So the newest killer in Dead by Daylight, the Deathslinger, has finally come out and you should probably figure out how to play him with the correct build. Thankfully, I am here to show you what I (and others) have found to be the best Deathslinger build. Saddle up, cowboy.
Wanna see where the Deathslinger ranks in terms of all the other killers in Dead by Daylight? Check out my DBD killer tier list.
Table of Contents
How to Play the Deathslinger
The Deathslinger isn’t a difficult killer to understand, but he does have a relatively high skill cap, meaning you can be much better if you truly understand how to play him. This short Deathslinger guide will show you how to use his powers and what his biggest strengths and weaknesses are.
Using the Deathslingers Power
Basics:
- You can shoot the hook from a fair distance (not hatchet range tho)
- Can’t reel in over obstacles
- You can hit survivors through windows
- After shooting the Redeemer you have to reload, regardless if it hits or not (reloading is similar to clown animation)
- It will glow orange if it is going to break
- Using your basic attack will cancel the hook (meaning you don’t get stunned)
- Hitting a survivor with the Redeemer does injure them
- For more raw numbers go here
For starters, you need to get comfortable with using his killer power, The Redeemer, essentially just a hook. Once you hit a survivor with this you can reel them in closer to you. There should be a bar towards the middle of your screen once you hook someone and this is the struggling bar, similar to the struggling bar when they are on the final stage of the entity hook.
If this bar is fully filled up the hook will break and you (the killer) will be stunned for several seconds, just like a Nurse stun. Thankfully, the survivor doesn’t get away scot-free, they also get a deep wound effect so hooking them is never a bad idea (well, ok that isn’t true).
You can shoot/hook them from a pretty fair distance but keep in mind the farther away they are the easier it will be for them to struggle out of it. Also, if there are obstacles in the way you won’t be able to reel them in. Obstacles include, dropped down pallets, windows, walls, trees, and even other survivors. Reeling them in when they are around these things makes the chain much easier to break. Make sure to pay attention to your chain as it will glow orange if they are in a position where the chain will break easier.
Even though you can’t hit them through most obstacles, you can hit people through windows if you reel them in close enough. So if a survivor jumps through a window, that doesn’t mean they are safe, take your time and try to hit them with the Redeemer and casually reel them in like the catch they are.
Another thing to note about the Deathslinger’s power is that you don’t have to get stunned if you hook someone in a bad spot. By using your basic attack, you can cancel the hook at any point in time, even if it is right before it breaks. This gives you some versatility with hooking and can allow you to reposition survivors if need be. Just keep in mind, that you will have to reload.
The Deathslinger’s Stats
Something often overlooked in builds is the stats that the killer has. Off-hand I don’t know many of the killer’s terror radiuses or MS which is pretty sad to say as it does change the nature of some of the builds. So, that being said, let’s look at Deathslinger’s stats.
Deathslinger’s move speed is 110%. This is something he shares with Huntress, the only other ranged killer in the game (does plague count?). Sadly, this is really slow, but I guess you could consider it offset by the fact he has a ranged weapon, I guess.
The Deathslinger’s terror radius is 24 meters, an extremely small TR for killers. Only the Hag, the Nurse, Huntress, and the Spirit have that low of a TR (the shape level 1 doesn’t have one). It allows these types of killers to sneak up on the survivor more easily, although, not in the way stealth killers do.
The Best Deathslinger Build
Alright, so you know the basics of using the Deathslinger’s power and his stats. Now you need to know the best perks/build for the Deathslinger so he can really shine in your games. Keep in mind that there are lots of perks out there that go well with each other, but these are some that I think go best on the Deathslinger.
Oh, and I’ll be giving you a few options to choose from. Enjoy!
Obsession Build – Speed/Chase Build
This obsession build is one of my favorites on the Deathslinger. Not only are you moving much quicker as a 110 MS killer, but you also get the added benefit of attacking much quicker as well. Let’s take a look at the perks:
Play With Your Food is the perk that makes you quicker the more you let your obsession go. On certain killers that lack MS, this is important, plus it works really well with Nemesis, which makes a survivor the obsession every time they stun you.
Save The Best For Last is also extremely important because the Deathslinger is required to hit survivors if he wants to down them. Speeding up the CD of successful attacks means he can quickly close the gap on survivors.
Monitor and Abuse are useful because it reduces his already low terror radius. Outside of a chase, the Deathslinger’s terror radius will become 16 meters if he is using M&A, which can allow for some easy Redeemer hooks.
THE BEST PART OF AN OBSESSION BUILD FOR DEATHSLINGER IS THAT HE DOESN’T HAVE TO HIT ANYONE TO INJURE THEM. Read that again. If you need to hit the obsession/injure them, normally you end up losing most of your tokens, but the Deathslinger can just use his Redeemer and injure the survivor that way, losing zero tokens in the process. Pretty cool right?
TL;DR: This build makes the Deathslinger faster, stealthier, and harder to escape. It benefits his already low TR and MS greatly.
Here are some other best perks you can use on the Deathslinger:
- I’m All Ears (The Ghost Face)
- Hex: Ruin (The Hag)
- Whispers
- Jolt
- Bitter Murmur
- Pop Goes The Weasel (The Clown)
- Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance (The Artist)
Hopefully, you enjoyed my guide on how to play the Deathslinger and are able to use some of these builds to rank up with him. Have fun playing DBD!
