How Scratch Marks work in Dead By Daylight and how to hide them

While playing as a Survivor in Dead By Daylight, you need to keep in mind all of the mechanics the game has to reveal you to the Killer. Messing up skill checks on Generators, getting off of Hooks, and screaming will all directly show the Killer where you are on the map. However, there is another factor that many new players in the game will not know about. Here is how Scratch Marks work in Dead By Daylight and how you can see or hide them.

Related: How to chase Survivors for longer in Dead by Daylight

How Scratch Marks work in Dead By Daylight

Scratch Marks in Dead By Daylight are red markings on the floor and walls that will appear behind a Survivor as they are running around the map. These are meant to give the Killer an idea of where a Survivor recently went so that they can keep the chase up for longer. Normally, Survivors can not see them, but if they have the Self-Aware perk on, they can.

How to hide your Scratch Marks from the Killer in Dead By Daylight

While Scratch Marks actively give away your general location to a nearby Killer, they go away on their own within ten seconds. That being said, that can be a long time when the Killer is on your trail. To avoid showing Scratch Marks to the Killer, don’t sprint everywhere you go on the map. If you hear the Killer’s Terror Radius within range, walk slower by crouching, and don’t leave yourself out in the open. Use Lockers to your advantage for quick hiding places, but don’t sprint into them or you will make a loud noise and alert the Killer directly where you are.

There are also various perks that will affect your Scratch Marks. We already mentioned Self-Aware as the only perk to reveal your own Scratch Marks to you so you can see what you are showing the Killer, but there are plenty that will suppress them.

Perks that hide Scratch Marks from the Killer in Dead By Daylight

• Boon: Shadow Step (Mikaila Reid) – When creating a Boon Totem, any Survivor within its range will have their Scratch Marks and Auras hidden from the Killer.
• Dance With Me (Kate Denson) – When performing rushed actions like leaping over Windows, Pallets, and leaving Lockers, you will not leave Scratch Marks for three seconds.
• Deception (Elodie Rakoto) – Rush interact with a Locker to give a loud noise notification to the Killer and not leave Scratch Marks or Blood Stains for a few seconds.
• Distortion (Jeff Johansen) – Whenever the Killer tries to see your Aura while you have tokens, you will not reveal your Aura or Scratch Marks for up to ten seconds.
• Guardian – When a Survivor with his perk on unhooks a teammate, the previously hooked person will have their Scratch Marks and Blood Pools hidden and momentarily hasted.
• Lightweight – Makes your Scratch Marks appear inconsistently and reduces their duration on the field by up to five seconds.
• Lucky Break (Yui Kimura) – When you are injured, you will have your Scratch Marks and Blood Pool hidden for up to a minute. Healing other Survivors recharges it.
• Parental Guidance (Yoichi Asakawa) – Stunning the Killer will hide your Scratch Marks, Blood Pools, and Pain Grunts for up to seven seconds.
• Poised (Jane Romero) – After completing a Generator, your Scratch Marks will be hidden for up to ten seconds.
• Self-Preservation (Yun-Jin Lee) – Whenever the Killer hits a teammate within 16 meters of you, your Scratch Marks, Blood Pools, and Pain Grunts are hidden for up to ten seconds.

Using any of the above perks will help you hide from the Killer better and can also be combined to make sure you can escape chases much easier.