An A-Z of DBD: A Dead By Daylight Glossary
Rowan
This glossary is currently being filled with every helpful term and quip from the Dead By Daylight community. If you think of any more to add, please email us at respawninn@yahoo.com or contact us on any one of our socials.
1,2,3 I've Got Your Number, Bunny Feng
360: this means to spin around and confuse the Killer, making them miss their hit. It can be very frustrating to Killers if they keep missing a hit when a Survivor is spinning about. It is achieved through a bit of practice but basically you press W,A,S,D in order so the Survivor runs around in a circle and use your mouse to flick your camera, moving the character quickly.
99 the gate: this is a bit of an old DBD meta mechanic where players would power the exit gate switch until it was almost completed. This would potentially stop the Killer from using their Bloodwarden perk, if Survivors suspect they have in in their build.
A is for ARGH, Oh NO!
Add-ons: an add-on in Dead By Daylight is a little extra Survivors can add to the item or Killers can add to their power. They buff the item or power in some way, or focus its use. For example, a Survivor could bring a toolbox with an add on that makes generator repair faster, or a Killer can bring an add-on to increase their power's effectiveness.
Adept: this is an achievement you can receive on whatever platform you play on. To 'adept' a Survivor, you have to play with only their three unique perks and escape. To 'adept' a Killer, you have to use just their three unique perks and kill all four Survivors. Moris do count but bleed outs (Slugging) does not.
AFK: as you may already know, this stands for Away From Keyboard. If a Survivor is AFK for too long, they get idle crows above their head which will eventually alert the Killer to their location (see Crows). If a Killer is AFK, Survivors can still flashlight blind them, but not much else.
Anti-Camp Metre: this is the bar that fills up as the Killer stands too close to a hooked Survivor. When the bar is full, the Survivor can unhook themselves, and are given the same Endurance and speed boost they'd have if they were unhooked by a teammate.
Aura: the aura of players and objects are highlighted in yellow, white, or pink. Yellow auras are the most common and applies to Survivors, the Killer, and generators. Various perks for both Survivors and Killers can reveal the yellow aura of players and generators for a certain amount of time when certain actions are completed. For example, the most popular aura-reading perk used by Killers tends to be BBQ & Chill where the aura of Survivors a distance away from the hook are revealed to the Killer for a few seconds after they hook a Survivor. White auras usually apply to generators or hooks, for example: Scourge Hooks are highlighted in white to the Killer when they use a Scourge Hook perk. the white hook aura is revealed to Survivors who have the Saboteur perk as the Killer picks up a teammate. Pink auras highlight the position of Hex totems assigned to a specific Survivor in cases like Hex: Fortune's Fool, where Survivors must cleanse the hex totem to break the Oblivious curse, or No One Escapes Death (NOED) where the hex totem must be cleansed to get rid of the Exposed status.
B is for B*llocks, the Killer Found Me
Baby Survivor/Baby Killer: it is usually easy to tell if the player is a noob. They either don't seem to know what they are doing, or if they are a Killer, they look like they are practicing using their power. Be kind!
Basement: the Basement belongs to the Killer and has four Hooks inside that cannot be sabotaged. It always contains a Chest, but beware of a Basement Bubba who may camp out down there to protect his Chest.
Basement Bubba: this cheeky guy likes to hang out in his basement, using the perk Insidious so he is Undetectable. He guards the chest in the Basement with his chainsaw, and woe betide anyone who touches his precious chest!
BBQ: this is a shorthand term for the Killer perk, Barbecue & Chilli. You may hear this a lot as it is a very popular perk for Killers to have in their Build. It essentially shows the Auras of Survivors after the Killer hooks someone. If you see the Killer keeps making regular beeline to Survivor locations after hooking someone, or they look around a little after they hook you, they probably have BBQ.
Blindness: this is a status effect that can be applied to Killers or Survivors so they don't see auras of anything around them.
Bloodpoints/BP: this precious in-game currency is what you earn during a game and can then spend on levelling up and increasing a character's Prestige. You can also get these for free from the Store once a week by going to 'Featured' and then checking for a Free Gift in the bottom right corner. Also, check your Inbox messages regularly for any free BP from the devs. Just occasionally, you will get more free BP through codes released on the Dead By Daylight socials.
Build: as mentioned above, both Survivors and Killers have a 'build'. This is the collection of up to four perks they have selected to try and help them win the game. Your perk build can truly make or break a game, so choose wisely.
