Let us know what you think about 2v8's tonics!
Remember herbs? Tonics take their place in 2v8, offering an instant benefit when you pick one up!
We've put together this handy reminder of each tonic's effects and would love to know what you think about 'em.
Whether you have thoughts about their balance or you're speculating on what they taste like, let us know what you're thinking about tonics below!
Comments
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really satisfying to find one, but too strong for both sides.
-10 -
it’s ok but some matches are too long to play. Also can we get new game modes
-3 -
it's really good!! you guys should keep 2v8 Permanently.
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losing a whole cage state for survivors vs 20 seconds haste for killers? That just negated all the time it took to find that survivor and an entire chase by removing a cage state. Either pick something less impactful for survivor or give the killer something better like see all auras for 30 seconds or everyone is exposed for 30 seconds. Make it comparable is all.
7 -
I like it but the matches are really long
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I think removing a cage state for a survivor is too strong, a health state is fine, as well as the killer side of the tonics.
5 -
i do think that they should be 1 Purified and 3 Diluted, but for survivors i think they could add like a Distillation bench that survivors can interact with for like 45 or 60 seconds to craft a purified tonic (max 3 per game) for survivors to remove an hook state but they have to waste time doing it.
-1 -
really happy to see them return. herbs were my favorite thing in the RE 2v8 and now that they’re back in forms of Tonics is amazing. i think they’re well balanced since it seems there’s not a lot of green tonics for either side to constantly use. on killer, the 10% haste feels amazing with movement speed killers (who would’ve thought lol) and the blue tonics are very clutch on survivor if you’re injured and not using the escapist class.
i wouldn’t change anything about them, other than making them pop out a little bit more visually, since you kinda have to go out of your way to find some of them. great addition to keep 2v8 feeling fresh!
4 -
Its a Travesty that there is no special sound effects to it, like fiddeling with glass bottle and a big deep PLOUMP when the effect activates. But I have gotten a little use out of them, its useful if you are injured and alone and you are a class who cant see other Survivors.
Ryan. Can you explain what their purpose is in the 2v8 compared to the times they were not there?
Like do Survivors need healing or something.Just a question, because its easier to give feedback if we understand why you guys implemented them.
2 -
I think killer should get bigger buff for using strong tonic bc survs save like 40 seconds when killers only like uh… 15 maybe in chases idk?
5 -
The biggest benefit to killer is to prevent survivors from getting the tonic rather than the haste buff.
I like the tonics when playing in a SWF so that we can call out and coordinate where the tonics are and who should get them. However, in random lobbies, the tonic benefits are not really realized.
I'd recommend keeping them in 2v8, but add a longer duration of haste for killers (or a different benefit like faster recovery for 45 sec).
6 -
I love the 2v8 mode! My husband & I play it quite a bit, because we both can play killer together! I love that there is an option to play survivor as well, while we wait for a lower que time!
1 -
I really enjoy the survivor ones but I think the killer one needs to be reworked to be something more significant. Being able to remove a hook state as a survivor is really nice especially because on the killer side with that many survivors it can be hard to keep track and easy to accidentally tunnel them. The 20 second haste for killer isn't really that helpful. I see a lot of comments about not enjoying the longer gameplay, and I agree that the tonics make 2v8 matches last way longer but I actually enjoy it.
2 -
too strong
0 -
They're super strong but satisfying to use. Please make 2v8 permanent.
1 -
The health state is totally fine as is. However the hook state removal is incredibly powerful and the killer alternative doesnt really come close to it. I personally think the hook state tonic should be removed
2 -
awful. And the fact that everybody even wants 2v8 to be at permanent says a lot. Survivors want it basically. It’s literally ruining the base game, w/queues ofc, every single time this is out for two weeks and then it gets extended for two more weeks and this happens every other month, really sucks for those of us who don’t wanna wait 10 minutes to play a match of normal 1v4 killer let alone wait 20 minutes to play 2v8. I don’t understand why we would want this permanently. Limited modes already split up the queues. Oh I know, survivors wanna escape every match in a bully simulator even if it doesn’t count towards stats. This is literally a survivors dream mode. Couldn’t get any more hand holding tbh.
