The Deathslinger is Dead by Daylight’s precision ranged killer who uses a harpoon gun to spear survivors, reel them in, and hit them at close range. He’s a 1v1 chase specialist with instant aim-down-sights, no Terror Radius while aiming, and the ability to zone survivors with constant quick-scope threats.
Deathslinger rewards good aim, patience, and understanding of zoning. He’s one of the most satisfying killers to play when you land shots consistently. Let’s break down how to master him.
The Deathslinger’s Power: The Redeemer
Ability: Deathslinger wields a harpoon gun that shoots a chain to spear survivors, reel them in, and hit them.
Shooting Mechanics (M2)
How it works:
- Press M2 to aim down sights (instant, no wind-up)
- While aiming, your movement speed slows to 92% (slower than survivors)
- Release M2 to cancel aiming
- Left click while aiming to shoot the harpoon
- Harpoon travels up to 18 meters
- If harpoon hits a survivor, they’re speared and chained
Quick-scope:
- You can shoot IMMEDIATELY after pressing M2
- No delay, no wind-up
- This is called “quick-scoping” and is Deathslinger’s signature technique
Harpoon hit:
- Harpoon has a small hitbox (requires precision)
- Harpoon can pass through dropped pallets and breakable walls
- Harpoon is blocked by solid objects (walls, trees, etc.)
- Cooldown after shooting (hit or miss): ~3 seconds
Key concept: Deathslinger aims and shoots instantly. Survivors have almost no time to react.
Reeling Mechanics
Once you spear a survivor, they’re chained to you.
How reeling works:
- After landing a harpoon hit, you automatically start reeling the survivor toward you
- Hold M1 to reel faster
- Survivor is pulled toward you at 4 m/s
- Chain has health (survives 5 seconds of maximum tension)
- Chain breaks if:
- Survivor breaks line of sight around an object (chain wraps around object and snaps)
- Chain reaches maximum tension for too long
- Survivor is too far when speared (chain breaks instantly)
During reeling:
- Survivor can run away to create tension
- You can walk forward to reduce tension
- Survivor is Hindered (slowed) while chained
After reeling:
- Once survivor is close enough (~4 meters), you can M1 attack them
- Chain automatically breaks after you hit them
- If chain breaks before you hit them, survivor is freed with Deep Wound status
Deep Wound:
- Survivors who escape chains get Deep Wound
- They must mend or they’ll eventually go down
- Deep Wound is non-lethal unless survivor is already injured
Key concept: You spear survivors, reel them in, and M1 for damage. If chain breaks, they get Deep Wound but escape.
Movement Speed
Deathslinger is a 110% movement speed killer (4.4 m/s). This makes him SLOWER than standard 115% killers.
What this means:
- You CANNOT chase survivors normally without your power
- You MUST use your harpoon to injure and down survivors
- Holding W in a straight line is strong against Deathslinger
- You need to use zoning and quick-scopes to force hits
Quick-Scoping Strategy
Quick-scoping is Deathslinger’s core strength.
What is Quick-Scoping?
Definition: Aiming down sights and immediately shooting without giving survivors time to react.
How to quick-scope:
- Chase survivor normally
- Get within 12-15 meters
- Press M2 and LEFT CLICK instantly (within 0.1-0.3 seconds)
- Harpoon fires before survivor can react
- Reel them in and M1
Why it’s strong:
- Survivors can’t dodge (no reaction time)
- No wind-up like Huntress hatchets
- Forces survivors to play defensively
When to quick-scope:
- Survivors running in a straight line
- Survivors at medium range (10-15 meters)
- Survivors locked in animations (vaulting, dropping pallets)
- Survivors who don’t expect it
Zoning Strategy
Deathslinger’s threat of quick-scoping forces survivors to play differently.
What is Zoning?
Definition: Threatening to shoot without actually shooting, forcing survivors into bad positions.
How zoning works:
- Chase survivor
- Aim down sights (M2)
- Survivor panics and:
- Stops running (you get closer)
- Runs in a predictable pattern (you shoot)
- Drops pallet early (you break and continue)
- Makes a mistake (you capitalize)
- You either shoot them or gain distance
Why zoning works:
- Survivors don’t know if you’ll shoot
- They have to respect the threat
- You control the pace of the chase
When to zone:
- At medium loops
- When survivors are near pallets (threaten to shoot, force pallet drop)
- In the open (aim to force straight-line running, then shoot)
- At windows (aim as they approach, shoot if they commit)
Reeling Strategy
Once you land a harpoon hit, reeling correctly is critical.
How to Reel Effectively
Walk forward while reeling:
- Hold M1 to reel
- Walk toward the survivor
- This reduces chain tension and prevents breaks
Predict survivor movement:
- Survivors will try to break line of sight around objects
- Position yourself to keep line of sight
- Walk around objects to maintain chain
Don’t over-reel:
- If you reel too hard in one direction, chain breaks
- Be patient and walk toward survivor
- Let the reel do the work
Hit at ~4 meters:
- Once survivor is close enough, M1 attack
- Don’t wait too long or chain might break
- Attack as soon as you’re in range
When Chains Break
If the chain breaks before you hit the survivor:
Survivor gets Deep Wound:
- They must mend (12 seconds)
- They waste time mending instead of doing gens
- Still beneficial even if chain breaks
Continue chasing:
- They’re Hindered while mending
- You can catch up and M1 them
- Don’t give up just because chain broke
Early Game Strategy
Deathslinger’s early game is about finding survivors and landing first shots.
Opening sequence:
- Patrol gens - Check 3-4 gens quickly
- Find a survivor - Spot someone on a gen
- Quick-scope - Aim and shoot immediately
- Reel and hit - Reel them in, M1 for damage
- Hook and patrol - Hook them, patrol gens
Goal: Get survivors injured quickly with harpoon hits. Injured survivors are easier to down.
Common mistake: Holding aim down sights for too long. Quick-scope instead - survivors can’t react.
Mid-Game Strategy
Mid-game is where Deathslinger excels in 1v1 chases.
Quick-scope at loops:
- Survivors loop jungle gyms, LT-walls, etc.
- Quick-scope through gaps in loops
- Reel them in and hit them
Zone with aim:
- Aim down sights to threaten shots
- Force survivors to drop pallets early
- Break pallets and continue
Shoot through pallets:
- Harpoon passes through dropped pallets
- Shoot survivors on the other side
- Reel them in despite the pallet
Deny window vaults:
- Aim as survivors approach windows
- Shoot if they commit to vault
- Zone them away from windows if they hesitate
Endgame Strategy
Deathslinger is decent endgame but weaker than high-mobility killers.
Quick-scope at exit gates:
- Survivors opening gates are stationary
- Easy quick-scope shots
- Reel them away from gates
Shoot through gate gaps:
- Harpoon can shoot through small gaps
- Hit survivors who think they’re safe behind gates
Patrol between gates:
- Deathslinger is slow (110% speed)
- Hard to patrol both gates quickly
- Focus on defending one gate
NOED synergy:
- If you run NOED, Deathslinger becomes strong endgame
- One quick-scope + reel = instant down
Best Perks for Deathslinger
Deathslinger wants perks that help him in chases and slow gens.
Top Tier Perks
Monitor & Abuse - Reduces Terror Radius outside of chases. Your Terror Radius is ZERO while aiming down sights. Combined with M&A, you can sneak up on survivors and quick-scope them before they hear you. Very strong on Deathslinger.
Hex: Ruin - Gens not being repaired regress at 200% speed. Deathslinger applies pressure in chases, so Ruin helps slow gens while you focus on downs.
Save the Best for Last (STBFL) - Recover faster after basic attacks (up to 8 stacks). Deathslinger benefits from STBFL because you M1 after reeling. Faster recovery = faster follow-up hits.
Corrupt Intervention - Blocks the 3 farthest gens for 120 seconds. Gives you time to find survivors and land shots without losing gens.
Strong Perks
Pop Goes the Weasel - After hooking, kick a gen to regress it by 30%. Reliable slowdown for Deathslinger.
Deadlock - Blocks the gen with most progress for 30 seconds when a gen completes. Buys you time to pressure other areas.
Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance - Hooking on scourge hooks regresses the gen with most progress. Automatic slowdown.
Sloppy Butcher - Survivors heal slower. Keeps survivors injured longer, making harpoon shots more lethal.
