The Nightmare
Check out top tier builds for The Nightmare from Dead by Daylight!
The Nightmare (Freddy Krueger)
Lore Overview
Even while alive, Freddy Krueger was a creature of nightmares to those who truly knew him. Beneath the mask of charm and friendliness, he hid a monstrous cruelty only his victims experienced. When the truth finally emerged, the parents of Springwood took justice into their own hands. They cornered Freddy, doused him in fire, and left him to burn, believing their children were finally safe. But evil that strong does not die so easily.
For years, Freddy’s name was buried in silence, his crimes mercifully forgotten. But memory is fragile, and dreams are never safe. Freddy returned, more terrifying than before, wielding the ability to invade the one place where no one could escape—sleep.
His hatred fixated on those who defied him, especially Nancy Holbrook, the girl who fought back against his torment. With Quentin Smith at her side, she managed to wound Freddy, leaving him scarred and seemingly defeated. Yet death had never claimed him the first time, and it would not claim him now. Freddy rose again, consumed with vengeance.
He stalked Quentin relentlessly, breaking him down night after night until dragging him back into the shadowed halls of Badham Preschool—the place where Freddy’s horrors began. He toyed with the boy, savoring every cry, every spark of fear, until the hunt consumed them both. Then, at the peak of his fury, something older and darker intervened.
The Entity reached into his nightmare world, twisting it into something both familiar and foreign. Freddy was dragged into a realm of endless prey, his powers reshaped to fit the Fog. Here, he would sharpen his claws on new victims, crafting fresh nightmares to fuel his hunger.
Now, in the Entity’s Realm, the laughter of children is replaced by the scrape of steel on walls, and every dream ends the same way—with Freddy’s claws rending flesh, and screams echoing forever in the dark.
As soon as at least one Exit Gate is opened, Blood Warden activates:
- The Auras of Survivors are revealed to you, whenever they are inside the Exit Gate.
Once per Trial, hooking a Survivor while Blood Warden is active calls upon The Entity to trigger the following effect:
- Blocks all opened Exit Gates for 40/50/60 seconds, preventing any remaining Survivor from leaving the Trial through them.
“This is my world. And you can’t ever leave.” — Freddy Krueger
Blood Warden
Fire Up
The increased pressure of losing your preys fills you with anger and gives you unsuspected motivation.
For each completed Generator, Fire Up gains +1 Token, up to a maximum of 5 Tokens:
- Increases the Action speeds for the following interactions by a stack-able 4/5/6 % per Token, up to a maximum of 20/25/30 %:
- Picking up and dropping Survivors.
- Breaking Breakable Walls and dropped Pallets.
- Damaging Generators.
- Vaulting Windows
“Now why don’t you just fucking die?” — Freddy Krueger
Whenever the Obsession loses a Health State by any means, Remember Me gains +1 Token, up to a maximum of 3/4/5 Tokens:
- Increases the Opening time of both Exit Gates by a stack-able 6 seconds per Token, up to a maximum additional Opening time of 18/24/30 seconds.
- This results in a maximum possible Opening time of 38/44/50 seconds for both Exit Gates.
Remember Me does not apply its penalty to the Obsession, allowing them to open both Exit Gates in the default time of 20 seconds.
You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time.
“You don’t remember? You must. You’re my number one, and you’ll never wake up again.” — Freddy Krueger
Remember Me
Nightmare Builds
Chase Disruption & Map Control
“Dream Snare Suppression”
Save the Best for Last
Shape Perk
Damaging any Survivor other than the Obsession with a Basic Attack causes Save the Best for Last to gain +1 Token, up to a maximum of 6/7/8 Tokens.
Damaging the Obsession with either a Basic or Special Attack causes Save the Best for Last to lose -2 Tokens:
- Grants a stack-able -4 % per Token Cool-down time reduction on successful Basic Attacks, up to a maximum of 24/28/32 %.
Save the Best for Last freezes its current Token Count once the Obsession is sacrificed or killed.
You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time.
“Death has come to your little town, Sheriff.” — Dr Sam Loomis
Bamboozle
Clown Perk
After vaulting a Window, Bamboozle calls upon The Entity to block that Window for the next 8/12/16 seconds.
- Blocked Windows cannot be vaulted by Survivors.
- Increases your general Vaulting speed by 5/10/15 %.
Bamboozle only blocks one Window at a time and does not apply either of its effects to vaulting Pallets.
Corrupt Intervention
Plague Perk
Your prayers invoke a dark power that meddles with the Survivors’ chances of survival.
- At the start of the Trial, the 3 Generators located farthest from you are blocked by The Entity for 80/100/120 seconds.
Corrupt Intervention deactivates prematurely once the first Survivor is put into the Dying State.
“It shall be known across the land that the Gods curse the unfaithful.” — (The Tablet of Adiris, 3.7)
Pop Goes the Weasel
Clown Perk
(Great combo after hooking and zooming to a gen with birds.)
