The different Realms in Dead By Daylight can be a killer’s worst enemy or a survivor’s best friend. While some Dead by Daylight maps are more aesthetically pleasing and others are dull, there’s more to it than that. God pallets, L and T walls, and lighting all play huge factors in a player’s ability to complete objectives.
The difference in the environmental elements from map to map helps a survivor hide more efficiently or allows a killer more map control. This article will rank Dead By Daylight maps and their many positive or negative qualities.
Updated May 19, 2022 by Sharnelle Earle: It’s that time of the month when Behaviour reveals a new Survivor and Killer in the Public Beta Test. Every two to three months they make it a goal to create a whole new Survivor and Killer duo. This always comes with six new perks, new mechanics, and a new map. Behaviour adding new characters, licensed or not, will continue to grip players all around the world. The list of maps and Killers will endlessly grow because of it. Between those two to three months, you’ll be able to finally learn a new Killers powers and how to traverse the new map, just for another to appear. This consistent output by Behaviour keeps players interested, giving them something new to learn before they get bored.
17 Haddonfield - Lampkin Lane
It may be easier to hide in Haddonfield because of all the obstacles and houses, but once the Killer starts making moves it becomes tedious and tiresome for Survivors to survive.
The map feels small and closed in. Some generators are hidden behind or within houses, but the ones on the wide-open street are what pose threats to the objective. It lacks common loop walls everyone has gotten used to. There are fences to make up for it, but they pose a risk as Killers can still hit through them. Haddonfield is often more annoying than thrilling.
16 Springwood - All
Springwood, Badham Preschool feels similar to Haddonfield but has more leeway. There are more spacious areas to loop the Killer, and it doesn’t feel as small of a map.
Regardless of that, Springwood isn’t a favored map by Killers or Survivors. Matches either go terribly bad or terribly good due to the environment. There can be too many obstacles for a Killer to navigate finding people, or it can feel like you’re always out in the open as Survivor.
15 Hawkins National Laboratory - The Underground Complex
Indoor maps are disliked by all parties. Hawkins Lab is filled with never-ending tight corners and hallways that all look exactly the same. This could be used to a Survivor’s advantage, but can also disorientate everyone and become less fun because of all the hallways.
When someone is still learning a Killer, indoor maps can be their worst enemy with the many closed-in twists and turns. As Survivor, it can feel like they can never truly get away. A map like this can be a field day for a Legion or the worst day ever for a Myers.
14 Lery’s Memorial Institute - Treatment Theater
Lery’s Institute is another indoor map, therefore annoying. If you’re playing as someone like The Doctor it’s way too easy to corner and home in survivors. This is a weak map for survivors and a powerful one for killers who can find people very easily. It can feel too tight as a survivor and is a veritable maze if you’re not familiar with it. Then again, if you’re not playing against a Doctor and are good at looping, Lery’s Institute may make disappearing easy.
13 Raccoon City Police Station
Everyone was very excited for Resident Evil to join forces with Dead By Daylight. Their opinions may have changed upon finding out that the Resident Evil map would be indoors.
While the Raccoon City Realm is a spitting image of the police station in the original game (minus The Entity everywhere), indoor maps are never fun. This particular map is a maze to traverse through, with empty halls that offer no pallets or escape routes for survivors. For someone like The Pig, this map is an easy win because of the tight corners and confusing paths. Survivors will never find their way out.
12 Gideon Meat Plant - The Game
If the Survivor team is not facing a stalker or teleporting Killer, the Gideon Meat Plant can be relatively easier to juke and navigate. The many entrances and exits to the upper and lower levels can be used to their advantage.
But it is still an indoor map with its challenges. If a Survivor is downstairs they can evade and hide due to the darkness and small corners, but if they are upstairs there is plenty of space for a Huntress to throw a hatchet and for the Killer to catch up with them.
11 Eyrie Of Crows - Forsaken Boneyard
Killers hate this map. Dead By Daylight is supposed to be a horror game, but some players believe it strays farther and farther from scary with each update. This is especially the case with maps that are very bright.
