How to quickly identify the Killer in Dead by Daylight

There are many Killers in DBD, and it's very important to know who you are going against so that you can adjust your strategy. Here's how to quickly identify the Killer in Dead by Daylight so that you survive most of your trials.

How to find out who the Killer is at the start of a match in Dead by Daylight

Here are some quick tips on how to identify the Killer at the start of a match in Dead by Daylight. And you can check the tells for each Killer in the table below.

When you enter the match, you want to be moving immediately. This way, you can scope out the map and notice any Killer's belongings that can reveal their identity. While running, you should also keep listening to any audio killer cues, like the nurse teleporting, Billy revving his chainsaw, etc. If you don't hear anything for a while, keep looking around, as it could be one of the stealth Killers stalking you.

Related: Best Killer Perks in Dead by Daylight

How to identify the Trapper

• He has a slow setup, so usually, nothing will be happening for the first minute or two as he places Traps.
• You could hear the sound of the Bear trap snapping closed, meaning that another Survivor has closed it.
• You will hear when a Survivor steps into a trap and see the Trap State around their icon, along with the visual cue of the Survivor's aura in red.
• Unless it's a dark map with a lot of grass, you should be able to spot Traps easily; just don't go vaulting through windows until you confirm if the Killer is the Trapper.

How to identify the Wraith

• You can hear him cloaking and uncloaking, along with his bell ringing, from pretty far away. However, you can also hear it when he is close, so you need to look for other signs before he uncloaks unless you want to get hit.
• If the Wraith is cloaked when approaching you, you can hear a quiet growling noise as he walks.
• You can also see the air shimmer and move to indicate where he is, so if you are on a generator, you should keep a lookout.

How to identify the Nurse

• The Nurse is one of the easiest Killers to identify due to her teleporting skills. You'll hear a whooshing sound followed by a scream, indicating that she is traveling across the map.
• While she is easy to identify, she isn't easy to deal with. You're lucky if it's a baby Nurse, but if it's a pro Nurse, expect to be down quickly.

How to identify the Hillbilly

• If you hear a Chainsaw revving early in the match, this is a good indication that the Hillbilly is traveling. Bubba wouldn't be using his chainsaws right at the start with no Survivors around him.
• Billy's chainsaw rev is also longer than Bubba's, who can be heard swinging it left and right.
• You can also hear a disgruntled yell if he hits something while using the chainsaw, which will happen often, especially if it's an indoor map.

How to identify Myers

• Myers is a stealth killer, which makes it tricky to spot him at the start. If a lot of time has passed and you haven't seen or heard from the Killer, look around for signs of Michael nearby.
• He has very loud breathing, so you should be able to hear him if he is close to you and you aren't on gen.
• If he is stalking someone and tiers up, you'll hear the Halloween theme song shortly across the map. You better hope it's not you that's feeding him.

How to identify the Hag

• Hag is considered one of the worst Killers in DBD, so not many people will play her. Honestly, I miss the days when you had to Urban Evade across the map to avoid activating her Traps. You should still watch out for these signs if you do end up in a match with her.
• Hag's Traps are visible in the dirt, but if it's a dark map, you will most likely run into it.
• You can recognize the sound of her clone disappearing even from further away, as it sounds like dirt and mud falling apart.

Related: All Maps in Dead by Daylight, Ranked

How to identify the Doctor

• The Doctor is another one easily identified through his Shock Therapy and Static Blast powers. You'll hear the sizzling sound of electricity as it passes across the map, usually followed by a Survivor screaming if they are in range.
• If you want to avoid getting spotted by the Doctor, lockers will prevent you from screaming. Just hope that the Killer doesn't have Iron Maiden on.

How to identify the Huntress

• The Huntress is constantly singing a lullaby, which you can hear way before you even get a heartbeat. The song gets creepier and creepier the more it goes. It's a humming rendition of the Russian lullaby Bayu Bayushki Bayu, which warns little children not to sleep at the end of a bed or they'll get bitten by a grey wolf.
• You can also hear her charging up a hatchet with a sort of slink noise, which is a good indication that you are in danger.
• The Huntress mains usually will throw a few hatchets across the map (with surprisingly great accuracy), so if you hear the sound of a thunk near you, then that's another indication that she is the Killer.

How to identify the Leatherface

• Just like with Billy, you'll recognize Bubba by the revving of the chainsaw. As mentioned above, his revving sounds different as you can hear that he is swinging it around, while Billy's can be heard going across the map quickly.
• While he is using the chainsaw, you'll also hear a piglike squealing coming from Bubba.
• Avoid going to the basement until you know who the Killer is, as there is a chance that Bubba is playing the Insidious basement strat.

