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Chapter Concept: Where Fear Grows
New Map: Botanical Bunker
It is two floor map, slightly larger than Midwich Elementary. The first floor is indoors, with the stairs to the second floor at the center of the map. This floor has winding pathways and various rooms used as botanical research labs or indoor gardens. The second floor opens up to becoming a traditional outdoor map, albeit smaller than most. The center of the map on the second floor has a temple area which is used to access the first floor. Tall trees and large ferns are prominent on this floor.
Killer: The Gardener
The Gardner is an unassuming killer, able to use to create walls of vines and paths of thorns to block off survivors paths. His personal perks Scourge Hook: Extended Grasp, Scourge Hook: Crown of Thorns, and Hex: Pesticide allow him to stop survivors from moving, slow and incapacitate survivors that unhook others, and cause various effects on survivors that heal near totems.
(AI generated picture)
Real Name: Bertram Grover
Backstory
Bertram walked into his shop like any other day. It was a small flower shop he had set up and had been running for over 20 years now. His pride and joy was tending to flowers and plants and passing his passion onto others who walk through his doors. People all over town would come and buy his famous mulch, just for a chance to have plants as beautiful as his.
At least, that's what he tells other people. All that mattered to him was the plants themselves. If others insisted on learning all he had to know, who was he to argue with what transpired as a result. He was able to sell more mulch in order to continue his research anyhow.
After checking on all the front end plants to make sure they were doing well, he headed to the backroom, where his private collection was held. Plants of all colors and shapes were lined up on shelves, as well as many awards.
His favorite plants were the unassuming ones. The ones that sat and waited for their food to come to them; Flytraps, Sundews, Pitchers, and more. All along the walls, vines of all kinds blanketed them, giving the room a suffocating feeling of unease.
Bertram opened a bag to find his most recent employee almost ready to be crushed up and mixed into his famous mulch. He'd been meaning to put up more Help Wanted Signs and tear down all the Missing Persons Signs, but at his age it was getting harder and harder to get around town quickly without being noticed.
Unfortunately, he was no closer to finding that one flower of his dreams. Such a beautiful orange hue, he remembered it practically glowing. It's been so long sense seeing it back during the war.
Death.
Decay.
That's what was needed. He needed more of it if it meant he could see that flower again. However, in this small town, he just didn't have enough people to satisfy the conditions. He needed more people to mulch, more people to grind and chop. If only he could branch out and get more.
He was so absorbed in his thoughts he never noticed the fog slowly creeping into the room.
Later on, the bodies would be found in Bertram's backroom and a country wide man hunt would be made to find him. Bertram Grover is thought to still be at large after several strange orange flowers were found growing out of several peoples gardens as well as various bones from his victims.
Power: Overgrowth
Survivors gain a Thorn meter. Survivors who interact with parts of the killers power will fill the Thorn meter. Once filled, Healthy Survivors will become injured, Injured Survivors will be inflicted with Deep Wound, Deep Wounded Survivors will be put into the dying state. The Thorn meter will slowly decrease overtime while the survivor is walking.
Special Ability: Wall of Vines
Summon a wall of vines that block survivors path. Survivors are able to pass through, but while passing though with a slow action, they are vulnerable to being grabbed and if they pass through with a fast action, they build up the Thorn meter. You are able to pass through walls quickly. Up to 3 walls can be active at a time. These walls will stay active indefinitely or until another wall is placed.
Passive: Till the Land
While moving you leave behind a trail of Tilled Land. Survivor that run into or walk on this Tilled Land will increase their Thorn meter. Survivors will not gain Thorns when standing still or crouching on Tilled Land.
(More Details)
The Thorn meter is a gauge from 0 to 50 that appears around the survivor portrait. Both killer and survivor are able to see how full the gauge becomes. If the Thorn meter is filled at all, the survivor can walk to decay it by 5 for every step taken. Crouch walking and Running will not deplete the Thorn meter. Once completely filled, the health state of the survivor will change and the meter will drop to 15.
Wall of Vines base length is 6 meters and a width of ~0.25 meters. If they will end up colliding with objects, they will instead cut off where the collision takes place. Survivors are able to interact with Wall of Vines in any location on the sides of the walls as if they are vaulting locations, however they are not effected by perks that increase vault speeds.
Survivor can pass through slowly, which takes 1.5 seconds, but will not fill the Thorn meter, or pass through at medium speed, which will take 0.9 seconds base time, but will fill the Thorn meter by 25, or pass through quickly, which will take 0.5 seconds, but will fill the Thorn meter by 50 points.