A deep bond with The Entity unlocks great strength.
After hooking a Survivor, Pop Goes the Weasel activates for 35/40/45 seconds.
Perform the Damage Generator action while Pop Goes the Weasel is active to benefit from the following effect:
- Instantly regresses the damaged Generator by -20 % of its current Progression.
Pop Goes the Weasel deactivates after the Generator is damaged or once the timer runs out.
Add-ons
"Z" Block
A deeply scratched and burnt wooden block which’s only recognisable feature is the letter “Z”.
- The Auras of Survivors affected by a Dream Snare or a Dream Pallet are revealed for 3 seconds.
Nancy's Sketch
A crude and bold sketch made with Fusain, signed by Nancy H.
- Reduces the duration of Sleep Immunity by -20 %.
Late-Game Control & Exit Denial
“Endgame Nightmare”
No Way Out
Trickster Perk
You are not going to let just anyone into the VIP room.
For each Survivor you hook for the first time, No Way Out gains 1 Token.
Once the Exit Gates have been powered, No Way Out activates:
- When a Survivor interacts with an Exit Gate Switch, you receive a Loud Noise Notification and The Entity blocks both Exit Gate Switches for 12 seconds and an additional 6/9/12 seconds per Token in your possession, up to a combined maximum of 36/48/60 seconds.
“That sound when you bleed… let me hear it again.” — Ji-Woon Hak
Blood Warden
Nightmare Perk
As soon as at least one Exit Gate is opened, Blood Warden activates:
- The Auras of Survivors are revealed to you, whenever they are inside the Exit Gate.
Once per Trial, hooking a Survivor while Blood Warden is active calls upon The Entity to trigger the following effect:
- Blocks all opened Exit Gates for 40/50/60 seconds, preventing any remaining Survivor from leaving the Trial through them.
“This is my world. And you can’t ever leave.” — Freddy Krueger
Hex: Blood Favor
Blight Perk
A Hex that gains the favour of The Entity when blood is spilt.
- Whenever a Survivor loses a Health State by any means and thus enters the Injured State or the Dying State, Hex: Blood Favour calls upon The Entity to block all Pallets within 24/28/32 metres of that Survivor’s location from being pulled down for the next 15 seconds.
All effects of the Hex Perk persist until its Hex Totem is cleansed or blessed.
“It would be no leap of the imagination to suggest that the Trials are a biological response of sorts.” — Journal of Talbot Grimes
Deadlock (No Holds Barred)
Cenobite (General) Perk
You induce mental suffering by crushing any hope of escape.
After a generator is repaired, The Entity blocks the generator with the most progress for 15/20/25 seconds. You see its white aura during this time.
“Nobody escapes us.” —Pinhead
Add-ons
Black Box
A black cardboard box filled with photographs.
- Causes the Exit Gates to be blocked for Asleep Survivors for 15 seconds after they are opened.
- This effect lingers for 3 seconds after those Survivors wake up.
Paint Thinner
A tin of a highly volatile and inflammable material.
- Causes Survivors dropping a Dream Pallet to trigger Killer Instinct for 6 seconds.
- Grants the ability to target these Survivors with the Dream Projection ability:
- Increases the Charge speed of this Dream Projection by +100 %.
Zone control & Regression
“Sleep Paralysis”
Deadlock (No Holds Barred)
Cenobite (General) Perk
You induce mental suffering by crushing any hope of escape.
After a generator is repaired, The Entity blocks the generator with the most progress for 15/20/25 seconds. You see its white aura during this time.
“Nobody escapes us.” —Pinhead
Call of Brine
Onryō Perk
After performing the Damage Generator action on a Generator, Call of Brine applies its effects to it for 70 seconds:
- Increases its Regression speed to 130/140/150 % of the default value.
- Highlights its Aura to you in yellow.
- Triggers a Loud Noise Notification whenever a Survivor succeeds a Good Skill Check while repairing it.
Overcharge
Doctor Perk
You are fuelled by your hate for progress.
Performing the Damage Generator action on a Generator applies Overcharge:
- The next Survivor interacting with that Generator is faced with a difficult Skill Check.
- Failing that Skill Check instantly regresses the Generator by 2/3/4 % of its maximum possible Progression in addition to the default Progression penalty.
After Overcharge is applied to a Generator, the following effect also applies:
- Increases the Regression speed from 85 % to 130 % over the next 30 seconds.
“It is a trap, But a trap one must step in…” — Herman Carter
Save the Best for Last
Shape Perk
Damaging any Survivor other than the Obsession with a Basic Attack causes Save the Best for Last to gain +1 Token, up to a maximum of 6/7/8 Tokens.
