Summary
Dead by Daylightrecently introduced a new kind of perk, but it already looks like it could be in need of a rework. Considering how oftenDead by Daylightadjusts the numbers of perks and add-ons in patches, it’s certainly not out of the question for newer perks to see a rework or two somewhere down the line. However, one class of perks inDead by Daylightalready has clear flaws despite only one example existing so far. That could be a sign that the developers will need to experiment a bit more with them in future patches.
Among the selection ofperks inDead by Daylight, there are a few that fall into specific categories. These categories are:
Sable Ward fromDead by Daylight’s Chapter 31brings the game’s first Invocation perk: Invocation: Weaving Spiders. In order to cast Weaving Spiders, the player must go to the basement and use the magic circle to cast it. It costs 120 seconds to cast, but the casting time can be hastened if other Survivors help her. Once the casting is completed, every generator on the map will have the amount of time required to repair them reduced for the rest of the trial. As a trade-off, the user will also be broken and unable to heal for the rest of the trial.
Unfortunately, Invocation: Weaving Spiders is not among thebest Survivor perks inDead by Daylightfor a few glaring reasons. First, its casting time is far too long, and depriving the Survivors of one teammate for a full two minutes is a major downside. That would be enough of a painful trade, but the user becoming broken for the rest of the trial after completing the Invocation further hampers its usefulness. No Mither has the same downside, and that perk is considered a direct downgrade for any Survivor using it. Invocation: Weaving Spiders replicating that effect only further hurts its usability.
This raises questions about any further Invocation perks that could come to the game. Invocations are still anew interaction inDead by Daylight, so there is still time to fine-tune them. The casting time is the first detail worth looking at, because 2 minutes is too long to justify most effects. In addition, the effects themselves need to be checked to make sure that they aren’t game-breakingly powerful regardless of casting time. It’s clear that the developers want Invocations to be a strong risk/reward type of perk. In that case, the risks and rewards will need to be carefully balanced.
Invocations will probably need a bit of extra adjustment before they can find a comfortable place in the metagame. Although it’s clear that thefuture ofDead by Daylightrelies on a shifting metagame and more innovative ideas and strategies, not everything is going to work on the first attempt. Invocation: Weaving Spiders is a perfect example of this. It was an interesting concept to add to the game, but the perk’s flaws are readily apparent. Hopefully, Behavior will do some more experiments for future Invocations to enterDead by Daylight.
