In the Entity's grim trials live 35 different maps full of generators, meat hooks, abandoned buildings, and very few ways to escape. The survivors' objective is to power up five generators and open the exit gates to flee from a monstrous killer intent on sacrificing them. Each map is different, some providing many safe areas for survivors to loop the killer while their teammates rush to power up the gens. Some, however, are much more difficult to traverse, leading the killer to a pleased Entity at the end of the trial.
Every player in the trial can give an offering to the Entity, with the hope that it will bring them to the map of their choice. Whether you are learning about the game for the first time or logging in as a veteran player, some maps can make evading the killer much easier. For survivors, playing Dead By Daylight is all about wasting the killer's time, and these maps may give them the advantage.
Updated on December 30, 2021 by Noah Smith: With new maps continuing to pop up in Dead by Daylight, there are now a few more to consider when it comes to weighing up which one's the best for survivors. So, we've taken another look at this article to make sure all the maps were up to date — and we've added a few more selections while we were at it!
12 Eyrie of Crows - Forsaken Boneyard
The newest map of the game is just over the average map size of 150 tiles (sitting pretty at 156 tiles) with an obtrusive center building. Any killer without mobility will struggle to control this large map, and the barren landscape means trap setters like The Trapper and The Hag will be hard-pressed to hide their powers well.
On the other hand, because of the barren nature and bright contrast, survivors tend to have a harder time hiding from the killer. While close to balanced, the Eyrie of Crows lands slightly on the survivor's side. Just hope you are not going against a nurse or blight (but that could be said about any map).
11 Racoon City Police Station - Raccoon City
So the Raccoon City map quickly gained infamy as one of the most difficult maps to play on, for both sides. However, as people got used to it they soon realized that it was really survivor sided. The map is large, indoors, and complicated; all things that add up to a very survivor-sided map.
While first starting out it can be rough finding your way through the intricate hallways. Once figured out though, expect to easily take down killers. Be wary of stealth killers though, they can easily sneak up on you in this map.
10 The Game – Gideon Meat Plant
Saw fans will instantly recognize The Game when playing Dead by Daylight, but the map itself is very confusing. While a few killers, like the Doctor, can utilize its relatively small layout extremely well, most will struggle with the immense number of pallets strewn throughout the Gideon Meat Plant. These pallets spawn close together and easily are chainable, meaning the first survivor found can probably run the killer for nearly four generators. It's usually a very survivor-sided map if played well, but it is very small — so be careful.
9 Ironworks Of Misery – MacMillan Estate
The second-largest MacMillan Estate map, survivors will feel how spread out this map is, with generators and tiles leading all the way to the edges. That spread can be hugely beneficial to the team if everyone plays optimally. They can easily pressure enough generators at the beginning to make the killer sweat throughout the whole trial, usually leading to at least two survivors escaping, if not more.
8 Gas Heaven – Autohaven Wreckers
While not actually the largest Autohaven Wreckers map, Gas Heaven has one of the most survivor-sided generator spreads in this realm. They are easy to spot, and usually spawn along the edges with plenty of safe structures around.
The main structure of Gas Heaven is also one of the best killer time-wasters, forcing them to break walls and loop for what seems like ages if the survivor can make it there safely.
7 Badham Preschool I-V – Springwood
Freddy Kreuger's home in the Entity's realm is a surprisingly survivor-sided set of maps. Unique to the Springwood Realm, Badham Preschool will always load in on one of five variations, each with a different layout of the same structures. Though these are all below the average size of 150 tiles, the fences populating much of the space can be easily abused by survivors to keep the killer occupied. They can easily see the red stain through the chain link, making any sort of mind games impossible. On top of that, the houses and the preschool itself can provide almost infinite loops, making the killer’s objective that much harder.
6 Temple Of Purgation – Red Forest
The power of the Temple of Purgation really lies in the safety of its pallets. Very rarely will this map spawn without a large number of safe pallets dispersed throughout the ruins, meaning the survivors can lead killers on long chases. The only danger comes if the basement spawns in the main building. Any killer that can defend the basement well should hope for that RNG, making any hooked survivor down there almost impossible to rescue.
5 Disturbed Ward – Crotus Prenn Asylum
The counterpart map to Father Campbell’s Chapel, the Disturbed Ward has one of the best main buildings in all the Entity’s realms. With numerous safe pallets and windows, trying to chase a survivor in the ward itself is always a nightmare.
A common strategy would be to immediately try and complete that center generator, leaving the main building as a zone to loop the killer in while teammates do the other generators.
4 Mount Ormond Resort – Ormond
Before its rework, Mount Ormond was one of the worst killer maps in the game. While the developers balanced it a bit, it remains very survivor-sided. The map itself is only the eighth largest map in the game, but that space is utilized so well by survivors that it feels like one of the biggest. Standing in the center is the resort, a very large building that is easily loopable, and along the edges are many safe pallets and structures easily chained together. Unless the killer has a good amount of mobility, the survivors have a high chance of escaping.
3 Fractured Cowshed – Coldwind Farm
All the Coldwind Farm maps are survivor-sided, but probably the most so is the Fractured Cowshed. With a center structure of either the cow tree or a harvester, the map is large and cluttered with safe pallets and buildings. On one corner sits the shack, and on the other sits the large barn. Both buildings can be looped and abused by survivors, and they're right next to other safe pallets so they can chain all the way around the perimeter. Plus, corn blindness is a real problem for most killers.
2 Mother’s Dwelling – Red Forest
The largest map in the game and home of the Huntress, Mother’s Dwelling is, well, huge. That is really all it is. It is big, cluttered, and hard to manage for a killer. A team of survivors who spread out at the beginning will almost always make their escape because there is simply too much space for a killer to pressure.
Even the most mobile killers will have trouble as the ground itself is full of rocks and trees, breaking line of sight easily. If you're looking to rank up quickly, Mother's Dwelling is one of the best maps available.
1 Lampkin Lane – Haddonfield
If anyone has played Dead by Daylight for even just a few days, they will have heard about how great Haddonfield is for survivors. With 168 tiles it is tied for the fourth largest map in the game. However, that space is multiplied even more with houses, each providing extremely safe loops. The fences in Haddonfield also function even easier for survivors than those in Badham Preschool, as they are only half height. Finally, the cherry on top, the one-floor house with the generator in the basement is an infinite loop against 4.4-speed killers. Survivors, pray to the Entity for this map, as it will not disappoint.