Just a month ago, we received Nicolas Cage in Dead by Daylight as one of the weirdest characters we’ve ever received in the game. Now, the long-awaited Alien Chapter has been released and it’s also been one hell of an addition. The Xenomorph feels quite overpowered and I’ve had a particularly rough time playing against it and understanding its powers. But fear not. I’ve already played as The Xenomorph myself and I can assure you this Killer can be countered with a couple of useful strategies. And that’s exactly what you’re gonna learn here. If The Xenomorph is giving you a hard time in Dead by Daylight, keep reading. This guide is perfect for you!
Dead by Daylight Alien Chapter – The Xenomorph
Dead by Daylight and Alien have finally crossed their paths and we have The Xenomorph with a set of specific powers and abilities (we also have Ellen Ripley, but her perks are pretty meh). And the thing that makes The Xenomorph so strong isn’t exactly its perks. It’s the special abilities that make him so annoying. Let’s take a look at them before diving into how to counter the Alien.
Power: Hidden Pursuit
When The Xenomorph is in a trial, a series of tunnels become available to it. By accessing a Control Station, it can enter these tunnels to quickly move around the map, detect the presence of nearby Survivors, and speed up the cooldown time of its Crawler Mode. Exiting a Control Station momentarily deactivates deployed Turrets and tags nearby Survivors with Killer Instinct.
Special Ability: Crawler Mode
The Xenomorph enters Crawler Mode automatically when not on cooldown. In Crawler Mode, The Xenomorph walks on four legs and becomes stealthier, reducing Its Terror Radius. While in Crawler Mode, The Xenomorph also has access to a brutal Tail Attack.
When standing on its two legs, The Xenomorph acts like a regular Killer.
Special Map Feature: Control Stations
Seven Control Stations are scattered across the map. Survivors can interact with these stations to get a Remote Flame Turret, while The Xenomorph can enter and exit the tunnels underneath the Control Stations.
Special Item: Remote Flame Turret
Turrets can be placed on the map to counteract The Xenomorph. When The Xenomorph enters the radius and line of sight of a Turret, the Turret attacks; this attack staggers The Xenomorph and can cause Crawler Mode to end. If a Turret successfully knocks The Xenomorph out of Crawler Mode or fires for too long, it overheats and must be repaired by a Survivor. The Xenomorph can attack Turrers to destroy them. Carrying a Turret makes you immune to detection while the Killer is in the tunnel.
The Xenomorph can see the Auras of Control Stations which grant access to the Tunnels.
How to Counter The Xenomorph
Well, that’s quite a read, isn’t it? There are several things to keep in mind while playing against The Xenomorph. But don’t worry. Let’s summarize the most important bits and what you actually need to remember when playing against this infamous creature.
Pay Attention to the Music and SFX!
As it was explained above, The Xenomorph can access a series of tunnels that are hiding underneath the map. The entrances and exits of these tunnels are exactly below each one of the seven scattered Control Stations around the map. These stations are often positioned near generators. So the odds of getting jump-scared by the Killer while you’re repairing one are pretty high.
You’ll hear a sound cue whenever the Killer gets in and out of the tunnels. Pay attention to this so you’re prepared to flee if it comes out from the nearest Control Station. If you hear the sound cue and you don’t hear the Alien nearby, that means you’re safe (for now). They’ll probably be busy looking for other Survivors if they already used the tunnels, so use this time to keep repairing a generator for as long as you can!
The Xenomorph’s POV when traversing the underground tunnels.
Turret Placement
But not everything is about trying to escape from the Killer. You see, one of the most common mistakes I’ve seen many Survivors commit is that they do a wrong Turret placement. Remember all the Control Stations of the map have a small flame Turret in them. Don’t just start the match blindly repairing a generator as you would against any other Killer. Instead, as soon as you notice these Control Stations are present, grab a Turret. There are several ways to position these Turrets but the most effective ones are:
- Near the generators you’re planning to repair.
- Near pallets, windows, and every spot you’ll use to loop and run from the Killer.
- Inside stretch hallways, where The Xenomorph can’t avoid getting hit by the flames.
Use the Turrets accordingly to avoid getting easily downed.
The Xenomorph is easily one of the most overpowered Killers in Dead by Daylight right now. But there is a reason for it. You can actually fight it back with these Turrets. So use them! I see many people not even bothering to place them, which makes results in them getting downed very quickly as soon as The Alien shows up. These Turrets will be The Alien’s nightmare if you use them properly.
Remember the Turrets help you to slow down The Xenomorph and take it out of its Crawler Mode. It is deadlier than most Killers in this mode. He has a reduced Terror Radius, better mobility… and a special attack. That special attack is going to be YOUR nightmare if you don’t know what you’re dealing with. Let’s talk about the tail attack, which is the strongest aspect of The Alien in my opinion.
Evading the Tail Attack
Now, this is the main reason why it’s so important to use the Turrets to take The Xenomorph out of its Crawler stance. In this mode, he can use one of the most overpowered attacks this game has. Its tail attack has a ridiculous range that can hit you from the other side of a window or downed pallet. Let’s say you didn’t manage to place a Turret correctly before The Xenomorph shows up (big mistake), or it has chased you for long enough for its Crawler Mode to be available again. Here’s what you should do in these cases.
First off, if they’re already close to you in their Crawler Mode, never ever run in a straight line. The Xenomorph’s tail attack has a very long range, but it’s not very wide. This means that if you run in a straight line, you’ll most likely get hit by it. Use the environment to make them fail this attack and loop them around big objects or pallets. They’ll have a harder time managing to hit you with their tail attack. If you’re in an open area without anything to loop the Killer, zigzag and make hard turns. Whatever it takes, but don’t run in a straight line.
Use the environment to avoid The Xenomorph’s tail attack.
Watch out though, not everything will be colors and rainbows if you find a valuable pallet. Most experienced Xenomorphs will do a pretty basic trick that you should avoid falling into. Whenever the Alien feels you’re close to stunning them, they’ll back off. Unlike other Killers, this will not only allow them to avoid the stun and simply destroy the pallet. They won’t even try to destroy it (dropped pallets are The Xenomorph’s best friends). They’ll be able to calculate a perfectly straight line between you and them and will most likely hit you with their tail attack while you’re too busy dropping or vaulting the pallet.
That’s another reason why it’s very effective to place Turrets near pallets and windows you’re planning to use whenever the Killer starts chasing you. If they’re not in their Crawl stance, they won’t be able to hit you from across the pallet or window. To summarize, avoid dropping a pallet right in front of The Xenomorph if they’re in their Crawler Mode unless you think it’s strictly necessary. Otherwise, prepare to take a hit. The longer you can mind-game them and make them back off from a pallet you weren’t even thinking about dropping, the better! Only drop it if you believe they’re not expecting the stun.
Purchase the Dead by Daylight Alien DLC Now!
That was my guide on how to counter The Xenomorph in Dead by Daylight. The Alien Chapter DLC is available on PC, PS4 & PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S. Join the fun and start making those ruthless killers frustrated with your Survivor knowledge. See you all in the fog!
