ready to juke to prevent the Stealth Drone from attaching a Claw Trap to you.

  https://us.v-cdn.net/6030815/uploads/SWFE6Q5D9L47/survivor-dodgedrones.png

  • Afflicted with a Claw Trap and see Skull Merchant approaching? Be ready to juke her EMP dart. It has a short charge time, so use this time to put an obstruction between you both.
  • Afflicted with a Claw Trap and feeling hidden? Hold the interact button to remove it.

  https://us.v-cdn.net/6030815/uploads/HR5M401R5UYB/survivor-clawtrap.png

  With that, we’d love to hear what you think of these changes! We’ll be keeping a close eye on all our community channels and relaying any feedback back to the team, so don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with us (i.e. in the replies right here)!

  While we won’t be running a survey this time, we are taking note of the feedback you shared from the last iteration to inform future surveys.

  See you in The Fog!

  The Dead by Daylight Team

  Warning this is going to be long 

  I have been a Skull Merchant main since a little before her 2.0 edition that brought her mostly to what we have right now. I just wanted to share my thoughts, completely about the proposed reworks as it largely seems this is what we are getting no matter what or at least a variation of what has been proposed. I feel I should share why I started playing merchant and why I still do in her current state. All of  these reasons are lost completely in this rework. 

  - I originally started playing merchant because I viewed her as sort of a pocket Ghostface with her drones providing her the exposed effect but also absorbing her terror radius. This version of her I really enjoyed but understood it's flaws and how easy it was to counter if the Merchant didn't go all in on gen defense which could be fun too but I know that was likely a one sided experience. Regardless this version was traded in for what we were given with 2.0 and I have enjoyed this version even more.

  - With version 2.0 I think I began to value her uniqueness overall, it's easy to be reductive and compare killers to one another for 1 or more similarities they have but I consistently can not point out a killer that she resembles, apart from her fitting into the trap killer archetype. I love building a web of drones I can manipulate when needed and catch survivors off guard with well placed drones, well used to on that last part. Before playing 2.0 Merchant I was a survivor main who played killer about 20% of my matches which were all only really for missions. Now the split for me looks about 60/40 the 60 in favor of survivor. I'm close to being even on both sides which I never would have if it weren't for that rework. After her recent changes I still love playing with this killer, after all there are no other killers that make the moments she does. In an inverse way from the way people view Wesker, as he can also make moments that are unique to his power. Applying pressure at a near distance, and using spacing, stealth and other pathing mindgames to secure injuries and downs in ways I haven't seen on any other killer. The unique feeling of outplaying survivors that think they are safe but really not and saving lock-on stacks for two taps or injuries without having to lose pressure where you are on the map. In my opinion she is the perfected trap killer, even with one scan line. I could go on further, and as long as I felt but I'll leave it at that; even in the state she is now I would rather play her than any other killer on the roster and with this rework I will lose that. 

  - Lastly, I want to cover the actual proposed rework. I find myself able to compare and be redundant with these changes. I can see myself comparing elements of her kit like the propulsion system to Twins, the red light/green light to Doctor and the EMP to unknown. SM will effectively be a jack of all trades but a master of none, which beforehand I would have given that title to Vecna as well. So, no matter how redundantly I am, even if that's no warranted that's 4 different killers I can see in this rework and none of them are Skull Merchant. Specifically, the elements seem cool-ish. I would certainly experiment with this but I wouldn't feel like this is her. I do genuinely feel like losing her scan lines would be losing her completely. I understand that this is meant to make her completely different but it doesn't feel right, to lose 1/3 of the trap killer roster in exchange for something different entirely. Strength wise she's not doing too well, competitively she doesn't exist but her kit as it is can be changed to be better. It can be leaned into a trap playstyle and not be too oppressive because at the end of the day she just gets the first hit, especially with the haste and hinder changes she recieved. If anyone is interested on what I'd like to do to her current kit is be happy to provide that and to anyone who has read this much thank you and I would love to hear from you.  

  in Design Preview | The Skull Merchant Part 2 Comment by Bishophric_Madman April 29, 2025