Killer main=Anxiety😅🤣

MechWarrior3
MechWarrior3 Member Posts: 2,197

I get so much anxiety when I am about to play killer. I hate and I don’t even know why I get so nervous. I have over 2k hours in killer but I still get nervous as all get out and I wish I didn’t.

Any suggestions? I know it’s silly and it is, truly. I’m trying to work on it, but I also love playing killer so much.

Comments

  • Hexonthebeach
    Hexonthebeach Member Posts: 451

    Think about whats stopping you from playing killer?

    The forum is full of horror stories. Ok it's a horror game but you know what I mean 😉.

    But how many times you had those situations compared to nice games you enjoyed?

    If you're not in the mood to play killer then just don't do it.

  • RFSa09
    RFSa09 Member Posts: 708

    my strategy is turning off your brain, use perks like idk, lightborn, spies from the shadows, monstrous shrine, some really bad perks, and then you just have a goo d time

    (sorry for the bad writting, i´m not feeling good rn)

  • KayTwoAyy
    KayTwoAyy Member Posts: 1,699

    My advice is to run builds you know are inefficient, but have fun gimmicks, and just focus on getting value out of the build.

    When you run something that is supposed to set you up for success, and the game goes south, all you're left with is disappointment and frustration.

    When you run a build you know is sub-optimal, you always have an excuse for why things didn't go so well, and you feel extra rewarded when the game goes in your favor.

    Mentally, you want to move away from "winning is my goal" to "overcoming this challenge is my goal." Not only should that reduce your anxiety about the outcome of a match, but it should give you more measurable metrics for understanding what went wrong in the match and what you can do better to overcome the challenge next time.

  • SoGo
    SoGo Member Posts: 984

    For me it's the opposite.

    I get so anxious when playing survivor.

  • ButterFlee13
    ButterFlee13 Member Posts: 270

    I think its like performing on stage.

    The more you play the less you feel it.

    like pallet stun you in begining you feel really rage - then later on, nice I can make dead zone

    This is waht I experience

  • MrDardon
    MrDardon Member Posts: 3,943

    I know that feeling. I sometimes have it too.

    What helps for me is.. if I play Randomizer.. I never have anxiety, probably because my outcome is dependent on luck, because I have no control over what my loadout is gonna be.

    If I decide what my loadout is, I have the intention of winning, even if I generally don't really care about winning, so it stresses me out sometimes.

    So my suggestion is, play Randomizer, it's fun and you get to play different Killers/Perks/Addons you usually don't run.

    What I also find quite fun is "play who you vs". You play Survivor, then you play Killer with the same build as your last vs'd Killer, and then you copy the build from the Survivor with the highest score rinse and repeat. Though I must say due to the current meta you won't have to much variety.

  • moputopia
    moputopia Member Posts: 147

    This is actually pretty common, I've seen several people ask about getting anxiety when playing killer! I'm pretty sure even Otzdarva talked about it.

    I think it's the fact you're going against 4 people by youself, so even though youre playing the "power role", the other side is a team working together.

    I sometimes also get nervous queuing up as killer, but when I get though the first game it usually passes. I also suggest running a weird or gimmicky build, so there's less focus on winning. You can even do a friendly killer game with no intention of killing anyone, just to get over the anxiety and get into a more fun mindset.

  • Neaxolotl
    Neaxolotl Member Posts: 1,477

    Tombstone piece myers, now with rancor and PWYF

  • MechWarrior3
    MechWarrior3 Member Posts: 2,197

    oh wow really? Makes sense. As survivor I feel safer because I have teammates. Killer I am all alone. Nobody to talk to. It’s all up to me 😅

  • SoGo
    SoGo Member Posts: 984

    For me, it's less about being alone and more about the million ways I can screw up and bring down the 3 people with me.

    But yeah, I understand that playing alone as the killer can be stressful.

