The Oni is Dead by Daylight’s momentum-based killer who starts weak but becomes an unstoppable force. He collects Blood Orbs from injured survivors to fuel his Blood Fury power, transforming into a demon with instant down attacks and incredible mobility. Oni is all about snowballing - get your first hit, activate Blood Fury, and chain downs aggressively.
Oni has a high skill ceiling and rewards aggressive playstyle, good resource management, and capitalizing on survivor mistakes. In skilled hands, he’s one of the most oppressive killers in the game. Let’s break down how to master him.
The Oni’s Power: Yamaoka’s Wrath
The Oni has two phases: Normal Mode (collecting Blood Orbs) and Blood Fury (demon mode with instant downs).
Normal Mode - Collecting Blood Orbs
How it works:
- Injured survivors drop Blood Orbs as they move
- Orbs appear every 3 seconds while injured
- Orbs remain on the ground for 45 seconds
- Walk over orbs to absorb them (automatic collection)
- Absorbing orbs fills your Blood Fury meter
- Once the meter is full, you can activate Blood Fury
Blood Orbs:
- Small orbs give a small amount of charge
- Large orbs (from first hit on a healthy survivor) give MORE charge
- Orbs are visible as red glowing drops on the ground
- You can see orb auras within a certain range
Key concept: You NEED to injure survivors and collect orbs to activate your power. Early game Oni is a standard M1 killer with no power until he gets Blood Fury.
Blood Fury - Demon Mode (M2)
How it works:
- Once your Blood Fury meter is full, press M2 to activate Blood Fury
- Blood Fury lasts 45 seconds
- While in Blood Fury:
- You have two special attacks: Demon Dash and Demon Strike
- You’re faster, more mobile, and have instant down potential
- Blood Fury meter drains over time
- You CANNOT collect more orbs while in Blood Fury
Demon Dash (While in Blood Fury - Hold M2):
- Hold M2 to charge a sprint
- You dash forward at extreme speed (200% / 8.0 m/s)
- You can turn while dashing (better than Hillbilly)
- Hitting objects stops your dash
- You can dash multiple times during Blood Fury
Demon Strike (While in Blood Fury - M1 during Demon Dash):
- While dashing, press M1 to perform Demon Strike
- Wide sweeping attack (180-degree arc in front of you)
- INSTANTLY DOWNS survivors regardless of health state
- Can hit multiple survivors in one swing
- Brief cooldown after Demon Strike
Key concept: Blood Fury is Oni’s power spike. You become EXTREMELY lethal with instant downs and high mobility. The goal is to chain multiple downs during one Blood Fury activation.
Early Game Strategy (Pre-Blood Fury)
Oni’s early game is his weakest phase. You’re a standard M1 killer with no power.
Opening sequence:
- Find survivors quickly - Check gens aggressively
- Get your first hit - Hit someone to start generating Blood Orbs
- Collect the large orb - The first hit on a healthy survivor drops a large orb. GRAB IT.
- Chase and collect orbs - Continue chasing, absorbing orbs as you patrol
- Fill your Blood Fury meter - Keep collecting orbs until the meter is full
- Activate Blood Fury - Once full, activate and go for downs
Goal: Get Blood Fury as quickly as possible. Your early game is about building meter, not securing kills.
Common mistake: Committing to long chases early game. If a survivor is looping you well, break off, injure someone else, and collect orbs. Your priority is ACTIVATING Blood Fury.
Blood Fury Strategy (Demon Mode)
Once Blood Fury is active, you’re one of the strongest killers in the game.
Demon Dash Usage
For mobility:
- Dash across the map to pressure gens
- Cover huge distances in seconds
- Patrol between gens during Blood Fury
For chases:
- Dash toward survivors
- Position yourself for Demon Strike
- You’re faster than survivors and can catch up easily
Turning during dash:
- You can turn ~90 degrees during dashes
- Use this to navigate around obstacles
- Practice turning while dashing
Demon Strike Usage
Insta-down attacks:
- Dash toward survivor
- Get close (within ~6 meters)
- Press M1 to swing
- Wide arc hits survivors even if they juke
Multi-downs:
- If multiple survivors are grouped, Demon Strike can hit ALL of them
- One swing can down 2-3 survivors
- This is Oni’s snowball potential
At pallets and windows:
- Dash toward survivors at pallets
- Demon Strike through the pallet
- They can’t dodge (too wide)
In the open:
- Survivors in the open are free downs
- Dash and Demon Strike them
- No counterplay
Blood Fury Activation Timing
Knowing WHEN to activate Blood Fury is critical.
When to Activate
Multiple survivors nearby:
- If you see 2+ survivors together, activate
- You can down multiple people in one Blood Fury
Strong position:
- Survivors are injured and in bad positions
- You’re near important gens
- You can capitalize immediately
Hook save scenarios:
- Someone’s hooked and survivors are going for the save
- Activate and defend the hook with instant downs
Endgame:
- Exit gates are powered
- Activate and prevent escapes
When NOT to Activate
Only one survivor nearby and they’re healthy:
- You’ll waste Blood Fury chasing one person
- Better to collect more orbs first
Survivors are spread out:
- You won’t get multi-downs
- Blood Fury is wasted traveling
You’re far from survivors:
- Don’t activate if everyone is hiding
- Wait until you know where survivors are
Key principle: Blood Fury is POWERFUL but limited. Use it when you can get multiple downs, not just one.
Mid-Game Strategy
Mid-game is where Oni dominates with Blood Fury cycles.
Blood Fury cycle:
- Activate Blood Fury
- Down 2-3 survivors with Demon Strike
- Hook them
- Blood Fury ends
- Collect orbs from injured survivors
- Activate Blood Fury again
- Repeat
Snowball pressure:
- Each Blood Fury activation should result in multiple hooks
- Chain Blood Furies back-to-back
- Survivors can’t keep up with the pressure
Orb management:
- While in Blood Fury, remember where you injured survivors (orbs will spawn there)
- After Blood Fury ends, patrol those areas to collect orbs quickly
- You can refill your meter FAST if you know where orbs are
Strategic injuries:
- Sometimes it’s better to injure someone and leave them (they drop orbs)
- Don’t commit to every down
- Spread injuries to generate more orbs
Endgame Strategy
Oni is EXTREMELY strong endgame with Blood Fury.
Blood Fury at exit gates:
- Activate Blood Fury when gates are powered
- Dash between gates in seconds
- Demon Strike survivors trying to escape
Insta-down pressure:
- Injured survivors at gates are one hit from death
- Dash and strike them down
Multi-downs at gates:
- Survivors often group at gates
- One Demon Strike can down multiple survivors
Hook camping with Blood Fury:
- If someone’s hooked endgame, activate Blood Fury
- Demon Strike rescuers for instant downs
- Very difficult to counter
Best Perks for Oni
Oni wants perks that help him get early hits, track survivors, and capitalize on snowball potential.
Top Tier Perks
Infectious Fright - Survivors within 32 meters scream when you down someone, revealing their location. ESSENTIAL on Oni. Lets you chain Demon Strikes during Blood Fury by showing you exactly where survivors are. Top-tier perk for Oni.
Corrupt Intervention - Blocks the 3 farthest gens for 120 seconds. Gives you time to get first hits and activate Blood Fury without losing gens.
Monitor & Abuse - Reduces Terror Radius outside of chases. Makes it easier to sneak up on survivors for first hits. Strong for early game Oni.
Barbecue & Chili (BBQ) - See survivors’ auras after hooking. Shows you where to Demon Dash next during Blood Fury.
Strong Perks
Pop Goes the Weasel - After hooking, kick a gen to regress it by 30%. Oni can reach gens quickly with Demon Dash during Blood Fury.
Lethal Pursuer - See all survivors at the start for 9 seconds. Find your first chase immediately and start generating orbs.
Hex: Ruin - Gens not being repaired regress at 200% speed. Oni applies pressure well with Blood Fury, so Ruin gets value.
Tinkerer - Get alerted when a gen hits 70% and become Undetectable. Dash across the map with Blood Fury and surprise survivors.
Sloppy Butcher - Survivors heal slower and leave more blood. More blood = more orbs. Keeps survivors injured longer.
Deadlock - Blocks the gen with most progress for 30 seconds when a gen completes. Buys you time to activate Blood Fury and pressure.
Sample Builds
Infectious Snowball Build (Best for Oni):
- Infectious Fright
- Corrupt Intervention
- Barbecue & Chili
- Monitor & Abuse
Slowdown Build:
- Infectious Fright
- Pop Goes the Weasel
- Corrupt Intervention
- Deadlock
Information Build:
- Infectious Fright
- Lethal Pursuer
- Barbecue & Chili
- Tinkerer
Beginner Build:
- Infectious Fright
- Corrupt Intervention
- Sloppy Butcher
- NOED
Best Add-Ons
Oni’s add-ons modify his Blood Orb collection, Blood Fury duration, and Demon Dash.
Top Tier Add-Ons
Iridescent Family Crest (Pink - Ultra Rare) - Blood Fury lasts 20 seconds longer (45 seconds → 65 seconds). Gives you MUCH more time to chain downs. Extremely strong.
Akito’s Crutch (Purple - Very Rare) - Demon Dash is considerably faster. You move even faster during dashes, making it easier to catch survivors.
Lion Fang (Purple - Very Rare) - Considerably increases Demon Strike range. Wider swing = easier to hit survivors. Very forgiving.
Topknot (Pink - Ultra Rare) - Blood Orbs are absorbed automatically within 12 meters. You don’t have to walk over them. Faster meter buildup. Strong for getting Blood Fury quickly.
Strong Add-Ons
Scalped Topknot (Green - Rare) - Moderately increases Demon Dash turn rate. Better control during dashes.
Bloody Glove (Green - Rare) - Moderately increases Blood Fury duration. Budget version of Iridescent Family Crest.
Chipped Saihai (Yellow - Uncommon) - Slightly increases Demon Dash speed. Budget speed add-on.
Ink Lion (Yellow - Uncommon) - Slightly increases Demon Strike range. Budget range add-on.
Avoid These Add-Ons
Renjiro’s Bloody Glove - Slightly increases Blood Orb detection range. Effect is too minor to matter.
Kanai-Anzen Talisman - Reduces Blood Fury duration but makes Demon Dash faster. Losing duration is NOT worth the speed boost.
Sample Add-On Combos
Extended Fury Build: Iridescent Family Crest + Bloody Glove (insanely long Blood Fury)
Speed Build: Akito’s Crutch + Chipped Saihai (extremely fast dashes)
Forgiving Build: Lion Fang + Ink Lion (very wide Demon Strikes, easy hits)
Auto-Collect Build: Topknot + Scalped Topknot (auto-collect orbs + better dash control)
Budget Build: Bloody Glove + Scalped Topknot (decent duration + decent control)
Playing Against Good Survivors
Good survivors make Oni work harder, but he’s still very strong.
They avoid getting injured early: Some survivors play super safe to deny you orbs. Counter by forcing hits with good chases and zoning.
They predrop pallets: Good. Break the pallet and continue. Oni doesn’t struggle at pallets during Blood Fury (Demon Strike goes through them).
They split up during Blood Fury: Coordinated teams spread out when you activate Blood Fury. Counter by using Infectious Fright to find grouped survivors.
They Dead Hard Demon Strikes: Survivors can Dead Hard your Demon Strike. Bait it out or fake the swing.
They deny orbs by healing: Survivors healing removes orb generation. Use Sloppy Butcher to slow heals.
They’re in a SWF: Comms let them coordinate. Counter by activating Blood Fury at smart times (when they’re grouped or vulnerable).
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Activating Blood Fury too early: Don’t activate with only one survivor nearby. Wait for better opportunities.
Not using Infectious Fright: Infectious Fright is ESSENTIAL on Oni. It shows you where to chain downs during Blood Fury.
Committing to long chases pre-Blood Fury: Your early game is weak. Break off bad chases, injure others, collect orbs.
Wasting Blood Fury on one survivor: Blood Fury should get you 2-3 downs minimum. Don’t waste it chasing one person.
Not collecting orbs: Walk over orbs constantly. Don’t ignore them. Your power depends on orbs.
Demon Dashing into walls: Practice dash control. Hitting walls wastes time during Blood Fury.
Not using Demon Strike’s width: Demon Strike has a WIDE arc. Use it. Don’t aim precisely - swing wide and hit survivors.
Map-Specific Tips
Open Maps (Coldwind, MacMillan, Autohaven) - VERY strong for Oni. Demon Dash covers huge distances. Survivors have nowhere to hide during Blood Fury. Oni dominates open maps.
Indoor Maps (The Game, Lery’s, Midwich, RPD) - Harder for Oni. Tight corridors make Demon Dash awkward. Demon Strike is still strong, but mobility is limited.
Large Maps (Mother’s Dwelling, Red Forest) - Still strong for Oni. Demon Dash covers these maps quickly. Oni’s mobility is one of the best for large maps.
Multi-Level Maps (The Game, Midwich) - Decent for Oni. Demon Dash works on all floors. Can be tricky navigating stairs, but doable.
Corn Maps (Coldwind Farm) - Strong for Oni. Demon Dash goes through corn. Survivors can’t hide effectively.
Why Play Oni?
Pros:
- Extremely high snowball potential
- Instant downs during Blood Fury
- High mobility (Demon Dash)
- Satisfying and aggressive playstyle
- Strong when played well
- Multi-down potential (hit multiple survivors at once)
- Fun momentum-based gameplay
Cons:
- Weak early game (no power until Blood Fury)
- Relies on survivors being injured
- Blood Fury is time-limited (45 seconds)
- Requires good resource management
- Survivors can deny orbs by healing
- High skill ceiling (dash control, timing)
Advanced Tips
Patrol orb locations: Remember where you injured survivors. Orbs spawn there. Return to collect them.
Strategic injuries: Sometimes injure and leave survivors. They generate orbs and you can down them during Blood Fury.
Use Infectious Fright religiously: After every Demon Strike down, listen for screams. Dash to screaming survivors immediately.
Demon Dash for mobility: Use Demon Dash to patrol gens, not just chase. Your mobility during Blood Fury is insane.
Fake Demon Strikes: Charge a Demon Strike, survivors dodge, cancel and M1 them.
Bait Dead Hard: Survivors will Dead Hard your Demon Strike. Bait it out by faking swings.
Blood Fury hook defense: Activate Blood Fury near hooks. Demon Strike rescuers for instant downs.
Save Blood Fury for critical moments: Don’t activate randomly. Wait for 2+ survivors nearby or important gens.
Turning during Demon Dash: Practice turning. You can navigate around obstacles and hit survivors who think they’re safe.
Multi-down setups: Position yourself so Demon Strike hits multiple survivors. One swing can down 2-3 people.
Learning Curve and Practice
Oni has a moderate learning curve.
Hours 0-10: You’ll struggle with early game. Blood Fury activation feels slow. Demon Dash control is awkward.
Hours 10-30: You’re getting Blood Fury faster. Demon Strikes are landing more consistently. Understanding snowball potential.
Hours 30-60: You’re chaining multiple downs during Blood Fury. Dash control is improving. Winning most matches.
Hours 60-100: You’re a strong Oni. You know when to activate Blood Fury, where orbs spawn, and how to snowball efficiently.
Hours 100+: You’re an Oni main. Every Blood Fury results in 2-4 downs. You dominate matches.
Practice tips:
- Focus on getting first hits quickly (practice early game chases)
- Learn Demon Dash control (practice turning and navigation)
- Always run Infectious Fright (learn to chain downs)
- Watch Oni streamers (Otzdarva, Scott Jund)
Final Thoughts
The Oni is one of Dead by Daylight’s most satisfying killers. He rewards aggressive play, good resource management, and capitalizing on momentum. When Blood Fury is active, you’re one of the strongest killers in the game.
Oni has a learning curve, but it’s much more forgiving than Nurse or Blight. Focus on getting Blood Fury quickly, use Infectious Fright to chain downs, and activate Blood Fury at smart times. Once you master him, you’ll snowball matches and feel unstoppable.
Practice your Demon Dash control, manage your Blood Fury wisely, and embrace the aggressive playstyle. Oni is one of the most rewarding killers when played well.
Good luck, and may your Blood Fury always bring devastation.
Last Updated: Patch 9.3.0 - November 2025