Lockers in Dead by Daylight can be a survivor’s best friend or their worst nightmare. Entering a locker can offer a quick escape, but it’s also a high-risk maneuver, especially against experienced killers. Often, killers develop a sense for when a survivor might be hiding nearby, even without visual confirmation. This intuition, honed by countless trials, can make even the stealthiest survivor feel exposed. Understanding how killers anticipate locker plays and which perks amplify their detection abilities is crucial for survival.
One common killer strategy revolves around sound and game sense. If a killer is in chase and suddenly loses sight of a survivor near lockers, instinct often dictates checking those lockers. This is not always perk-based; it’s simply experienced players understanding common survivor escape routes. Furthermore, the game’s audio cues are designed to be informative. The sound of a survivor entering a locker, while intended to be subtle, can be heard by a nearby killer, especially those using headsets. Relying solely on lockers as a guaranteed escape, particularly when injured or in close proximity to the killer, is a gamble.
Certain killer perks significantly enhance locker detection. Whispers is a prime example. This perk activates when the killer is within a certain radius of any survivor. For a killer running Whispers, checking lockers becomes almost automatic, as the perk provides consistent feedback when survivors are in the vicinity. If a killer seems to be checking lockers with uncanny accuracy, Whispers is a likely culprit. Similarly, injured survivors are easier to track in general, and this vulnerability extends to locker hiding. Killers might utilize sound cues like injured grunts to pinpoint survivor locations, making lockers less safe for injured survivors.
Post-game perk analysis is an invaluable learning tool. Observing killer behavior during a match and then reviewing their perks in the after-game lobby allows survivors to adapt and refine their strategies. If a killer consistently found you in lockers, checking their perks can reveal if it was due to a perk like Whispers, or simply astute gameplay. Recognizing common killer perks like Barbecue & Chili (BBQ), which reveals survivor auras after hooking another survivor, is also essential. To counter BBQ when another survivor is hooked, entering a locker before the hook is completed is key. However, timing is critical. There’s often a slight delay in hook notifications on the survivor side. Enter the locker immediately as the killer picks up the downed survivor, wait a few seconds after the hook animation completes to ensure the BBQ aura reveal has passed, and then exit cautiously. Entering a locker after the hook is completed risks being detected by BBQ, as the killer will see your aura disappear and can easily deduce your location. If you miss the pre-hook locker entry window, it’s often better to simply move away from the hook in the opposite direction, rather than making a predictable locker play.
In conclusion, while lockers offer a potential hiding spot, they are not foolproof. Understanding killer tendencies, being aware of common locker-detection perks like Whispers and aura-reading perks like BBQ, and practicing timing are essential for effectively using lockers to evade killers and survive the trial.