  • Marc_go_solo
    Marc_go_solo Member Posts: 5,212

    Try going into games with a reasonable focus in mind. Obviously I don't know what your thoughts are going into a trial, but maybe go in with a mini-goal. For example, set a target of successful special attacks or number of hooks, rather than go in to "win".

    Shrinking the stakes of a game does reduce anxiety as it doesn't feel so big in your mind.

  • Starrseed
    Starrseed Member Posts: 1,774

    i know that feeling. when i played survivor i was so chill i didnt even care when i was in a chase but every time i play killer my heart beat goes up like crazy and i get so much more frustrated when a play does not work.

    for me that cause im alone in that role. as a survivor i have buddys and winning or loosing isnt only in my hands. when im alone loosing is 100% my fault every missed play feels more bad then in a team.

    i actually have that problem in other games too. when i play legue i always get nervous when i play a solo lane bet the second i go support and have a partner on my lane i get relaxed.

    you can actually see that in my plays aswell. when i am solo i make mistakes and fail to hit attacks in would never miss when im in a team cause my hands get shaky

  • MaTtRoSiTy
    MaTtRoSiTy Member Posts: 1,868

    I am the same, I didn't in the past but it got worse as the years have gone by.

    I don't really play killer anymore, at least not as much as I would like to as it makes me stressed and anxious too so I cant see the point if it is not an enjoyable experience.

    I have not yet found a way to overcome the anxiety killer creates for me either

  • Coz
    Coz Member Posts: 67
    edited April 16

    someone said this earlier too but set your self little goals.
    even as simple as get one or two basic hits, get one hook, pull off a few specials etc.

    Doesn’t have to be anything big but I find if I do that I’m more relaxed and the game usually unravels itself in a fun way.

    Also try running no perks or add ons. Did you do decent, it’s on a skill merit if you bomb it’s cause you ran basic :)

    Post edited by Coz on
  • EvilBarney666
    EvilBarney666 Member Posts: 334

    For me it's as simple as I just don't care about a win or a loss. I go into the match, do what I can. If I get wrecked i get wrecked. If I stop, I stomp.

    The game is too random. You never can tell what will happen on either side.

    I'm a killer main. I have the most fun and no stress cause I just don't care about a win or a loss. I enjoy the game for what it is.

    Remember, win and lose with dignity

  • The_Krapper
    The_Krapper Member Posts: 3,259

    It's gonna sound like a dumb answer but stop caring, I did it years ago and it helped me I used to have this pressure feeling when the game first came out like I was stressed to perform well as a killer or just nervous because its me vs 4 others, I ultimately just let it all go and started playing killers I wasn't good with to get myself over it , it's just a game we're all here for fun even the other side regardless of what happens in the trial.

  • 09SHARKBOSS
    09SHARKBOSS Member Posts: 1,322

    just play for the fun of it and the anxiety drains slowly

  • Deathstroke
    Deathstroke Member Posts: 3,498

    I think the fact the game is 1vs4 can make you have anxiety. You are only by yourself agains't team and that can feel overwhelming. There is never break when you play killer you constantly have to perform to try to keep up. I hope in future we get 2 killer mode so then you can just have fun and not have any anxiety or stress.

  • Spare_Them_Mori_Me
    Spare_Them_Mori_Me Member Posts: 1,478

    Meet me behind Killer shack! I'll talk you up! I can bring tea even! I'm the Feng in all Blue. (Yeah, that narrows it down lol)

  • Valuetown
    Valuetown Member Posts: 347

    I know this is going to sound like a platitude, but I mean it with all sincerity: just have fun playing.

    This is one of those games where it is very easy to tie your ego and mood to whether or not you win or lose. If you want to try and run a funny build? Do it. Want to try a killer you're unfamiliar with? Do it. Winning or losing doesn't make you any more or less of a person.

    I believe otz said this in his video about securing kills as killer, but I'm paraphrasing: "you will not 4k every game as killer. If you are looking to win every game do not play this game. Do not think you can't be a good player unless you 4k every match."

