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How to Find Totems in Dead by Daylight

Dead by Daylight is an asymmetrical multiplayer horror game where four survivors try to escape a trial by fixing generators and opening an exit gate, all while being hunted by a killer. Totems play an important role in trials and can swing the momentum of a match. This comprehensive guide will teach you all about totems – what they do, why they matter, and most importantly, how to find them.

What Are Totems?

Totems are small, skull-decorated pillars that spawn randomly around the map. There are two types of totems:

  • Dull Totems: These have no special effects and are basically free points for survivors to cleanse. Cleansing a dull totem awards survivors with 600 bloodpoints.
  • Hex Totems: These are tied to certain killer perks and apply powerful hex effects while active. Cleansing a hex totem deactivates its attached killer perk.

Some examples of popular hex perks include:

  • Ruin – Greatly increases generator repair difficulty
  • Devour Hope – The killer gains tokens for hooks and can eventually mori survivors
  • Thrill of the Hunt – Notifies the killer when survivors cleanse totems

As you can see, hex totems can seriously impede survivor objectives or enable deadly killer powers. Finding and cleansing them is often essential to win.

Why Find Totems?

Here are the key reasons you’ll want to seek out and cleanse totems as a survivor:

  • Remove Killer Perk Effects: Cleansing hex totems neutralizes their powerful effects. This can completely change the tide of a match.
  • Bloodpoints: Cleansing dull totems rewards decent bloodpoints for very little effort.
  • Prevent NOED: Cleansing all 5 totems prevents the killer from utilizing the dreaded NOED (No One Escapes Death) end-game perk.

Negating hex effects and perks like Devour Hope or NOED can instantly give your team a big advantage. Plus, the bloodpoints and potential boldness points don’t hurt either.

How to Find Totems

Many new survivors struggle to locate totems. The maps are large, totems spawn randomly, and their dull color makes them easy to miss. Here are some key tips to help you spot totems more consistently:

1. Learn Totem Spawn Points

Totems can only spawn in certain locations in each map. Over time, you’ll naturally remember common spawn points, like around rocks, in rooms of a building, or in secluded corners. When first learning, make a point to observe new totem spawns and memorize them.

2. Listen for Totem Noises

Walk or run around the map and periodically stop to listen. Totems emit a faint whooshing sound, so pricking up your ears is key. This is especially useful for finding hidden hex totems quickly before their effects snowball.

3. Run Detection Perks

Some survivor perks directly help locate totems:

  • Small Game – Alerts you when looking in the direction of a totem. Great for early detection.
  • Counterforce – Reveals the auras of the 3 farthest totems from you. Excellent for late-game NOED prevention.
  • Detective’s Hunch – After completing a generator, the auras of totems and other objectives are revealed for a duration.

Detection perks like these make finding totems much easier. Consider running at least one regularly in your builds.

4. Utilize Map Offerings

Certain map offerings can be used to increase your odds of spawning next to key totem locations. For example, the Red Forest offerings frequently place survivors right next to the killer shack, which is a very common hex totem spawn. This cuts down search time dramatically.

5. Search Common Spawn Areas

When you don’t have any detection perks or map advantages, check spots where totems frequently spawn first:

  • Killer shack
  • Around large landmarks and structures
  • In the corners of maps, around walls
  • Near generators or chests
  • In small rooms of buildings

With experience, you’ll have the common totem points memorized for each map. Search these high frequency areas first before combing the entire territory.

Cleansing Totem Tips

Once you’ve found a totem, cleansing it is very quick and awards bloodpoints. However, make sure to consider a few key factors first:

  • Check if the totem is lit (making a noise). This indicates a hex perk. Cleansing these should be a priority.
  • Consider if leaving a dull totem up is better for baiting NOED at the end of a match. This is an advanced technique.
  • Glance around before cleansing in case the killer is approaching. Getting grabbed off a totem is very dangerous.
  • Have an escape route planned in case cleansing alerts the killer with Thrill of the Hunt.

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