The one thing that any new Dead by Daylight player should do is play killer as soon as possible. In fact, you should play as the killer even before you try survivor. I say this because once you’ve played killer for a while, you’ll have a much better idea as to what you’re up against as a survivor. You’ll understand how a killer thinks, what they’re looking for, and the games they play.
The Trapper is the Perfect Killer for Beginners
It’s a good idea to start with an M1 killer. These are killers whose powers can’t kill survivors. I’m talking about killers like The Wraith, The Shape (Michael Myers), Ghost Face, etc… Their powers are more about stealth than harm. They’ll force you learn to loop, chase, stalk, and club survivors, which are the basics for any killer.
While any M1 (it stands mouse button 1) killer is a great choice to start with, I think The Trapper, who is an M2 (mouse button 2) killer, is better. And the reason I feel this way is because he’s the only M2 killer who operates like an M1 killer. While his special power can kill a survivor, it’s not its primary purpose. The Trapper still needs to hunt down survivors and hook or mori them. The traps can get the job done, but only with the right add-ons. While that may seem like a gray area, it still makes him an M2 killer. It also makes him the best of both worlds.
Mastering Bear Traps
The Trapper starts the trial carrying two bear traps; there are eight scattered throughout the map that need to be set. These traps can be set while you scour the map looking for survivors to terrorize. The traps are usually near generators, which is helpful.
Although you can pick up any trap that isn’t set, you can only carry two at a time. So, if you want to move one to a more optimal position, you’ll need to set one where you want a trap, then go back and pick up the other one. It’s not as awkward as it sounds.
Best places to set bear traps:
Grassy and Shaded areas: This will make them difficult to spot.
The ends of walls: This is better than a window because survivors will be concentrating on where the killer is looking (their red stain) while looping and may not notice it.
Under windows: This is not as effective as the end of a wall but can work to your benefit if the survivor is jumping towards the trap.
At the top of the basement steps: This is most effective when you have a survivor hooked in the basement and someone goes to save them. Before you go down to the basement, set a bear trap at the top. If one of them tries to escape, they’ll be too busy running from you to notice it.
Under a hooked survivor: You can’t place it directly under the survivor, so get as close as you can. This works best when there are limited ways to get to the hook.
Under the Exit gate switch: Experienced survivors will most likely look here, but it can still work.
Add-ons and Perks
When playing killer for the first time, the objective is to learn how to move, down survivors, and either sacrifice them to the Entity or kill them. Because of this, I suggest using Add-ons that will do the most damage to a survivor. Look for Add-ons that will increase the amount of time it will take for a survivor to get out of the trap and pair it with one that will do the most damage (i.e. Fastening Tools and Lengthened Jaws). You can also use anything with the Honing Stone, which will put the survivor in the dying state once they free themselves.
The Trapper has a number of useful perks. When trying to down survivors as fast as possible, I like to have a Scourge Hook perk, usually Scourge Hook: Monstrous Shrine, which will accelerate the sacrifice process as long as you keep your distance. You can also try Scourge Hook: Weeping Wounds, which will make the survivor suffer from the hemorrhaged status effect for 90 seconds. Sloppy Butcher puts the survivor in the Mangled and hemorrhaged status effect.
Look through your available perks and find the ones that will best suit your needs. And, as always, feel free to reach out to me on social media with questions, comments, or just to say hello. If you want to play a few trials with me, feel free to ask.