Looping is a crucial skill in Dead By Daylight, essential for surviving chases and supporting your team. Mastering this technique means you can buy your teammates enough time to repair generators and find an escape route. However, looping isn’t merely about running in circles; it’s a strategic play that entails map awareness and quick thinking.
Choosing the right moments to use pallets, vault, and manage your movements can be the deciding factor between getting caught or staying alive. This guide will explain what looping is and why it’s vital, and it will provide essential tips for effective looping, common mistakes new players make, and recommended perks to improve your chances of success.
What Is Looping and Why Is It Important?
Looping in Dead By Daylight involves maneuvering around obstacles to elongate a chase and evade the Killer. Skilled players who effectively loop can buy crucial time for their teammates, frustrate the Killer, and greatly enhance their team’s survival odds. Successfully confusing the Killer while looping also improves your chances of escaping the chase.
Tips for Looping Effectively
Here are some strategies to keep in mind if you find yourself being chased by the Killer.
Understand the Map Layouts
Familiarize yourself with the map designs and remember the locations of safe loops. Areas like jungle gyms, T-walls, and the Killer Shack offer strong looping options thanks to pallets and windows. The more you learn these layouts, the better you can react during a chase. Also, be mindful of dead zones—areas without pallets or vault options that can be fatal.
Check Behind You While Running
Once you’ve set your path, it’s essential to glance back occasionally to monitor the Killer’s position. Observing their movements helps you anticipate cuts or potential attacks. Look behind you, especially when you’re about to vault or drop a pallet; you won’t lose much ground in these moments.
Keep the Killer in Sight
For lower obstacles and pallets, keep your camera positioned so the Killer stays in the center of your view. When facing taller obstacles, raise your camera angle to maintain a clear view of their movements.
Stay Close to Objects
Always aim to run as close as possible to the obstacles you’re looping around. This allows you to access pallets and windows more quickly, maximizing your chances of extending the chase in your favor. Staying tight to loops also increases your likelihood of escaping.
Don’t Vault Immediately
Having the Killer right behind you can be nerve-wracking, but avoid the urge to vault right away. Reacting too quickly can result in an easy hit for the Killer, as they can anticipate your move. Stay calm and wait until they get close before vaulting.
For example, when looping around the Killer Shack, observe whether the Killer enters or circles it. If they enter, vault through the window; if they circle, remain inside until they enter, then vault.
Avoid Looping Near Generators
Don’t loop near generators, especially those your teammates are fixing. Running near a generator can disrupt their progress and prompt the Killer to switch targets, putting your teammate in danger.
Steer Clear of Hooks
Avoid looping near hooks, particularly where a teammate is currently hooked. If caught, you’ll be hooked almost immediately, with no time for your teammate to stun the Killer and help you. Additionally, the Killer often hovers near the hook, complicating rescue efforts for your teammates.
Be Aware of the Killer’s Bloodlust
Bloodlust kicks in when a chase drags on, granting the Killer enhanced speed. The progression of Bloodlust occurs in three tiers, each increasing the Killer’s speed. To counter Bloodlust, you must force the Killer to break a pallet or stun them, which resets their speed boost and gives you a moment to regain an advantage.
Choose Your Fall Spot Wisely
The longer you can keep the Killer chasing you, the more time your teammates have to complete their tasks. When you know you’re about to be caught, be thoughtful about where you fall. Here are ideal spots:
| Position | Reason |
|---|---|
| The Edge of the Map | Forces the Killer to carry you a long distance, boosting your chances to escape. |
| Near a Window | The Killer has blind spots in first-person view, giving you a chance to hide and escape. |
| Near a Pallet | The Killer may hesitate to pick you up, thinking a teammate could stun them. |
| In Open Spaces | An open area enables teammates with flashlights to help blind the Killer for your rescue. |
Loop Against Long-Range Killers
For Killers with long-range attacks (like The Huntress or The Deathslinger), it’s best to stay out of sight by utilizing tall walls and obstacles. If they get too close, you can use pallets and windows to your advantage.
Recommended Perks for Looping
While practicing and learning maps is crucial for mastering looping, certain perks can give you an edge. Here are a few that can aid your survival:
| Perk | Description |
|---|---|
| Sprint Burst | Provides a brief speed increase, allowing you to sprint at 150% speed for three seconds. Note, though, it does apply the Exhausted status. |
| Fixated | Increases walking speed by 20%, helping you recover from Exhausted faster while maintaining a good distance from the Killer. |
| Vigil | Reduces the duration of negative status effects, including Exhausted, by 30% for you and nearby teammates. This is particularly useful with Sprint Burst. |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
To loop effectively, you should also be aware of mistakes that can jeopardize your chances:
| Mistake | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Not Watching the Killer | Failing to monitor the Killer makes it difficult to anticipate their movements and react appropriately. |
| Wasting Pallets | Using pallets too early can deplete safe areas on the map, making it easier for the Killer to secure downs later on. |
| Running in a Straight Line | Panic might cause you to sprint straight ahead, but it’s typically not enough to outpace the Killer. Zigzagging is a more effective evasion tactic. |
| Standing Too Close to Pallets | Being too close to a pallet puts you at risk for getting hit before you can drop it. Maintain distance to time your drops accurately. |
With this knowledge, you can improve your looping skills, escape more effectively, and become a vital asset to your team in Dead By Daylight.
