Today Behavior revealed to us the next chapter in Dead by Daylight, called Chains of Hate. This chapter brings with it a new Killer, Survivor, and map. In this article we will be taking a look at the new Killer, the Deathslinger. who looks like a long-dead cowboy with an interesting weapon. He carries a modified shotgun which can harpoon Survivors, and then reel them in like fish.

Survivors can struggle against the hook, but even if they break free they still become injured. The Deep Wound status effect is also applied. There is a good reason for this: that way Survivors cannot be put into the dying state from a distance. Think of it as a safety measure to keep the Deathslinger from being too powerful. He can hook injured survivors to reapply Deep Wound, but they will never go down.

This only applies to the ranged hook attack. Survivors who get pulled into his melee range can be put into the dying state, creating a dangerous scenario where Survivors must be always aware of their surroundings. Putting an object between themselves and the Deathslinger can break his chain, thus saving their life.

Deathslinger has a great concept, but will he be deadly enough? Already many players are describing him as just a different Huntress. Not just different, but weaker -- she is not limited by the Deep Wound status effect, after all.

This is true, but the Deathslinger has a very different playstyle than Huntress. He will be able to prevent Survivors from going where they want to go. This is what his strength will be. Being able to disrupt Survivors from their planned routes will catch them off guard. Most Survivors do not know how to adapt to unexpected situations. He definitely has the potential to be a strong and effective killer in Dead by Daylight.

His 3 unique perks are Gearhead, Dead Man’s Switch, and Hex: Retribution. Let’s look at what they can do. Gearhead activates for 35/40/45 seconds after the Deathslinger hits a Survivor 2 times with a basic attack. Each time a Survivor completes a Good or Great skill check while repairing, the generator will be revealed by a yellow aura for as long as it is being repaired. This perk will be great for scouting out where Survivors are.

I can see this perk being used over BBQ and Chili to figure out Survivor locations. Gearhead is a generator control perk, which pairs really well with Pop Goes the Weasel. This combo allows the Killer to maximize the use of Pop Goes the Weasel.

Another potential partner perk is Hex: Ruin. The Deathslinger could chase the Survivors off the generator they are working on, and Hex: Ruin will take over from there. Gearhead is going to be a welcome addition for generator control builds. It also pairs well with the Deathslinger’s next unique perk.

Dead Man’s Switch activates for the next 35/40/45 seconds after Hooking the Obsession. While activated, any Survivor that stops repairing a generator before it’s fully repaired causes the Entity to block the generator until the Dead Man’s Switch effect ends. This perk sounds great in concept, but if it works remains to be seen. When this perk is in effect all the Survivors are notified. So why would any Survivor get off a generator if they know it is active?

The only way to get use out of this perk is to force Survivors off the generators they are on. Which is why I see it comboing well with Gearhead. Depending on the Survivors, the sound of the heartbeat can be enough to move them. If you can master getting Survivors off generators, this perk would be a perfect partner for Hex: Ruin. With the entity blocking the generator, Survivors would be powerless to stop the regression. Just remember that Killers cannot kick generators blocked by the Entity.

The Deathslinger’s final perk, Hex: Retribution, makes any Survivor who cleanses a dull totem suffer from the Oblivious status effect for 35/40/45 seconds. If any Hex totem is cleansed -- including this one -- the auras of all survivors are revealed for 10 seconds.

I really like this perk because it makes totem gameplay more complex. In the past Survivors could do totems with no worry. Now they must weigh the pros and cons when deciding to cleanse totems. Even dull totems can be dangerous now.

Hex: Retribution has potential in various killer builds. The Oblivious status effect means Survivors cannot hear the Killer’s terror radius. If they do not pay attention, the Killer can get a surprise hit on them. Hex: Retribution pairs best with other Hex perks due to its effect. The most devastating combo is going to be with Hex: Haunted Ground, since Hex: Retribution will allow Killers to take full advantage of Haunted Ground, which has strong potential on Killers with instant down capabilities. Being able to see all Survivor auras is an incredibly strong effect.

That sums up the Deathslinger, who will arrive in the Chains of Hate chapter. If you want to learn more about this menacing killer, check out my video showcasing his abilities on the PTB. See for yourself how he can reel in Survivors to their death.