Obsession is an integral Game Mechanic in Dead by Daylight
.
It was implemented with Patch 1.2.1 alongside the Perks of The Shape
and Laurie Strode, the first ones to use this new mechanic before it became part of every Trial.
Overview
The Obsession Mechanic was a major part of the Perks brought into Dead by Daylight in CHAPTER 2: The HALLOWEEN® Chapter, bringing with it a then unique interplay of the Killer with their designated Obsession, akin to how in the Halloween franchise, Michael is obsessed with Laurie.
Obsession Mechanic
The Obsession mechanic designates a random Survivor as the Killer's Obsession.
The Obsession is marked by the Entity's spider-like legs surrounding the Obsession's icon in the Status HUD and announced by a global sound cue playing at the start of the Trial.
Initial Obsession
At the beginning of every Trial in Dead by Daylight, The Entity
chooses a random Survivor to be the Killer's initial Obsession.
Every Trial features an initial Obsession.
If there will be any subsequent Obsessions depends on the Perks brought into the Trial.
Default Chance
The Obsession is determined immediately after loading into a Trial, when the initial camera pan concludes and Players gain control of their Character.
Every present Survivor has an equal chance of becoming the initial Obsession.
In regular ranked Trials with 4 Survivors, this creates a default chance of 25 % (1 in 4), which can be modified for an individual Survivor by certain Perks and Add-ons.
If Players load into a Custom Game and there are, for example, only 3 Survivors, then the default chance would naturally be ~33.33 % (1 in 3).
Chance Modifiers
Some Perks and Add-ons have the ability to influence The Entity's initial decision on the Killer's Obsession and will either increase the chance by +100 % or reduce it by -100 %.
Contrary to popular belief, these modifiers neither guarantee that one does become the initial 'Obsession nor that one does not.
This is because all Survivors have an equal default chance of becoming the initial Obsession (1 in 4 or 25 %) and the modifiers are applied on top of that base chance.
Switching Obsessions
Some Perks have the ability to change a Killer's Obsession under specific circumstances.
Any buffs or de-buffs associated with a previous Obsession will transfer over to the new Obsession, unless the Perk specifically mentions otherwise.
Some of those Perks are also able to assign a new Obsession when activated, if the previous Obsession has died already.
Sound Cues
| Cue | Condition |
|---|---|
| This Sound Cue plays when an Obsession is chosen, both at the beginning of a Trial or during it, if it changes to another Survivor. | |
| This Sound Cue plays whenever the current Obsession is killed or sacrificed by the Killer. |
Unlockables
The following Unlockables interact with the Obsession Mechanic:
Add-ons
 |
Judith's Journal | A journal identified as owned by Judith M. Myers. Most of the pages are defaced with frightening and disturbing drawings.
|
|---|---|---|
 |
Unique Wedding Ring | An engraved wedding ring that emerged from the Fog and resonates with an indescribable and incomprehensible energy.
Reduces your chance of becoming the initial Obsession by reducing the default value by -100 %. |
Perks
|
Blood Pact | It is as if a latent part of yourself has awakened. You feel like you can reach out beyond yourself for assistance. When either you or the Obsession
Reduces your chance of becoming the initial Obsession by reducing the default value by -100 %. |
|---|---|---|
|
Dark Devotion | The display of your Powers creates a whirlwind of panic that spreads throughout the land.
Whenever the Obsession
The Obsession with your transferred Terror Radius is also considered to be 'inside the Terror Radius' for other purposes. 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) |
|
Decisive Strike | Using whatever is at hand, you stab your aggressor in an ultimate attempt to escape.
After being unhooked or unhooking yourself, Decisive Strike activates for the next 40/50/60 seconds:
   are powered.Decisive Strike is disabled for the remainder of the Trial after use. Decisive Strike is deactivated prematurely when performing a Conspicuous Action and remains disabled for the remainder of the Trial. Increases your chance of becoming the initial Obsession by increasing the default value by +100 %. "There is nothing to be scared of." — Laurie Strode |
|
Dying Light | Each time you hook a Survivor other than your Obsession   , you gain +1 Token:
You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "This isn't a man..." — Dr Sam Loomis |
|
For the People | You risk life and injury for others.
While healthy and healing another Survivor without using a Med-Kit
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 |
|
Friends 'til the End | You will kill anyone who gets between you and your target.
When you hook any Survivors that is not the Obsession
"I got some fresh meat lined up, and I'm not gonna let you spoil it, not this time!" — Chucky |
|
Furtive Chase | You lurk in the shadows, eliminating your victims one by one.
Each time you hook your Obsession
Whenever the Obsession is rescued from a Hook, their rescuer will become the new Obsession. 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 |
|
Game Afoot | First you pick your prey, then you pick it apart.
While you are chasing your Obsession
You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "This one might actually be a challenge..." — Sonhadores Sombrios, Issue #3 |
|
Grim Embrace | Your act of servitude to The Entity has not gone unnoticed.
Each time a Survivor is hooked for the first time, Grim Embrace gains +1 Token and activates once you are at least 16 metres away from the Hook
|
|
Hex: Wretched Fate | You see your victim from afar and resolve to prolong their suffering.
After a Generator
|
|
Mettle of Man | Evil has a way of always finding you.
After triggering your third Protection Hit, Mettle of Man activates:
Mettle of Man deactivates the next time you are put into the Dying State Increases your chance of becoming the initial Obsession by increasing the default value by +100 %. 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 |
|
Nemesis | You seek retribution on those who have wronged you.
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 |
|
Object of Obsession | A supernatural bond links you to the Killer.
Whenever the Killer reads your Aura
, the following effect triggers automatically every 30 seconds:
The Killer can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "He was watching me!" — Laurie Strode |
|
Play with Your Food | Each time you chase your Obsession and let them escape, Play with Your Food gains +1 Token, up to a maximum of 3 Tokens.
Performing Basic Attacks, or Special Attacks that can damage Survivors, consumes -1 Token. Play with Your Food has a cool-down of 10 seconds on Token-accumulation. 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 | Each time a Generator   is completed, the following effects apply:
Once the Exit Gates
You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. |
|
Remember Me | Whenever the Obsession loses a Health State   by any means, Remember Me gains +1 Token, up to a maximum of 2/3/4 Tokens:
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 | Whenever you hit a Survivor other than your Obsession with a Basic Attack, Save the Best for Last gains +1 Token, up to a maximum of 6/7/8 Tokens:
Whenever you hit your Obsession with a Basic or Special Attack, Save the Best for Last loses -2 Tokens.
You can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "Death has come to your little town, Sheriff." — Dr Sam Loomis |
|
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.
Each time a Survivor other than yourself is killed or sacrificed, Sole Survivor gains 1 Token, up to a maximum of 3 Tokens:
The Killer can only be obsessed with one Survivor at a time. "It was the boogeyman." — Laurie Strode |
Change Log
Patch 2.1.0
- Quality of Life: the Obsession Status is no longer hidden from the other Survivors until after the Obsession's death.
Patch 4.7.0
- Quality of Life: all Trials feature an Obsession now, regardless of the presence of Obsession Perks.
Trivia
- Even though some Perks trigger the Obsession Mechanic, they do not necessarily benefit from it.
- Before Patch 3.2.0, which introduced the Unique Wedding Ring
Add-on for Keys, there was no way to lower one's chance of being the initial Obsession. - Before Patch 4.7.0, the Perk Nemesis was the only Unlockable using the Obsession mechanic that would not cause Dead by Daylight to choose a Survivor as the Killer's initial Obsession.