How to identify Freddy

• As soon as you start the match, you'll be able to see Sleep State around all of the Survivors' icons ticking down until you are put into the Dream World.
• When awake, you can also recognize him by the 'One, Two, Freddy's Coming For You' tune being hummed by a group of creepy-sounding children.

How to identify the Pig

• You can recognize that you are going against her if you run past the Jigsaw boxes, which free Survivors from the Pig's Reverse Bear Traps.
• If she is in stealth mode, you can hear her prepare to charge with a growl, along with the sound of her unsheathing her knife.
• You can also clearly see it is her by the Trapped Timer State on a Survivor.

How to identify the Clown

• You will hear glass bottles breaking along with a grunt as the Clown throws glass bottles, and you'll see noxious gas from his Afterpiece Tonic. Usually, this is followed by Survivors coughing as they pass through the cloud of gas with impaired vision and movement speed.
• You can also hear him laughing in the distance as he hits a Survivor.

How to identify the Spirit

• The Spirit is identified in a similar way to the Nurse since she makes specific sounds as she phases across the map. You can recognize she is phasing by a very long whooshing sound, and if you hear it, it means she is coming your way.
• Another way to recognize her is by her gasping, difficult breaths, and the tinkling of glass shards that pierce her entire body.

How to identify the Legion

• The easiest way to tell the Killer is Legion is to see multiple Survivors quickly get the Deep Wound Status Effect. You'll recognize it by the yellow bar that is depleting if you aren't running. In order to avoid going down, you'll have to either Mend yourself or have one of your teammates do it.
• You can also hear the Legion's loud breaths as they run up to you with their Feral Frenzy power, so you should definitely start running ASAP.

How to identify the Plague

• The first clue that you are going against the Plague is the Pools of Devotion, which are used to cleanse yourself of the Sickness state.
• She can cover generators, pallets, windows, and lockers in green vomit with her Vile Purge, which is the best indicator of the Killer being the Plague. She can also infect the Survivors with the Vile Purge power, and you'll see the Sickness status around the affected player's icon.

Related: Best Survivor Builds in Dead by Daylight

How to identify Ghost Face

• Ghost Face is another stealth Killer like Mikey, so you won't be able to notice him at first. If he is close to you, you can actually hear the rustling of his clothes. This should be a sign for you to run or to try and break him out of his power.
• If you aren't sure who the Killer is yet, keep looking around while you fix the gen. If Ghost Face is in your line of sight and using his power (even if you don't actually see him yet), you'll get a sound cue as if something is charging up.

How to identify the Demogorgon

• The Demogorgon was out of the rotation for a while, but with the Stranger Things Chapter back in the shop, it is stronger than ever, and you need to remember how to recognize it.
• You can hear the Demogorgon using its power across the map as it screams very loudly when it charges you. You'll also get a very loud sound cue when the Demo is going down into its tunnels. If the Killer has placed the portals quickly, then you can also recognize it if you stumble across these portals early on.

How to identify the Oni

• The easiest way to identify the Oni is after he has already hit a Survivor, as they will now be leaving Blood Orbs floating in the air for him to collect so that he can activate Blood Fury.
• Once he has his power, you will hear a roar followed by thumping footsteps, confirming that it is, in fact, the Oni you are playing against.

How to identify the Deathslinger

The Deathslinger might be the easiest Killer to identify for the simple fact that he is the only Killer who uses a gun. You'll hear his gunshots echoing across the map, so you'll know pretty quickly that it's him.

How to identify Pyramid Head

• The best sign that you are playing against the Executioner is the Torment Trails, which he carves into the ground. They are pretty noticeable, but if you aren't paying attention, you can still run through them.
• If a Survivor goes through the Torment Trail, they will suffer the Tormented Status, which can be seen around the Survivor icon.

How to identify the Blight

Your primary cue for figuring out that you are in a match with the Blight is sound. You'll hear him hitting against walls, rocks, and trees as he uses his special power to increase his movement speed. You'll also hear him scream and growl as he does it, so keep your ears open.

How to identify the Twins

• For the Twins, it's also very important to pay close attention to sound cues. You can hear when they use their power and when Charlotte switches to Victor.
• It's important to note that Victor does not have a terror radius, but he does make small grunting noises as he approaches you. If he manages to jump onto a Survivor, you'll see the Latched-On State in the form of a hand around the player's icon.

How to identify the Trickster

• I hate it when I identify the Killer as the Trickster since he is one of my least favorite Killers to go against. The easiest way to tell he is coming is by the intense music, even ahead of the heartbeat.
• You can also tell that he is attacking a Survivor by the Lacerated State that forms around the Survivor's icon. The circle will fill up the more hits he gets in until it changes to red as the Survivor is about to go down.

