The next Dead By Daylight update is on its way, so that means it is tine first for a PTB. The Player Test Build is where players can test out the upcoming changes, be they buffs, nerfs, or new characters, and allow the developers to see how the changes work when the public gets their hands on them.
DBD March PTB update: All buffs, nerfs, and changes
Foresaken Boneyard update
This DBD PTB has a few controversial changes, according to the community responses on Reddit, but nothing is set in stone just yet. One of the best changes coming is the Foresaken Boneyard map update. For many players, map updates can be great because they stop games from feeling stale over time. This month, the Eyrie of Crows realm of Foresaken Boneyard, originally home to The Artist, is getting a slight expansion and improved navigation, with the Killer Shack at the center. The map will now include more double-pallet tiles and fewer branch bushes, making it a little more balanced.
Legion buffs
A change no one asked for, except for Legion mains, of course, is a full Legion buff. Anyone who already despises the Mend-And-Heal Simulator that Legion provides will not look forward to these changes:
- Decreased fatigue time from three seconds to 2.5 seconds
- Increased fatigue movement speed from 2.07m/s to 2.3 m/s
- Feral Frenzy increased from 10 seconds to 11 seconds
- Feral Frenzy cooldown reduced from 20 seconds to 15 seconds
- Movement speed earned by hit during Feral Frenzy increased from 0.20 to 0.24
- Add-ons adjusted
Survivor buffs
With all that to (not) look forward to, Survivors get a small buff to mending actions:
- Decreased self-mending time from 12 seconds to 10 seconds
- Decreased altruistic-mending time from eight seconds to six seconds
Xenomorph nerf
Much to the annoyance of Xenomorph players, the alien queen is getting a nerf in the hopes that Survivors could avoid her tail whips and hear her coming a little easier when in stealth mode. With this latest update, Xenomorph’s tail attack will take a little longer between wind up and attack, and her attack is now a bit louder. To keep the balance, her cooldown is reduced.
Chucky buff
Chucky (The Good Guy) gets a small buff, although no one is sure why, as he seems pretty powerful as he is with very good add-ons. As his main weakness was speed and movement, he has been given a little cooldown reduction and reduction of the time it takes to reach maximum speed during Slice & Dice.
A few of the other Killers get some changes to their Terror Radius, some to buff the Killer and some to help the Survivor know they’re coming. Speedsters like Hillbilly and Blight are getting an increase to their Terror Radius, while stealth Killers like Pig, Ghostie, and Skull Merchant are having theirs reduced.
Match Surrender and other changes
And now on to the more exciting changes. There will now be a Match Surrender option when both the Killer and the Survivors can decide to give up without risking a disconnect penalty. When the game is ultimately unwinnable or is being held hostage, this option will come into play:
- When all Survivors are all bots, the Killer can surrender
- When no generator has been completed for 10 consecutive minutes, the Killer can surrender
- When all Survivors but one are bots, the Survivor can surrender
- When all Survivors are being slugged (left in the dying state), the Survivors can surrender. The perk Plot Twist will not trigger the surrender option.
Speaking of slugging, one controversial choice is the change to the Killer perk Knock Out. This perk is getting a huge nerf, and no longer blinds players from seeing the downed Survivor’s aura. Instead, when a Survivor drops a pallet and move away within six seconds, they become five percent Hindered (slowed) for up to five seconds. This could be a real counter to Survivors who love to pre-drop pallets in chase, particularly for Killers like Huntress, Xenomorph, The Executioner, and The Artist who can hit Survivors who don’t get away from the pallet quick enough.
Overall, Pig and Legion players are rejoicing, Xenomorph players are unhappy, and everyone is just waiting to see how the smaller changes will affect gameplay. But don’t forget—not all of these changes will stick, and the PTB may lead to some being canceled altogether or changed.