Damaging the Obsession with either a Basic or Special Attack causes Save the Best for Last to lose -2 Tokens:
- Grants a stack-able -4 % per Token Cool-down time reduction on successful Basic Attacks, up to a maximum of 24/28/32 %.
Save the Best for Last freezes its current Token Count once the Obsession is sacrificed or killed.
You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time.
“Death has come to your little town, Sheriff.” — Dr Sam Loomis
Add-ons
Class Photo
A large photograph taken at Badham Preschool showing the cheerful class of ’94-95.
- Grants the ability target the Exit Gate Switches with the Dream Projection ability.
- Causes Survivors opening an Exit Gate to trigger Killer Instinct.
Red Paint Brush
A large paint brush, wet with crimson paint.
- The Auras of Survivors trapped in the Dream World are revealed to you, whenever they are farther than 32 metres from your location.
- Increases the default duration of Microsleep by +50 %.
Stealthy, Chase-focused
"Midnight Hunt"
Tinkerer
Hillbilly Perk
Whenever a Generator is repaired to 70 %, you benefit from the following effects:
- Triggers a Loud Noise Notification for that Generator, revealing its location.
- Grants the Undetectable Status Effect for the next 12/14/16 seconds.
Tinkerer can only trigger once per Generator per Trial.
“The Hillbilly makes impressive tools out of scraps. Tools aimed at maiming us in creative ways.” — Notebook
Bamboozle
Clown Perk
After vaulting a Window, Bamboozle calls upon The Entity to block that Window for the next 8/12/16 seconds.
- Blocked Windows cannot be vaulted by Survivors.
- Increases your general Vaulting speed by 5/10/15 %.
Bamboozle only blocks one Window at a time and does not apply either of its effects to vaulting Pallets.
Nowhere to Hide
Knight Perk
The machinations of the weak and craven draw your ire.
Your anger forces Survivors to reveal themselves.
Performing the Damage Generator action on a Generator triggers Nowhere to Hide:
- The Auras of all Survivors within 24 metres of your location are revealed to you for 3/4/5 seconds.
“Out with you, cowards! Show yourselves!” — Tarhos Kovács
Surge
Demogorgon Perk
Your eerie presence charges the air and interferes with technology.
Whenever you put a Survivor into the Dying State with a Basic Attack, all Generators within 32 metres of your location instantly explode and start regressing.
- Instantly regresses affected Generators by 6/7/8 %.
“The creature appears to have some unknown influence over electricity and nearby electronics.” — Hawkins National Laboratory
Add-ons
Nancy’s Sketch
A crude and bold sketch made with Fusain, signed by Nancy H.
- Reduces the duration of Sleep Immunity by -20 %.
Jump Rope
Good for a bit of exercise, or for tying up your target.
- Extends the duration of Slice & Dice to 108 % of its default duration.
Regression and Time Waste
“Sands of Sleep”
Eruption
Nemesis Perk
The NE-α parasite provides you with the intelligence and awareness needed to set a trap.
Performing the Damage Generator action on a Generator applies Eruption:
- All affected Generators are highlighted to you in yellow.
- The next time any Survivor enters the Dying State by any means, all affected Generators explode and immediately start regressing, which removes the highlighted Aura.
- Instantly regresses the Generator by -10 % of its maximum possible Progression.
- Causes all Survivors repairing the afflicted Generators to scream and reveal their Aura to you for 8/10/12 seconds.
Eruption has a cool-down of 30 seconds.
“It can use weapons?” — Jill Valentine
Oppression
Twins Perk
Performing the Damage Generator action on a Generator triggers the following effects:
- Randomly selects up to 4 additional Generators that will also start regressing.
- Triggers a difficult Skill Check for all Survivors currently repairing them.
“Damn them as they would damn us.” — Charlotte Deshayes
Brutal Strength
Trapper Perk
Your great strength allows you to shred through your prey’s defences.
- Increases the Action speeds for breaking Breakable Walls and dropped Pallets, and damaging Generators by 10/15/20 %.
“It is more than muscles. A dark power motivates the beast.”
Game Afoot
Skull Merchant Perk
First you pick your prey, then you pick it apart.
- Whenever you hit the Survivor with the highest cumulative Chase time, with a Basic Attack, they become the Obsession.
While you are chasing your Obsession, Game Afoot activates its secondary effect:
- Grants a 5 % Haste
Status Effect for 8/9/10 seconds after damaging a Generator
or breaking a Breakable Wall or Pallet
You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time.
“This one might actually be a challenge…” — Sonhadores Sombrios, Issue #3
Add-ons
"Z" Block
A deeply scratched and burnt wooden block which’s only recognisable feature is the letter “Z”.
- The Auras of Survivors affected by a Dream Snare or a Dream Pallet are revealed for 3 seconds.
Swing Chains
Rusty, but sturdy chains used to securely attach a swing seat.
- Blocks all Windows within 16 metres of your location for 6 seconds after using the Dream Projection ability.