The Knight is Dead by Daylight’s AI-powered killer who summons guards to patrol, chase, and pressure survivors. He can be in multiple places at once by deploying guards strategically, making him one of the best killers for map control and multi-tasking. Knight excels at defending gens, denying loops, and pressuring multiple survivors simultaneously.
Knight has a unique playstyle that requires understanding AI behavior, patrol path planning, and knowing when to deploy guards vs chasing manually. In skilled hands, he’s incredibly oppressive. Let’s break down how to master him.
The Knight’s Power: Guardia Compagnia
Ability: The Knight summons one of three AI-controlled guards to patrol areas, chase survivors, and break pallets/walls.
The Three Guards
The Knight has three different guards, each with unique stats and abilities:
The Carnifex (Jailer) - Red Flag:
- Slowest guard (3.8 m/s / 95% speed)
- Longest patrol duration (12 seconds)
- Longest hunt duration (12 seconds)
- Best for LONG patrols and gen defense
The Assassin - Green Flag:
- Fastest guard (4.4 m/s / 110% speed)
- Medium patrol duration (10 seconds)
- Medium hunt duration (10 seconds)
- Best for CHASING survivors and catching up quickly
The Guardia (Brute) - Yellow Flag:
- Medium speed (4.0 m/s / 100% speed)
- Shortest patrol duration (8 seconds)
- Shortest hunt duration (8 seconds)
- Breaks pallets/walls INSTANTLY when ordered
- Best for ANTI-LOOP and breaking pallets
Key concept: Each guard has strengths. Pick the right guard for the situation (patrol, chase, or loop denial).
Summoning Guards (M2)
How it works:
- Hold M2 to enter “Create Patrol Path” mode
- While holding M2, you move slower and create a green patrol path line
- Release M2 to summon the guard
- The guard spawns and follows the patrol path you drew
- After summoning, you have a 10-second cooldown before you can summon again
Patrol Path:
- The green line shows where the guard will patrol
- Guards follow the path you drew
- You can make the path as short or long as you want (within limits)
- Guards patrol until they detect a survivor or the patrol ends
Guard Detection:
- Guards have a detection range (8 meters)
- When a guard detects a survivor, it switches to “Hunt” mode
- During Hunt, the guard chases the survivor
- If the guard hits the survivor, they’re injured/downed
- If the guard loses the survivor or Hunt duration ends, the guard despawns
Key concept: You’re placing AI minions to patrol areas while you chase survivors manually. You can pressure multiple locations at once.
Guard AI Behavior
Understanding how guards behave is critical to using them effectively.
Patrol Mode
What guards do during patrol:
- Follow the patrol path you drew
- Look for survivors within detection range
- Break pallets and walls they encounter (if ordered)
- Patrol until duration expires or they detect a survivor
How to use patrol mode:
- Send guards to patrol gens while you chase elsewhere
- Create patrol paths around loops to deny survivors
- Use guards to check multiple gens at once
Hunt Mode
What triggers Hunt mode:
- Guard detects a survivor (within 8 meters)
- You manually order a guard to hunt a specific survivor (press M1 while placing patrol path)
What guards do during Hunt:
- Chase the survivor
- Attack when in range
- Break pallets and walls automatically
- Hunt until they hit the survivor or Hunt duration expires
Hunt duration:
- Carnifex: 12 seconds
- Assassin: 10 seconds
- Guardia: 8 seconds
Key detail: Guards are RELENTLESS. They ignore loops and chase survivors aggressively. Survivors must respect guards and run away.
Ordering Guards
While placing a patrol path, you can give orders:
Standard patrol (Release M2 normally):
- Guard patrols the path you drew
- Switches to Hunt if it detects a survivor
Hunt order (Press M1 before releasing M2):
- Guard immediately hunts the survivor you’re chasing
- Skips patrol, goes straight to Hunt mode
- Best for pressuring survivors in chases
Break order (Press Space before releasing M2):
- Guard prioritizes breaking pallets and breakable walls
- Instantly breaks pallets (Guardia) or breaks them quickly (other guards)
- Best for anti-loop and removing safe pallets
Guard Selection Strategy
Knowing which guard to summon is critical.
