Killers Like The Plague Exploring Similar Playstyles In Dead By Daylight

Introduction

In the realm of Dead by Daylight, The Plague, also known as Adiris, stands out as a formidable killer with a unique power set centered around infection and corruption. Her ability to spread sickness among survivors and unleash devastating attacks makes her a challenging opponent. For players who enjoy the strategic and methodical gameplay that The Plague offers, finding other killers with similar mechanics and playstyles can enhance their experience. This article delves into the world of Dead by Daylight killers, exploring those who share traits with The Plague and offer a similar sense of strategic depth and control over the match.

Understanding The Plague’s Unique Abilities

Before we delve into the other killers, it's crucial to understand what makes The Plague so distinctive. The Plague’s primary power, Vile Purge, allows her to spray a stream of corrupted bile, infecting both survivors and objects. Survivors who come into contact with this bile become infected and suffer from the Broken status effect, which prevents them from healing. This infection mechanic is central to The Plague’s gameplay, forcing survivors to make tough decisions: continue playing while infected or cleanse themselves at a Pool of Devotion. However, cleansing themselves grants The Plague the Corrupted Purge, a more potent version of her power that deals direct damage to survivors. This risk-reward dynamic is what makes The Plague such a compelling killer to play.

The Plague's gameplay revolves around the strategic use of her Vile Purge. At the start of each trial, she can use her power to infect generators, pallets, and windows, forcing survivors to come into contact with the sickness. Infected survivors cough intermittently, revealing their locations and making them easier to track. The Broken status effect also puts immense pressure on survivors, as they cannot heal from injuries while infected. This often leads to survivors cleansing themselves at the Pools of Devotion, which empowers The Plague with her Corrupted Purge. The Corrupted Purge is a direct damage ability, allowing The Plague to down healthy survivors with a single blast of bile. This transformation of the Pools of Devotion from a source of relief for survivors to a source of power for The Plague is a key aspect of her strategic depth.

The Plague's perks further complement her playstyle. Infectious Fright causes other survivors to scream when a survivor is put into the dying state within her terror radius, providing valuable information about survivor locations. Corrupt Intervention blocks the three generators furthest from her at the start of the trial, slowing down the early game and giving her time to set up her web of infection. Dark Devotion allows her to transfer her terror radius to the obsession, making it harder for survivors to predict her movements. These perks, combined with her powers, create a killer who excels at map control, information gathering, and applying constant pressure on survivors.

Killers with Similar Area-of-Effect and Debuffing Abilities

One of the core aspects of The Plague is her ability to apply area-of-effect debuffs, specifically the Broken status effect, to multiple survivors simultaneously. This makes her a potent threat in team-based scenarios and forces survivors to alter their strategies. Several other killers in Dead by Daylight share this ability to affect multiple survivors at once, though through different mechanics. These killers offer a similar sense of control over the match's flow and can appeal to players who enjoy The Plague's strategic depth.

One such killer is The Legion, a group of feral teenagers who can use their power, Feral Frenzy, to vault over pallets and windows at high speed and injure survivors. While in Feral Frenzy, The Legion can inflict the Deep Wound status effect on survivors, which, if not mended in time, will put them into the dying state. The Legion's power allows them to quickly traverse the map and apply pressure to multiple survivors, much like The Plague's ability to spread infection. However, unlike The Plague, The Legion's power is more focused on hit-and-run tactics rather than sustained debuffs. The Legion excels at keeping survivors injured and distracted, making them a formidable opponent in chase scenarios.

Another killer with area-of-effect capabilities is The Clown. The Clown's power, Afterpiece Tonic, allows him to throw bottles of gas that slow down survivors and impair their vision. The gas also causes survivors to cough, revealing their location, similar to the infected survivors coughing from The Plague's Vile Purge. The Clown's area denial abilities can be used to control loops and force survivors into unfavorable positions. While The Clown's power doesn't apply a direct debuff like the Broken status effect, the hindered and impaired vision effects can be just as debilitating, especially in tight spaces. The Clown's gameplay is focused on disrupting survivor movement and creating opportunities for easy hits.

The Doctor is another killer who excels at applying debuffs to multiple survivors. The Doctor's power, Shock Therapy, emits an electrical blast that inflicts Madness on survivors within its range. As Madness increases, survivors experience hallucinations, scream involuntarily, and may even be unable to perform certain actions. The Doctor's ability to inflict Madness can disrupt survivor strategies and make them more vulnerable to chases. While the Doctor's debuffs are more psychological than physical, they can be just as effective at hindering survivors and creating pressure. The Doctor's gameplay revolves around disrupting survivor gameplay and creating chaos, making him a challenging but rewarding killer to play.

