Because there are over 200 perks in Dead by Daylight, players have room to experiment with different builds to decide which perks fit their playstyle best. Sometimes, though, it's not clear which perks are best for survivors to run.
In this guide, we'll help you figure out which builds will help you escape against even the strongest of killers. Here are the best Dead by Daylight survivor builds for 2023, and which playstyles they fit best.
31 July 2023 - We've updated this page to reflect the best survivor builds as of 2023. Dead by Daylight is constantly updating its perks, and we've adjusted our builds to reflect the best perks to use right now.
Table of Contents
Best Dead by Daylight Survivor Builds 2023
There are hundreds of perks to try out in Dead by Daylight, so as we stated, lots of builds are viable. It's a great idea to experiment with perks and determine your favorites over time.
We've designed a few strong builds to get you started, with each one catered to a different playstyle.
Try them all so you can figure out which ones help you escape more trials.
Super Stealth Build
Escape chases quickly and often with this build made especially for the stealthiest survivor mains.
- Iron Will (Jake Park)
- Distortion (Jeffrey "Jeff" Johansen)
- Dance With Me (Kate Denson)
- Quick and Quiet (Meg Thomas)
Iron Will makes it more challenging for the killer to find you by silencing the sound of your movements and breathing, while Distortion fakes the opponent out even more by preventing them from reading your aura. Dance With Me and Quick and Quiet ensure that if you do end up in the killer's sights, you'll be able to rapidly escape the chase and live to repair another generator.
Well-Rounded Meta Build
This meta build is arguably the best build in the game, according to many of the game's tournament-level players. These perks will allow you to lengthen chases, protect teammates, and rapidly finish generators to win the game.
- Dead Hard (David King)
- Off The Record (Zarina Kassir)
- Boon: Circle of Healing (Mikaela Reid)
- Prove Thyself (Dwight Fairfield)
Dead Hard allows you to essentially take an extra hit during chase if you time it right; even after the perk's nerf in June 2022, it's still worth using. Off The Record allows you to take one more extra hit after you are unhooked, giving you some extra protection - or you can use it to take a hit for your teammates. Boon: Circle of Healing ensures that your whole team stays healthy, while Prove Thyself ensures that those generators get completed.
5 Hit Chase Build
Enjoy the thrill of the chase? Try out this chase build to lengthen your chases against the killer and make the most of window vaults and pallets, even when injured. You'll be able to take multiple hits, keeping you alive for longer.
- Mettle Of Man (Ash Williams)
- Off The Record (Zarina Kassir)
- Dead Hard (David King)
- Decisive Strike (Laurie Strode)
Every perk in this build allows you to take an extra hit when timed and used correctly, up to a maximum of five hits. Mettle of Man activates after you've taken protection hits, Off the Record activates after you're unhooked, and you can activate Dead Hard at any time. While Decisive Strike doesn't allow you to take an extra hit in chase, it effectively gives you an extra chance in another way, allowing you to wiggle out of the killers' grasp if they down you twice in a row.
Support Build
Throughout the average trial, you and your teammates will probably take a few hits. With this support build, no one will stay injured for long, and you'll be able to make unhooks with no problem.
- Boon: Circle of Healing (Mikaela Reid)
- Empathy (Claudette Morel)
- We're Gonna Live Forever (David King)
- Kindred
Boon: Circle of Healing keeps the whole team healthy by allowing them to heal on their own. Empathy ensures that you can find your teammates for even quicker heals, while We're Gonna Live Forever lets you pick them up without worrying that they'll instantly go down again. Finally, Kindred has your back in case you or a teammate does end up on hook, allowing you to see the killer and your teammates' auras.
With all of these builds, it's wise to bring a strong item to support your gameplay and keep you surviving for longer.
A med-kit is a great choice since it essentially allows you to take an extra hit if you manage to find the time to heal. If you enjoy more aggressive gameplay, consider adding on a flashlight.
For more Dead by Daylight news be sure to check out our dedicated section, or some of our Guides & Tutorials, just below:
MAJOR UPDATES - Next Season Start Time | Rank Reset Schedule | Patch Notes | Prime Gaming Rewards | Year 8 Roadmap | DBD Anniversary
GAME GUIDES - Dead By Daylight Codes | Shrine of Secrets This Week | How To Get Bloodpoints Fast | How To Get Bloody Clothes | Cross-Progression Explained | How To Track Stats
TIER LISTS - Dead By Daylight Killers Tier List | Best Survivor Builds Ranked | Best Survivor Perks Ranked | Best Killer Perks Ranked
BEST KILLER BUILDS – The Artist | The Blight | The Cannibal | The Cenobite | The Clown | The Deathslinger | The Demogorgon | The Doctor | The Dredge | The Executioner | The Ghost Face | The Hag | The Hillbilly | The Huntress | The Legion | The Mastermind | The Nemesis | The Nightmare | The Nurse | The Oni | The Onryō | The Pig | The Plague | The Shape | The Skull Merchant | The Spirit | The Trapper | The Trickster | The Twins | The Wraith
