This Dead by Daylight guide details optimal builds for The Shape (Michael Myers), categorized for varying player skill levels. Recent buffs in Patch 8.4.0 have significantly improved his viability.
Quick Links
- The Shape: Best Non-Teachable Build (2025)
- The Shape: Best Build (2025)
- The Shape: Best Add-Ons (2025)
The Shape, Dead by Daylight's first licensed Killer, is a formidable stalker, building ferocity by tracking Survivors before striking. This guide covers both teachable and non-teachable perk builds.
The Shape: Best Non-Teachable Build (2025)
This build compensates for The Shape's lack of access to other Killers' perks. It utilizes inherent strengths:
- Save the Best for Last (The Shape): Hitting non-Obsession Survivors grants tokens reducing basic attack cooldowns (up to 32%). Hitting the Obsession costs tokens.
- Hex: No One Escapes Death (General Perk): After the final generator, Survivors are Exposed, and the Killer gains a 4% Haste effect until the Hex Totem is cleansed.
- Bitter Murmur (General Perk): Reveals Survivor auras near completed generators; reveals all auras after the last generator is completed.
- Sloppy Butcher (General Perk): Basic attacks inflict Mangled and Hemorrhage, slowing healing.
The Shape: Best Build (2025)
This build emphasizes generator control and early-game aggression, addressing The Shape's weaknesses:
- Lethal Pursuer (The Nemesis): Reveals all Survivor auras for 9 seconds at the match start, with extended aura-reading durations.
- Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance (The Artist): Hooking different Survivors on white Scourge Hooks destroys the most progressed generator (25% regression).
- Deadlock (The Cenobite): Completing a generator blocks the most progressed one for 25 seconds.
- Coup de Grâce (The Twins): Grants increased lunge range based on completed generators.
The Shape: Best Add-Ons (2025)
The following add-ons significantly enhance The Shape's gameplay:
Memorial Flower
Increases stalking speed by 11%. A solid, common rarity option.
Dead Rabbit
Reduces Terror Radius in Evil Within II but increases it in Evil Within III. Use with caution, ideally alongside perks that modify Terror Radius.
J. Myers Memorial
Provides a flat 25% bonus to stalking gain rate. Often paired with Tombstone Piece.
Hair Bow
Increases the threat level during Evil Within III. Excellent when combined with J. Myers Memorial.
Tombstone Piece
Instantly downs any Survivor upon reaching Evil Within III, regardless of hook state. A powerful ability.
Lock of Hair
Extends Evil Within III duration by 40 seconds and increases stalk rate for Evil Within III. A viable alternative to Hair Bow.
Fragrant Tuft of Hair
Grants infinite Evil Within III, negating the need for stalking before insta-downs. However, it significantly reduces stalking speed.
