The Mastermind, aka Albert Wesker, is one of the more dangerous Killers that players can go up against in Dead by Daylight. Capable of traveling vast distances in the blink of an eye with his Virulent Bound, The Mastermind can launch Survivors great distances and infect them with his Uroboros tentacles, slowing them down to help close in on the kill. The Mastermind can become an even more formidable foe when combined with the right perks and playstyle.
Dead By Daylight: The Best Survivor Perks
There are more than 100 perks for Survivors in Dead By Daylight and each has its own roles and niche uses in the game.
This guide will walk players through some of the best builds they can run on The Mastermind in Dead by Daylight, taking non-teachable perks into account for newer players and showing off some of the best builds for the more experienced Killers.
Updated on August 26, 2025, by Mark Sammut: Albert Wesker is one of the most popular villains in Dead by Daylight, particularly for anyone who is mostly interested in horror games rather than movies. If you are just starting, you might not be sure if The Mastermind is a good candidate or if it would be better to go with somebody else. Consequently, a section answering whether Wesker is good for DBD beginners has been added.
The Mastermind: Best Beginner Build (2025)
Players new to Dead By Daylight may not be entirely familiar with the Bloodweb system and the requirements for unlocking powerful perks. As many key perks and Killers must first be unlocked, either with Iridescent Shards or Auric Cells, new players will struggle with getting the more powerful perks without spending real money.
This build uses only perks that are available to The Mastermind and all other killers from the get-go, meaning players won’t have to worry about prestiging other Killers or waiting for the Shrine of Secrets to update to play with this build.
- Terminus (The Mastermind) – Once the final generator is complete, all injured Survivors receive the Broken status ailment until the exit gates have been open for 30 seconds.
- Sloppy Butcher (General Perk) – Basic attacks inflict the Mangled and Hemorrhage status ailments for 90 seconds, slowing down healing by 25% and regressing healing progress when left unfinished.
- Bitter Murmur (General Perk) – Each time a generator is completed, the auras of Survivors within 16 meters of that generator are revealed for 5 seconds. Once the last generator is complete, all Survivors’ auras are revealed for 10 seconds.
- Hex: No One Escapes Death (General Perk) – After the final generator is completed, all Survivors suffer from the Exposed status ailment and you gain a 4% Haste effect until the Hex Totem is cleansed.
The Mastermind: Best Build (2025)
Arguably, the best perks to use on The Mastermind are ones that make use of his quick speed, allowing him to put immense pressure on generators all across Dead By Daylight's maps. The following build features some of the best teachable perks that unlock Albert Wesker’s true potential.
- Pop Goes The Weasel (The Clown) – After hooking a survivor, kicking a generator regresses it by 20% of its current progress before applying the normal regression.
- Nowhere to Hide (The Knight) – Kicking a generator will reveal the aura of all Survivors within 24 meters for 5 seconds.
- Scourge Hook: Pain Resonance (The Artist) – The Killer starts with four tokens. For each different Survivor hooked on a white Scourge Hook, lose one token and explode the generator with the most progress, causing it to lose 25% of its progress.
- Lethal Pursuer (The Nemesis) – At the start of the trial, all Survivor's auras are revealed for 9 seconds. This perk also increases the duration of other aura–reading abilities by an extra 2 seconds.
Dead by Daylight: Best Killer Builds
Emerging victorious as the killer in Dead by Daylight isn't always easy; these killer builds will help even the playing field.
The Mastermind: Best Add-Ons
Albert Wesker’s Virulent Bound is a highly customizable and easy-to-learn Killer power with his wide-ranging suite of add-ons. Here, players can find the very best add-ons for The Mastermind, sorted by their rarity on the Bloodweb.
Uroboros Tendril
A Common Add-On with a subtle effect, the Uroboros Tendril slightly increases your movement speed while charging Virulent Bound. This gives you a good means of staying close to Survivors as you ready your power.
Unicorn Medallion
Universally helpful, the Unicorn Medallion fundamentally changes how Wesker’s power functions. By equalizing the distance of each Virulent Bound, you can better control your power around loops and missing Bounds becomes less costly.
Jewel Beetle
Besides a Bloodpoint bonus, this seemingly benign add-on has a quietly impactful capability. In decreasing mid-Bound grabbing distances, Wesker can more effectively throw Survivors around the map, throwing them into walls and landing them in dead zones, leaving them vulnerable to a quick follow-up attack.
Leather Gloves
The Leather Gloves decrease the recharge time on your power by 10%, making them a clear-cut choice for beginners and adepts alike, as well as those who aren’t as proficient with hitting their Bounds.
Video Conference Device
Another uncomplicated add-on, the Video Conference Device increases the passive Infection gain rate by 30%. This makes Infected Survivors more quickly vulnerable to becoming slowed and instantly downed with a Bound.
Egg (Gold)
Often combined with the Unicorn Medallion or the Oroboros Tendril, the Egg (Gold) similarly makes Virulent Bound easier to deploy at loops by increasing the window between each Bound by 50%.
Helicopter Stick
Though many of The Mastermind’s Very Rare Add-Ons remain fairly niche in their application, the Helicopter Stick can work well in tandem with the Bullhorn to maintain Infection and put pressure on Survivors who use First Aid Sprays by revealing their aura for 8 seconds.
Iridescent Uroboros Vial
While both Ultra Rare Virulent Bound Add-Ons offer their own unique ways of approaching The Mastermind, the Iridescent Uroboros Vial takes the crown as the strongest. Infecting everyone at the start of the trial – as well as making those recently Infected Exposed – this add-on works wonders with The Nemesis' Lethal Pursuer and the Video Conference Device Add-On to quickly secure a kill and reduce the amount of First Aid Sprays left on the map.
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How To Unlock The Mastermind In Dead By Daylight?
Added to Dead by Daylight in August 2022, Albert Wesker is well-established as a Killer, and he is generally regarded as one of the more fun characters in the game. Also, his Resident Evil background has (naturally) helped propel his popularity, as the two franchises must have quite a bit of player crossover.
If you are playing around with The Mastermind builds, you already own Wesker; however, if you want to switch to a different main and are considering this Killer as an option, you will first have to add him to your collection. As with all licensed characters, The Mastermind must be purchased with cash and cannot be picked up by just playing the game and collecting Iridescent Shards. Albert Wesker costs 500 Auric Cells, or $4.99. That is the standard price for licensed DLC characters, but Dead by Daylight is no stranger to sales. Consequently, if you are not in a rush to obtain this character, it might be worth waiting for a discount. They happen.
Alternatively, you can purchase the "Chapter 25: Resident Evil: Project W" package, which costs either $11.99 or 1500 Auric Cells. Now, this DLC chapter is relatively expensive compared to some others, but that is because it also includes two Survivors: Ada Wong and Rebecca Chambers. The Green Vial Charm is also part of the DLC. Purchasing all three characters individually is more expensive than picking up Chapter 25, but that is only true if you intend to use Wong and Chambers.
Is Albert Wesker A Good Killer For DBD Beginners?
You will need to buy The Mastermind to use him in Dead by Daylight, but is he worth the money? Frankly, if you are a big Resident Evil fan and simply want to use Albert Wesker as your main Killer (or an alternate), then there is no need for us to present an argument for or against him. Just go ahead and pick him up.
However, the most likely situation is that most beginners will find themselves overwhelmed with choice as they try to decide which of the dozens upon dozens of icons they want to focus on. If you are a complete newcomer, your best option is to initially stick to Dead by Daylight's free Killers, as you will have quite a few good options. The Wraith is generally considered one of the easiest characters for beginners, and The Nurse and The Huntress are two of the best Killers in the game.
Now that you are starting to come to grips with Dead by Daylight, you might start thinking about picking up a DLC Killer. Albert Wesker is actually a pretty fantastic option for people who are still learning the fundamentals, as he is one of the easier characters to figure out. He is a pretty straightforward chase villain, and his basic moveset is not difficult to comprehend. He also has a fairly high skill ceiling, so you can continue to use him for a long time rather than having to shift to a better Killer after a while.
Dead by Daylight
- Released
- June 14, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Behaviour Interactive
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Stadia, Switch, Mobile
- Genre(s)
- Horror, Survival