    Now if you'd like to improve your gameplay, be sure to be mentally present and recognize your mistakes, but don't dwell over them. Everyone makes mistakes, and part of the fun is improving to the best of your own unique ability. Decouple winning from being good or even decent at the game. Even the best players lose.

    And of course, if you're ever not enjoying your time, take a break and let yourself cool off from the game. You'll come back feeling better and more focused.

    Have fun!

  • edgarpoop
    edgarpoop Member Posts: 8,265

    The way you imagine you'll feel in those failure scenarios is 10x worse than you'll actually feel. Yeah, it sucks in the moment, but you just queue up again and go next. And the better you get, the less frequent those games become. It's a public match of DbD. The only stakes are the ones you create, and you're unlikely to see those players again.

  • Araphex
    Araphex Member Posts: 696

    I'm the opposite. I get nervous playing survivor in solo queue. I always end up losing or getting a tie (hatch) because my teammates either don't do gens and/or die at the start of the match. None of my friends play DBD so I can't team up with anyone I know. The game used to not be like this. I used to be nervous playing killer but not after the past year of updates. When I play killer and I come across a SWF team, I usually just play casually and have fun with them. It's kind of difficult doing the same when your playing survivor, having teammates who won't cooperate and you don't know the killer's intentions. However, I try to play nice with the killer to at least get the hatch if they give it to me. They end up still winning because they get 3 kills but I'm forever stuck playing with the same people and killers. It's more irritating, but at least for killer, you have the chance to move up and have the option to just meme with the survivors.

  • UndeddJester
    UndeddJester Member Posts: 3,066
    edited April 16

    I know the phenomenon you feel... I used to get the same in ranked games for Counter Strike: Source and League of Legends... despite the fact there was basically little to no difference to the normal unranked game in both cases.

    It is something you do get used to... I'm an old man now, and dont get this hardly at all anymore, so there is the silver lining that eventually you get used to it...

    One thing that helps is meditation. You close your eyes and imagine your toes getting tired and "squeezing all stress and anxiety" out into your feet, progressively move from feet, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, pelvis, stomach, chest, and from there to the fingers, hands, wrists, forearms, biceps/triceps, meet back up at the shoulders, neck, back of the head, top of the head, to your face, eyes and cheeks, and finall your nose/mouth, then gently blow to let all that stress and anxiety out. Take 2 or 3 breathes to do it....

    Ofc... that takes a good 5 minutes or so, and while I don't advocate for drinking heavily, a much faster method is have a shot of rum or whiskey to simply slow your heart rate... 🤣

    Though it dulls your senses slightly, and you have slightly slower reaction time... you make up for it with thinking clearer and calmer than your anxious self 😏

    Both of these are also good for calming yourself down when you're raging... with alcohol being significantly more effective 🤣🤣🤣🤣

  • caligraph
    caligraph Member Posts: 359

    both sides are anxiety inducing for me, theres a lot to manage at once as killer and as survivor theres 3 idiots throwing the game everytime I queue up.

  • BlackRose89
    BlackRose89 Member Posts: 335

    I can relate to this so much!! I have 1400 hrs in dbd and still get so nervous at the beginning of killer match and I dont know why.

  • Choaron
    Choaron Member Posts: 328

    Survivors (even at high MMR) encounter struggling killers all the time. Don't fret over it.

  • tyantlmumagjiaonuha
    tyantlmumagjiaonuha Member Posts: 554
    edited April 16

    Don't worry, you are not alone. Killer plays are very unstable and disturbing.

    When you fail the first search and one gen is completed before the first chase begins. When map generation reveals powerful window and pallet connections; when multiple people use DH on you while you are using the M1 killer; when one mistake is a geographical killer like Death Slinger.

    To begin with, sometimes a single mistake in a killer play can increase the chase time by tens of seconds, and against a team of survivors playing decently, that can be enough to make the board difficult to turn around. If you are tired of playing Killer Play, playing Survivor is easier because there are fewer times when a single mistake you make becomes a locality, and there are fewer restrictions on your play style compared to Killer Play. It is better to spend your time on other things to begin with.