When to Use Carnifex (Red - Jailer)
Long gen patrols:
- Send Carnifex to patrol distant gens
- 12-second patrol covers large areas
- Best for gen defense
Multi-gen pressure:
- Draw a patrol path through 2-3 nearby gens
- Carnifex checks all of them
Hook defense:
- Send Carnifex to patrol around hooked survivors
- 12-second duration covers rescuers
When to Use Assassin (Green)
Chasing survivors:
- Assassin is the fastest guard (4.4 m/s)
- Use Hunt order to send it after survivors
- It catches up quickly and forces survivors away
Long-distance pressure:
- Send Assassin across the map to pressure gens
- Fast speed covers ground quickly
Injured survivor hunts:
- Assassin can catch injured survivors easily
- One hit downs them
When to Use Guardia (Yellow - Brute)
Breaking pallets:
- Guardia INSTANTLY breaks pallets when ordered
- Use at strong loops (shack, main building)
- Remove safe pallets for future chases
Denying loops:
- Send Guardia to patrol a loop
- Survivors can’t use that loop safely
- Forces them into weaker areas
Anti-pallet spam:
- If survivors predrop pallets, send Guardia to break them all
Summoning Strategies
Basic Guard Usage
While chasing:
- Chase survivor to a loop
- Place a guard patrol around the loop
- The guard hunts the survivor while you cut them off
- Survivor is pressured from two directions
- Hit them while they dodge the guard
While patrolling:
- Send a guard to patrol a gen cluster
- You patrol a different gen cluster
- You’re pressuring two areas at once
- Survivors can’t do gens freely
Advanced Guard Usage
Pincer attacks:
- Send a guard to chase a survivor from one direction
- You chase from the other direction
- Survivor is trapped between you and the guard
Gen lock:
- Send guards to patrol the 3 closest gens (3-gen setup)
- You patrol with them
- Survivors can’t complete gens without encountering guards
Hook camping (controversial but effective):
- Send a guard to patrol around a hooked survivor
- You patrol nearby gens
- Guard defends hook while you pressure gens
Loop denial:
- Survivor runs to a strong loop (shack, jungle gym)
- Send Guardia to patrol the loop with Break order
- Guardia breaks all pallets
- Loop becomes unsafe
Multi-tasking:
- Send Carnifex to patrol distant gens
- Send Assassin to chase an injured survivor
- You chase a third survivor
- You’re pressuring 3 survivors at once
Early Game Strategy
Knight’s early game is about establishing map control with guards.
Opening sequence:
- Patrol gens normally - Check 3-4 gens
- Find a survivor - Spot someone on a gen
- Send a guard to patrol nearby gens - Carnifex patrols while you chase
- Chase manually - Use guards at loops to force hits
- Hook and guard patrol - Send guard to patrol while you hook
Goal: Use guards to patrol gens while you chase. You’re in two places at once.
Common mistake: Not using guards early. Some Knight players forget to summon guards. Summon constantly - guards are your map pressure.
Mid-Game Strategy
Mid-game is where Knight shines with multi-tasking.
Guard rotation:
- Always have a guard active
- As soon as one guard expires, summon another
- Guards should patrol gens 24/7
3-gen setup:
- Identify 3 close gens
- Send guards to patrol them constantly
- Defend the 3-gen aggressively
Chase assistance:
- When chasing, summon guards to help
- Pincer survivors between you and guards
- Force hits by pressuring from multiple angles
Hook defense:
- Send guards to patrol around hooks
- You patrol nearby gens
- Guards discourage unhooks or catch rescuers
Endgame Strategy
Knight is strong endgame with guards.
Guard exit gates:
- Send guards to patrol both exit gates
- You patrol with them
- Survivors can’t open gates without encountering guards
Hook camping endgame:
- If someone’s hooked and gates are powered, send a guard to patrol the hook
- You patrol gates
- Guards defend hook while you prevent escapes
Hunt injured survivors:
- Send Assassin to hunt injured survivors at gates
- Fast speed catches them easily
NOED synergy:
- If you run NOED, Knight becomes terrifying endgame
- Guards + NOED = unstoppable
Best Perks for Knight
Knight wants perks that help him capitalize on his map control and slowdown.
Top Tier Perks
Hex: Ruin - Gens not being repaired regress at 200% speed. Knight applies pressure to multiple gens with guards, so Ruin gets tons of value.
Hex: Undying - Transfers Ruin to another totem when cleansed. Makes Ruin last longer.
Corrupt Intervention - Blocks the 3 farthest gens for 120 seconds. Gives you time to set up guard patrols and establish control.
Deadlock - Blocks the gen with most progress for 30 seconds when a gen completes. Buys you time to send guards to pressure other areas.
Nowhere to Hide - After kicking a gen, see survivors’ auras within 24 meters for 5 seconds. Shows you exactly where to send guards.
Strong Perks
Pop Goes the Weasel - After hooking, kick a gen to regress it by 30%. Reliable slowdown for Knight.
Barbecue & Chili (BBQ) - See survivors’ auras after hooking. Shows you where to send guards next.
Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance - Hooking on scourge hooks regresses the gen with most progress. Automatic slowdown.
Lethal Pursuer - See all survivors at the start for 9 seconds. Find your first chase quickly and start guard patrols.
Surveillance - Gens being repaired are highlighted in white. Shows you exactly where to send guards.
Overcharge - Kicking gens causes difficult skill checks. Pair with Nowhere to Hide for information + slowdown.
Sample Builds
Slowdown Build (Best for Knight):
- Hex: Ruin
- Hex: Undying
- Deadlock
- Nowhere to Hide
Information Build:
- Nowhere to Hide
- Surveillance
- Barbecue & Chili
- Lethal Pursuer
Gen Defense Build:
- Pop Goes the Weasel
- Corrupt Intervention
- Deadlock
- Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance
Beginner Build:
- Corrupt Intervention
- Nowhere to Hide
- Barbecue & Chili
- NOED
Best Add-Ons
Knight’s add-ons modify his guards’ speed, duration, and abilities.
Top Tier Add-Ons
Iridescent Company Banner (Pink - Ultra Rare) - Guards hunt survivors for 50% longer. Carnifex hunts for 18 seconds (instead of 12), Assassin for 15 seconds, Guardia for 12 seconds. VERY strong for chase pressure.
Map of the Realm (Purple - Very Rare) - Considerably increases guard patrol speed. Guards patrol faster, covering more ground and detecting survivors more easily.
Dried Horse Meat (Purple - Very Rare) - Considerably increases guard detection range. Guards detect survivors from farther away, making it harder for survivors to sneak past them.
Call to Arms (Pink - Ultra Rare) - Summoning a guard also spawns a second guard to patrol. You get TWO guards at once. Insane map pressure but shorter durations.
Strong Add-Ons
Town Watch Oath (Green - Rare) - Moderately increases guard patrol duration. Guards patrol longer, covering more area.
Treatise on the Art of War (Green - Rare) - Moderately increases guard hunt speed. Guards chase survivors faster.
Knight’s Contract (Yellow - Uncommon) - Slightly increases guard patrol speed. Budget version of Map of the Realm.
Poisoner’s Goblet (Yellow - Uncommon) - Survivors hit by guards are Hindered for 3 seconds (move slower). Easier to follow up with M1 hits.
Avoid These Add-Ons
Blacksmith’s Hammer - Slightly increases guard break speed. Guardia already breaks instantly, and other guards break fast enough. Underwhelming.
Tattered Tabard - Slightly decreases guard summoning cooldown. Effect is too minor to matter.
Sample Add-On Combos
Extended Hunt Build: Iridescent Company Banner + Treatise on the Art of War (long hunts + fast guards)
Patrol Build: Map of the Realm + Town Watch Oath (fast patrols + long duration)
Detection Build: Dried Horse Meat + Knight’s Contract (wide detection + fast patrols)
Double Guard Build: Call to Arms + Map of the Realm (two guards + fast patrols)
Budget Build: Knight’s Contract + Poisoner’s Goblet (decent patrols + Hindered hits)
Playing Against Good Survivors
Good survivors make Knight work harder, but he’s still strong.
They avoid guards: Some survivors loop away from guards and wait them out. Counter by placing guards strategically to cut off escape routes.
They predrop pallets: Good. Send Guardia to break them all. Removes safe pallets for future chases.
