Dead By Daylight Scratch Marks: What They Are, What To Do About Them
Dead by Daylight pits Killers against Survivors, and there are few better ways for a Killer to find a Survivor than to follow the scratch marks they leave behind.
Dead by Daylight scratch marks are a fundamental part of how the game works. Dead by Daylight pits a group of Survivors against a monstrous Killer, their job is to repair generators and escape before the Killer can hunt them down and take them out. Killers have several tools for tracking down the Survivors, one of the most useful being the scratch marks they leave behind. Here is everything you need to know to fully understand Dead by Daylight scratch marks.
- For the Attack on Titan and Dead by Daylight fans among you, check out these Dead by Daylight Attack on Titan skins and charms
Dead by Daylight Scratch Marks: Why They Appear
Put simply, scratch marks are tracks left by Survivors. Stealth is the best friend of a Survivor trying to avoid a Killer, but if they are not careful they can leave tracks for the Killer to follow. Walking or crouching will not leave scratch marks, but running will. Whenever a Survivor runs, they leave glowing scratch marks everywhere they go. Scratch marks appear on the floor, on walls, on any nearby surface the Survivor runs past.
This mechanic allows Killers to keep track of Survivors who are trying to run away from them. Killers chasing after Survivors is a big part of the game, and this is how the game balances the Survivor's ability to run. As Killers play from a first-person perspective, it can be much more difficult for them to keep track of the Survivors visually. The scratch marks are a tradeoff for the extra movement speed the Survivor gets.
- Understanding scratch marks is a crucial part of getting an iridescent Dead by Daylight Chaser emblem.
Dead by Daylight Scratch Marks: How To Use Them
If you are playing as a Killer, scratch marks are a simple but fundamental part of the game. Seek out the Survivors, and apply pressure. When they run, use the scratch marks to track and chase them. This is one of the key aspects of playing as Killer, so be sure to get plenty of practice using scratch marks to track Survivors.
As the Survivor, you have more options on how to handle your scratch marks. The key here is remembering how they work. Unless you have the perks Fixated or Self Aware active, then you cannot see your own scratch marks. Try to keep in mind when and where you are running, and that the Killer can see the scratch marks you leave behind.
There are ways to mitigate the effects of your scratch marks. Many perks will give you periods of time in which you leave none, or reduce the visibility or duration of them. A great example of this is the universal perk Lightweight.
This perk reduces the length of time your scratch marks remain visible by up to five seconds. It also spreads them out, making them inconsistent and harder for a Killer to follow. Be sure to read the details of your perks, you may find some of them will go a long way to reduce the amount of scratch marks you leave behind.
That is everything you need to know about Dead by Daylight scratch marks. For more on the game, check out our explainer of how progression works after Dead by Daylight patch 6.1.0.
About The Author
Dave McAdam
Dave is a Senior Guides Writer at GGRecon, after several years of freelancing across the industry. He covers a wide range of games, with particular focus on shooters like Destiny 2, RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, and fighting games like Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8.