  • MechWarrior3
    MechWarrior3 Member Posts: 2,197

    it’s hard to “stopl caring xD

    I try to do my best in everything I do in life lol.

  • HexHuntressThighs
    HexHuntressThighs Member Posts: 1,243

    What stresses me out is thinking about the survivors bagging at the exit gate after I play nice lol. Because if I knew they would do it I would differently. It’s sad because they could easily make it to where survivors who crouch repeatedly at a gate could have the gate blocked to them for 60 seconds or something. But I don’t think they’ll ever do it. I don’t have a problem with tbags during the game but waiting till there is nothing left for me to do is annoying AF.

  • MechWarrior3
    MechWarrior3 Member Posts: 2,197

    Yeah they will probably never do it but it would be funny haha. I dont mind the bags but it is annoying when I play "Nice" and they still bag. Like, that's fine. Ill quit being nice.

  • 100PercentBPMain
    100PercentBPMain Member Posts: 863

    I smoke weed to get rid of my killer anxiety, but the weed sometimes give me anxiety attacks so that sometimes doesn't work.

    I think the most foolproof solution is to have a goal, whether it be getting value out of a gimmick build or improving your skill.

    Right now, Unknown is doing it for me because his skill ceiling is still….unknown. even if I have a tough time, I can just focus on leveling up my Unknown skill by practicing a new shot.

  • MechWarrior3
    MechWarrior3 Member Posts: 2,197

    That's true. Unknown is tricky. I like him though. His teleports I got down thanks to Sadako, but his shots are hard. I am on the PS5 though. I am getting better I feel like tho. What platform do you play off of?

  • 100PercentBPMain
    100PercentBPMain Member Posts: 863

    Xbox. Thankfully he doesn't need to be super precise, his skill expression is moreso just knowing what your options even are.

    Idk if you play Blight, but if you're familiar with bump logic he's kinda like that; once you know what you can do on a specific spot, it'll always be true so with all the maps, loops and angles in the game I feel like I can get "lost" in this killer and always learn something new.

  • fussy
    fussy Member Posts: 1,508
    edited April 17

    Same. I can go play for survivors at any time, but when it comes to killers, you have to mentally prepare for a week sometimes.
    Mistakes mean much more, there is much more responsibility, much more tasks, you need to think for five people. You see much more toxic people as well. Well, the game is simply not balanced towards this role, when all survivors know what to do and how to do in this game. Unless you are 4 slowdown hardcore tunnel Nurse of course.
    I'm afraid I'll still have that feeling even after 4-5k hours in this game. If I won't become a survivor main by that time, lol.

  • jayoshi
    jayoshi Member Posts: 314

    I think it has to do with the fact that BHVR has turned this game into a competitive game with their SBMM. Because of it, people sweat and play hard like their lives depend on it because they go against killers that do the same. Every game is the same. Super sweaty tunneling killer and super sweaty bully SWF squads. I miss when this game use to be fun before the SBMM. Each game had a lot of highs and lows in each match. You never knew what you were going to get. Now every match is the same. I have close to 4K hours in this game and have spent well over 400 dollars on this game with DLC and cosmetics (Yeah, I know) and because of how much I have spent on this game I feel like I need to play it more and I do play it because I did have fun playing it before. Now I just play one, maybe two matches before I sigh because of the sweat and just close out the game. I'm getting close to cutting my losses on how much I have spent on this game and just uninstalling. I don't want to, but I'm wasting my money at this point.

  • MechWarrior3
    MechWarrior3 Member Posts: 2,197

    me too my friend. 😅😅😅 you said it perfectly 🤣🤣🤣

  • HerInfernalMajesty
    HerInfernalMajesty Member Posts: 1,622

    If you use a controller you can always do what @CountOfTheFog does and put the controller in the freezer for when you’re feeling extra sweaty 😂

  • MechWarrior3
    MechWarrior3 Member Posts: 2,197

    but….but I don’t want sweat 🤣🤣🤣 at least not all the time lol