You as the killer are able to pass through Wall of Vines in 1 second.
The Tilled Land trails base max length is 16 meters. Once it reaches its max length, it will disappear as more Tilled Land is created. Survivors who walk on Tilled land will have their Thorn meter fill up by 1 for every step taken on top or every second if they are standing still on top.
Add-Ons
Common
- Seed Packet: Increase the length of Wall of Vines by 2 meters.
- Cheap Fertilizer: Increase the length of Till the Land by 4 meters
- Help Wanted Poster: Survivors no longer increase their Thorn meter when passing through Wall of Vines. Survivors gain 4 more points to their Thorn meter when walking on Tilled Land. Gain 100% more bloodpoints in the Devious category when survivors pass though Walls of Vines.
- Watering Can: Survivors who pass through Wall of Vines suffer from the Blindness status effect for 60 seconds.
Uncommon
- Prized Pitcher: Injured survivors that pass through Wall of Vines will suffer from the Hemorrhage and Mangled status effects until healed.
- Clay Pot: Increase the length of Till the Land by 8 meters.
- Garden Hose: Wall of Vines will no longer collide with obstacles.
- Missing Person Poster: Survivors gain 2 more point to their Thorn meter when walking on Tilled Land.
- Weed Killer: Pass though Wall of Vines 50% faster.
Rare
- Prized Sundew: Survivors who pass through Walls of Vines suffer from a 3% Hindered effect for 15 seconds.
- Homemade Fertilizer: Survivors who walk on Tilled Land suffer from the Oblivous status effect for 60 seconds.
- Bloody Shears: Passing through Wall of Vines gives you the Undetectable status for 30 seconds.
- Poppy Seeds: Survivors suffer the Exhaustion status effect for 15 seconds when passing though Wall of Vines quickly.
- Weed Wacker: Gain 1 more Wall of Vines that can be placed.
Ultra Rare
- Prized Flytrap: Wall of Vines can be placed, but remain inactive until a survivor is within 1 meter of the wall.
- Used Lawnmower: Survivors that pass through Wall of Vines have their aura revealed for 8 seconds.
- Greenbriar Crown: Survivors with Thorns that heal other survivors will pass their Thorns onto the survivor being healed.
- Personal Mulch: The Thorns meter decays at 50% the normal rate when survivors walk.
Iridescent
- Iridescent Plant: You no longer leave any Tilled Land while moving. Walls of Vines have Tilled Land all around them. Survivors that walk on Tilled Land gain 3 more points to the Thorn meter.
- Prized Pustula: Survivors that pass though Wall of Vines slowly will suffer from the Exposed status for 60 seconds and reavel their location for 5 seconds.
Perks
Scourge Hook: Extended Grasp: None may escape your clutches, no matter how much they try.
At the start of the Trial, 4 random Hooks are changed into Scourge Hooks:
- The Auras of Scourge Hooks are revealed to you in white.
Start the Trial with 4 Tokens.
Each time a Survivor is hooked on a Scourge Hook for the first time, 1 Token is consumed and the following effects apply:
- The hooked Survivors Sacrifice progress is paused for 4 seconds.
- All other survivors are held in place by the claws of The Entity for 5/6/7 seconds or until injured.
Scourge Hook: Extended Grasp is disabled for the remainder of the Trial once all Tokens are consumed.
"Now...now...there's no reason to be afraid. I just want to get a good look at you" -Bertram
Scourge Hook: Crown of Thorns: Let those that dare resist, suffer for their folly.
At the start of the Trial, 4 random Hooks are changed into Scourge Hooks:
- The Auras of Scourge Hooks are revealed to you in white.
When unhooked the following effect is applied:
- The Rescuer suffers from a 10% Hindered effect and the Incapacitated status effect for 10/15/20 seconds.
"You like this one don't you? Well it likes you very much as well." -Bertram
Hex: Pesticide: A Hex that punishes those that dare seek salvation in dark times.
While healing within 16m of certain totems survivors have the following effects applied:
- Boon: Survivors suffer from the Oblivious status effect for the duration of healing with a lingering effect for 5/10/15 seconds.
- Dull: Survivors suffer from the Blindness effect for the duration of healing with a lingering effect for 5/10/15 seconds.
- Hex: Survivors suffer from the Exhausted status effect for the duration of healing with a lingering effect for 5/10/15 seconds.
