One of the most highly anticipated Killers to arrive inDead by Daylight’sAlienchapter, the titular Xenomorph introduces a brand-new traversal system andnew ways to attack Survivors. Able to burrow through its vast underground nest, The Xenomorph can quickly reach far corners of the map and enter a Crawler Mode from which it can attack Survivors from a distance and negate even the safest of loops. With such powers,The Xenomorph can be a colossal threat, especially with the right perks.
As with every killer, learning the Xenomorph’s strengths and weaknesses is key to winning. This guide will break down the best builds to run with The Xenomorph inDead by Daylight, using both teachable and non-teachable perks for players with varyingaccess to other DLC.
Updated on July 07, 2025, by Lewis Smyth:The Xenomorph has gone largely unchanged since the Alien chapter’s release in November 2023. Nevertheless, the meta landscape of Dead by Daylight is frequently changing. This refreshed guide features new, stronger builds alongside a tier list of The Xenomorph’s strongest add-ons and combos.
The Xenomorph: Best Beginner Build (2024)
The Xenomorph comes with some exceptional information perks that allow the Killer to keep track of Survivors all across the map. With their perkAlien Instinct,The Xenomorph can track injured Survivors from a distance, whileUltimate Weaponcan help find Survivors nearby. Meanwhile,Sloppy Butcherwill slow down healing with basic attacks, beforeHex: No One Escapes Deathactivates in the endgame.
The Xenomorph: Best Build (2024)
As the Xenomorph, your first instinct should be to enter the tunnels to quickly build up Crawler Mode and find Survivors working on far generators. As such, one of the most effective perks to run isCorrupt Intervention, to prevent generators from being finished quickly across the map. A perk likeThe Clown’s Bamboozlewill increase your lethality in chase, whileScourge Hook: Pain ResonanceandPop Goes the Weaselwill drastically stall generator progress.
Lambert’s Star Map
Decreases flame distance of Turrets
Universally helpful in avoiding turrets and being knocked out of Crawler Mode
Emergency Helmet
Decreases stagger received from Turrets
Helps prevent you from being knocked out of Crawler Mode by increasing your resistance to flames
Kane’s Helmet
Tail Attacks inflict Mangled and Hemorrhage
Great passive slowdown which can assist with denying eventhe best healers
Self Destruct Bolt
Increases vault speed while in Crawler Mode
Surprises Survivors and helps land otherwise unobtainable hits, especially when paired with perks like Bamboozle
Semiotic Keyboard
Generators near Turrets have their aura intensity determined by their progress
A useful substitute for a tracking perk, acting likeThe Wraith’s All-Seeing add-on
Crew Headset
Increases footstep detection while in tunnels
Allows you to find Survivors more easily while in tunnels, interrupting them as they cross the map
Acidic Blood
Survivors who stun you within 20 seconds of exiting a tunnel become injured or suffer Deep Wound
Rather situational, but exceptional when used with ananti-pallet chase build
Cereal Rations
Turret auras are visible while in tunnels
Since Survivors typically set up turrets near progressed generators and healing spots, this add-on is superb for tracking
Improvised Cattle Prod
When a generator is completed, Survivors close to Control Stations have their aura revealed
Provides consistent aura reading value throughout a trial
Cat Carrier
Grants Undetectable after a Turret removes Crawler Mode
Can be used to mind-game andscare Survivors into mistakeswhen things aren’t going well in chase
Ovomorph
Reduces Crawler Mode cooldown outside of tunnels
Though it’s generally better to re-enter tunnels when knocked out of Crawler Mode, the Ovomorph reduces the penalty for staying above ground
Ripley’s Watch
Automatically destroys a Turret when it removes Crawler Mode
Good forDead by Daylightbeginners; Ripley’s Watch saves you some time dealing with Turrets
Increases Turret downtime after exiting a tunnel
Further punishes Survivors who place Turrets close to tunnels
Ash’s Innards
Increases Turret respawn time
Prevents Survivors from more quickly resetting lost Turrets, meaning you may encounter less
Good for interrupting healing, though generally outclassed by Kane’s Helmet
Harpoon Gun
Hitting a Survivor within 10 seconds of exiting a tunnel causes distant Survivors to scream
Decent for keeping track of where other Survivors are, but inconsistent and difficult to trigger against warier players
Brett’s Cap
Destroying a Turret inflicts nearby Survivors with Blindness
May help in denying the use of Windows of Opportunity – one of thebest Survivor perks inDead by Daylight– though it’s hampered by the short duration
Parker’s Headband
Grants Haste after exiting a tunnel
Such a brief duration of Haste amounts to very little in chase
Molted Skin
Survivors briefly suffer from Hindered and Exhausted after deploying a Turret
Highly situational, this add-on can rarelydeny Exhaustion perkswhen catching Survivors while deploying a Turret
Increases Killer Instinct duration after exiting a tunnel
Extended Killer Instinct is almost entirely useless in most cases
The Xenomorph: Best Add-On Combos
Knowing The Xenomorph’s best add-ons means little if you don’t know how to combo them. A handful ofthe strongest add-on combinationsfor The Xenomorph include:
