Obsession

Obsession is a Game Mechanic in Dead by Daylight that was introduced with Patch 1.2.1 alongside the Perks of The Shape and Laurie Strode, the first ones to use this new mechanic.

Overview

The Obsession mechanic is triggered by the presence of at least one Perk or Add-on using the mechanic and designates one of the Survivors as the Killer's Obsession.
The Obsession is indicated by Entity spider legs surrounding the Obsession's icon in the Status HUD and announced by a global sound cue playing at the start of the Trial.
The spider legs will wiggle from side-to-side whenever the Obsession is in a Chase.

The Mechanic

The Obsession Mechanic was a major part of the Perks brought into Dead by Daylight in CHAPTER II: The HALLOWEEN® Chapter, bringing with it a unique interplay of Killer and their designated Obsession.

Each Trial that sees at least one instance of a Obsession Perk or Add-on will trigger the Obsession Mechanic, assigning an equal base chance to each Survivor to become the Killer's Obsession.
This base chance can be modified by Survivors, since their Obsession Perks tend to come with a modifier that either in- or decreases the odds of their user to be chosen as the initial Obsession.

Chance and Modifiers

Every Unlockable stating that it changes the odds of becoming the Killer's Obsession will have the same modifier of either +100 % (increased odds) or -100 % (decreased odds).
However, due to how the Obsession Mechanic works, having a Perk that increases the odds of becoming the Killer's Obsession does not guarantee it being so, despite the common (here false) assumption that +100 % should be a guarantee.

Generally, it can be said that the more Obsession Perks a Survivor uses (that increase the odds), the higher their chances are to be chosen as the Killer's initial Obsession upon starting a Trial.
However, it is still possible for someone not running any Obsession Perks to be chosen instead, due to the base chance all Survivors have to be chosen as the Obsession, just less likely.

Unless the Killer or any of the Survivors use Obsession Perks that designate a specific Survivor as the next Obsession after a specific interaction occurs, the initially chosen Obsession will remain the Obsession for the remainder of a Trial. Death of the initial Obsession does not automatically choose a new Obsession to replace it.

Unlockables

If any Survivor or the Killer brings any of the following Unlockables, the Obsession Mechanic is triggered for the Trial:

Survivor Perks

	Blood Pact	It's as if a latent part of yourself has awakened. You feel like you can reach out beyond yourself for assistance. When you or the Obsession are injured, you both see each other's Auras . After healing the Obsession or being healed by the Obsession, you both gain the Haste Status Effect, moving at an increased speed of 5/6/7 % until you are no longer within 16 metres of each other. Reduces the odds of being the Obsession. If you are the Obsession, Blood Pact deactivates. The Killer can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time.
	Decisive Strike	Using whatever is at hand, you stab at your aggressor in an ultimate attempt to escape. After being unhooked or unhooking yourself, Decisive Strike will become active and usable for 40/50/60 seconds. While Decisive Strike is active, when grabbed by the Killer, succeed a Skill Check to automatically escape the Killer's grasp and stun them for 5 seconds. Succeeding or failing the Skill Check will disable Decisive Strike. Successfully stunning the Killer will result in you becoming the Obsession. Increases the odds of being the Obsession. The Killer can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "There's nothing to be scared of." — Laurie Strode
	For the People	You risk life and injury for others. For the People is only active while at full health. Press the Active Ability button while healing another Survivor without a Med-Kit to instantly heal them from Dying to Injured , or from Injured to Healthy . You become Injured and receive the Broken Status Effect for 110/100/90 seconds. You become the Obsession . Reduces the odds of being the Obsession. The Killer can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "We can write our own story and decide how it really ends." — Zarina Kassir
	Mettle of Man	Evil has a way of always finding you. After you earn 3 Protection Hit Score Events, Mettle of Man activates. Once activated, the next occasion that would put you into the Dying State from the Injured State is ignored. The next time you heal back to full health, your Aura will be revealed to the Killer when you are farther than 12/14/16 metres from the Killer. Mettle of Man will deactivate the next time you are put into the Dying State. Increases the odds of being the Obsession. The Killer can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "Evil has a bullseye on my back the size of Tiger Stadium." — Ash Williams
	Object of Obsession	A supernatural bond links you to the Killer. If you are looking in the Killer's direction, your link will reveal your Auras to each other. This effect applies only if you are outside of the Killer's Terror Radius . As the Killer's Obsession , this effect applies to a maximum range of 56/64/72 metres. Otherwise, it applies to a maximum range of 44/56/64 metres. Increases the odds of being the Obsession. The Killer can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "He was watching me!" — Laurie Strode
	Sole Survivor	As more of your friends fall to the Killer, you become shrouded in isolation and the Killer's Aura-reading abilities towards you are disrupted. Your Aura cannot be read by the Killer within a maximum range of 20/22/24 metres for each killed or sacrificed Survivor. Increases the odds of being the Obsession. The Killer can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "It was the boogeyman." — Laurie Strode

