A fresh Public Test Build for Dead by Daylight has arrived on PC via Steam, introducing a brand-new Killer, a new Survivor, unhook protection adjustments, and a comprehensive sweep of perk balance changes.

Quick Facts

  • New Killer: The Judgment, equipped with the Divine Light power and Zealous mechanics.
  • New Survivor: Aurora, featuring three unique perks (Fruits of your Labor, Salvation's Cry, and Boon: Steadfast).
  • Platform: PC (Steam).
  • Unhook Protections: Base unhook endurance and haste reduced to 10 seconds, with a new 10-second Elusive status effect added.

The Judgment and Aurora

The headline addition is The Judgment, a Killer centered around the "Will of the Gods" power. Players can summon Divine Light for up to three seconds, controlling it with camera movements before casting it forward to damage and apply Heresy to Survivors. The Killer can also Exile Survivors in the dying state using the Secondary Ability Button, functioning similarly to a hook.

The accompanying Survivor, Aurora, introduces perks focused on generator progression and aura reading. Her perk Fruits of your Labor grants Haste and healing progress tokens upon completing generators, while Boon: Steadfast allows players to create a Boon Totem that slows generator regression and increases repair speed.

Perk Adjustments and Quality of Life

The patch brings numerous tweaks to existing perks for both roles. A Nurse's Calling returns to its pre-9.2.0 behavior while keeping its range buff, prompting a simultaneous nerf to Coulrophobia to limit synergy. Survivor perks such as Sprint Burst, Deliverance, Vigil, and Adrenaline also see adjustments to duration and exhaustion timers.

On the interface side, the update adds a new Gameplay Showcase section accessible from lobbies to preview Killer powers and key aspects. Matchmaking buttons now display estimated wait times and queue durations, and the hook timer has been split into two visual bars to clearly indicate second hook states and death triggers.

Known Issues

Players checking out the PTB should note that Sadako and The Twins are temporarily unavailable. Additionally, using a Brand New Part will cause the first skill check after a toolbox depletes to lack Good and Great zones, and Divine Light visual effects may occasionally appear before they can actively injure Survivors.