Dead by Daylight: The Board Game – Gatekeeper Expansion
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The FroGames Review
You choose the path, close your eyes, and pray the Killer chose a different direction. Open them. They were there. Always there.
WHAT IS IT
Ten characters that completely change the game
Gatekeeper is the first expansion for Dead by Daylight: The Board Game, designed by D. Brad Talton Jr. and published by Level 99 Games in collaboration with Behaviour Interactive. It brings five iconic Killers from the video game (The Clown, The Huntress, The Trickster, The Legion, The Plague) and five Survivors (Kate, David, Yun-Jin, Jeff, Jane) to the table, each with asymmetrical powers that turn the base game's dynamics upside down.
Every Killer has unique abilities that defy logic and force Survivors to change their tactics: the Huntress throws hatchets from a distance, the Trickster builds up damage with blades, and the Plague infects the entire group. Survivors respond with new Perks that allow for combinations never seen before. It requires the base game to play, but once the content is mixed in, the replayability explodes: every match becomes a different tactical challenge.
What the critics say
This expansion brings the most ruthless Killers and the slyest Survivors ever seen in the board game. Every character truly changes the way you play.
— FroGames
"The programmed movement creates real tension and mind games"
The programmed movement creates real tension and mind games
— Board Game Quest
Dead by Daylight: The Board Game – Gatekeeper Expansion
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · first read: based on the rulebook and official presentation, updated with early matchesWhat's in the box
Ten miniatures, fifty new combinations
5 Killers with asymmetrical powers
Clown slows with gas bottles, Huntress strikes from a distance with hatchets, Trickster accumulates damage with a burst of blades, Legion enters a frenzy and pursues everyone, Plague infects and spreads disease. Each one changes the pace of the match.
5 Survivors with unique Perks
Kate, David, Yun-Jin, Jeff, and Jane bring new Perk cards that combine with those from the base game: never-before-seen builds, completely different escape strategies, and synergies to discover match after match.
10 detailed miniatures
Each character has their own sculpt: Killers are menacing and recognizable, and Survivors have dynamic poses. The presence on the table is instantly elevated, and if you paint the minis, the game becomes a little horror diorama.
New tokens and setup options
The expansion introduces additional Prop tokens and setup variants that allow you to customize each trial: more unpredictability, more replayability, and fewer identical matches.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of every round
Every turn consists of simultaneous programming, revealing, and immediate consequences.
Each Survivor chooses a movement card and plays it face down. The Killer chooses two (they have twice as many actions). No one knows where the others will go.
Survivors reveal their cards and move one at a time. If the chosen path exists from their sector, they move. Then they flip a Prop token in the new room and resolve it.
Each Survivor can interact with a Prop (repair a generator, heal an ally, pick up an item) or use a Perk. The choices are simple but critical: fix another generator or save a friend?
The Killer reveals their two movement cards and moves twice. They can attack Survivors in the same sector or use their unique power (throwing hatchets, spraying gas, infecting). The hunt is fast and brutal.
⏱️Your first gameA play-by-play account▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Choose your character and study them
The Killer player chooses one of the five: they read their power and imagine their tactics. Survivors do the same with their Perks. The table is silent; everyone is planning their first secret move. You already know someone is going to mess up.
First moves, first mistakes
Everyone plays their movement cards face down. When you reveal them, someone ends up exactly where the Killer predicted. First injury, first scream. The other Survivors start triangulating the Killer's position and changing course.
The Killer finds their rhythm
The Killer uses their power for the first time: Legion enters Frenzy and hits two Survivors in one turn, the Plague spreads an infection and everyone starts vomiting. The Survivors realize running away isn't enough: they have to adapt to the specific power.
Someone ends up on the hook
A Survivor gets hooked. The others must choose: continue repairing generators or risk the rescue. Someone uses a Perk at the right moment and frees their companion just as the Killer returns. The table explodes.
Escape or sacrifice
Four generators repaired, the door is open. Two Survivors escape, one is severely injured, one is still on the hook. The Killer must choose: chase those escaping or complete the sacrifice. The game ends one way or another. Nobody forgets it.
🐸Know this firstThree honest things, from friends▼
Know this first
Three things that change the experience
It is an expansion, not a standalone game
You need the base Dead by Daylight: The Board Game to play. Gatekeeper adds characters and variety, but does not include boards, base Prop tokens, or the core rules. If you don't have the core set, start with that.
Some Killers seem stronger
The game is new (2024) and with only 19 votes on BGG, there is no consolidated data on balance yet. Some powers (Plague, Legion) appear more impactful than others in initial games. Expect a learning curve and possible house-rule adjustments.
Works best with 5 players
The base game is optimized for 1 Killer + 4 Survivors. With fewer players, someone has to control multiple Survivors, which slows things down and makes them cumbersome. The expansion doesn't solve this: if playing with 3-4, be prepared to manage multiple roles.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the endgame rewards▼
How it ends
How to win and lose
Survivors and Killers have opposite, asymmetric goals: escape vs. sacrifice.
Survivor Victory
- Repair 4 generators and power an exit gate
- At least one Survivor escapes through the open gate
- The Killer fails to complete enough sacrifices before the escape
Killer Victory
- The Killer completely fills their Sacrifice Progress Track by hooking and sacrificing Survivors
- All Survivors are severely injured or sacrificed
- No Survivor manages to escape before the Killer completes the ritual
Every game ends with someone shouting "I was so close!", whether it's the Killer or the last remaining Survivor. That is the heart of the game.
💬Frequently asked questionsQuick answers before checking out▼
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Dead by Daylight: The Board Game – Gatekeeper Expansion
Can I play Gatekeeper without the base game?
No. Gatekeeper is an expansion that requires Dead by Daylight: The Board Game (the core set) to function. It does not include boards, essential Prop tokens, or the base rulebook. It only adds new characters and extra material.
What mechanics does Dead by Daylight: The Board Game – Gatekeeper Expansion use?
The game uses simultaneous action programming (everyone chooses movement in secret), asymmetric team-based play (Survivors cooperate, Killer plays alone), variable character powers, and dice rolling for combat. The expansion doesn't change the mechanics; it only adds new unique powers.
Are the new Killers balanced with the ones from the base game?
The game is from 2024 and has very few votes on BGG (19), so there is no consolidated data yet. From early games, some Killers (Plague, Legion) seem more impactful, but more time is needed to understand the meta. Expect adjustments and house rules.
How many different combinations can I make?
With the base game, you have 6 Killers and 7 Survivors. Gatekeeper adds 5+5, so you end up with 11 Killers and 12 Survivors. Each Killer radically changes the game, so replayability explodes: dozens of different setups, each with their own tactics.
Is it available in Italian?
No, this edition is in English. The game has text on Perk cards and character powers, so an intermediate knowledge of the language is required. There are currently no official translations in Italian.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Dead by Daylight: The Board Game – Gatekeeper Expansion is an asymmetric horror expansion for 3-5 players aged 14 and up, with 45-55 minute games. Designed by D. Brad Talton Jr. and published by Level 99 Games, it brings 5 new Killers (Clown, Huntress, Trickster, Legion, Plague) and 5 Survivors (Kate, David, Yun-Jin, Jeff, Jane) to the table, each with unique powers that radically change the base game's dynamics. It uses mechanics of simultaneous action programming, asymmetric team play, and variable powers. Requires the base game to function. Available on FroGames.it.
Dead by Daylight: The Board Game – Gatekeeper Expansion
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