The Huntress is DBD’s iconic ranged killer - a towering woman with a rabbit mask who hunts survivors with throwing hatchets. She has one of the highest skill ceilings in the game, but also one of the most rewarding playstyles when you land those satisfying cross-map snipes.
Huntress punishes survivors at loops, pressures from range, and can end chases instantly with good aim. She’s also 110% movement speed (slower than most killers), so you need to rely on hatchets to win chases. Let’s break down how to dominate with her.
The Huntress’s Power: Hunting Hatchets
Ability: The Huntress carries throwing hatchets. She starts with 5 hatchets and can refill at lockers around the map.
How it works:
- Hold M2 to wind up a hatchet throw (takes about 1 second to fully charge)
- Release M2 to throw
- Hatchets travel in an arc and have travel time
- Landing a hatchet injures healthy survivors or downs injured survivors
- You have 5 hatchets before needing to refill at a locker
The goal: Land hatchets to injure survivors from range, cut off loops, and end chases without needing to catch up. Huntress excels at holding W survivors and pressuring safe loops that other killers struggle with.
Hatchet Mechanics
Understanding how hatchets work is critical to playing Huntress well.
Wind-Up Time
Hatchets take about 1 second to fully wind up. You can throw earlier for a weaker, shorter-range throw, but you almost always want full wind-up for distance and speed.
While winding up:
- Your movement speed drops to 92% (very slow)
- You can’t attack with M1
- You make a loud humming sound (survivors hear you)
Key tip: Don’t hold hatchets too long. Wind up, throw, and move. Holding a hatchet slows you down and wastes time.
Hatchet Hitboxes
Hatchets have generous hitboxes - both for hitting survivors and for colliding with objects.
Important hitbox rules:
- Hatchets are about the size of a survivor’s torso
- They can clip through small gaps and around corners (sometimes unfairly)
- They collide with EVERYTHING - walls, trees, pallets, grass, debris
- Environmental collision is your biggest enemy
Aim slightly above survivors’ heads at medium-long range. Hatchets arc downward, so aiming dead center often hits the ground.
Hatchet Travel Time and Arc
Hatchets are projectiles with travel time, not hitscan. You need to lead your shots based on survivor movement.
At close range (0-8 meters): Hatchets are nearly instant. Aim directly at survivors.
At medium range (8-16 meters): Lead survivors slightly. If they’re running left, aim a bit left of their current position.
At long range (16+ meters): Significant lead required. Aim where they WILL be, not where they ARE. Account for the arc - aim higher.
Practice tip: Play a few matches focusing only on medium-range shots. Once you can consistently land those, long-range snipes become easier.
Huntress’s Movement Speed
Huntress is 110% movement speed (most killers are 115%). This makes her slower in chases and weaker at catching up to survivors.
What this means:
- You CANNOT win chases by simply following survivors
- You MUST use hatchets to injure and down survivors
- Holding W in a straight line is very strong against Huntress
- You need to cut off survivors and force them into bad positions
How to compensate:
- Land hatchets at range instead of chasing
- Use hatchets to zone survivors into dead ends
- Force survivors into loops where you can get hatchet angles
- Don’t commit to long chases on large maps without hatchet opportunities
Hatchet Throwing Situations
Knowing when and where to throw hatchets is the difference between a good Huntress and a great one.
Easy Hatchet Opportunities
1. Survivors running in straight lines If a survivor is holding W in a straight line, wind up and throw. They have to juke or take the hit. Free damage.
2. Survivors vaulting windows Survivors are locked in place during vaults. Wind up as they approach the window, throw as they vault. Easy hit.
3. Survivors at short loops Loops like jungle gyms and LT-walls become death traps for survivors. You can throw over the wall and hit them regardless of which direction they run.
4. Survivors dropping pallets After a survivor drops a pallet, they often pause or run in a predictable line. Wind up and punish them.
5. Survivors healing Healing survivors move slowly and are predictable. Free hatchet hit.
Hard Hatchet Opportunities
1. Long-range prediction shots Survivors across the map on gens or running between tiles. Requires predicting their movement and accounting for arc.
