http://dbd.game/killswitch
Keys and Maps
So Keys and Maps were reworked for the Walking Dead 9.1.0 patch on July 29th 2025 and I feel like they could still use a little more tweaking. I do like that the Keys open Chests now but there is only 3 chests per trial. I also like that there are only 3 Variations of Key, Maps, and Fog Vials each for Uncommon, Common, and Rare variety. (Brown, Green, and Blue). I also like it that they have only 5 Add-ons each at different rarities.
I wouldn't mind if they did this with a Toolboxes, Med-kits, and Flashlights also with only 3 Variations and 5 Add-ons each.
I believe there are only 3 Flashlights anyway but they are Common, Rare, and Very Rare.
Reducing add-ons with make less variety but clear up bloodweb clutter
TLDR: Keys and Maps are better than they were but Survivors still only want to mostly bring Med-kits, Toolboxes, and Flashlights
Comments
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but Survivors still only want to mostly bring Med-kits, Toolboxes
Because their value is massively superior. Needing other items to be as broken as them to be worth using shows these items are problematic and they have a stranglehold on survivor items because of it.
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the maps and keys are just worse in general than medkits and toolboxes, since the latter actually helps with the things survivors do the most (repairing and healing). maps aren’t that viable because we have WoO and the new perk from Tae-Young coming that are just better maps.
keys aren’t good either for any role (solo q, 2man, 4man swf) since it’s not the hardest thing ever to find your teammates. the chest aspect of the keys aren’t trash too because if you wanted to find a better item in a chest, why not just bring one into the game that’s better since you can bring addons? also there’s STILL only 3 chests that spawn on the map without any offerings and they’re often spread out so it’ll be a chore trying to go around and open them with the key. the hatch opening is also just trash because it means you have to be the last survivor which majority of the time results in you ratting.
the addons for both maps and keys aren’t interesting or strong. Blood Amber got gutted and the Crimson Stamp has way too many downsides to be worth bringing.
imo, the map and keys reworks were a failure. they really need another rework or something to make them more interesting and viable for all skill levels. what those changes are i have no clue but something needs to be done with these items. they’ve been forgotten for so long, they can’t be forgotten again.
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Because medkits, flashlights and toolboxes are insanely overtuned and need to be tweaked to be more in line with other balanced items.
Medkits
→ Remove ability to self heal, rework add ons
Toolboxes
→ no longer repair faster but instead reveal the generator and it's progress to all other survivors while repairing, remove sabotage actions from all perks and toolboxes and add ons rework
Flashlights
→ remove blindness mechanic and make it so shining at killer will reveal him to all other players for few seconds, add ons rework
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Congratulations, now all items are useless.
To the actual topic, the reason why no one uses Maps is because:
- They offer 0 value to any player who has more than a 100 hours in the game.
- With Eleven, we got a perk that is just a superior version of the maps.
- Totems are the only thing they are good for finding, except point no. 2 exists, AND it requires a purple addon.
As for Keys, I think they are a bit better, but:
- Survivor auras are in general not a thing people prioritize.
- SWF, Bond or Empathy are better.
- There are too few chests, as @MoZo mentioned.
- As Blood Amber overnerfs the key in exchange for discount OOO, no one will run it for that purpose.
Compare that to the universally useful things the other items do (allow saves, self heals, sabotages AND repair speed-up), and you get the reason no one runs them.
Additionally, I think they overcorrected with how few addons there are for these items. 3 out of 5 are usually just "make this suck less" addons, the iris are detrimental, there is nothing interesting or unique to do.
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