Best ways to counter slugging in Dead by Dead

There are many ways for assassins to win in Dead by Light but one that stands out is “slugging”. This happens when the killer chooses not to pick up the downed survivors and put them on the hooks, either waiting until they are all down or leaving them to bleed out.

This can be an effective method, preventing survivors from attempting a rescue and even using many of their perks. However, it's a very frustrating playstyle to go against survivors, taking a lot of the fun out of the game. With that in mind, we've compiled a list of ways you can counter this strategy for better matches and a healthier meta for the overall game.

The best way to anticipate and counter the other side is to play it yourself. Playing Survivor will make you a better killer, and the opposite is also true. The better you get at each side, the better you can learn what that side does and how to effectively play against it.

8 Customize the killer

They are all different

It may seem obvious that every killer is different, but this is something that is often overlooked. How you play against a stealth killer is not the same as playing against one like Nemesis.

Counter the anti-slugging techniques that the killer is up against, and also pay attention to their benefits. Most slugging killers will use perks that benefit slugging, but not always. Keep your wits about you and don't be too rigid in your playing style.

7 Bring the right benefits

Stack that loadout

If slugging is a serious problem for you, there are features that can help. Unbreakable from Bill Overbeck is a standout, letting you pick yourself up from a dead end in a test. You can also use others, such as Tenacity from Detective Tap, to let you crawl and recover faster.

Unfortunately, none of the perks you can bring will completely stop the slugging playstyle, but they will help and give you a fighting chance. If nothing else, they'll frustrate the killer, which seems fair when they're trying their own frustrating playstyle.

6 lift each other up

Play it safe

The goal of a slugging killer is to reach a victory state without hooking any survivors and leaving them all dead on the ground. This means you can't unhook, but you can still heal people and get them back on their feet.

Slugging killers are waiting for you to try this, using the first downed survivor as bait for the rest. Play carefully and wait until they are definitely on the map, ideally in pursuit, to run to the rescue of your fellow survivors.

5 keep quiet

Can't kill what you can't catch

Slugging Killers will usually ignore all other aspects of the game, hoping to take down all survivors quickly and secure the win. If you play carefully and stealthily so they never find you, you can prolong the game and give your team more chances to turn things around.

Perks like distortion can help with this, but the most important part is caution and patience. Abandon the generators as soon as you detect the killer panic radius and do not take any action unless you are sure it is safe to do so.

4 Tie in tight loops

Don't make risky plays

Avoiding being downed by a slugging killer is important, and if you can't avoid it, you can do what you can to delay it. Stick to the strongest loops in the game and play safely around the best palettes. Risky games are not worth it.

The longer you can loop the killer for, the more time your team has to pick each other up and crank up those generators. If you can loop a killer long enough, they might even get frustrated and go looking for someone else, and that's a big win.

3 Lure the killer away

Be the bait

If you are confident in your abilities, one of the boldest moves you can make is to deliberately attract the attention of the killer. Usually you want to avoid this, but sometimes it is necessary for the good of the whole team.

By keeping the killer as far away from the rest of the team as possible, you'll buy them time to heal each other and make progress on the generators. Even if they take you down, you'll be so far away that the killer has to cross the map again to get to your team.

2 spread out

Use the full map

Spreading out is almost always a good idea. It's actually more efficient for each survivor to be on a different generator, and it prevents the killer from getting too many downs in a row. This is doubly important against an assassin who slugs.

If multiple survivors are dying, if they are far from each other, the killer cannot effectively patrol both. This can give you a window to back one of them up and turn the game back in your favor.

1 Live with friends

Good together

Official statistics released by Dead by Daylight developer Behavior confirm that playing in a group with friends significantly increases your chances of winning a match in Dead by Daylight. This is true against any style of hitter, but especially sluggers.

Playing with people you know, with voice chat, means you'll be more coordinated and can share key information. An organized team of survivors is the last thing any killer wants to see. It doesn't guarantee you can't slug, but it makes it easier to play against.