"Just a few weeds to attend with, no need to make such a fuss."-Bertram
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Survivor: Blake Strain
(AI generated picture)
An Adventurer
Backstory
He looked at his map for what seemed like the thousandth time. It had to be around here somewhere. If it wasn't, he'd have some serious words to say to that shopkeeper.
Blake Strain was standing in the middle of the jungle, surrounded on all sides by ferns and small trees. The oldest of the trees blocked out most of the light from reaching the jungle floor.
He wasn't afraid of getting lost. He had a good sense of direction and was pretty sure he could find his way back to the resort he was staying at while visiting this country. Even if he did get lost, he'd be okay surviving off the land for a couple days, just like in Peru.
And Norway.
And Guam.
And Nigeria.
And...
On second thought, maybe he should be a little worried he was lost.
However, nothing would stop him from finding that hidden temple. It was somewhere close by, he could feel it. As Blake cut though the dense foliage he finally saw it.
A small pyramid shaped temple in the middle of a clearing. It seemed not even the trees dared to get near it. Legends say that those who wonder inside never return. However, if one were to venture in and pass the trials within, wonders and fortune would await.
Blake could only dream of what these so called wonders could be and bravely stepped forward.
That's when the fog began encircling the temple from the edge of the clearing inward. Making it's way down the temple steps and swallowing Blake whole.
He wakes up in a dark forest next to what looks like a generator. Heart beating in his chest and he can't help but smile.
"Bring it on."
Perks
Laugh At Danger: This isn't your first brush with death and it certainly won't be your last.
After dodging a killers basic attack you gain a token. You gain a 3% repair speed increase for 10/20/30 seconds after each token spent. Tokens are spent every 30 seconds while repairing a generator. You can have a maximum of 5 tokens.
"Is that all you've got? Come on! You can do better than that!"-Blake
Adventurous Spirit: The call of adventure sees you head into less than desirable places from time to time.
While in the basement gain a 2% Haste effect and unhook survivors 20%/30%/40% faster. While in the basement, gain 100% more bloodpoints in the Boldness Category.
"Reminds me of the time I stole some treasure from an Incan ruin."-Blake
Topography: Finding things has never been a problem for you.
Reveal the aura of all chests and totems to all other survivors within a 8/12/16 meter radius while repairing a generator.
"Found it!"-Blake to himself
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(Feedback is appreciated.)
Comments
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I'd say everything here is pretty up to board with current design philosophies.
doesn't mean I don't have ideas for things to change but if they came as is, this would be a good killer and survivor combo. though lots of this stuff could use in-game testing to see full effects and viabilities in practice.
The Power is fine as is. maybe specify some things like: the size of the bramble walls, the speed the thorns meter works with (just in case).
Extended Grasp: I like the concept I'm just scared of it. This is a Build Defining Perk. it's really well designed but I feel like it would go off too often to be fair in some circumstances, though I'm not sure.
SH:Crown of Thorns: odd Jesus Imagery you have here. Deep wounds is a set timer now so maybe have it increase the mend time for the unhooked survivor.
Hex: Herbicide: the only effect that kinda doesn't make full sense to me here is Hindered for Dull Totems. there are scenarios in which this turns out well but there could be something better (Hemorrhage's new effect might work here).
Laugh at Danger: this perk is fine. I think allowing Special Attacks to add a token works here. though that would need testing.
Adventurous Spirit: an actual basement camping counter. Just to reward use of it, give it a bonus to Boldness category bloodpoints gained while in the Basement.
X Marks the Spot: comparing this to the other perks of similar types this one takes longer overall though this is because it doesn't deactivate. (Flashbang The current highest Time to activation perk 56 seconds (with no bonuses) at tier 1) the pillar of light is a powerful tool that no one uses that often, so I'm okay with this perk being like this. The main issue would be how often in practice this perk would activate. The time it takes for 1 survivor to do 1 Generator is 80 seconds. 300 seconds is far too long to reliably do in one game (the survivor is forced to do basically 4 generators alone). 200 isn't much better as that's a full game timer if the survivors are good enough not completely the worst but long enough to be too niche. 100 is actually where this should be (1 and a quarter generators which is the average for most survivors in a good game). 150/125/100 seconds is a better tier set numbers here if you want the activation to be seconds on Generators just so that it can activate more often than not. if you switch to generator progress though, 100/95/90% to account for co-op actions.
hope you don't mind the harsh wording on any of these if there is any. this it your concept you can do what you want.
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Thanks for the input. I try to think of concepts that sound like they could be added in the game without adding any strange new complex mechanics or status effects.
