The Legion: A Guide to Mastering Dead by Daylight’s Frenzied Killers
Introduction
Have you ever faced a swarm of killers, a relentless group that seems to be everywhere at once? That’s The Legion DBD, a unique character within the world of Dead by Daylight. The Legion isn’t just one person; it’s a group of troubled teenagers – Frank, Julie, Joey, and Susie – bound by a dark pact and brought into the Entity’s realm. Their fast-paced, hit-and-run playstyle can be incredibly disorienting for survivors, making them a formidable threat in the right hands.
The Legion DBD presents a truly distinct challenge compared to other killers. Instead of focusing solely on single, powerful attacks, they use their unique ability, Feral Frenzy, to apply Deep Wounds to multiple survivors simultaneously, turning the game into a frantic race against time. Many players find them one of the most interesting Killers with a tragic story.
This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of The Legion DBD, covering their chilling backstory, in-depth look at their abilities, exploring their strengths and weaknesses, uncovering effective strategies, and showcasing popular builds to help you become a master of this unconventional killer. Whether you’re a survivor trying to understand how to counter them or a killer eager to unleash their frenzy, this guide is for you.
Lore and Backstory: The Dark Heart of Ormond
The origins of The Legion DBD lie in the bleak, snow-covered town of Ormond, Alberta. It was here that Frank Morrison, a troubled youth with a charismatic personality, arrived and quickly fell in with a group of local teenagers: Julie, Joey, and Susie. United by a shared sense of alienation and a desire for rebellion, they formed a tight-knit group. Frank became the charismatic leader. The group’s petty vandalism soon escalated into something far more sinister, fueled by Frank’s volatile personality and a thirst for escalating thrills.
Their descent into darkness culminated in a brutal act of violence that irrevocably bound them together. This shared transgression solidified their loyalty to one another and marked their transformation into something truly monstrous. The Entity, drawn to their dark actions, snatched them away and pulled them into its realm, forever trapping them in a cycle of violence and suffering as The Legion DBD.
This backstory is important to understand. The Legion’s gameplay often feels chaotic and almost out of control, reflecting the fractured state of their minds and the impulsive nature of their crimes. The rush to hit multiple survivors is also a thematic representation of their need to feel the adrenaline of committing crimes.
The Power of The Legion: Unleashing Feral Frenzy
The Legion DBD’s power, Feral Frenzy, is the cornerstone of their playstyle. Mastering Feral Frenzy is the key to playing The Legion DBD effectively. Here’s a detailed breakdown of its mechanics:
During Feral Frenzy, The Legion DBD receives a significant movement speed boost, allowing them to quickly traverse the map and close the gap on survivors. They can also vault over pallets and windows, negating common looping strategies and putting immense pressure on survivors in chase. The movement speed buff also helps to patrol generators and catch survivors off guard.
While in Feral Frenzy, The Legion DBD can see the aura of any survivor within their terror radius who is afflicted with Deep Wounds. If you hit a survivor not already afflicted with Deep Wounds you gain an automatic chain Frenzy activation. However, striking a healthy survivor with Feral Frenzy inflicts the Deep Wounds status effect. The application of Deep Wounds is The Legion’s primary method of pressuring survivors.
Deep Wounds is a status effect that causes survivors to bleed out over time. Unless they mend themselves, this timer will continue to tick down, and eventually they will be downed. Therefore, survivors will need to find a safe spot to perform the mend action, which takes up valuable time and removes them from objectives.
After deactivating Feral Frenzy, The Legion DBD enters a fatigue state, leaving them vulnerable for a brief period. The length of this fatigue depends on various factors, including add-ons and the number of successful hits made during Feral Frenzy. Knowing when to activate and deactivate Feral Frenzy to manage this fatigue is critical.
Numerous add-ons alter Feral Frenzy in different ways, some helpful and others for meme builds. Add-ons can extend the duration of Feral Frenzy, reduce the cooldown after a successful hit, or apply additional status effects such as blindness or mangled. There are a wide range of add-ons which can drastically change the gameplay.
The Significance of Deep Wounds
Deep Wounds is arguably just as important to The Legion DBD as Feral Frenzy. The Deep Wounds timer ticks down much faster while the survivor is running or performing actions. Therefore, survivors are incentivized to be very cautious and move very slowly, else they will be downed.
Survivors need to mend to get rid of the Deep Wounds effect. If they don’t, the timer will continue to tick down until they are downed. Thus, the act of mending will remove a survivor from the game. This helps to slow the game down while other survivors are working on generators.