While artistically this map stands out among the others, it’s not that scary. It’s extra hard for killers, because they can be seen from miles away regardless of Perks that affect Terror Radius or auras. Someone like The Hag or The Trapper will have a very hard time catching anyone in traps, with the bright desert floor and lack of dark areas to hide them in.
10 Ormond - Mount Ormond Resort
Ormond is often looked at as a survivor-sided map. There is only one main building and the rest is a large running space. You’re quickly able to make distance against a killer and the generators are a great deal apart. Because it’s a snow-themed map you can’t hide easily but that benefits killers by being able to spot blood and survivors more quickly.
9 Silent Hill - Midwich Elementary School
Because Midwich is also an indoor map, if the player is new to it, it can be frustrating, again because of the long and empty hallways. These long hallways can make it easy for a Killer to find a Survivor and lunge.
Midwich Elementary School can be on the easy side for Killers, but perhaps too easy to be fun. As a Survivor, evading the Killer can be a challenge because every side room is small with only one short loop, and then it’s back to a defenseless hallway.
8 Grave Of Glenvale - Dead Dawg Saloon
Though every generator is out in the open on Dead Dawg Saloon, the fun or ease to be had varies on which Killer is on it. For a Nurse, it can seem pointless as there are no walls to teleport through and she would have to rely on her basic, slow speed. As a Huntress, there is plenty of clear space to aim her hatchets.
7 Backwater Swamp - All
The swamp is both spacious and tight. There’s a lot of ground to cover but many obstacles that can benefit survivors or be their worst enemy. Because the entire ground is dark mud, killers like The Hag and Trapper benefit from placing their traps on this map. The Backwater Swamp is optimal for camouflaging as a survivor if you’re able to change in time and know where you’re going.
6 Yamaoka Estate - All
If the player is going Blendette style and attempting to camouflage within the environment, Yamaoka is just the place for that. Yamaoka has large, thick grass and large stones to quickly hide in or behind and the Killer will never know a Survivor was there.
Because of all this grass, plus the perpetually dark atmosphere, it can be hard for Killers to find Survivors and they can easily miss one walking by in the distance. Not at the fault of the fog, but the long grass and easily camouflaged surroundings.
5 Crotus Prenn Asylum - All
Unique for its circus, Crotus Prenn Asylum can be looked at as just another forest map. Which is good. Forest maps are the original environments of the game and have all the basic necessities that both parties need.
There are various L and T walls, pallets, and hiding places for Survivors to survive, juke, and loop. The playing field is still even as Killers know these basic maneuvers that are lacking in most indoor maps and everyone can feel at home.
4 Autohaven Wreckers - All
Autohaven Wreckers is one of the original, classic maps of Dead By Daylight that offers relatively equal opportunity matches. There’s lots of junk to loop and hide around, but there are some tricks for the killer too. Like a hidden bell that rings whenever someone walks over its wiring, letting everyone know someone is nearby.
3 Red Forest - All
Another classic map with less to quarrel about than the others, Red Forest benefits killers with traps and those who can camouflage in large grass. It’s a darker map with lots of trees and grass for coverage. You can easily hide bear traps and Phantasm traps here.
2 Coldwind Farm - All
Coldwind Farm is another basic map that everyone can benefit from. The long corn stalks can help Survivor’s hide or show Killers if someone’s in the fields as they move when a player walks in them.
With Killers like the Blight, it can be easier to lose distance in the cornfields because there is nothing for him to bounce off of. But a Killer with throw-able items or speed on their side can make it more of a challenge, in a good way.
1 Macmillan Estate - All
Macmillan Estate is one of the OG maps that everyone has learned at this point, making it a good and fair option for all parties. It can pose as boring or less thrilling, but it has all the ingredients for a good chase and potential success on both parts.
This map again has L and T walls and various pallets for the Survivors. It’s also somewhat bright and spacious, aiding the Killer.
NEXT: Dead By Daylight: A Complete Guide