I've still been thinking about the little details of the power and will add a little blurb below the power explaining them at some point. Originally, I wanted to make the walls completely impassable, but then I thought about how killers could use it to potentially trap survivors in corners or other areas, which wouldn't be fun.
You are right about the changes needed for some of the Perks. Extended Grasp should probably have some kind of cooldown as much as I dislike to say it. I could forsee a scenario where you hook one survivor, grab another then hook, grab another off of the previously hooked survivor, and then that's just not fun.
SH: CoT, fair, it is supposed to be like a hard counter to BT so it would make sense for it to make the mend time longer.
I guess I never considered Hemorrhage as an option just because I always thought it was kind of useless unless it was applied until healed, but in the context of this perk I could see that working.
I don't think Special Attacks would be necessary. People who are really good at dodging hatchets/shreds/etc would make it busted. It's supposed to be a reward for outplaying a killer who is at close quarters. It would pair well with DH, but we'll see if it would hold up after it gets reworked.
That's a good idea for Adventurous Spirit. Admittedly, it's supposed to be a niche choice, but bonus BP would make it more appealing.
The numbers are definitely way off for XMtS. The appropriate adjustments will be made and it's be in line with other Perks of similar concept.
Again thanks for the input. Ideas always sound great when they are in your head, but unless you get criticism from others, you're not going to see the flaws in your own design. Also, your words are far from harsh. :)
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Solid. The design is well thought through. I'm not sure how useful it would be but the things have niches and such. Especially like Laugh at Danger, this gives a strong 'lore' vibe of the type of character they are. Why use a thousand words when three will do? Something I'm not so good at :D.
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Thanks. I plan on making backstories for these two characters, but I'm definitely more of an idea guy than a storyteller. I've got a vision for the survivor to be a cocky adventurer type, who would relish dangerous situations. Plans for the killer are a bit slow, but so far I'm thinking about the harmless old man, that turns out to be a murderer trope. I've got an idea of how both look, but don't have an art program to draw them out. Not to mention I do these on my phone, so that's another challenge.
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I can give it a shot if you'd like if you give me time frames/eras for the characters. I am an amateur writer, I've studied a bit but never written anything. I did a Joey thread so you can get an idea of what my 'concepts' are like though in that case it builds what already exists. Personally I'd like the harmless old man to be the whole 'nice guy pushed too far' by jerks who kept screwing with his garden so then he took increasing measures to 'dispose' of pests.
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I was thinking more along the lines of an old man that owns a flower/ gardening shop. Possibly a veteran from Vietnam (so early 90's to early 2000's depending on how old he'd be). He lures people to the back of his shop to show off his "private" collection. A lot of carnivoreous plants, plants with thorns, poisonous plants, etc. Stuff that you wouldn't see in a "normal" shop. There he would kill those people and turn them into mulch for his plants. That's a basic summary of the idea, but obviously it could be fleshed out.
Btw, my idea for how he'd look in game is very different from how he'd look before being taken. Imagine a sort of man/ venus flytrap/ vine monster hybrid, with a 3 pronged rake built into his hand/arm.
For the survivor mid 2010's would probably be best, but any time could work honestly. He's an adventurer. He goes out, finds treasures lost to history, and has fun while doing it. I'll be honest, he's a bit shallow in terms of character, but for the kind of character he is, I think it's fine.
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Most survivors aren't that 'deep'. If you deliberately create a 'shallow' character it's usually because what they are about is less important then what they stand for/do which is the case for all the survivors in DBD.
I like the old man owning a flower shop and having a private collection but killers typically need to be a bit 'deeper'. Like survivors just try to survive but for someone to be driven to murder they either need to be crazy or something (or many things) caused them to snap and the entity can drive darker impulses. In this case it could be merely scientific curiosity, especially if you involve something like blight serum or something similar. I'm pretty sure there is actual science behind using human remains as fertilizer.
Mind you a backstory doesn't necessarily have to be tragic (because many killers go tragic) but it's easy to fall into cartoon villain territory where the bad guy is bad because he's bad. It's especially perverted when looking at Claudette because she uses her knowledge of gardening for good. To have someone use it for evil is something I'm surprised hasn't been done before.
I say timeline because Bill is the oldest survivor (and also a Vietnam veteran) yet we have killers dating back to Babylon, the British East India company and the old west. Always felt that was off but concluded most survivors just fall to the void. I agree fairly recent would be best in this case regardless.