C is for Cocky Survivors Deserve the Hook
Camping: this is a term used to describe when a Killer stays near a hooked Survivor, or near a generator they don't want to be completed. It is also used to describe when Survivors hang out by a pallet in the hope they can slam the pallet and stun the Killer, instead of looping them. There are two types of camping in regards to Killers: proxy camping and face camping. Proxy camping is where Killers walk around the general area of the hook, but stay far enough away as to not fill up the anti-camping metre. Face camping is when the Killer stands directly in front of the hook to secure the kill, usually during end game, but sometimes they do it during a match and the anti-camp metre fills, allowing the Survivor to unhook themselves.
Chests: as standard, 3 Chests will spawn on the map, one of which will be in the Killer's Basement. Inside, there will be a item of random rarity. A Survivor can brings perks to help them find better items in chests, and a Coin offering to add another chest to the map.
Crows: there are two types of crows, three if we include the ones used by The Artist. There are crows around the map who fly off when a Killer or Survivor passes by. Survivors can stop alerting the crows by using the perk Calm Spirit, or by crouching as they go by. Killers can use the crows to alert them to a Survivor's presence by using the perk Spies in the Shadows. Crows also appear above a Survivor's head if they don't move or do anything for a while. When three idle crows appear, the Killer is notified.
D is for Dastardly & Dirty Tactics
Distraction: a good Survivor is an aware Survivor who is always there for their team. As a Survivor, you can use and do various things to cause a distraction, confuse the Killer, and potentially save a teammate. This includes using flashbangs or fireworks while a Survivor is in chase, throw pallets or use stun perks like Head On.
E is for Escape is Not the Only Goal
Emotes/Emoting: there are two official emotes that Survivors can use point and beckon. Unofficially, there are a few more. You can always trust Survivor players to find ways to communicate to each other or the Killer. Pointing can mean anything from 'go over there' or 'they are over there', to 'you twat, you blew up the gen' or 'break the pallet, please Mr Killer'. Beckoning is usually used to mean 'come here', but is also used to 'spank' other players by crouching and emoting behind them. Crouching, also known as Teabagging, is also used as an emote by Survivors for a few reasons. Two or three crouches = hello or thanks, multiple crouches at the exit gates = teabags to mock the Killer, multiple crouches over a fellow Survivor's downed or dead body = mockery of a terrible teammate or sometimes humorous mockery of a friend. Both Killers and Survivors can shake or nod their heads by moving the directional keys or right thumbstick on controller.
Endurance: Survivors can get a short window of protection when they unhooked, or when they use certain perks. The Endurance status gives Survivors some time to escape when without it they would have been downed. Good Endurance perks include Dead Hard, Made For This, Soul Guard, and Off The Record.
Exit Gate: as soon as the Gens are done, the Exit Gates are powered. This means Survivors can start to open either one, or both, or the two Exit Gates on the map. When the final gen is done, look for the two highlighted exits and quickly head toward one. There are a few Perks that affect the exit, some of which block the exit switches or slow progress, and others that block the exit itself such as No Way Out, Remember Me, and Blood Warden. Survivors also have perks that can speed up opening gates such as Resilience and Wake Up.
Exposed: when a Survivor is Exposed, a red skull icon appears on the right of the screen. This means the Killer can whack the Survivor with their main weapon, not their power, and down them in one hit. Exposed does not, contrary to what the the name suggests, reveal the Survivor's aura.
F is for Fun in the Fog
Flashlights: Flashlights are brought into the trial by Survivors and used to blind the killer. They can also be used to blind Nemesis's zombies. Flashies are hard to master but SO satisfying once you do. The trick is to practice blinding at a pallet, shining the light into the Killer's face as they break the pallet, to see how to get the angle right. Timing is key for flashlight saves, and you must use it as the Killer picks up the Survivor. Too late, and they carry your teammate off anyway.
Flashbang: a Flashbang is used to rescue Survivors from the Killer's grasp or to distract the Killer. This is a Leon Kennedy perk, and can be sometimes unlocked in the Shrine of Secrets. Just like with the Flashlight, this item requires a bit of practice to get the timing right.
G is for Good Game
Grades: your player Grade is basically your 'level' or 'rank' for that season. They reset every month, and you gain bonus Bloodpoints depending on what Grade you reached. The better you do in a trial, the more pips you get, and the higher your Grade becomes, and the more BP you get.
Generators/Gens: there are 7 generators around the map, and Survivors need to repair 5 of them to power the Exit Gates and escape. There are many perks that affect gen repair speed and availability including Pop Goes The Weasel, Corrupt Intervention and Overcharge. Survivors can try to speed up repairing gens by using Toolboxes with add-ons, and by using perks like Prove Thyself and Hyperfocus, among others.