Smart survivors will use the bleed out timer to make The Legion DBD lose track of them. The Legion DBD needs to anticipate how long survivors have before the Deep Wounds timer runs out.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Analyzing The Legion DBD’s Capabilities
The Legion DBD possesses a unique set of strengths and weaknesses that dictate their viability in matches. Understanding these is essential for maximizing their potential or effectively countering them as a survivor.
Their Feral Frenzy allows them to apply Deep Wounds to multiple survivors, forcing them to mend and slowing down generator progress. The Legion can use the speed of Feral Frenzy to quickly patrol the map and apply pressure to multiple generators. This is especially effective on smaller maps with clustered generators. Feral Frenzy allows them to vault over pallets and windows, disrupting common looping strategies and shortening chases. The Legion can often get the first hit on survivors, especially in open areas, which helps snowball the game.
The Legion’s primary weakness lies in their inability to directly down healthy survivors during Feral Frenzy. They are also vulnerable during the fatigue state after Feral Frenzy ends, leaving them open to attacks and evasion. This can make them predictable, as experienced survivors will simply stay away while The Legion DBD is in fatigue. Many players believe that The Legion is heavily reliant on add-ons to be effective. Their basic M1 attack is their only option outside of their power, making them vulnerable in extended chases without Feral Frenzy. Smart players can avoid Feral Frenzy’s initial hit, rendering the ability temporarily useless.
Strategies and Tips: Mastering The Legion DBD’s Gameplay
To succeed with The Legion DBD, you need to master Feral Frenzy. The key is to utilize it for quick map traversal and reconnaissance. Chain hits on multiple survivors to apply Deep Wounds, forcing them to mend and slowing down the game. Learn to recognize when to end Feral Frenzy to avoid fatigue at inopportune moments. Use the built-in Killer Instinct to your advantage to track injured survivors.
You should also always prioritize survivors who haven’t mended. Use the element of surprise and flanking tactics to catch survivors off guard. Apply pressure on generators, forcing survivors to heal rather than progress on objectives. Read survivor behavior to anticipate their movements. Don’t be afraid to fake an attack or switch directions to throw them off balance. Master the art of mind games at common looping spots to secure hits.
Effective Builds: Optimizing The Legion DBD’s Potential
Consider perks that synergize with The Legion DBD’s abilities. Perks for information gathering, slowdown, and chase potential are generally the most useful.
The “Mending Madness” build focuses on punishing survivors for neglecting to mend their Deep Wounds. Perks like Thanatophobia, Sloppy Butcher, Coulrophobia, and A Nurse’s Calling can make this a truly oppressive build.
The “Map Control” build, focuses on controlling the map and hindering generator progress. Consider Pop Goes the Weasel, Discordance, Tinkerer, and BBQ & Chili.
The “Aggressive Chase” build is designed to catch survivors quickly and efficiently. Bamboozle, Spirit Fury, Enduring, and Save the Best for Last can all be effective in this build.
The right add-ons can significantly boost the strength of these builds, so make sure to find add-ons that work for you.
Countering The Legion DBD: Survivor Strategies
As a survivor, quickly mending Deep Wounds is critical. Staying together, cautiously, can help prevent the bleed out timer from ticking down too fast. Use obstacles and map geometry to break line of sight during Feral Frenzy, making it harder for The Legion DBD to chain hits. Anticipate The Legion’s movements and position yourself strategically to avoid being caught in Feral Frenzy.
Alertness and communication are key. Use perks like Spine Chill to get a jump on the killer. Communicate The Legion’s location and activity to teammates. Use exhaustion perks wisely. Pallet awareness can save lives!
The Legion DBD’s Place in the Meta
The Legion DBD’s current placement in the DBD killer tier list is hotly debated. Some consider them a mid-tier killer, while others place them lower. Their effectiveness is heavily influenced by map generation, perk popularity, and survivor strategies. The Legion is considered strong on maps that are smaller.
Future updates, including potential perk and killer changes, could significantly impact The Legion’s viability.
Conclusion: Embracing The Frenzy
The Legion DBD is a unique and complex killer with a distinctive playstyle. By understanding their abilities, strengths, and weaknesses, you can master their potential as a killer or learn to counter them effectively as a survivor. The Legion’s lore and unique ability provides for interesting gameplay.
Experiment with different builds and strategies to find what works best for you. Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries and discover new ways to unleash The Legion DBD’s frenzy. What’s your favorite build for The Legion DBD? Share it below!