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Contents hide How to unlock all Killers in Dead by Daylight How do you decide which Killer to unlock and play? Is there a way to get Killers for free in Dead by Daylight? ✓ At a glance
  • Some Killers in Dead by Daylight come already unlocked. The rest have to be purchased with Iridescent Shards, Auric Cells, or through DLC.
  • The only way to get licensed characters is to purchase them with real-life money, either through DLC or in store with Auric Cells.
  • You can unlock original Killers by grinding Iridescent Shards, or by purchasing their DLC chapter.

Behaviour Interactive’s asymmetric survival horror game is a game of two halves. On one side, you’ve got the Survivors. This group is the centre of the 4v1 experience, trying to escape the Trials before they’re caught and sacrificed to The Entity. The other half of the experience is, of course, the half doing that sacrificing – the Killers. With so many having been added over the years, however, it can sometimes be unclear how to actually get Killers in Dead by Daylight.

All Killers can be browsed in the gallery, whether you own them or not. Image by Videogamer

How to unlock all Killers in Dead by Daylight

To unlock Killers in Dead by Daylight, you’ll either need to purchase them with in-game currency or purchase the DLC that they’re a part of, with a few exceptions. There have been a lot of Killers added since the early days of the game, back when we wrote our Dead by Daylight review. So here’s a full breakdown of all 36 Killers currently in the game, what they cost, and how you can pick them up if you want to try them out for yourself:

KillerPrice & StatusDLCThe TrapperFreeBase GameThe HillbillyFreeBase GameThe NurseFreeBase GameThe HuntressFreeBase GameThe WraithFree, tutorial unlockBase GameThe Xenomorph500 Auric CellsAlien chapterThe Singularity500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsEnd Transmission chapterThe Skull Merchant500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsTools of Torment chapterThe Knight500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsForged in Fog chapterThe Mastermind500 Auric CellsResident Evil: Project W chapterThe Dredge500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsRoots of Dread chapterThe Onryo500 Auric CellsSadako Rising chapterThe Artist500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsPortrait of a Murder chapterThe Cenobite500 Auric CellsHellraiser chapterThe Nemesis500 Auric CellsResident Evil chapterThe Trickster500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsAll-Kill chapterThe Twins500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsA Binding of Kin chapterThe Blight500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsDescend Beyond chapterThe Executioner500 Auric CellsSilent Hill chapterThe Deathslinger500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsChains of Hate chapterThe Oni500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsCursed LegacyThe Demogorgon500 Auric CellsStranger Things chapterThe Ghost Face500 Auric CellsGhost FaceThe Plague 500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsDemise of the Faithful chapterThe Legion500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsDarkness Among Us chapterThe Spirit500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsShattered BloodlineThe Clown 500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsCurtain CallThe Pig500 Auric CellsThe Saw chapterThe Nightmare500 Auric CellsA Nightmare on Elm StreetThe Cannibal 500 Auric CellsLEATHERFACEThe Doctor500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsSpark of MadnessThe Hag500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsOf Flesh and MudThe Shape500 Auric CellsThe Halloween chapterThe Good Guy500 Auric CellsChucky chapterThe Unknown500 Auric Cells, 9000 Iridescent ShardsAll Things Wicked chapterThe Lich500 Auric CellsDungeons and Dragons chapter ✓ Did you know?

All Killers who are original creations for Dead by Daylight can be bought with Iridescent shards, a rare in-game currency. Killers who originate from other horror IPs and stories, however, require some form of real-world purchase to unlock.

The Singularity is one of the more alien original Killer designs. Image by Videogamer

How do you decide which Killer to unlock and play?

You may be looking at that list and seeing a few standout options, and we wouldn’t blame you. DBD is full to bursting with variety when it comes to its characters. That being said, it’s a pretty tall order to pick them all up, as even with a whole lot of grinding you’ll inevitably have to fork out some cash. We’d recommend heading into the game and reading through each Killer’s description to get a good sense of who you’re going to like.

All Killers share some similar functions. They’ve all got a basic attack, can hook downed prey, damage generator repairs, break pallets, follow scratch marks, and emit a terror radius. But all of them boast unique traits as well. Each Killer has a power totally unique to them, as well as several Perks and hexes you can equip that become unlockable for all Killers once you Prestige their Bloodwebs far enough.

Some of their powers are more physical, like the Trapper’s traps, but others might offer potent bonuses, improving movement speed or buffing the debuffs you can inflict like Haemorrhage to put further strain on Survivors. Take a look through the catalogue and reflect on what you’ve enjoyed with Killers you’ve played so far. Chances are that you’ll find someone new to try out in no time.

Vivid scratch marks indicate that Survivors are nearby. Image by Videogamer

Is there a way to get Killers for free in Dead by Daylight?

Obviously, if you want to play all the Killers from the list, you’ll have to sacrifice a good chunk of your wallet. The obvious question then arises: can you get any Killers in the game for free?

The answer is yes, technically, and up to a point. The Nurse, Huntress, Hillbilly, and Trapper all come free at the beginning of the game, and you can also unlock The Wraith by completing the tutorial missions. Past this though, you’ll have to either grind Iridescent Shards for other unlockable Killers or pay to get Auric Cells for licensed ones.

About the Author

Finlay Cattanach

Fin is a Guides and Reviews writer for Videogamer.com. He's worked previously with Startmenu, The Loadout, and more. He plays everything from strategy and sandbox titles to FPS and souls-likes.

Dead by Daylight

  • Platform(s): Google Stadia, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
  • Genre(s): Action, Survival Horror
  • Read Review
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