Hex: Ruin: Was It Really Ruined, Or Did It Just Get a Reality Check?
Hex: Ruin once struck fear into seasoned Dead by Daylight survivors. It served as a generator regression perk that reshaped the meta. Eventually, it was labeled too powerful and got nerfed. What was this notorious perk? Why did developers decide to change it?
Let’s revisit the chaos Hex: Ruin unleashed. Imagine spawning in a trial with your squad. You find a generator and start working on it. You hit some skill checks. Then, BAM! You miss one. Normally, that’s no problem. But with Hex: Ruin active, missing a skill check turned disastrous.
What *did* old Hex: Ruin do? Before its rework, it dealt heavy damage. Hex: Ruin caused generators to regress continuously when survivors weren’t working on them. Yes, you read that right. Continuously. If the hex totem stood, generators lost progress fast when survivors stopped repairing.
This constant regression had a huge impact. First, it applied pressure everywhere, forcing survivors to stay on generators to make any progress at all. Second, it worked perfectly with a killer’s main goal: chasing and injuring survivors. Each second spent running was time when generators regressed. A sadistic feedback loop for killers.
If you hit a “Great” skill check? Tough luck. Old Ruin mocked your timing. “Great” skill checks offered no bonus generator progress. They simply halted extra regression. The perk punished mistakes and incentivized killer pressure, and it did this well.
Survivors certainly did not enjoy this menace in nearly every match. Games dragged on, generator progress slowed, and pressure to hit perfect skill checks was overwhelming. Calls for a nerf surged throughout Dead by Daylight’s realms.
When was Hex: Ruin nerfed? The survivors’ voices were heard, leading to a nerf in Patch 4.6.0 on June 16, 2020, during the Silent Hill chapter’s release. This patch significantly altered how the perk functioned, making it less oppressive during the early game.
The rework transformed Hex: Ruin entirely. Instead of constant regression, it now triggered only when a survivor missed a skill check. When a skill check fails, the generator instantly regresses by a percentage based on the perk tier (10/12/14%). Crucially, “Great” skill checks now offered bonus progression again, rewarding skilled survivors and reducing Ruin’s impact.
This change was monumental. Old Ruin posed a constant threat. New Ruin reacts to skill checks. It remains a good perk for some killers but lacks the overwhelming power it once held. Many killers using old Ruin adjusted their strategies and perk setups considerably.
So, which killers still use Hex: Ruin after its nerf? Who benefits most from it now? The killers who create early game pressure and force survivors to rush repairs still find value in Hex: Ruin.
Which killers benefit from Hex: Ruin now? Killers good at creating early pressure can still maximize Hex: Ruin’s potential. These include killers who move fast and disrupt repairs. Think about:
- The Hag: Since Ruin is one of her teachable perks, she can create trap networks around generators. Survivors repairing in her areas are likely to trigger traps and miss skill checks, making Ruin effective.
- The Trapper: Similar to the Hag, he controls areas with traps. A well-placed trap can lead to panicked survivors and missed skill checks that activate Ruin.
- Mobile Killers (like The Spirit, The Nurse, The Blight): These killers pressure generators quickly across the map. Their speed means they can interrupt repairs often, leading to more mistakes from survivors and activating Ruin.
- Killers who struggle with map pressure: Even in its current form, Ruin can assist killers having trouble monitoring generators. It’s not transformative but helps slow early generator rush.
While some killers still utilize Ruin, many have shifted to other perks considered more consistent or effective now, like Pop Goes the Weasel or reworked Deadlock. Ruin is no longer an automatic choice in most killer builds.
How to unlock Hex: Ruin? Unlocking Hex: Ruin is simple. It’s one of The Hag’s teachable perks. To unlock it on other killers, level up The Hag to level 30. Once at level 30, Hex: Ruin will show up in other killers’ bloodwebs for you to unlock.
Lastly, a common question arises: Does Hex: Ruin count as damaging a generator? The answer is no. Hex: Ruin causes regression through its hex effect via missed skill checks, not by damaging the generator as the killer does by kicking it. Perks like Pop Goes the Weasel or Overcharge need active generator damage and do not activate through Hex: Ruin’s effect.
In conclusion, Hex: Ruin underwent a notable transformation within Dead by Daylight. From its reign as a dominant hex to its more balanced state today, it showcases developers’ efforts to maintain game balance. While it’s not the must-have perk of the past, Hex: Ruin retains relevance in history and can still work for specific killers. However, it won’t carry you to victory as easily as before. Those days are gone.