I’m All Ears - See survivors’ auras for 6 seconds when they fast vault. Helps you line up harpoon shots through walls and around corners.
Hex: Devour Hope - Gain tokens for hooks away from survivors. At 3 tokens, survivors are Exposed (one-shot). At 5 tokens, you can Mori. High-risk, high-reward.
Sample Builds
Chase Build (Best for Deathslinger):
- Monitor & Abuse
- Save the Best for Last
- Hex: Ruin
- Corrupt Intervention
Slowdown Build:
- Hex: Ruin
- Pop Goes the Weasel
- Deadlock
- Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance
Information Build:
- Monitor & Abuse
- I’m All Ears
- Barbecue & Chili
- Lethal Pursuer
Beginner Build:
- Monitor & Abuse
- Corrupt Intervention
- Sloppy Butcher
- NOED
Best Add-Ons
Deathslinger’s add-ons modify his aim speed, reload speed, Terror Radius, and chain mechanics.
Top Tier Add-Ons
Iridescent Coin (Pink - Ultra Rare) - Survivors who escape chains are Exposed for 45 seconds. One quick-scope + chain break = Exposed + easy M1 down. Very strong.
Hellshire Iron (Purple - Very Rare) - Considerably reduces Terror Radius while aiming (additional -8 meters). Combined with Monitor & Abuse, you have ZERO Terror Radius while aiming. Sneak up on survivors easily.
Warden’s Keys (Purple - Very Rare) - Considerably increases reload speed. Faster reloads = more shots = more pressure.
Marshal’s Badge (Pink - Ultra Rare) - Survivors speared by harpoon are Exposed if chain breaks OR if you hit them. Essentially makes every harpoon hit a one-shot down. VERY strong but requires good aim.
Strong Add-Ons
Gold Creek Whiskey (Green - Rare) - Moderately increases reload speed. Budget version of Warden’s Keys.
Jaw Smasher (Green - Rare) - Survivors hit by harpoon are Hindered for 3 seconds after chain breaks. Easier follow-up hits.
Modified Ammo Belt (Yellow - Uncommon) - Slightly increases reload speed. Budget reload add-on.
Chewing Tobacco (Yellow - Uncommon) - Slightly reduces Terror Radius while aiming. Budget stealth add-on.
Avoid These Add-Ons
Bayshore’s Cigar - Slightly increases aim movement speed. Effect is too minor to matter.
Rickety Chain - Slightly increases chain break time. Effect is too small to be useful.
Sample Add-On Combos
Exposed Build: Marshal’s Badge + Hellshire Iron (one-shot harpoons + stealth)
Stealth Build: Hellshire Iron + Chewing Tobacco (zero Terror Radius while aiming)
Reload Build: Warden’s Keys + Gold Creek Whiskey (extremely fast reloads)
Budget Build: Gold Creek Whiskey + Jaw Smasher (decent reload + Hindered)
Playing Against Good Survivors
Good survivors make Deathslinger work harder, but he’s still strong in chases.
They zigzag constantly: Good survivors don’t run in straight lines. They juke constantly. Counter by predicting their movement and quick-scoping when they commit to a direction.
They break line of sight: Survivors run around objects to break chains. Counter by positioning yourself to maintain line of sight or by zoning them away from objects.
They predrop pallets: Good. Shoot through the pallet and reel them in. Pallets don’t stop Deathslinger.
They hold W: Survivors running in straight lines are strong against 110% killers. Counter by quick-scoping them (they can’t dodge).
They split on gens: Deathslinger has no mobility. Counter by running slowdown perks and committing to chases you can win quickly.
They’re in a SWF: Comms let them call out your position. Counter by using Monitor & Abuse to sneak up on them and landing quick-scopes.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Holding aim down sights for too long: Don’t ADS for 5+ seconds. Quick-scope instead. Survivors adapt to your aiming.
Missing shots constantly: Deathslinger’s harpoon hitbox is SMALL. Practice your aim. Missing shots wastes time and gives survivors distance.
Not quick-scoping: Some Deathslinger players aim for too long. Quick-scope for surprise hits.
Over-reeling: Don’t spam M1 reel. Walk forward calmly and reel naturally. Over-reeling breaks chains.
