Why Do Killers Camp in Dead by Daylight? The Definitive Guide

Killers in Dead by Daylight (DBD) camp for a variety of reasons, primarily driven by the desire to secure kills and control the game. While some instances of camping might stem from frustration or perceived unfairness, the more strategic killer understands that camping, when employed judiciously, can be an effective, albeit controversial, tactic. The core reasons boil down to resource management, risk mitigation, and capitalizing on survivor mistakes.

Understanding the Motivations Behind Camping

Strategic Camping: A Calculated Risk

The most common reason for camping is to guarantee a kill. A hooked survivor represents a significant investment of time and effort for the killer. If the killer is struggling to find other survivors or prevent generator progress, camping can seem like the only viable option to salvage the match and prevent a complete loss. This is especially true in the late game when remaining generators are few and far between.

• Preventing Rescues: Camping denies survivors the opportunity to unhook their teammate, effectively removing one player from the game and applying pressure on the remaining survivors. This can force survivors into risky rescue attempts, which can lead to further downs and hooks, snowballing the killer’s advantage.
• Generator Control: A camped hook can act as a “pressure point”. Survivors are often hesitant to leave generators unattended while a teammate is on the hook, slowing down their objective progress and giving the killer breathing room to patrol and apply pressure elsewhere.
• Information Gathering: Camping can provide the killer with valuable information about survivor locations and intentions. Watching the hooked survivor allows the killer to observe if other survivors are nearby, planning a rescue, or working on generators.

Reactive Camping: Adapting to the Situation

Sometimes, killers camp in response to specific in-game situations. This is often a reactive strategy, rather than a pre-planned tactic.

• Proximity to the Hook: If a killer downs a survivor near a hook, it’s often more efficient to hook them immediately rather than carrying them to a further location. This can inadvertently lead to camping if other survivors are nearby, attempting to body block or flashlight save.
• Survivor Toxicity: Unfortunately, some killers resort to camping as a response to perceived toxic behavior from survivors, such as excessive teabagging, flashlight clicking, or using unfair strategies like exploiting map glitches. While not excusable, frustration can sometimes fuel this behavior.
• Gen-Rushing: When survivors complete generators at an alarming rate early in the game (“gen-rushing”), a killer might feel pressured to camp to secure at least one kill and slow down the game. The killer hopes to buy time to apply more map pressure and prevent a quick loss.

The Psychology of Camping

Beyond the strategic and reactive reasons, there’s also a psychological component to camping.

• Frustration and Tilting: Dead by Daylight can be a frustrating game for both survivors and killers. Losing chases, being outplayed, or dealing with toxic behavior can lead to frustration and a desire to “punish” survivors, even if it means resorting to camping.
• Perceived Fairness: Some killers believe that camping is a fair tactic, especially if they feel that survivors are playing in a way that they deem unfair. They may see it as a way to even the playing field.

Why is Camping Considered “Bad”?

Despite its potential strategic value, camping is generally frowned upon in the Dead by Daylight community.

• Unfun for the Camped Survivor: Being camped is often a frustrating and boring experience for the hooked survivor, as they are unable to participate in the game and are essentially removed from the match early on.
• Can Stunt Learning: It robs both the killer and the survivor of valuable opportunities to practice and improve their skills. The killer misses out on chasing and mind-gaming, while the camped survivor doesn’t get to learn from their mistakes and improve their survival tactics.

Countering Camping: Survivor Strategies

While camping can be frustrating, there are strategies survivors can employ to mitigate its effectiveness. As the provided text says, to counter camping, players must first understand why camping occurs. The best counter to camping is teamwork and efficient generator progress.

• Gen-Rushing: Punish the killer’s camping by completing generators as quickly as possible. This forces the killer to abandon the hook to prevent a generator from being completed and a loss.
• Distraction and Diversion: One survivor can attempt to distract the killer while others work on generators.
• Looped Rescue: If the killer briefly leaves the hook to patrol, survivors can attempt a quick rescue and then use pallets and windows to loop the killer and buy time for the rescued survivor to heal.
• Anti-Camp Builds: Perks like Borrowed Time, Decisive Strike, and Deliverance can help survivors survive the camping killer.