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The reason I brought up the killer being a Vietnam veteran is mainly a justification for his fascination with plants and death. I'm imagining him as a younger man, patrolling through the jungle and stumbling across decaying bodies covered in plants and vines. Maybe even seeing a Pustula plant sparks something inside him.
I'm not too into sympathetic killers, mainly because there are already so many. We don't have many that are complete monsters. If anything I could make it that seeing a Pustula flower again becomes an Obsession. He finds it so beautiful and alluring, but is unable to find anything about it after the war and concludes that they grow from death or misery.
Again, the story could go in a lot of different way, but I just like the idea of a seemingly sweet old man turning out to be a monster and after being taken by The Entity, is transformed into a representation of what he is on the inside.
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For sure. I admit I prefer sympathetic killers though I agree more need to be monsters. Especially female killers. Too many of them are tragic, don't know any better or are vengeful spirits (Spirit/Onyro).
Anyway on topic. Killers do not have to be sympathetic or tragic but they need a motivation more then a survivor does. To be a killer requires a 'spark'. I wasn't entirely clear on the direction of it before, now I'm getting it as I said with them being 'obsessed' with the science side of it and curiosity, not too dissimilar from Doctor but perhaps not THAT extreme.
I was getting mixed up with the 'sweet old man' and whether it was something corrupted or were the roots always rotten. Further how much of that was a façade and whether they enjoy the deception or do they find the 'price' of society tiring and just want to get on with their 'obsession'. I mean if I didn't feel like I'd go on and on I'd go through a series of questions and check lists. Still these conversations help build the character and it's nice to see things like that get built.
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Yeah, it helps to have someone to bounce ideas off of, just to get stuff in you head on to a place you can read over again.
Sorry about the confusion when I say "sweet old man". Much like how carnivorous plants will give off sweet smells to attract insects, this killer (really should give him a name) will lure in victims to a place they can't escape, then strike.
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So he enjoys the deception. Nice. A classic predator, lures its prey in with whatever it wants then SNAP. I can imagine that their 'collection' would entice a good selection of 'prey'. Even better if he has a way of alluding suspicion in some way too since the corpses just 'disappear'.
Would you say they entered the entity's realm willingly? Obviously they probably didn't go looking for it like some. If not how much did the resist the entity.
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I would think he'd go pretty willingly. More than likely, he's at the end of his life, suspicions are on him, he finds out The Entity is essentially the ULTIMATE carnivorous plant, and he can help feed said Ultimate plant. If it weren't for the fact The Entity considers cooperation optional, he'd be crazy not to go.
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Added Add-ons and gave them names. Working on backstories now.
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Killer backstory is done. Revisions might be made, but am happy that a rough draft is done. Any feedback is appreciated.
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Love the story. It's a shame nobody seems to come to this section much.
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I don't let it bother me. I just do this to stretch my creative muscles. Although, I do know what you mean. When you want some meaningful feedback and you just don't get enough it is disappointing.
Post edited by Jivetalkin13 on0 -
Survivor backstory is done. Need to add flavor text for add-ons and thinking about a map as well. Need to set time aside to do drawings as well.
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Added quotes to Perks as well as flavor text. Divided up some parts to make it easier to read as well.
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Changed a couple perks, added AI mock ups of what I think the characters look like, and edited the power slightly.
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Changed Extende Grasp into a Scourge Hook perk and changed its effect.
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i like the idea as a whole. i think the killer could end up being very map dependant but that's an issue with the game as a whole. also i think some of the numbers for the add-ons need a bit of retuning and im not sure i understand what Iridescent Plant could help with - especially considering you don't indicate the radius around the walls of vines. the killer might need a third option for inflicting thorns on the survivors like some kind of m2 action he can perform on pallets and vaults so that when survivors interact with them they get a bunch of thorns (like plague vomiting on interactables).
the perks all seem pretty good to me except for topograhpy which does pale in comparison of just bringing a map with the add-on that lets everyone see your tracked objectives (i forget its name) and SH: Chrown of Thorns which in my opinion is not an interesting design. punishing survivors for rescuing teammates by slowing them down will just end up feeling unfair.
other than that, really solid chapter concept! im not a fan of ai but i appreciate that you included illustrations.
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This was a concept I've been working on for over a year now (I think, geez). I'm constantly changing things and rewriting stuff. I added the AI as a placeholder for what I would actually want them to look like.
Yeah, I could see it being pretty map dependent. That's an issue I've been trying to think about.
Thanks for the feedback, though. It's great to get criticism to address things I might have overlooked.
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