-4 -
I actually love having both as a survivor. Not every match has a medic and it helps when healing takes so long. Also taking a cage away helps for those that get tunneled in DBD.
1 -
killer tonics are EXTREMELY weak compared to how good the survivor tonics are.
7 -
I really can't understand what did you think while adding these to the game. Ability to cleanse a hook state vs haste… Killers were always underpowered in 2v8 and you decided to buff survivors more? If you want it to be fair you could add a killer tonic which says "Your next hook counts as 2 hooks for the survivor" This is so broken and makes no sense and so is the survivor one. None of them belongs or fits the game.
2 -
Thanks folks! There's a lot of great feedback for me to work through! The intention behind these tonics is to add another layer to the 2v8 gameplay for both roles, so it helps to get both perspectives.
I'd love to dig into something I've seen mentioned a little. How do folks feel about the ratio of available Diluted vs. Purified Tonics in a given match?
3 -
Last time they were completely broken for survivors, but now that they all spawn at the start and they're limited (no longer respawn plus they're all active at the trial start) they're in a pretty healthy spot.
May I remind you this game mode is still insanely survivor sided, taking away stages for free is not healthy at all. Maybe rework that into a heal for yourself and a random other survivor + reduce the cleanse time for survivors, way too long.
1 -
I think the tonics are great. They save time that people usually don’t have. Players who get tunneled out of the game immediately can remove a hook stage this way and actually get to play a bit more instead of just suffering and then ending up with no points.
Anyone who says they’re “too strong” for both sides is just afraid of losing all the time. It’s fine the way it is and I think it should stay like this. Sure, for killers the speed effect could maybe last a little longer, but instant heal and removing a hook stage? Yes.
It’s genuinely fun, and I use these tonics very often because, unfortunately, people still love to tunnel you even if you were just unhooked and sometimes your teammates are such bad people, they like to do anything to get you suffer.
I’ve also often seen people show others tonics because they noticed they were being tunneled and wanted to help them! The people who get mad about that should maybe uninstall the game.
-2 -
After Sprint Burst on command on a 20 secod exhaustion timer I didnt think you could buff survivor even more but you've outdone yourself and brought back the herbs that are absolutely useless on killer but game breaking on survivor side. the rework of the killer classes was nice but adding flashlight to the bully experience after waiting 20 minutes in line just doesnt feel nice, especially since there is no counter besides having your teammate standing in front of you since everybody and their mom simply goes down in the open. I really enjoyed 2v8 in the first few iterations but after a while it only got more and more dull. play while you wait was a great addition if it wasnt for the fact that playing survivor in this mode is about as stimulating as a bag of flour. but sure, with enough pallets and enough ways to instantly heal yourself even you can experience being n00b3 for a day. i really want to love this mode, i really really do, but with the direction it is going it seems more like a 2-4 week break from dbd for me. or at least minimal activity. to get some challenges done.
I don't want to sound rude but people have been asking for SB on command to be removed since the first time you added it but it is still here. Guess I'll try Civilization for a while :c
edit: just want to mention again that i absolutely love this game and i understand why 2v8 keeps returning, but please make it more interactive for both roles.
maybe rework the tonics as a sort of "stored" sprint burst. so not everyone has it active at all times and it is a limited amount. for killers maybe let it have either the current haste effect but also on demand or something like the remote break from the anniversary which would help a lot with the large amount of pallets on the map. or something like a very quick break one time1 -
i heard they were removed before back when we got the resident evil chapter and i did not know it, but im happy that they were added, on my another forum feedback about the new class i said that i loved all of the additions to the 2v8 and it surely stands for the tonics, i love it, pls don't remove them for it, its really fun!
1 -
2v8 is already a pretty hectic mode, its very hard to say if something is balanced fairly but finding a Purified one seems to happen once every so often and not all the time or every game. Its serving me well but that is because I'm very perceptive of the environment.
One thing I see is, it feels like the blue tonic is useless to uninjured survivors and we better just leave them for someone who is injured. (even if this never happens) If the idea is to save them or take them as you find them, then it would probably be a good idea for them to give uninjured survivors something. I don't know what.
But if the Tonics were supposed to be grabbed asap, maybe they should have a light chime like hexes to indicate themselves.