The Future of Camping in DBD

Behaviour Interactive, the developers of Dead by Daylight, are constantly working to address the issue of camping and improve the game’s overall balance. Some recent updates have included changes to the hook timer and survivor buffs that can help them survive longer. These changes aim to discourage camping and encourage more engaging and interactive gameplay. The Games Learning Society provides an example of what gaming experiences can bring to the educational world. Learn more at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is camping against the rules in Dead by Daylight?

No, camping is not against the rules and is not a bannable offense. It is a legitimate strategy, albeit often considered unsportsmanlike. The developers have explicitly stated that playing the game within its intended mechanics is allowed, even if it’s frustrating for other players.

2. Why do some people consider camping to be “toxic”?

Camping is often considered toxic because it is seen as a cheap and unfun strategy that denies the camped survivor the opportunity to play the game. It can also be perceived as a sign of a killer who is unable to win through skill or strategy.

3. What is “face camping”?

Face camping is a more extreme form of camping where the killer stands directly in front of the hooked survivor, making it virtually impossible for other survivors to rescue them.

4. Does camping affect the killer’s rank?

Camping can negatively affect the killer’s Emblem Points, which are used to determine their rank. However, many players prioritize securing kills over ranking up, so they may still choose to camp despite the potential penalty.

5. What is “tunneling” and how is it related to camping?

Tunneling is when a killer focuses on downing and eliminating one specific survivor as quickly as possible, ignoring other available targets. It can be related to camping because killers may tunnel a survivor after unhooking them to ensure they are quickly eliminated.

6. What can I do if I’m being camped as a survivor?

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do as the camped survivor. Focus on giving your teammates information about the killer’s location and try to remain calm. Knowing what the other team is doing helps.

7. Do certain killers encourage camping more than others?

Some killer abilities and playstyles can lend themselves to camping. Killers with strong area control or the ability to quickly return to the hook may be more likely to camp.

8. Are there any perks that help counter camping?

Yes, several survivor perks can help counter camping, including Borrowed Time, which provides the rescued survivor with temporary invincibility, and Decisive Strike, which allows the rescued survivor to stun the killer if they are grabbed within a short time after being unhooked.

9. What is “slugging” and is it bannable?

Slugging is the practice of downing a survivor and leaving them on the ground instead of hooking them. It is not bannable and can be used strategically to pressure other survivors or to secure a 4K (killing all four survivors).

10. Why do killers slug instead of hooking?

Killers may slug to apply pressure to the remaining survivors, to prevent a rescue attempt, or to secure a 4K. Downed survivors can be used as bait to draw out other survivors, allowing the killer to down them as well.

11. Is being a “friendly killer” bannable?

No, being a friendly killer is not bannable. While it may frustrate some survivors who are trying to rank up, it is not against the rules to choose to be friendly and let survivors escape.

12. What is considered griefing in Dead by Daylight?

Griefing includes intentional gameplay abuse, such as working with the opposite team, targeting specific users repeatedly to ruin their game experience, or holding the game hostage.

13. How old should you be to play Dead by Daylight?

Dead by Daylight is generally recommended for players 17 years or older due to its violent content and themes.

14. Can you lose Iridescent 1 rank in Dead by Daylight?

No, once you reach Iridescent 1, the highest grade, you cannot lose it until the next grade reset.

15. What’s the longest ban you can get in Dead by Daylight?

The ban progression in Dead by Daylight is typically: 48 hours -> 1 week -> 1 month -> PERMANENT. However, for particularly egregious offenses, the ban duration may skip steps and go directly to a longer duration or permanent ban.

This concludes our comprehensive guide to camping in Dead by Daylight. Understanding the motivations, counter-strategies, and the nuances surrounding this controversial tactic can improve your gameplay experience, regardless of whether you play as survivor or killer.