Obsession

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 II: The HALLOWEEN® Chapter, bringing with it a unique interplay of Killer and their designated Obsession.

The Obsession

The Obsession mechanic designates a random Survivor as the Killer's Obsession.
The Obsession is marked 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.

Each Trial uses 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 increases 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 is 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. If you are the Obsession, Blood Pact deactivates. Reduces the odds of being the Obsession. 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 activates for the next 40/50/60 seconds: When being grabbed or picked up by the Killer, succeed a Skill Check to automatically escape their grasp, stunning them for 5 seconds. Successfully stunning the Killer will disable Decisive Strike for the remainder of the Trial and result in you becoming the Obsession. While Decisive Strike is active, the following interactions will deactivate it: Repairing a Generator . Healing yourself or other Survivors. Cleansing a Totem . Sabotaging a Hook . Unhooking other Survivors. 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 1 Health State . You become the Obsession . For the People causes the Broken Status Effect for 110/100/90 seconds after using it. 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 triggering your third Protection Hit, Mettle of Man activates and you are protected by the Endurance Status Effect: Any damage taken that would put you into the Dying State from the Injured State is blocked. When you are healed again, your Aura will be revealed to the Killer whenever you are farther than 12/14/16 metres away. Mettle of Man deactivates 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. Whenever the Killer reads your Aura , Object of Obsession activates: The Killer's Aura is revealed to you for the same duration as they read your Aura. Your Action speeds in Repairing, Healing, and Cleansing are increased by 2/4/6 %. If you are the Obsession , your Aura is revealed to the Killer for 3 seconds every 30 seconds. 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. Each time a Survivor other than yourself is killed or sacrificed, Sole Survivor gains 1 Token, up to a maximum of 3 Tokens: Each Token grants a stack-able radius of 20/22/24 metres within which the Killer is unable to read your Aura , up to a maximum of 60/66/72 metres. 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 them to emit a Terror Radius of 32 metres for the next 20/25/30 seconds. You are granted the Undetectable Status Effect. The Obsession hears their own Terror Radius. 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. Each time you hook a Survivor other than your Obsession , you gain 1 Token: For as long as the Obsession is alive, all other Survivors suffer from a stack-able 2/2.5/3 % penalty to Repairing, Healing, and Sabotaging speeds per Token, up to a maximum of 22/27.5/33 % or 11 Tokens. The Obsession is unaffected by this penalty and instead granted a permanent 33 % Action Speed bonus to Unhooking and Healing other Survivors. 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. Each time you hook your Obsession , you gain 1 Token, up to a maximum of 2/3/4 Tokens: While in a Chase, your Terror Radius is reduced by 4 metres per accumulated Token. When a Survivor rescues the Obsession from the Hook, that Survivor will become the new Obsession. All accumulated Tokens are lost when 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. Each time a Survivor blinds you or stuns you using a Pallet or Locker , they become your new Obsession : The Survivor suffers from 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. Each time you chase your Obsession and let them escape, Play with Your Food receives 1 Token, up to a maximum of 3 Tokens: Each Token applies a stack-able 3/4/5 % Haste Status Effect, up to a maximum of 9/12/15 %. Performing a Basic or Special Attack 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	You become obsessed with one Survivor. Each time a Generator is completed: Your Aura is revealed to the Obsession for 5/4/3 seconds. All Survivors' locations are revealed to you for 3 seconds. Once all Generators are completed: The Obsession suffers from a permanent Exposed Status Effect. You are granted the ability to kill the Obsession by your own hand. 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 with a Basic Attack, Remember Me gains 1 Token: The Opening time of both Exit Gates is increased by 4 seconds per Token, up to a maximum of 8 additional/12 additional/16 additional seconds. The Obsession is unaffected by this penalty. 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. Each time 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 8 Tokens: Gain a stack-able 5 % Cool-down reduction on successful attacks per Token, up to a maximum of 40 %. Each time you hit your Obsession with a Basic Attack, Save the Best for Last loses 4/3/2 Tokens. When the Obsession is sacrificed or killed, you can neither gain nor lose any more Tokens. 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

	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

Change Log

Patch 2.1.0

• Quality of Life: the Obsession Status is no longer hidden from the other Survivor until the Obsession's death.

Patch 4.7.0

• Quality of Life: each Trial will now feature an Obsession, regardless of the presence or absence of Obsession Perks.

Trivia

• 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.
• Before Patch 4.7.0, Nemesis was the only Obsession Unlockable that would not cause Dead by Daylight to chose a Survivor as the Killer's Obsession at the start of the trial.