How to identify the Nemesis

• If you run into a Supply case in the trial, it means the Killer is either Nemesis, Wesker, or Singularity. You have to look further to identify them correctly.
• If you hear very loud, thumping footsteps, the Killer is definitely the Nemesis. If you run into zombies, that's even further confirmation.
• If you need more proof, you can also see the Contamination Status for all Survivors who have been infected with the T-virus.

Related: Dead by Daylight Survivor Perks Tier List

How to identify Pinhead

The Cenobite is very easy to identify. As soon as you enter the trial, the Lament of Configuration will spawn on the map. You have to get to it first unless you want to suffer through a Chain Hunt. You can also recognize the Killer through the Chain Hunt State, which will appear in all of the Survivors' portraits.

How to identify the Artist

• There are two ways to recognize the Artist. One is through her crows, which she shoots to locate the Survivors. You'll definitely realize it's her once she tags you with them.
• If a Survivor is hit with a Dire Crow, then they will have the Swarmed State circling their portrait, indicating who the Killer is.

How to identify Sadako

• To identify Sadako, it's as simple as spotting her iconic TVs, which will be spread across the map for her to teleport through.
• If you haven't stumbled upon a TV, you can also recognize her if a Survivor has been put into a Condemned State by the icon around the player portrait.

How to identify the Dredge

• The best way to describe Dredge's footsteps is slimy, so if you hear something like that, then it's most likely this creature. Considering it is a manifestation of all the dark thoughts of a community, it's not surprising.
• Another great indication is the Lockers. If they have a latch that you can lock, then the Killer is the Dredge since it can teleport into it. It will also leave a Remnant, a cloud of black smoke to which it can teleport as well.

How to identify Wesker

• Wesker is the second RE Killer, and he can be identified by the Supply cases shown on the maps. However, be careful, as it can still be either the Nemesis or the Singularity.
• If a Survivor gets infected by the Mastermind, then a white circle will show up around their portrait. Once you reach Critical Infection, the circle will become red, meaning you are now more vulnerable to Wesker's attacks.

How to identify the Knight

• With his ability, the Knight can summon three guards to hunt down the Survivors. They all have a specific range and Patrol Path, so as long as you stay out of it, you should be safe.
• However, if you do activate them, you'll get the Hunted State applied to you, and it can be seen around your player icon as a turquoise circle. This is the best indicator that the Killer is the Knight.
• You can also recognize the Knight by his clanking steps, as he is in a full suit of armor.

How to identify the Skull Merchant

She is very tricky to identify, and I have run into her many times, thinking she is just another Survivor. Instead of focusing on sound, you will recognize her by her drones. They are invisible until you walk through their range. Once a drone is active, you can see the range as a big yellow circle. Anyone who a Drone detected will have a Lock On State visible as a timer underneath their portraits.

How to identify the Singularity

• The main indication that the Killer is the Singularity is through the Biopods, which you can see placed in the environment and which will latch themselves onto Survivors.
• The Singularity is the last Killer on the list with an item that spawns in Supply Cases, the EMP. However, the chest needs to print the EMP, so the animation will look different if you interact with it, which is how you'll know the Killer is the Singularity.

How to identify the Alien

The Alien can be identified by one of the coolest items in DBD, a Flame Turret. This is a limited item that will only spawn in matches against the Alien and which you can use to stun it. While there are other items which stun Killers, nothing is as amazing as setting up a turret and watching it shoot flames at the Alien.

How to identify Chucky

• Chucky is a giggly guy, so you'll hear him as he is running around. There's also the addition of him speaking, which you don't usually expect in DBD since most Killers are silent.
• In addition, since Chucky is a small Killer, he leaves white footsteps in his wake while using his power. No other Killer leaves tracks like this one, so this is a deal giveaway that Chucky is roaming the map.

How to identify the Unknown

• This is the second Killer in DBD to talk, and it is one of the creepiest Killer designs they have ever created. If you hear him talk near you, run.
• If a Survivor is hit by his UVX projectile, they become Weakened, which shows as a lilac bubble around the player's portrait. You can get rid of it if you keep eye contact with the Killer for 10 seconds.
• You might also run into his hallucinations across the map. While this is confirmation that the Killer is the Unknown, don't stick around them for too long since it can teleport to them and take you out quickly. And jumpscare you, as it keeps happening to me.

If you want to stay up to date with all things DBD, check out the Latest Dead by Daylight Patch Notes on Pro Game Guides.