Quick answer
New player sees status effect icons and wants to know which ones affect immediate survivor or killer decisions.
What status effects are
Status effects are temporary rules added by perks, powers, items, add-ons, or match events. Beginners do not need to memorize every icon at once. Start with the effects that change whether you can take a hit, heal, mend, or escape a chase.
- If an effect changes health states, treat it as urgent.
- If an effect changes speed or aura information, adjust your route.
- If you do not understand an icon, play safer until you see what caused it.
The first icons to learn
Exposed, Deep Wound, Broken, Endurance, and Haste are common beginner pain points because they change basic instincts. Exposed punishes careless hits. