Top Builds for The Shape in Dead by Daylight (2025)

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• The Shape: Best Non-Teachable Build (2025)

• The Shape: Best Build (2025)

• The Shape: Best Add-Ons (2025)

The Shape, also known as Michael Myers, was the first licensed Killer introduced to Dead by Daylight. Known for his relentless pursuit and ability to stalk Survivors, The Shape embodies terror as he methodically eliminates players one by one. This guide is designed to help players maximize their effectiveness with The Shape, offering insights into the best builds and add-ons, including both teachable and non-teachable perks for players of all skill levels.

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. This update is the perfect opportunity for players to explore the best strategies and add-ons for this iconic horror character.

The Shape: Best Non-Teachable Build (2025)

Playing The Shape without access to other Killers' perks can be challenging, but this build leverages his unique abilities effectively. 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 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 designed to slow down generator progress and provide a strong start for The Shape, who struggles with early game mobility. By focusing on a cluster of generators and using The Artist's Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance and The Cenobite's Deadlock, you can effectively control the game's pace. The Nemesis's Lethal Pursuer helps in quickly locating Survivors for stalking, while Coup de Grâce enhances The Shape's performance around loops.

• Lethal Pursuer (The Nemesis) – At the start of the match, see the aura of all Survivors for nine seconds, with an additional two seconds for all aura-reading instances.
• 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 valuable boost to his otherwise slow stalking speed.

Dead Rabbit

Despite its eerie nature, the Dead Rabbit add-on reduces The Shape's 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 The Shape's stalking gain rate, making it a strong choice. 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 for maintaining pressure on the map. Combining it with the J. Myers Memorial can lead to multiple Evil Within III activations.

Tombstone Piece

Considered The Shape's most powerful add-on, the Tombstone Piece allows for an instant kill upon reaching Evil Within III, regardless of the Survivor's hook state. This ability can dramatically shift the game's momentum and is superior to the Ultra Rare Judith’s Tombstone due to the absence of a speed debuff.

Lock Of Hair

Adding 40 additional 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 for a more aggressive playstyle.

Fragrant Tuft of Hair

While it 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, making it a game-changer for The Shape.