Best Survivor Perks in Dead by Daylight (August 2023): Dramaturgy, Sprint Burst & more
When starting a match in Dead by Daylight, building a Perk loadout for your Survivor is paramount if you're going to escape a bloodthirsty Killer - so we've got a list of our picks of the Perks you shouldn't miss out on, from Dramaturgy to Made For This.
The most recent updates to DbD have brought an eerie space setting in Chapter 28, along with The Singularity Killer and actor Nicolas Cage making his way into The Fog. Since you don't know which of the game's 32 Killers you will be facing off against, it's essential to pick a great combination of Perks.
So, whether you're new to Dead by Daylight or are looking for new Perk suggestions to run to shake up gameplay, we've got what you'll need to know about the best Survivor Perks in DbD.
- If you're on the hunt for some additional Bloodpoints to put towards one of your favourite character's Bloodweb, check out a list of the available Dead by Daylight codes
What are the best Perks for Survivors in DbD?
Click to enlargeFor the current meta in DbD, some of the best Perks we'd recommend running in your next Trial are: Made For This, Boon: Circle of Healing, Off The Record, and Self Aware.
Made For This - one of Gabriel Soma's Perks - is arguably one of the best out there right now. What makes it so ideal for team play is that it allows Survivors to run faster when in the Injured state, and additionally bestows Endurance following healing a team member, making it pretty multipurpose to aid both the team and help out in a chase.
For a full rundown of each Perk that we'd recommend working into your Survivor's next build in DbD, check out the table below.
- Wondering which builds are best suited to Chapter 28's Survivor? Check out our Perk build recommendations for Gabriel Soma in DbD
| Perk | Survivor | Description |
| Any Means Necessary |
Yui Kimura |
You see the Auras of dropped pallets. Press and hold the Active Ability button for 6/5/4 seconds while standing beside a dropped pallet to reset it to its upright position. |
| Boon: Circle of Healing | Mikaela Reid | Press and hold the Ability 1 button by a Dull Totem to bless it, creating a Boon Totem (only one Totem can be blessed at a time). Any Survivors within its 24-meter range gain a 50/75/100% boost when healing others (Medkits give no additional bonus). Injured Survivors’ Auras are revealed to all others when inside the Totem’s range. |
| Dance With Me | Kate Denson | When performing a fast vault or leaving a locker in a sprint, you leave no Scratch Marks for 3 seconds. Has a cooldown of 60/50/40 seconds. |
| Distortion | Jeff Johansen |
You start the Trial with three tokens. When your Aura would typically be revealed to a Killer, one token is consumed to stop this, and for the next 6/8/10 seconds, both your Aura and Scratch Marks are hidden. Does not activate when in the Dying State, has a three-token limit, and you’ll gain a token for each 30 seconds spent within The Killer’s Terror Radius. |
| Dramaturgy | Nicolas Cage |
While running, pressing the Active Ability button will have you running with your knees high for 0.5 seconds to gain Haste for 2 seconds. Afterwards, it will be followed by a random effect:
After use, Dramaturgy causes Exhaustion for up to 40 seconds. |
| Lithe | Feng Min | After a rushed vault, you start to sprint at 150% of your running speed for 3 seconds. Causes Exhaustion for 60/50/40 seconds. Cannot be used while Exhausted. |
| Made For This | Gabriel Soma | When in the Injured state, you run 1/2/3% faster, and gain the Endurance Status effect after healing another Survivor for 6/8/10 seconds. Cannot be used when Exhausted, but does not cause Exhaustion. |
| Off The Record | Zarina Kassir | Off The Record activates for 60/70/80 seconds once you are unhooked from or escape the hook. Your Aura will not be shown to the Killer, your grunts of pain are reduced by 100% and you gain the Endurance Status effect. Off The Record is disabled when the exit gates are powered. |
| Prove Thyself | Dwight Fairfield | For every other Survivor working on a generator within a 4-meter range, gain a 15% repair speed bonus. This same bonus is also applied to otter Survivors in range. Additionally, gain 50/75/100% more Bloodpoints from coop actions. Only one Prove Thyself can be active at a time. |
Click to enlarge| Perk | Survivor | Description |
| Self-Aware | General Perk | You can see your own Scratch Marks at all times, and walk 10/15/20% faster. |
| Sprint Burst | Meg Thomas | When starting to run, break into a sprint at 150% of your normal running speed to a maximum of three seconds. Causes Exhaustion for 60/50/40 seconds. Cannot be used while Exhausted. |
| Unbreakable | Bill Overbeck | Grants the ability to fully recover from the dying state once per trial, and increases dying recovery speed by 25/30/35%. |
| Wiretap | Ada Wong | Wiretap activates after completing a total of 33% worth of repair progress on Generators. After repairing one for at least three seconds, install a Wiretap for 60/70/80 seconds by pressing the Active Ability 1 button. The Aura of all trapped generators is then revealed to Survivors. When the Killer is within 14 meters of this generator, their aura is additionally revealed. Deactivates when the trapped generator is damaged or the timer runs out. |
Best Survivor Perks explained for DbD
Now that you know which Perks to take into your next Trial, you'll need to know why we find them to be some of the best in Dead by Daylight. For a rundown of why we consider these to be tip-top Perks, keep reading.
Any Means Necessary
Click to enlargeYui Kimura's Any Means Necessary is a great situational Perk in Dead by Daylight. It’s no secret that Pallets come in very useful for attempting to create some distance between Killers when in a chase - and they can go down very quickly.
Any Means Necessary allows you to restore a Pallet to its upright position for use in a chase again - though we’d recommend only using it when The Killer isn’t close by due to the amount of time it takes.
Boon: Circle of Healing
Mikaela Reid’s Circle of Healing is an essential Perk from a team perspective, meaning you’re able to head to the particular area when another Survivor needs healing.
With Survivors being able to see other Injured players when inside the range, it’s additionally beneficial for you too to try and get back to that Healthy state.
Dance With Me
An essential DbD Perk for any chase - or when you thought you’ve avoided The Killer by hiding in a locker before your heart sinks and they move closer to where you are - Dance With Me will hide your Scratch Marks for a time. This means that while it's active, the enemy won’t be able to track you as you try to evade them. Go on now, git!
Distortion
Click to enlargeIf you’re a fan of sticking to the shadows, Jeff Johansen's Distortion is a fantastic option, shrouding you from the Killer by concealing your Aura whenever they perform an action that would otherwise highlight you to them.
It does have its limits, though due to the three-token cap, but it’s still something that we’re never seen (or rather, not seen) without during a Trial.
Dramaturgy
Click to enlargeIf you're looking to have a little fun with some unconventional Perks, then Dramaturgy is bound to cause some mischief and excitement. Introduced with Nicolas Cage following the 7th Anniversary celebrations, Dramaturgy has several unique effects that could either help or hinder your chances of survival.
On the one hand, you could get a brand new item... on the other, you may end up Exposed, and vulnerable to the Killer's attacks. It's the gamble that changes the game and can make for some very interesting matches.
- If you want some unique builds using Dramaturgy, be sure to check our guide on some of the best Perk builds to run on Nicolas Cage
Lithe
Similar to another Perk on this list, Sprint Burst, but with a slightly different activation method through a rushed vault, Lithe will mainly be used during a chase to gain some much-needed ground between you and an attack from The Killer.
If you consider yourself a looper or are trying to improve at it, Lithe is likely one Perk you'll want to have on your loadout to keep the chase going.
Made For This
Click to enlargeOne of the most recent additions to the roster in DbD, Gabriel Soma's Made For This Perk is one of the best Survivor Perks out there right now, as it allows you to run faster when in the Injured State - making it absolutely clutch in those moments when you’ve been hit and want to gain some distance.
Its secondary trait also allows you to sustain a hit from The Killer following healing another player - what’s not to love about that? Make sure to take it with you in your next match.
Off The Record
Who doesn’t want to make a quick getaway from The Entity’s hooks? This is great for when a Killer is camping the hook, allowing you to take one of their hits and attempt an escape to safety. With your Grunts of Pain temporarily disabled, you’ll also be able to stay silent as you gain distance from them.
Coupled with something like Self-Aware which we'll run through below, you’ll be able to see where you’re going as you make a break for it.
Prove Thyself
Click to enlargeWhether you’re running with friends or have decided to buddy up with another player or two (or three) in a Trial, Dwight Fairfield's Prove Thyself is the king of Dead by Daylight Perks for gen-rushers when in a team, boosting the speed you’ll repair a generator when working on it together.
Everything in DbD comes down to the minutiae, and the outcome of a match can change in an instant - so Prove Thyself is one of the very best perks out there.
Self-Aware
It's no secret that when you leave Scratch Marks in Dead by Daylight, they are absolutely everywhere. What’s more, they’re bright red - meaning that this Perk is one of the best for Survivors in DbD, giving them a look into what a Killer can see by showing them to the player.
The added bonus of a faster walk speed is just the cherry on top, meaning that you’re a little less lightly to press that run key when navigating outside of a chase.
Sprint Burst
Click to enlargeThis Perk from Meg Thomas' lineup is a great general little Perk for when you need to gain some distance, either once the Exit Gates are powered or to avoid a hit from a Killer. Sprint Burst can come in handy at many different points in a match, so make sure to keep it on your radar to add to your loadout.
Unbreakable
Unbreakable is one of the greatest perks Survivors can run in DbD, especially if you tend to get downed quite a lot (don’t look at me).
The Dying State is something that will happen to most players in a Trial - it’s just the nature of the game - but this Perk allows you to fully recover from it once in a match. It’s great if no other Survivors are nearby or if you’re the only one left, too.
Wiretap
Click to enlargeAda Wong's Wiretap is perfect when you’re against a Killer like The Trapper, as it allows you to reveal generators with traps near them to your teammates. As traps as incredibly difficult to spot at the best of the times, particularly if you’re scrabbling to complete that next gen - it’s a great addition that favours yourself and your team.
So, that wraps up the rundown of our best Perk recommendations for Survivors in Dead by Daylight. As new updates are released and new Survivors make their way into The Fog, be sure to check back right here for all of the latest updates.