General Perks: these are the perks available to all players without unlocking or levelling up other characters. They include perks such as Kindred, Spine Chill, Sloppy Butcher, and NOED.
Glyphs: Glyphs appear when you begin a Glyph Tome challenge. The Glyphs come in different colours, each one with its own special requirements. Once you get near the Glyph, you hear a crunchy sound notification to help you find it. All you have to do to finish the challenge is interact with the Glyph. There is an unspoken rule that if, as Killer, you find a Survivor doing a Glyph, you must allow the to finish before killing them. As a Survivor, it is polite to let the Killer continue chasing you and hooking you after they allow you to complete your Glyph challenge.
Red Glyphs are the easiest to complete - just interact with it.
Blue Glyphs make you Blind or Oblivious for 60 seconds after interacting with it.
Yellow Glyphs have continuous skill checks.
Purple Glyphs are a Killer only Glyph challenge where they must follow a trail of purple goop to find it.
White Glyphs give you a mirror to take to the Killer's basement without doing any rushed actions or getting hurt.
Green Glyphs appear in the places where Totems usually appear.
Orange Glyphs are a Killer only challenge that asks you to hook 6 Survivors while suffering from a bunch of nerfs like more stun by pallets and slower cooldown when doing a basic attack.
Pink Glyphs require Survivors to sneak up on the glyph in order to interact.
H is for Hatch - the Last Hope
Hatch: the hatch appears when there is only one Survivor left. It can spawn anywhere on the match but you can bring an Offering to increase the chance of it spawning in the Killer Shack or in the Main building. When you are near it, you can hear it hum. Killers can close the Hatch to stop Survivors escaping, but it can be opened with a Key. If closed, Survivors have to find an Exit Gate instead, or use a Key.
Hex Totem: a Hex Totem shows up as a glowing set of bones and a skull. There are lots of Hex Perks the Killers can bring, some of which are deadly, others that slow progress. The most popular Hex Perks are Hex: Ruin, a generator repair slow down perk, Hex: Pain Resonance, a a generator damaging perk, and Hex: Devour Hope, a perk where the Killer can eventually kill all Survivors unless it is cleansed. It is always a good idea to cleanse a glowing Hex Totem. As the old DBD saying goes - IF IT GLOWS IT GOES!
Hooks: Killers must hook Survivors three times to sacrifice them to The Entity. Different Perks apply different effects when a Survivor is hooked, from slow down effects to Blindness or Obliviousness. Survivors also have hook perks to Sabotage the hooks in order to save other Survivors.
I is for I'm Blaming Lag
Iridescent/Iri Shards: this is an in-game currency you can get by levelling up as a player. Your player level increases the more you play, and the better you do. Iri Shards can be spent on original characters (not licensed ones like Stranger Things or FNAF), or low and mid-range cosmetics. Super special cosmetics are usually bought with Auric Cells .
J is for Just One More Match
Just leave: taunting the Killer at the Exit Gate is tempting if they have particularly brutal throughout the match, but it is not worth it in the long run. Many Killers have powers, perks, and add-ons that can prevent you from leaving the exit area, so it is best to JUST LEAVE.
K is for Keys are Useless, Until They're Not
Keys: ah Keys, they used to be so useful. Back when the Hatch would spawn earlier and Survivors could open it before the gens were done or Survivors are dead, Keys were super handy. Now, they are good for aura-reading with some special add-ons. Not many Survivors use them these days. Also, there is nothing worse than finding a Broken Key in a Chest. The chest may as well be empty.
Killer Shack: the Killer Shack is a wooden shack only found on outdoor maps. It can have the Basement inside, and has one window and one pallet to loop the Killer around.
L is for Looping Until We Drop
Looping: this is when Survivors use any buildings, pallets, walls and vault points to extend a chase with a Killer.
M is for Mori Me, Please
Main: the largest building on the map. Only applies to an outdoor map that also always has a Killer Shack.
Mori: this is when the Killer can kill the Survivor by their hand. Usually they bring an offering to do so, but they can also Mori the final Survivor in the game. Some Killers have Add-Ons or can use a Perk to Mori a Survivor, such as Judith's Tombstone for Michael Myers or the Hex: Devour Hope perk.
N is for NOED - Nice One, Everyone's Dead
NOED: NOED is the regularly used shorthand for the Killer Perk No One Escapes Death. This perk activates when the last Generator is completed and the Exit Gates are powered. If there are any Totems left on the map, one will become a Hex Totem, and light up. The Killer can then down any Survivor they find until that lit Totem is cleansed. Survivors can find the Totem by searching the map and looking out for a lit Hex Totem, or by spotting the pink aura of the Hex Totem if it is hidden behind a wall nearby.
