Dead by Daylight Will Make Highly Requested Change to The Nightmare

Dead by Daylight's Nightmare Receives a Major Rework

Freddy Krueger, aka The Nightmare, is getting a significant overhaul in Dead by Daylight. This rework aims to boost his competitiveness and better reflect his iconic abilities. The update, detailed in the January 2025 Developer Update, introduces substantial changes to his powers and add-ons, enhancing his gameplay flexibility.

Currently considered one of the weaker Killers, Freddy's unique blend of Dream Snares, Dream Pallets, and teleportation hasn't quite lived up to its potential. Behavior Interactive's adjustments seek to rectify this.

Key Changes to The Nightmare:

The most impactful change is the ability to seamlessly switch between Dream Snares and Dream Pallets. This dynamic shift allows for more strategic maneuvering against Survivors.

• Dream Snares: These now travel at 12 m/s, traversing walls and stairs (but not ledges), with a 5-second cooldown. Their effect varies depending on whether a Survivor is asleep or awake: asleep Survivors are hindered for 4 seconds, while awake Survivors receive a 30-second increase to their sleep timer.

• Dream Pallets: These can now be triggered to explode, dealing damage within a 3-meter radius 1.5 seconds after activation. Hitting a sleeping Survivor inflicts an injury; hitting an awake Survivor adds 60 seconds to their sleep timer.

• Teleportation: Freddy can now teleport to any generator (completed, blocked, or endgame) in the Dream World. He can also teleport to within 12 meters of a healing Survivor. Upon teleporting, Survivors within 8 meters are revealed via Killer Instinct and receive a 15-second sleep timer increase. The teleport cooldown is reduced from 45 to 30 seconds, and cancellation is no longer possible. Healing Survivors in the Dream World are continuously revealed by Killer Instinct (lingering for 3 seconds after stopping).

• Alarm Clocks: Sleeping Survivors can now use any Alarm Clock to wake up, but each clock enters a 45-second cooldown afterward.

Add-On Adjustments & Unchanged Perks:

Several of The Nightmare's add-ons will also be adjusted to encourage creative build diversity. However, his perks (Fire Up, Remember Me, and Blood Warden) remain unchanged, potentially to preserve his original design intent.

Upcoming Rework Summary:

• [CHANGE] Swap between Dream Snares and Dream Pallets via Active Ability.
• [NEW] Dream Snares: 12 m/s speed, 5-second cooldown, wall/stair traversal, unique effects for sleeping/awake Survivors.
• [NEW] Dream Pallets: Explosive functionality, varying effects for sleeping/awake Survivors.
• [NEW] Teleport to any generator or healing Survivor in the Dream World; Killer Instinct reveals nearby Survivors.
• [CHANGE] Reduced teleport cooldown (45 to 30 seconds), no cancellation.
• [NEW] Continuous Killer Instinct reveal for healing Survivors in the Dream World.
• [CHANGE] Sleeping Survivors can use any Alarm Clock to wake up.
• [NEW] 45-second cooldown on Alarm Clocks after use.

While the exact release date isn't specified, these changes are currently implemented in the Public Test Build (PTB), hinting at a near-future arrival in the main game. This substantial rework promises to make The Nightmare a more viable and engaging Killer in Dead by Daylight.