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The Shape, also known as Michael Myers, is Dead by Daylight's first licensed Killer. His terrifying gameplay revolves around stalking Survivors, steadily increasing his ferocity before striking. This relentless pursuit makes him a truly formidable opponent.
This Dead by Daylight guide details the best builds for The Shape, including both teachable and non-teachable perks to cater to players of all skill levels.
Updated January 13, 2025, by Siddarth Narasimman: Despite remaining a popular choice, especially for newer players, Michael Myers is still considered one of the weaker Killers. However, recent buffs in Patch 8.4.0 have significantly improved his viability, making this an ideal time to explore optimal builds and add-ons for this iconic horror character.
The Shape: Best Non-Teachable Build (2025)
Mastering The Shape without access to other Killers' perks presents a challenge, but it's certainly conquerable. This build utilizes Save the Best for Last to shorten chase times, while Sloppy Butcher passively slows the game down. Bitter Murmur and Hex: No One Escapes Death dominate the endgame, eliminating Survivors without relying solely on stalking for instant downs.
- Save the Best for Last (The Shape): Hitting a Survivor who isn't the Obsession grants a token (up to eight). Each token reduces basic attack cooldown by 4%, to a maximum of 32%. Hitting the Obsession costs two tokens.
- Hex: No One Escapes Death (General Perk): After the final generator is completed, all Survivors are Exposed, and you gain a 4% Haste effect until the Hex Totem is cleansed.
- Bitter Murmur (General Perk): After each generator completion, the auras of Survivors within 16 meters are revealed for 5 seconds. After the last generator, all Survivor auras are revealed for 10 seconds.
- Sloppy Butcher (General Perk): Basic attacks inflict Mangled and Hemorrhage, slowing healing by 25% and regressing unfinished healing.
The Shape: Best Build (2025)
This build prioritizes generator regression, providing a strong early-game boost to compensate for The Shape's limited mobility and weak early-game performance. Focus on controlling a generator cluster, tracking progress, and utilizing The Artist's Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance and The Cenobite's Deadlock to hinder progress.
Lethal Pursuer helps quickly locate Survivors, ensuring a strong start. Coup de Grâce improves loop performance, a common weakness for The Shape.
- Lethal Pursuer (The Nemesis): At the match start, see all Survivor auras for nine seconds. All aura-reading instances are increased by two seconds.
- Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance (The Artist): Start with four tokens. Each Survivor hooked on a white Scourge Hook consumes a token and regresses the most progressed generator by 25%.
- Deadlock (The Cenobite): After each generator completion, the most progressed generator is blocked for 25 seconds (revealed by a white aura).
- Coup de Grâce (The Twins): Gain two tokens per completed generator. Spend one token to increase lunge attack distance by 80%.
The Shape: Best Add-Ons (2025)
Memorial Flower
This common add-on provides an 11% stalking rate increase, a valuable boost to The Shape's slow stalking speed.
Dead Rabbit
While decreasing the Terror Radius in Evil Within II (25%), it increases it in Evil Within III. Use this with perks like Monitor and Abuse to manage Survivor awareness.
J. Myers Memorial
This add-on grants a 25% bonus to stalking gain rate. Pair it with the Tombstone Piece to mitigate the increased time to reach Evil Within III.
Hair Bow
Increases The Shape's threat level in Evil Within III. Combining this with J. Myers Memorial consistently applies map pressure.
Tombstone Piece
Potentially The Shape's strongest add-on, allowing an instant kill on any Survivor upon reaching Evil Within III, regardless of hook state. This surpasses even Judith’s Tombstone by omitting the speed debuff.
Lock Of Hair
Adds 40 seconds to Evil Within III (10 more than Hair Bow) and increases the stalk rate for Evil Within III. A viable alternative to Hair Bow, especially with Lethal Pursuer and J. Myers Memorial.
Fragrant Tuft of Hair
Despite a 200% reduction in stalking rate, this add-on grants infinite Evil Within III, eliminating the need for stalking before instant downs.