They split on gens: Knight’s strength is pressuring multiple gens with guards. Keep guards patrolling constantly.
They follow guards to waste duration: Some survivors follow guards around to waste patrol time. Ignore them and pressure other survivors.
They use Repressed Alliance: This perk blocks gens, preventing guards from detecting survivors on them. Counter by chasing manually when you see blocked gens.
They’re in a SWF: Comms let them coordinate around guards. Counter by using guards aggressively and multi-tasking pressure.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not summoning guards constantly: Guards should be active 24/7. Don’t forget to summon them.
Using the wrong guard: Carnifex for patrols, Assassin for chases, Guardia for loops. Pick the right guard.
Long patrol paths with fast guards: Don’t send Guardia on long patrols (short duration). Use Carnifex for long patrols.
Not using Hunt orders: Press M1 before releasing M2 to send guards after specific survivors. Don’t just patrol randomly.
Camping hooks with guards every match: It works, but it’s boring and won’t improve your skills. Learn to multi-task.
Ignoring guard positioning: Place guards where survivors WILL be, not where they currently are. Predict movement.
Not breaking pallets with Guardia: Guardia’s instant break is STRONG. Use it at safe loops.
Map-Specific Tips
Indoor Maps (The Game, Lery’s, Midwich, RPD) - VERY strong for Knight. Tight corridors make it hard to avoid guards. Guards patrol hallways efficiently. Knight dominates indoor maps.
Open Maps (Coldwind, MacMillan, Autohaven) - Decent for Knight. Guards cover large areas with Carnifex. Open sight lines help guards detect survivors.
Large Maps (Mother’s Dwelling, Red Forest) - Still strong for Knight. Use Carnifex to patrol large areas. Guards cover ground you can’t reach quickly.
Multi-Level Maps (The Game, Midwich) - Great for Knight. Guards patrol all floors. Survivors can’t escape to different levels easily.
3-Gen Maps - ANY map where gens spawn close together is VERY strong for Knight. Lock down 3-gen setups with constant guard patrols.
Why Play Knight?
Pros:
- Excellent map control (guards patrol while you chase)
- Multi-tasking potential (pressure multiple areas at once)
- Strong anti-loop (guards force survivors out of loops)
- Good gen defense (guards patrol gens constantly)
- Unique AI-powered gameplay
- Strong 3-gen potential
- Versatile (three different guards for different situations)
Cons:
- Guards can be avoided by patient survivors
- AI behavior is sometimes inconsistent
- Requires good game sense (knowing where to send guards)
- Weak if you don’t use guards effectively
- Guard cooldown limits spam
- Some survivors find guards frustrating (community stigma)
Advanced Tips
Pre-place guards at loops: Before chasing, send a guard to patrol a strong loop. When survivors run there, the guard is already waiting.
Chain guard summons: As soon as one guard expires, summon another immediately. Keep guards active 24/7.
Use guards to check gens: Instead of walking to distant gens, send Carnifex to patrol them. You stay near important gens.
Pincer with Hunt orders: Send a guard to hunt from one direction, chase from the other. Survivors are trapped.
Break all pallets with Guardia: In the mid-game, send Guardia to break every pallet at strong loops. Removes safe areas.
Guard body blocking: Guards can body block survivors at narrow passages (doorways, windows). Position guards strategically.
3-gen from the start: Identify your 3-gen early and patrol it constantly with guards.
Fake guard summons: Hold M2 to pretend you’re summoning a guard, then release and M1 chase. Survivors panic and make mistakes.
Post-hook guard patrols: After hooking, send a guard to patrol the hook area while you pressure gens. Guards discourage unhooks.
Final Thoughts
The Knight is one of Dead by Daylight’s most unique killers. He rewards strategic thinking, multi-tasking, and understanding AI behavior. Guards let you pressure multiple areas simultaneously, making Knight one of the best killers for map control.
Knight has a moderate learning curve. Focus on summoning guards constantly, picking the right guard for each situation, and using patrol paths strategically. Once you master multi-tasking, you’ll dominate matches.
Practice your guard placements, learn when to use each guard, and embrace the strategic gameplay. Knight is incredibly satisfying when played well.
Good luck, and may your guards always find their targets.
Last Updated: Patch 9.3.0 - November 2025