Killer Perks

	Dark Devotion	The display of your Powers creates a whirlwind of panic that spreads throughout the land. You become obsessed with one Survivor. Hitting the Obsession with a Basic Attack causes the Obsession to emit a Terror Radius of 32 metres for 20/25/30 seconds. You are granted the Undetectable Status Effect for the duration. The Obsession hears the Terror Radius they emit for the duration. You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "And terror shall take hold of a defiant non-believer, who shall falsely announce my arrival." (The Tablet of Adiris, 48.9)
	Dead Man's Switch	You become obsessed with one Survivor. After hooking the Obsession , Dead Man's Switch activates for the next 35/40/45 seconds. While activated, any Survivor that stops repairing a Generator before it is fully repaired causes The Entity to block the Generator until Dead Man's Switch's effect ends. Affected Generators are highlighted by a white Aura . You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "I've seen the look on a man's face when he realises he's going to die." — Caleb Quinn
	Dying Light	You become obsessed with one Survivor. Your Obsession gains a 33 % Action Speed bonus to unhooking and healing other Survivors. Each time you hook a Survivor that is not the Obsession and the Obsession is alive, gain a Token. If the Obsession is alive, all others Survivors get a stack-able 2/2.5/3 % penalty to Repair, Healing, and Sabotage speed for each Token. You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "This isn't a man..." — Dr. Sam Loomis
	Furtive Chase	You become obsessed with one Survivor. You lurk in the shadows, eliminating your victims one by one. When your Obsession is hooked, Furtive Chase receives a Token, up to a maximum of 2/3/4 Tokens. Each Token decreases your Terror Radius by 4 metres while in a Chase. When a Survivor rescues the Obsession from a Hook, the rescuer becomes the Obsession. You lose all Tokens if the Obsession is sacrificed or killed. You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "You have no idea what I have planned for you. It'll be in the news for weeks. I'll make sure of that." — The Ghost Face
	Nemesis	You seek retribution on those who have wronged you. A Survivor who blinds you, or stuns you using a Pallet or Locker becomes your Obsession . Anytime a new Survivor becomes the Obsession, they are affected by the Oblivious Status Effect for 40/50/60 seconds and their Aura is revealed to you for 4 seconds. You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "Only a fool would spit in a demon’s face and declare victory." — Renjiro's Doctrine 4:9
	Play with Your Food	You become obsessed with one Survivor. Every time you chase your Obsession and let them escape, you receive a Token up to a maximum of 3 Tokens. Each Token increases your Movement speed by 3/4/5 %. Performing a Basic or Special Attack will consume 1 Token. Play With Your Food has a cool-down of 10 seconds. You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "You've fooled them, haven't you Michael? But not me." — Dr. Sam Loomis
	Rancor	You become obsessed with one Survivor. Each time a Generator is completed, the Obsession sees your Aura for 5/4/3 seconds. Each time a Generator is completed, all Survivors' locations are revealed to you for 3 seconds. Once all Generators are completed, the Obsession has the Exposed Status Effect and the Killer can kill the Obsession. You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time.
	Remember Me	You become obsessed with one Survivor. Each time you hit your Obsession , you increase the Exit Gate Opening time by 4 seconds up to a maximum of 8 additional/12 additional/16 additional seconds. The Obsession is not affected by Remember Me. You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "You don't remember? You must. You're my number one, and you'll never wake up again." — Freddy Krueger
	Save the Best for Last	You become obsessed with one Survivor. Earn a Token for each successful hit with your Basic Attack that is not dealt to the Obsession . Each Token grants a stack-able 5 % cool-down reduction on successful attacks. You can earn up to 8 Tokens. Attacking your Obsession will make you lose 4/3/2 Tokens. You can no longer gain Tokens if your Obsession is sacrificed or killed. You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "Death has come to your little town, Sheriff." — Dr. Sam Loomis

Survivor Add-ons

	Unique Wedding Ring	An engraved wedding ring that emerged from The Fog and resonates with an indescribable and incomprehensible energy. Reveals the Obsession's Aura . Reduces the odds of being the Obsession.	Key

Killer Add-ons

	Black Box	A black cardboard box filled with photographs. You become obsessed with one Survivor. The Obsession starts the Trial in the Dream World and cannot wake up. You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time.	Dream Demon
	Judith's Journal	A journal identified as owned by Judith M. Myers. Most of the pages are defaced with frightening and disturbing drawings. You become obsessed with one Survivor. Considerably increases the amount of Evil gained when Stalking your Obsession . You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time.	Evil Within

Trivia

• Up to Patch 2.1.0, the Obsession's Status was hidden from the non-obsession Survivors and would not be revealed until the Obsession's death.
• Even though some Perks trigger the Obsession Mechanic, they do not necessarily benefit from it.
• Up to Patch 3.2.0, there was no way to lower one's chance of being the Obsession.
• Nemesis is the only Obsession Unlockable that does not pick a Survivor to be the Killer's Obsession at the start of the trial. A Survivor is only picked to be the Obsession once the Perk activates.