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2v8 is incredibly survivor-sided, but this is a whole new level of ridiculousness. The tonics are worthless for killer, but make the survivors unkillable. The gens are flying off the shelves and survivors can already rebuild god pallets and escape a chase with a button press, so how is removing an entire hook state a good idea? Killer is miserable from how hopeless getting a win is, and survivor is boring from how easy it is. These tonics are making it worse on both fronts. Now I don't even feel like I'm in danger while on death hook, since it means nothing.
I understand that you want survivor to be more fun, and 2v8 is suppose to be a casual gamemode. So if you want to give survivors extreme resources like this, then why not killers? The haste the tonics give you are a joke, so I propose that instead the purified tonic offer the killer the ability to kick a completed gen, uncompleting it and sending back to 80% or so. This would help with the gen speed, and make the tonics a valuable resource for both sides.
There is the major concern of game length. I see a lot of people complaining about the long length of 2v8 matches, and I would have to agree. The survivor tonics make this issue worse, and my idea for the killer tonics would make it much worse. Obviously the gamemode would have to be adjusted for this. Alternatively, neither effect could be a part of the gamemode. Perhaps different effects for the tonics should be considered.
PS: If anyone replies to this comment mentioning queue times, respectfully eat a large handful of dirt. Queue times mean nothing if the gamemode itself is a train wreck.
1 -
I like the addition of tonics overall and think they add a strong layered decision point to 2v8. Finding one feels meaningful and creates a real choice between objective progress and short-term power, which fits the mode well.
From my experience, 2v8 already applies constant pressure on survivors, with multiple cage events per match being common even when playing well. In that context, tonics function more as pressure relief tools than free power, helping extend participation rather than guarantee outcomes.
That said, the impact balance between tonic effects feels uneven. The survivor health-state tonic feels reasonable, but removing an entire cage state is a very high-impact effect compared to a short haste window on the killer side. The issue is not the existence of strong effects, but that some of them lack enough friction or a comparable payoff on the other side.
Rather than removing tonics, I think tuning should focus on intentionality and access:
Slightly more spawn locations or a limited respawn once or twice per trial so tonics remain relevant in longer matches.
Limit pickup so only survivors who can actively use a tonic can collect it. Survivors who cannot use it could instead highlight or ping the tonic for teammates who can, reinforcing teamwork and clarity without stockpiling.
If cage-state removal remains, tie it to a time investment or conversion so it is powerful but earned.
On the killer side, the tonic should feel more impactful per use, either through a longer duration or a different short-term pressure tool, without increasing frequency.
Conceptually, tonics are a good addition. With tuning around parity, friction, and deliberate use, they can reinforce layered gameplay without flattening decision-making or disproportionately swinging outcomes.
3 -
For a more fair comparison, it should deactivate a completed generator. A whole hook state removal is very strong. Haste for a few seconds, not so much.
1 -
I ain't got time to be finding these things "just" so survivors cant have them.
1 -
personally, ive found the killer tonics quite underpowered unless you're in a situation where you or your teammate is trying to catch a survivor to save the game (stop them from opening a gate, completing a generator) and as for the survivor side, its very good against killers who immediately tunnel me (which i see more often than not, but i think a better change would be to buff cage escape effects in 2v8, rather than have them on tonics, the health state is in the right spot, removing cage states can be a life saver against certain killers but i can see why its frustrating to others, if i could change it i'd have replace it with giving you the chance to escape the cage by yourself when you reach the final cage state
1 -
Way too strong for survivor. This game mode is already VERY survivor sided, and the ability remove a Cage state just adds to that. It removes a lot of pressure killers have to fight to build up, and gens are hard to keep up with as is. I don't even think it's necessary to buff stuff for killer, just removing the ability to take off a Cage state would be enough.
Alternatively, this could be repurposed into one of the classes, or a new class, where Shoulder the Burden is an ability, so that way there is a downside to survivor removing a Cage state. Or, keeping the Purified tonics, make it to where using a Purified tonic (as survivor) would nerf the generator repair speed of all survivors (not buy a lot, just a tiny bit), to make up for the lost pressure that killers worked for.
1 -
I love them, I think they can really help out those who are being singled out quickly and give them another chance, especially with how quick games can snowball in 2v8 either way.