Killers with Strategic Resource Management

A key aspect of playing The Plague effectively is managing her resources, specifically the Pools of Devotion. Knowing when to let survivors cleanse and when to pressure them to stay infected is crucial for maximizing her potential. Killers who require similar strategic resource management can offer a comparable gameplay experience. These killers often have powers with limited uses or mechanics that require careful planning and execution.

The Hag is a prime example of a killer who requires strategic resource management. The Hag can place up to ten traps that trigger when survivors come near, creating a phantasm Hag that survivors must avoid. The Hag's traps can be used to control loops, protect generators, and set up ambushes. However, the Hag has a limited number of traps, and each trap takes time to place. Therefore, Hag players must carefully plan where to place their traps and how to use them most effectively. The Hag's gameplay is focused on map control and strategic thinking, making her a challenging but rewarding killer to play.

The Trapper is another killer who excels at strategic resource management. The Trapper can place bear traps throughout the map, creating obstacles that survivors must avoid. Like the Hag, The Trapper has a limited number of traps, and placing them takes time. Trapper players must strategically place their traps in high-traffic areas, such as loops and generator locations, to maximize their effectiveness. The Trapper's gameplay revolves around anticipating survivor movement and creating a web of traps that can ensnare unsuspecting victims. This requires careful planning and a deep understanding of map layouts.

The Demogorgon also requires a degree of resource management. The Demogorgon can place portals around the map and use them to quickly traverse distances. However, The Demogorgon has a limited number of portals and must consider the strategic placement of each one. Portals can be used to pressure generators, intercept survivors, and create unexpected ambushes. Demogorgon players must carefully manage their portal placement and use them effectively to control the map. This strategic element makes The Demogorgon a rewarding killer for players who enjoy planning and executing complex strategies.

Killers with a Focus on Information and Tracking

Information is a crucial aspect of Dead by Daylight, and The Plague has several ways to gather information, such as the coughing of infected survivors and the screams triggered by her Infectious Fright perk. Killers who excel at tracking and gathering information can provide a similar strategic experience. These killers often have powers or perks that reveal survivor locations or movements, allowing them to make informed decisions and plan their attacks effectively.

The Wraith is a classic example of a killer who excels at information gathering. The Wraith can turn invisible, allowing him to move around the map undetected and ambush survivors. While invisible, the Wraith is difficult to see and hear, making him a formidable threat. The Wraith's stealth abilities allow him to gather information about survivor locations and movements before initiating a chase. This information advantage can be crucial for securing early hooks and applying pressure throughout the match. The Wraith's gameplay is focused on stealth and surprise, making him a challenging but rewarding killer to play.

The Nurse is another killer who relies heavily on information and prediction. The Nurse can teleport short distances, allowing her to bypass obstacles and catch up to survivors quickly. However, The Nurse's blinks require precise timing and knowledge of survivor movements. Nurse players must anticipate survivor paths and use their blinks effectively to close the distance. The Nurse's gameplay is focused on precision and prediction, making her one of the most challenging killers to master. However, a skilled Nurse player can be incredibly effective at tracking and catching survivors.

The Spirit is a killer who combines elements of tracking and deception. The Spirit can phase walk, allowing her to move quickly and silently around the map. While phase walking, the Spirit is invisible to survivors, but she can still see scratch marks and hear survivor noises. The Spirit's phase walking ability allows her to track survivors and set up ambushes. However, survivors can also use the Spirit's phase walking to their advantage, as she cannot see them directly while phasing. The Spirit's gameplay is focused on deception and tracking, making her a challenging but rewarding killer to play.

Conclusion

For players who enjoy the strategic depth and control offered by The Plague in Dead by Daylight, there are several other killers who offer similar gameplay experiences. Killers like The Legion, The Clown, and The Doctor share The Plague's ability to apply area-of-effect debuffs and pressure multiple survivors simultaneously. The Hag, The Trapper, and The Demogorgon require strategic resource management, similar to The Plague's management of Pools of Devotion. Killers like The Wraith, The Nurse, and The Spirit excel at tracking and gathering information, providing a strategic edge in chases and map control. By exploring these killers, players can expand their repertoire and find new ways to dominate the trials in Dead by Daylight.

Ultimately, the best killer for you will depend on your personal playstyle and preferences. Experiment with different killers and perks to find the combination that suits you best. Whether you enjoy spreading infection, setting traps, or teleporting across the map, Dead by Daylight offers a wide range of killers to choose from, each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. So, dive in, explore, and find your next favorite killer.