Being one of the movie-inspired Killers introduced in Dead by Daylight, the Nurse boasts a great playstyle. She also has one of the most unique powers that are extremely versatile and rewarding.
In the right hands, the Nurse has the power to become the strongest Killers in the game. However, she is tremendously challenging to play, so we've collected the best perks, add-ons, and tips and tricks to achieve a masterful performance with the Nurse.
For more on Dead By Daylight, check out our tier list and codes guide for some tips and freebies to help newcomers. We've also got the best Demogorgon build if you want to use the Stranger Things Killer in-game!
Dead By Daylight Nurse perks
The Nurse has three unique perks that can be unlocked for other Killers via the Bloodweb.
- Stridor - Survivor's breathing is 0/0/25% louder, alongside their grunts of pain which are 25/50/50% louder.
- Thanatophobia - For each survivor that is Injured, hooked, or dying, a stackable 4/4.5/5% penalty occurs on all Survivors’ repairing, sabotaging, and cleansing speeds up to a maximum of 16/18/20%.
- Nurse's Calling - You are able to see the aura of a Survivor healing or being healed when you are within a range of 20/24/28 metres.
What are the best builds and perks for the Nurse?
We would go with the following perks for the best possible Nurse build:
BBQ & Chili (Cannibal perk)
This perk will improve the Nurse's aura reading ability. When the Nurse hooks a Survivor, other Survivors who are farther than 60/50/40 meters away from the hook will be revealed for four seconds.
The Nurse's Calling (Nurse perk)
This perk is great for hunting. Survivors who are healed or being healed will be revealed when they are within a range of 20/24/28 meters.
Discordance (Legion perk)
When a generator, within a range of 64/96/129 meters, is being repaired by two or more Survivors, it will be marked with a yellow aura and will release a loud noise notification.
I'm All Ears (Ghost Face perk)
This perk bolsters the Nurse's hunting prowess. I'm All Ears reveals Survivors who perform a rushed action within 48 meters will be revealed for six seconds.
Dead By Daylight Nurse powers
The Nurse's power is called Spencer's Last Breath.
Spencer's Last Breath allows the Nurse to blink - a power that teleports her forward 20 meters, regardless if there are objects in front of her. She can blink both upwards and downwards, making her a versatile Killer that can catch Survivors no matter where they are hiding.
The Nurse with no add-ons can blink up to two times, which will initiate a chain blink. To do so, a player must blink once, and then prepare to blink again to keep the chain going, otherwise, they';l enter a fatigued state immediately after the first blink instead of the second.
The fatigued state occurs each time your power is used, but the seconds it lasts depends on how many blinks you use. For example, fatigue after one blink is two seconds, 2.5 for two blinks, and two seconds for three blinks. Another second is added to your fatigue if the Nurse initiated an attack or an attack lunge after the blink.
Blinks take two seconds to fully charge, and a full recharge of the blinks after using them all takes three seconds. And just in case you're wondering, you cannot blink while carrying survivors to the hooks.
The Nurse is a complex Killer, which is why if you're going to be playing as her you'll need plenty of practice.
Best add-ons for the Nurse in Dead By Daylight
The Nurse is a rare Killer that has a lot of add-ons that, in our opinion, mostly change her base kit rather than add to what she already has. That said, that doesn't mean there aren't some pretty amazing add-ons out there to really shake the game up. Here are a few.
Torn Bookmark
This addon adds one blink charge and extends the power recharge duration by 130%, enabling the Nurse to hunt the Survivors easily.
Kavanagh's Last Breath
All Survivors within eight meters of the Nurse will suffer blindness for 60 seconds.
Pocket Watch
This addon is great with Dark Cincture and Torn Bookmark. It increases the duration of the chain blink window by 0.2 seconds.
Dark Cincture
Increases the Nurse's movement speed during the chain blink window and before experiencing fatigue by 30%
Dead By Daylight Nurse tips and tricks
- Like the Wraith, the Nurse can be lightburned - meaning that when Survivors use their flashlight on you, she'll become stunned. It can take a few seconds for lightburn to work, so use that to your advantage and hit the Survivors where it hurts.
- The Nurse is all about prediction. If a Survivor is running towards a pallet, charge your blink enough that you'll go through the pallet to the other side so that if they drop it, you’re already there to hit the Survivor.
- Nurse's Calling is a great perk for the Nurse because you'll be able to see Survivor's auras and get to them faster than any other Killer due to your blinks.
- More experienced survivors will sometimes run towards you when they see you charging your blink. Catch them off-guard by instead going for a small blink that puts you in hitting distance.
- As painful as this may sound, you should give the Nurse a go without add-ons first so you can get a feel of her blink range for yourself. Then place add-ons for your blink when you’re more comfortable.
That's all you need to know about the best The Nurse builds in Dead by Daylight. Be sure to check back regularly to see how your build could be improved.
In the meantime, check out the killers we wish to see in Dead by Daylight soon, or some games like DBD for when you need a break.
For more articles like this, take a look at our Dead by Daylight and Guides page.