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The Shape, better known as Michael Myers, stands as the first licensed Killer in Dead by Daylight and remains one of the most iconic figures in horror gaming. A relentless stalker driven by dark obsession, The Shape thrives on hunting Survivors from a distance, steadily building ferocity as he closes in for the kill. His methodical, fear-driven gameplay makes him a uniquely terrifying presence in every trial.
This comprehensive Dead by Daylight guide explores the most effective builds and add-ons for The Shape in 2025. Whether you're new to the role or refining your strategy, we cover both teachable and non-teachable perk combinations to maximize your dominance on the map.
Updated on January 13, 2025, by Siddarth Narasimman: Despite remaining one of the weakest Killers in terms of raw power, Michael Myers continues to be a favorite among new players. The recent buffs introduced in Patch 8.4.0 have significantly improved his viability, making him a more competitive choice. With these updates, now is the perfect time to master the best builds and add-ons for this legendary slasher.
The Shape: Best Non-Teachable Build (2025)
For players who prefer to rely solely on The Shape’s native abilities and general perks, this non-teachable build offers strong endgame pressure and sustained control over Survivor actions.
- Save the Best for Last (The Shape) – Landing a successful hit on any Survivor who isn’t your Obsession grants one token, up to a maximum of eight. Each token reduces the cooldown of your next successful basic attack by 4%, for a total of 32% reduction. Hitting your Obsession removes two tokens, encouraging strategic target selection.
- Hex: No One Escapes Death (General Perk) – Once the final generator is completed, all Survivors gain the Exposed status effect, and you receive a 4% Haste bonus. This effect persists until the Hex Totem is cleansed, giving you a crucial edge during the endgame.
- Bitter Murmur (General Perk) – Whenever a generator is completed, the auras of all Survivors within 16 meters are revealed for 5 seconds. When the last generator is finished, every Survivor’s aura is exposed for 10 seconds, making escapes nearly impossible.
- Sloppy Butcher (General Perk) – Basic attacks inflict both Mangled and Hemorrhage, reducing healing speed by 25% and causing regression if healing is interrupted. This perk slows down repairs and recovery, extending chase potential.
This build excels in prolonged matches, applying consistent pressure through slowed healing, aura reveals, and powerful late-game burst potential.
The Shape: Best Build (2025)
This optimized build combines powerful teachable perks to enhance The Shape’s early and mid-game presence, compensating for his limited mobility and weak opening performance.
- Lethal Pursuer (The Nemesis – Teachable) – At match start, see the aura of all Survivors for 9 seconds. Additionally, all aura-reading effects last 2 seconds longer, helping you maintain tracking throughout the trial.
- Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance (The Artist – Teachable) – Begin the trial with four tokens. Each time a different Survivor is hooked on a white Scourge Hook, lose one token and destroy 25% of the progress on the most advanced generator. This disrupts generator momentum early.
- Deadlock (The Cenobite – Teachable) – Whenever a generator is completed, the most progressed generator is blocked for 25 seconds and revealed with a white aura. This forces Survivors to waste time switching objectives.
- Coup de Grâce (The Twins – Teachable) – Gain two tokens for each completed generator. Spend one token to increase your lunge attack range by 80%, making it easier to catch looping Survivors.
This build is ideal for players looking to dominate the mid-game by stalling generator progress and capitalizing on increased lunge range to shut down escapes. It’s especially effective when guarding generator clusters.
The Shape: Best Add-Ons (2025)
Memorial Flower
As a Common-rarity add-on, the Memorial Flower may seem modest, but its 11% increase in stalking rate provides a valuable boost to The Shape’s naturally slow Evil Within progression.
Dead Rabbit
This eerie offering reduces the Terror Radius by 25% during Evil Within II, allowing you to approach Survivors more stealthily. However, it increases the Terror Radius in Evil Within III, so pairing it with perks like Monitor and Abuse is recommended to mitigate early detection.
J. Myers Memorial
One of the most effective add-ons, J. Myers Memorial grants a flat 25% increase to stalking gain rate. Often used with Tombstone Piece, it helps offset the longer time needed to reach Evil Within III.
Hair Bow
The Hair Bow enhances The Shape’s threat during Evil Within III by increasing the stalking rate specifically in that state. Combined with J. Myers Memorial, it enables frequent and sustained Evil Within III activations for constant pressure.
Tombstone Piece
Widely regarded as The Shape’s strongest add-on, Tombstone Piece allows an instant kill on any Survivor—regardless of hook state—once Evil Within III is reached. Functionally similar to the old Memento Mori, this add-on turns the endgame into a guaranteed elimination phase, without the speed debuff found on Judith’s Tombstone.
Lock of Hair
Extending Evil Within III by 40 seconds—10 more than the Hair Bow—this add-on also boosts the stalking rate during the final phase. While the Hair Bow is often preferred, Lock of Hair is a solid alternative when paired with Lethal Pursuer and J. Myers Memorial.
Fragrant Tuft of Hair
Despite reducing the stalking rate by 200%, this add-on grants infinite duration for Evil Within III. Once activated, you can insta-down any Survivor without needing to re-stalk, removing all power management concerns. A high-risk, high-reward option for aggressive playstyles.
