Dead by Daylight’s Trickster is a unique ranged Killer capable of unleashing a rapid flurry of blades to down Survivors with laceration damage. While at first glance he may seem straightforward, his playstyle requires precision, resource management, and tactical use of his power to secure victories. This guide will cover the best strategies, builds, and add-ons to help you dominate as The Trickster.

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Trickster’s Power: Showstopper & Main Event

Trickster’s ability, Showstopper, allows him to throw rapid-fire blades to build up laceration. Once a Survivor reaches eight lacerations, they take a health state of damage. His special ability, Main Event, grants infinite blades for a short duration, dramatically increasing fire rate.

Key Mechanics & Tips:

• Tap Fire Instead of Holding Down: Holding the fire button wastes blades and reduces accuracy. Tap fire gives better control and consistency.
• Aim for Lower Body: For better accuracy, aim from the Survivor’s hips to their feet unless only their head is visible.
• Limit Overthrowing: Only throw the number of blades you are confident will land (typically 2-3 per loop). Overthrowing costs distance and wastes blades.
• Don’t Keep Blades Raised: Holding blades up makes you significantly slower. Lower them when repositioning.

Using Main Event Effectively:

• Patience is Key: Just because Main Event is available doesn’t mean you should activate it immediately. Wait for Survivors to be in an open area or at a vault/pallet where they can’t escape.
• Mind Games: Survivors focus on where the blades come from. You can moonwalk while throwing to mislead them.
• Shreds Through Endurance: Main Event can counter Dead Hard, Off the Record, and Basekit Unhook Enduranceby rapidly applying hits.
• Activating While Aiming: You can trigger Main Event without letting go of the aim button to keep up the pressure.

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Blade Management & Reloading

Trickster starts with 44 blades, meaning resource management is crucial. Keep track of your blades and reload at the right time:

• Ideal Reload Time: Around 20 blades left or in safe windows (e.g., after hooking a Survivor or when Grim Embrace blocks generators).
• Avoid Mid-Chase Reloads: Reloading mid-chase loses pressure. Only do it when absolutely necessary.

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Distance & Accuracy

Despite being a ranged Killer, Trickster is not ideal for long-range combat:

• Close Range is Best: While you can get some chip damage at range, Trickster is most effective when close enough to ensure multiple consecutive blade hits.
• Be Aware of Falloff: Blades suffer distance falloff, so lead your shots if throwing from far away.
• Main Event for Distance: If you must throw from a distance, Main Event’s increased fire rate helps compensate.

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Looping & Zoning Survivors

Trickster has excellent counterplay against loops when used correctly:

• Certain Loops Favor M1 Attacks: If a loop takes too long to land 8 blades, go for a basic attack instead.
• Use Survivor Animations: Vaulting windows, dropping pallets, and interacting with objects lock Survivors in place—use these moments to land easy blade hits.
• Respecting Pallets: Faking breaking a pallet can trick Survivors into staying put, giving you free hits.
• Use Zoning: Force Survivors into open areas where you can freely hit them with blades.
• Mind Games: Pretend to vault a window to bait movement, then attack where they reposition.

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Best Add-Ons for Trickster

Recommended Add-On Combinations:

• Memento Blades (+10% fire rate) + Tequila Moonrock (+60% Main Event duration) – Faster blade throw and longer Main Event uptime.
• Trick Blades (Blades Ricochet) + Diamond Cufflinks (Reveal Survivor Auras when at max laceration) – Ideal for unpredictable ricochet kills and tracking.
• Waiting for You Watch (+0.4s per blade hit on Main Event) + Tequila Moonrock – Creates Infinite Main Event potential when used correctly.

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Best Perk Builds for Trickster

Meta Slowdown Build (Best for General Play)

• Pain Resonance – 20% instant generator regression on first scourge hook of each Survivor.
• Grim Embrace – Blocks all generators for 40 seconds after hooking each Survivor once.
• Blood Favor – Blocks all pallets within 32m when a Survivor loses a health state.
• Pop Goes the Weasel – 20% regression on a generator after a hook.

Beginner-Friendly Build

• No Way Out – Blocks exit gates for up to 60 seconds after hooking all Survivors once.
• Pop Goes the Weasel – Instant 20% generator regression on a hook.
• Corrupt Intervention – Blocks the three furthest generators at the start.
• Bamboozle – Blocks windows after vaulting, preventing Survivors from infinite looping.

Chase-Focused Build (No Slowdown, Pure Chase Pressure)

• Ruin – Generators regress passively when not being repaired.
• Undying – Gives Ruin a second life if cleansed.
• Bamboozle – Blocks windows to reduce looping options.
• Blood Favor – Blocks pallets when a Survivor is injured, forcing them into bad positions.

Slugging & Pressure Build (For Multi-Downing)

• Infectious Fright – Makes nearby Survivors scream when you down a Survivor.
• Fearmonger – Exhausts Survivors when repairing gens, reducing their ability to escape.
• Blood Favor – Prevents pallets from being dropped when you injure a Survivor.
• Crowd Control – Blocks windows if Survivors vault too quickly.

Aura Reading & Tracking Build (For Information Overload)

• Lethal Pursuer – Reveals all Survivor auras at the start and extends all aura reading.
• Floods of Rage – Reveals all Survivor auras after an unhook from a Scourge Hook.
• I’m All Ears – Reveals Survivor auras after a rushed vault.
• Jagged Compass – Highlights the most progressed generator after hooking a Survivor.

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Final Thoughts: Mastering The Trickster

Trickster is a high-skill Killer who thrives on precision, resource management, and zoning. Unlike other ranged Killers, he doesn’t excel at long-range shots but instead dominates at mid-range loops where he can control space and pressure Survivors with an overwhelming barrage of blades.

Mastering Trickster means:

1. Balancing blade usage – Tap fire, don’t hold.
2. Perfecting Main Event – Use it strategically, not impulsively.
3. Understanding map control – Push Survivors into weak zones.
4. Choosing the right add-ons – Faster blades = higher pressure.

With practice and a solid understanding of his mechanics, Trickster can become one of the most oppressive Killers in Dead by Daylight. Whether you’re zoning at loops, landing ricochet shots, or running an infinite Main Event build, there’s always something new to master with Ji-Woon Hak. Now go out there and put on a show!