O is for Oh Look! A Totem!
Oblivious: this is shown with a red icon where a person is holding their hand over their eyes. When this status effect is active, Survivors won't see or hear the Killer's Terror Radius.
P is for Pallets Save Lives
Pallets: these are found all around the map and can be thrown down by Survivors to block or stun the Killer. The general rule is to not throw the pallet down at the Killer Shack unless absolutely necessary.
Perks: each player gets to choose 4 perks for their build. There are teachable perks attached to each character that are unlocked for all others when that character is prestiged. There are also general perks unlocked in the Bloodweb.
Prestige: prestiging your character requires you to spend Bloodpoints in the Bloodweb. Every character is levelled up with Bloodpoints up to level 50, then can be prestiged, which resets the Bloodweb level. It is recommended that every character is at least Prestige 3 so their teachable perks are unlocked for all others.
Q is for Quick! Hide in a Bush
N/A
R is for Rage Quitters Really Suck
Red Light Green Light: sometimes the Killer is friendly (ish) and wants to have some fun at the end. They either pay Red Light Green Light or a Slug Race at the exit by Slugging all Survivors and letting them race from the start of the exit gate to the end. Often, Survivors will ask the Killer to race by Teabagging at the exit gate entrance, and point towards the end. The Killer then downs them all, they line up and the Killer swipes their weapon to begin the race (or turns their back if playing RLGL).
S is for Sabo Party Starts Now
Sabotaging/Sabo: Survivors can sabo hooks using a toolbox, which is often Alex's Toolbox as it is the fastest for sabotaging, or the perk Saboteur. A perk like Breakdown can also be used as it sabos a Survivor's hook after they are rescued.
Sandbagging: this is when a Survivor is in chase with the Killer and brings the Killer to a teammate, essentially dumping the Killer on them like a sandbag.
Slugging: slugging is when the Killer downs Survivors then leaves them to bleed out instead of hooking them. Often this is done to secure the 4K, but can also be just to troll Survivors or as a tactic against a 4-player SWF armed with flashies, sabo toolboxes and sweaty perks.
Slug Race: see Red Light Green Light
SWF: stands for Survive With Friends and is basically a full Survivor team of four players, usually on comms which gives them a huge advantage over the Killer.
T is for Teabagging and Trolls
Terror Radius: this is when you hear the Killer's 'music' and heartbeat. Some Killers have larger Terror Radiuses than others, and most of them have recognisable themes. There are perks connected to the Terror Radius such as Coulrophobia and Overwhelming Presence that cause issues for the Survivor.
Tome: each Chapter has a Tome, providing challenges for all players to get Bloodpoints and Rift Fragments (if new). All Tomes are available to players and have a mix of easy and tough challenges to complete.
Toolbox: these have specific uses, so it is good to examine which one you want to take with you to the realm. Alex's Toolbox is best for sabotaging hooks, while the Engineer's Toolbox is best for repairing generators. Add-ons can also be used to speed up progress even more.
Totems: there are 5 Totems around every map and these can be cleansed or blessed by Survivors, or hexed by Killers. Hex Totems glow as if they are on fire, while blessed Totems (Boons) glow blue and give off a huge blue radius. Many perks effect totems and totem cleansing or blessing speeds. To find Totems easily as Survivor, many players use the perk Small Game.
Tunnelling: this is when the Killer targets the player who has just been unhooked and is considered unfair gameplay. If the unhooked Survivor has time to heal or start repairing a generator, however, they are not being tunnelled, no matter how badly they would like to think so. Decisive Strike (a perk from Laurie Strode) is a good way to combat tunnelling, or have another Survivor run Shoulder The Burden (Taurie Cain perk).
U is for Unhook Me, Dammit!
Undetectable: this is when the Killer has no Terror Radius.
V is for Vaulting into the Killer's Arms
Vaults: windows and pallets are used by Survivors to Loop the Killer, but they can be blocked by Killers with various perks. Survivors also have perks that help them use the vaults to escape the Killer like Lithe (Feng Min perk) for a speed boost, or Dance With Me (Kate Denson perk) to hide scratch marks. Killers often use Bamboozle (Cannibal perk) to block a window after vaulting it.
W is for Who brought the Killer to my Gen?!
Windows: see Vaults
X is for eXposed and eXhausted
N/A
Y is for Your Broken Key is Useless
N/A
Z is for ZZZ... Queue Times are Terrible
Zoomies: this is when Billy (The Hillbilly) is being friendly and just zooms across the map with his chainsaw.