Ignoring zoning: You don’t always need to shoot. Zone survivors with the THREAT of shooting. Force mistakes.
Not walking forward while reeling: If you stand still while reeling, chain tension increases and breaks. Walk toward survivors while reeling.
Shooting through solid walls: Harpoon is blocked by solid objects. Don’t shoot when line of sight is completely blocked.
Map-Specific Tips
Indoor Maps (The Game, Lery’s, Midwich, RPD) - VERY strong for Deathslinger. Tight corridors make it hard for survivors to juke shots. Lots of corners to zone around. Deathslinger dominates indoor maps.
Open Maps (Coldwind, MacMillan, Autohaven) - Harder for Deathslinger. Survivors can hold W in open areas and create distance. Focus on quick-scoping when they run straight and zoning at loops.
Large Maps (Mother’s Dwelling, Red Forest) - Rough for Deathslinger. Huge maps + 110% speed = hard to patrol. Run slowdown perks to compensate.
Multi-Level Maps (The Game, Midwich) - Good for Deathslinger. Tight corridors on all levels. Hard for survivors to avoid shots.
Long Sight Line Maps - Any map with long sight lines (hallways, open fields) is strong for Deathslinger. You can land long-range shots easily.
Why Play Deathslinger?
Pros:
- Instant aim-down-sights (no wind-up)
- Quick-scopes are unreactable
- Strong 1v1 chase potential
- Satisfying when you land shots
- Ignores pallets (shoot through them)
- Zero Terror Radius while aiming (with M&A)
- Unique ranged playstyle
Cons:
- 110% movement speed (slow)
- Small harpoon hitbox (requires precision)
- No map mobility
- Weak against hold W survivors
- Chain can break if you misposition
- Requires good aim
- Weak on large maps
Advanced Tips
Quick-scope constantly: Don’t aim for long. Quick-scope for surprise shots.
Zone with aim: Aim down sights to threaten shots without shooting. Force survivors to drop pallets or make mistakes.
Shoot through pallets: Harpoon passes through dropped pallets. Always shoot survivors on the other side.
Predict movement: Don’t aim where survivors ARE, aim where they’re GOING. Lead your shots.
Walk forward while reeling: Always move toward survivors while reeling. This prevents chain breaks.
Use Monitor & Abuse: Zero Terror Radius while aiming lets you sneak up on survivors.
Shoot at vaults: Survivors locked in vault animations can’t dodge. Easy shots.
Bait Dead Hard: Survivors will Dead Hard your harpoon. Fake aim to bait it, then shoot when it’s on cooldown.
Chain survivors to objects: If you can’t reel a survivor in time, let the chain wrap around objects and break. They still get Deep Wound.
Save the Best for Last synergy: Avoid shooting your obsession with harpoon. M1 them normally to maintain STBFL stacks.
Learning Curve and Practice
Deathslinger has a moderate to high learning curve due to precision requirements.
Hours 0-10: You’ll miss shots constantly. Aiming feels awkward. Chains break often.
Hours 10-30: You’re landing shots more consistently. Quick-scoping basics are developing. Understanding zoning.
Hours 30-60: You’re landing shots reliably. Quick-scopes are consistent. Chains rarely break.
Hours 60-100: You’re a strong Deathslinger. Prediction shots are landing. Winning most matches.
Hours 100+: You’re a Deathslinger main. Every quick-scope lands. Chains never break. Dominating chases.
Practice tips:
- Practice aim in custom matches
- Focus on quick-scoping (not holding ADS)
- Learn to walk forward while reeling
- Watch Deathslinger streamers (Otzdarva, Dowsey)
Final Thoughts
The Deathslinger is one of Dead by Daylight’s most unique and satisfying killers. He rewards precision, patience, and understanding of zoning mechanics. When you land shots consistently, Deathslinger feels incredible.
Deathslinger has a learning curve due to aim requirements, but he’s not as hard as Nurse or Blight. Focus on quick-scoping, zone survivors with aim threats, and practice reeling. Once you get comfortable, Deathslinger’s 1v1 chase potential is among the strongest in the game.
Practice your aim, master quick-scoping, and dominate chases. Deathslinger is one of the most rewarding killers when played well.
Good luck, and may your harpoons always find their mark.
Last Updated: Patch 9.3.0 - November 2025