Keep them as they are, they suit the nature of the mode.0 -
I enjoy 2v8 a lot and would love it as a permanent game mode but the tonics are too strong for the survivors side. I'm fine with the healing state one, but the survivor being able to take off a whole stage is really overpowered. I would love if you could either buff the killers to having a better tonic than just a speed boost or nerf the survivors tonic
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I like it. Though while I play both sides. I find it a little survivor sided.
i think if you're going to give ca hook state back to the survivor. That one more whole down needed by a killer to make it back up.
My hot take is give all survivors exposed for 20/30 seconds. But have a max of 1 down per killer. So there'd be no major snowballing from it. Think about it. The hook state basically gets returned and then there is a instant reward based on how the match is going.
Maybe even have it remove the haste thing all together. Have the weak tonic give the short exposed to only the killer who got it, and the strong tonight affect both killers.
The importance here is to state that the exposed would immediately stop once the killer(s) got the down.
*Edit* after reading a bunch of posts I'd ilike to add some some extra comments.
I really like the 2v8 mode. I don't want it to be a permanent feature of the game but I would like to see it at least one extra time per year, as well. I think it should be available 24/7 for personal private matches. Just not public lobbies.
Someone mentioned as well the anniversary remote breaking of pallets. I agree that adding them over hate would be a good idea.
Additionally if I was given a choice of making my suggested change on the tonic vs just removing tonics. I think I'd just remove them.
Either way, I still truly love 2V8, Hell. I'd love to see an absolutely bonkers 3V12 but drop all the builds and go vanilla.
keeo up uthe good work and please bring the Lights out Modifier again!
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It is a bad idea to bring those into 2v8. Cleanse a hookstate, really? Why give not the killer a herb to just add a hookstate randomly to one survivor? The game mode is so unbelievable survivor sided.
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The pandering to survivors never ends even in a game mode with three gates, three hatches, lights with no Lightborn and a 30 minute queue for Killers. Its embarassing and Fear Hour cant come soon enough.
-1 -
It's great that there's more in 2v8 now. Could you add curses? That would be awesome! I play as the main survivor. A bit more excitement would be nice.
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Love the tonics, on both survivor and killer side! It should stay. Plus the tonics look cool XD it adds a bit more chaos to the 2v8 mode and it can benefit both surv and killer equally. Please add it again in the future <3
1 -
The bots still find and devour them
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While I think the tonics are a great idea, Purified Tonics should only be accessible to those on death hook. Too many matches I'm seeing survivors greed them on first hook and leaves nothing for those who need them later. As for Killer, Haste being the only benefit for the tonics are simply not worth it. Benefits should be more enticing and make Killers want to use them, I'm going game after game not even bothering with them. Tonics can give extra gen damage or even blocking a gen for an amount of time considering how quickly gens can pop off with 8 people in play who can take away hook states and pressure.
Tweak Purified Tonics for survivors. More incentive tonics for Killers. 💕
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few things: 1: make them spawn better. and 2: make them respawn
1 -
As a player who plays both survivor and killer I think the tonics are a little unfair for killer. The survivors can get rid of a hook state meanwhile the killers get haste…? For 20 seconds. Like yeah thats going to help win a game against 8 people especially since the gens aren't doubled either. It’s more worth playing as survivor than killer in this game mode atp.
2 -
I personally really enjoy the tonics for both sides! :D
0 -
I love the tonics. I wish it was a bit better for killer though.
1 -
Tonics need to be better for killer. I'd propose:
Blue: 90 seconds of Lightborn
Green: All Survivor suffer from Exposed for 60 seconds
-1 -
I haven't played loads of 2v8, just a dozen or so matches, but idk if its just my luck but I've been finding about an equal number of healing vs hook state tonics, when I would expect the healing tonic to be much more common than the hook state one.
Also, the hook state tonic is FAR too strong when compared to what killers get from it. I don't think an extra hook state is healthy at all for the game at all in general.0 -
Killers should not be able to use them.
0 -
do you play you're own game, thats the main question lmao, whoever Balanced the gamemode needs to be fired. too many free get out of jail cards and not enough control or pressure for killers
1 -
I have not enjoyed 2v8 this much since the first one. I have hated it and as soon as I could I was back to 4v1. Now i am having a greta time playing dbd more. I like it
-1
