Dead Hard

Reader's Guide

Effect Description: When injured and sprinting, activate Dead Hard to take an extra hit without being put into the dying state. After activation, you suffer from the Deep Wound effect and must be mended within a certain time or you will automatically enter the dying state. Activation Conditions: You must be injured and sprinting. The perk has a cooldown after each use. Counterplay Strategies: Killers can bait the activation by delaying their attack or using abilities that prevent sprinting. If the Survivor is already Deep Wounded, they cannot use Dead Hard to avoid another hit. Synergy Notes: Perks that speed up mending or reduce cooldowns can help mitigate the downside of Deep Wound. Dead Hard pairs well with perks that reward staying injured, such as No Mither, though note that No Mither prevents full healing and may make the Deep Wound state more dangerous.

Did You Know?

• Dead Hard was originally introduced in July 2017 as part of the A Lullaby for the Dark DLC, which also added David King as a Survivor.
• The perk was reworked in August 2022; it originally allowed players to lunge out of the way to evade a hit, but now grants an extra hit at the cost of the Deep Wound effect.
• After the August 2022 rework, using Dead Hard applies the Deep Wound effect, which requires mending within a certain time or the Survivor automatically enters the dying state.