2. Survivors juking unpredictably Good survivors will dodge, zigzag, and 360. These shots require reading their pattern and throwing where they’ll commit.
3. Through small gaps Throwing through cracks in walls, between trees, or over short obstacles. High risk, high reward.
4. Flick shots Flicking your camera mid-throw to hit survivors who juke at the last second. Advanced technique.
When NOT to Throw
Don’t throw if:
- The survivor has full cover and you can’t hit them
- You’re at a strong loop and chasing with M1 is faster
- You only have 1-2 hatchets left and there’s no nearby locker
- The survivor is at a pallet and can easily dodge
- You’re too far away and the shot is low percentage
Empty hatchets = lose the chase. Always keep 1-2 hatchets for emergencies.
Early Game Strategy
Huntress’s early game is about finding survivors quickly and landing your first hatchets.
Opening sequence:
- Head to the center of the map - Don’t patrol edges. Get to the middle where survivors spawn.
- Check gens with hatchet angles - Look for gens in open areas or near loops you can throw over.
- Land your first hatchet - Injure someone ASAP. Injured survivors are easier to pressure.
- Refill at lockers - After landing 2-3 hatchets, refill. Don’t run out mid-chase.
- Apply pressure - Move between gens, throw hatchets, keep survivors injured.
Common mistake: Committing to long chases without hatchet opportunities. If a survivor is holding W on a huge map and you can’t land a hatchet, pressure gens instead.
Mid-Game Strategy
This is where Huntress shines. Survivors are injured, you’re landing hatchets, and you’re snowballing into downs.
Control loops with hatchets:
- Survivors can’t loop you safely if you have hatchets
- Throw over walls at jungle gyms
- Zone survivors away from strong loops by threatening hatchets
- Force survivors into the open where they have no cover
Defend hooks with hatchets:
- Don’t facecamp, but patrol nearby
- If you see a survivor going for the unhook, wind up and throw
- Landing a hatchet on a rescuer forces them to heal, buying you time
Interrupt gens from range:
- If you see a survivor on a gen from far away, throw a hatchet
- Even if you miss, you interrupt gen progress and force them to move
Snowball potential:
- Down someone in an open area
- Camp them briefly with hatchets ready
- When survivors come for the rescue, land hatchets and down multiple survivors
Endgame Strategy
Huntress is VERY strong in endgame, especially on maps with open exit gates.
Hatchets at exit gates: Stand between the two gates. When you see someone opening a gate, sprint there and throw hatchets. They have to commit to opening (20 seconds) and you can interrupt or down them.
Bodyblock with hatchets: If a survivor is injured at an exit gate, they have to leave or risk getting downed by a hatchet. You don’t need to chase - just throw.
Don’t chase healthy survivors endgame: If someone’s healthy and has a clear path to the exit, let them go. Focus on injured survivors or those opening gates.
NOED synergy: If you run NOED, Huntress becomes terrifying endgame. One hatchet downs anyone.
Best Perks for Huntress
Huntress wants perks that help her land hatchets and maintain pressure.
Top Tier Perks
Lethal Pursuer - See all survivors’ auras at the start for 9 seconds. Lets you plan your route and find your first target immediately. Strong on Huntress because you can sometimes land early cross-map hatchets.
Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance - Hooking survivors on scourge hooks regresses the gen with the most progress by 15%. Helps slow down gens while you’re chasing and landing hatchets.
Deadlock - Blocks the gen with the most progress for 30 seconds when a gen completes. Buys you time to pressure other areas. Essential on slower killers like Huntress.
I’m All Ears - See survivors’ auras for 6 seconds when they fast vault within 48 meters. Lets you track survivors at loops and line up hatchet throws perfectly. EXTREMELY strong on Huntress.
Strong Perks
Corrupt Intervention - Blocks the 3 farthest gens for 120 seconds. Forces survivors toward you early game. Good on Huntress since you’re slower and need to find survivors quickly.
Sloppy Butcher - Survivors heal slower and leave more blood. Good for hit-and-run playstyle, but Huntress often wants to commit to downs rather than hit-and-run.
Barbecue & Chili (BBQ) - See survivors’ auras after hooking someone. Helps you find your next target and occasionally line up cross-map hatchets.
Iron Maiden - Survivors who exit lockers are exposed for 30 seconds and scream, revealing their location. Counter to survivors hiding in lockers and synergizes with your locker refills.
Nowhere to Hide - After kicking a gen, see survivors’ auras within 24 meters for 5 seconds. Helps you find survivors hiding nearby and line up hatchets.
Sample Builds
Information Build (Best for Huntress):
- I’m All Ears
- Lethal Pursuer
- Barbecue & Chili
- Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance
Slowdown Build:
- Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance
- Deadlock
- Corrupt Intervention
- Pop Goes the Weasel
Beginner Build:
- Lethal Pursuer
- Sloppy Butcher
- Corrupt Intervention
- NOED
Exposed Build (Fun):
- Iron Maiden
- Starstruck
- Agitation
- Lethal Pursuer
Best Add-Ons
Huntress’s add-ons range from essential to gimmicky. Here are the best:
Top Tier Add-Ons
Iridescent Head (Pink - Ultra Rare) - Hatchets that hit survivors at 24+ meters instantly down them, but you can only carry 1 hatchet. Extremely strong but requires perfect accuracy. Use with Infantry Belt to carry 3 hatchets instead of 1.
Infantry Belt (Purple - Very Rare) - Carry 2 extra hatchets (total of 7). More hatchets = more mistakes allowed. One of Huntress’s best add-ons.
Shiny Pin (Green - Rare) - Survivors hit by hatchets cannot heal for 60 seconds. Extremely oppressive. Forces survivors to stay injured and makes them easier to down.
Venomous Concoction (Purple - Very Rare) - Hitting survivors with hatchets applies Damage Over Time (DOT). Survivors must heal or they’ll eventually go down. Strong on hit-and-run playstyle.
Strong Add-Ons
Iron Maiden (Green - Rare) - Increases hatchet wind-up speed. Faster wind-up = harder for survivors to react. Great for close-range hatchets.
Leather Loop (Yellow - Uncommon) - Reduces time to reload at lockers. More hatchets = more pressure. Simple but effective.
Begrimed Head (Green - Rare) - Hitting survivors with hatchets applies Mangled (heal slower). Good for slowing down heals, but Shiny Pin is often better.
Oak Haft (Yellow - Uncommon) - Increases movement speed while winding up hatchets to 96.25%. Makes it easier to close distance while readying hatchets.
Avoid These Add-Ons
Manna Grass Braid - Slightly faster locker reload. Effect is too minor to matter.
Yew Seed Concoction - Blinds survivors hit by hatchets. Gimmick add-on with little value.
Pungent Fiale - Reveals survivors’ auras near lockers. Too situational.
Sample Add-On Combos
Forgiving Build: Infantry Belt + Leather Loop (7 hatchets, fast reloads)
Lethality Build: Iridescent Head + Infantry Belt (3 insta-down hatchets)
Hit-and-Run Build: Shiny Pin + Venomous Concoction (can’t heal + DOT)
Speed Build: Iron Maiden + Oak Haft (faster wind-up, faster movement)
Playing Against Good Survivors
Good survivors will make Huntress work for every down. Here’s how to adapt:
They dodge your hatchets: Don’t just throw at their current position. Bait them into committing to a direction, THEN throw.
They hold W on large maps: This is Huntress’s biggest weakness. Try to herd them toward walls or corners where they have less space. If they’re in the open with no cover, land a hatchet or drop the chase.
They predrop pallets: Good. Break the pallet or throw over it. Pallets don’t protect against hatchets as well as they protect against M1 killers.
They hide behind cover constantly: Be patient. Zone them out of safe areas by threatening hatchets. Force them into the open.
They use Iron Will: Injured survivors with Iron Will make no noise, making them harder to track. Use scratch marks and blood trails instead.
They’re in a SWF: Comms let them call out your position and warn each other about hatchets. Counter by being unpredictable and landing hatchets quickly before they can coordinate.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Missing too many hatchets: Every missed hatchet is wasted time. If you’re consistently missing, you’re better off using M1 until you improve your aim.
Running out of hatchets mid-chase: ALWAYS keep 1-2 hatchets for emergencies. Don’t throw all 5 and then get stuck with no hatchets at a critical moment.
Ignoring lockers: Refill often. Huntress with full hatchets is terrifying. Huntress with 0 hatchets is a slow M1 killer.
Throwing at bad angles: If a survivor has full cover, don’t throw. Reposition and wait for a better angle.
Not using M1: Huntress has a basic attack too. If a survivor is right in front of you with no cover, just M1 them. Don’t waste time winding up a hatchet.
Camping hooks with hatchets: You’re better off pressuring gens and landing hatchets on multiple survivors. Camping wastes your ranged pressure.
Chasing without hatchet opportunities: If a survivor is in a dead zone with no cover, chase them down with M1. Save hatchets for loops and range.
Map-Specific Tips
Indoor Maps (The Game, Midwich, RPD) - Tough for Huntress. Lots of walls and tight corridors limit hatchet angles. Focus on short-range hatchets and M1 chases. These are Huntress’s worst maps.
Open Maps (Autohaven, MacMillan, Coldwind) - Great for Huntress. Long sight lines, open fields, easy hatchet angles. Abuse your range and land cross-map snipes.
Corn Maps (Coldwind Farm) - Mixed. Corn blocks vision but doesn’t block hatchets. You can throw through corn and hit survivors they can’t see you. Use this to your advantage.
Red Forest (Mother’s Dwelling) - Huge map, rough for Huntress. Trees block hatchets and survivors can hold W forever. Focus on pressuring a 3-gen and defending that area.
Swamp Maps - Decent for Huntress. Lots of open areas and reeds. Watch out for the main building - it’s very safe against ranged killers.
Lery’s Memorial Institute - Bad for Huntress. Tight corridors, lots of walls, hard to land hatchets. Play cautiously and use M1 more than usual.
Advanced Tips
Flick shots: Wind up a hatchet, then flick your mouse/controller at the last second to hit a juking survivor. Takes practice but very rewarding.
Cross-map snipes: At the start of the match, if you see a survivor on a gen far away, go for the hatchet throw. Even if you miss, it’s free pressure.
Fake wind-ups: Hold M2 briefly to make survivors think you’re winding up, then release and chase with M1. Forces survivors to dodge and waste distance.
Throw at unhooks: If you’re near a hook and see someone going for the save, wind up and throw. You can hit the rescuer or the unhooked survivor.
Locker mind games: Open a locker to refill, but cancel the animation. Survivors expect you to refill and make risky plays. Punish them with a hatchet.
Hatchet over dropped pallets: Survivors often feel safe behind dropped pallets. Throw over the pallet and hit them. They’ll respect pallets less, making them easier to mind game.
Why Play Huntress?
Pros:
- Extremely satisfying when you land hatchets
- High skill ceiling - always room to improve
- Punishes safe loops that other killers struggle with
- Ranged pressure makes her unique
- Strong map control with cross-map hatchets
- Fun and rewarding gameplay
Cons:
- 110% movement speed (very slow)
- Weak on indoor maps and maps with lots of cover
- High skill floor - hard for new players
- Holding W is very strong against Huntress
- Loud humming gives away your position
- Requires good aim and prediction
Final Thoughts
Huntress is one of DBD’s most iconic and rewarding killers. She has a steep learning curve, but once you start consistently landing hatchets, she feels incredible to play.
Don’t get discouraged if you miss a lot early on. Everyone does. Focus on landing medium-range hatchets first, then work your way up to long-range snipes. Watch streamers like Coconut RTS or Dowsey to see how top Huntress players position and predict survivor movement.
Huntress teaches you patience, prediction, and precision. Master her, and you’ll have one of the most versatile and satisfying killers in the game.
Good luck, and may your hatchets always find their mark.
Last Updated: Patch 9.3.0 - November 2025