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The Shape, also known as Michael Myers, was the first licensed Killer introduced to Dead by Daylight. His sinister nature and ability to stalk Survivors from a distance, building up his ferocity before striking, make him a formidable and terrifying presence on the map. This guide is designed to help players maximize their experience with The Shape, offering the best builds and add-ons for both seasoned and new players.
Updated on January 13, 2025, by Siddarth Narasimman: Despite being considered one of the weaker Killers, Michael Myers remains a favorite among new players. The recent buffs in Patch 8.4.0 have significantly enhanced his capabilities, making him a more viable choice. Here's a detailed look at the best builds and add-ons to leverage these improvements.
The Shape: Best Non-Teachable Build (2025)
Playing The Shape without access to other Killers' perks can be challenging, but this build ensures you remain effective. Utilizing Save the Best for Last, you can reduce chase times significantly, while Sloppy Butcher slows down the game passively. Bitter Murmur and Hex: No One Escapes Death then allow you to dominate the endgame without needing to stalk Survivors for an instant down.
- Save the Best for Last (The Shape) – Gain a token (up to eight) for hitting a non-Obsession Survivor, reducing basic attack cooldown by 4% per token (max 32%). Hitting the Obsession loses two tokens.
- Hex: No One Escapes Death (General Perk) – Once the final generator is completed, Survivors become Exposed and you gain a 4% Haste effect until the Hex Totem is cleansed.
- Bitter Murmur (General Perk) – Reveals the auras of Survivors within 16 meters of a completed generator for 5 seconds. After the last generator, all Survivors' auras are revealed for 10 seconds.
- Sloppy Butcher (General Perk) – Inflicts Mangled and Hemorrhage status effects on Survivors, slowing healing by 25% and causing regression if healing is interrupted.
The Shape: Best Build (2025)
This build is tailored to slow down generator progress and provide a strong start, crucial for The Shape who struggles with early game mobility. By focusing on a cluster of generators and using Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance and Deadlock, you can effectively control the game's pace. Lethal Pursuer helps in quickly locating Survivors for stalking, while Coup de Grâce enhances your ability to navigate loops.
- Lethal Pursuer (The Nemesis) – At the start of the match, see the auras of all Survivors for nine seconds, with an additional two seconds on all aura-reading effects.
- Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance (The Artist) – Start with four tokens. Hooking a different Survivor on a Scourge Hook consumes one token and causes the generator with the most progress to lose 25% of its progress.
- Deadlock (The Cenobite) – When a generator is completed, the generator with the most progress is blocked for 25 seconds and revealed by a white aura.
- Coup de Grâce (The Twins) – Gain two tokens per completed generator. Use one token to increase lunge attack distance by 80%.
The Shape: Best Add-Ons (2025)
Memorial Flower
At common rarity, the Memorial Flower is a top choice for The Shape, offering an 11% increase in stalking rate, which is a significant boost to his otherwise slow stalking speed.
Dead Rabbit
Despite its eerie nature, the Dead Rabbit reduces the Terror Radius by 25% in Evil Within II, making it easier to approach Survivors undetected. However, it increases the Terror Radius in Evil Within III, so pairing it with perks like Monitor and Abuse can help manage this drawback.
J. Myers Memorial
This add-on provides a 25% bonus to stalking gain rate, making it a valuable asset. It's often used with the Tombstone Piece to mitigate the increased time needed to reach Evil Within III.
Hair Bow
Enhancing The Shape's threat during Evil Within III, the Hair Bow is excellent when combined with J. Myers Memorial, allowing for consistent pressure across the map.
Tombstone Piece
Considered one of The Shape's strongest add-ons, the Tombstone Piece enables instant kills upon reaching Evil Within III, surpassing even the Ultra Rare Judith’s Tombstone by avoiding the accompanying speed debuff.
Lock Of Hair
Adding 40 seconds to Evil Within III and increasing the stalk rate, the Lock of Hair is a solid choice, especially when paired with Lethal Pursuer and J. Myers Memorial.
Fragrant Tuft of Hair
While it drastically reduces the stalking rate by 200%, the Fragrant Tuft of Hair grants infinite Evil Within III, allowing for continuous insta-downs without the need for stalking.
