There are any number of paths to victory for Killers inDead By Daylightbut one that is on the rise is “slugging”. This is when the Killer chooses not to pick up downed Survivors and place them on hooks, either waiting until they’re all downed or just leaving them to bleed out.
This can be an efficient method, preventing Survivors from attempting rescues and even from using most of their Perks. It is however, a very frustrating playstyle for Survivors to go up against, removing most of the fun from a match. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of ways you can counter this strategy for better matches and a healthier meta for the game overall.
One of the best ways to anticipate and counter the other side is to play it yourself. Playing Survivor will make you a better Killer, and the opposite is also true. The better you get at each side, the better you’ll get at knowing what that side will do and figuring out how to play against it effectively.
8Adapt To The Killer
They’re All Different
It might seem obvious thateach Killer is different, but it’s something that is often overlooked. How you play against a stealth Killer isn’t the same as how you play against one like The Nemesis.
Combine anti-slugging techniques with ones that counter the Killer you’re up against, and pay attention to their Perks too. Most slugging Killers will use Perks that benefit slugging, but not always. Keep your wits about you and don’t be too rigid in your playstyle.
7Bring The Right Perks
Stack That Loadout
If slugging is a serious problem for you, there are Perks you can equip to help. Unbreakable fromBill Overbeck is a standout, letting you pick yourself up from the Dying state once per trial. You can use others too, like Tenacity from Detective Tapp, to let you crawl and recover faster.
Unfortunately, none of the Perks you can bring will completely shut down the slugging playstyle, but they will help and can give you a fighting chance. If nothing else,l they’ll frustrate the Killer, which feels fair when they’re attempting a frustrating playstyle of their own.
6Pick Each Other Up
Play Safe
The goal of a slugging Killer is to reach a win condition without hooking any Survivors until they’re all dying on the ground. That means you can’t unhook, but you can still heal people and get them back on their feet.
Slugging Killers will be waiting for you to try this, using the first downed Survivor as a lure for the rest. Play cautiously and wait until they’re definitely across the map, ideally in chase, to run to your fellow Survivors' rescue.
5Stay Stealthy
Can’t Kill What You Can’t Catch
Slugging Killers will typically ignore all other aspects of the game, hoping to down all the Survivors quickly and secure the win. If you play carefully and stealthily so they never find you, you can prolong the game and give your team more chances to turn things around.
Perks like Distortion can help with this, but the most important part is caution and patience. Leave generators the moment you detect the Killers Terror Radius and don’t make a move until you’re absolutely certain it’s safe to do so.
4Stick To Strong Loops
Don’t Make Risky Plays
Avoiding being downed by a slugging Killer is vital, and if you can’t avoid it, then you have to do what you can to delay it. Stick to the strongest loops in the game and play safely around the best pallets. Risky plays just aren’t worth it.
The longer you may loop the Killer for, the more time your team has to pick each other up and crank those generators. If you can loop the Killer for long enough, they may even get frustrated and go off in search of someone else, and that’s a huge win.
3Lure The Killer Away
Be The Bait
If you’re confident in your abilities, one of the boldest moves you can make is to deliberately get the Killer’s attention. Usually you want to avoid this, but sometimes it’s necessary for the good of the team as a whole.
By luring the Killer as far away from the rest of the team as you can, you’ll buy time for them to heal each other and make progress on generators. Even if they down you, you’ll be far enough away that the Killer has to cross the map again to reach your team.
Use The Full Map
Spreading out is almost always a good idea. It’s actually more efficient for every Survivor to be on a different generator, and it prevents the Killer from getting multiple downs in a row. This is doubly important against a Killer who slugs.
Even if multiple Survivors are in the Dying state, if they’re far apart from each other, then the Killer can’t patrol both effectively. That can give you the window to pick one of them back up and turn the game back in your favour.
1Survive With Friends
Better Together
Official statistics released by Behaviour, the developers of Dead By Daylight, confirm thatplaying in a group with friendssignificantly increases your odds of winning a match in Dead By Daylight. This is true against any style of Killer, but especially sluggers.
Playing with people you know, ideally with voice chat, means you’ll be far more coordinated and can share key information. An organized squad of Survivors is the last thing any Killer wants to see. It won’t guarantee you can’t be slugged, but it does make it easier to play against.
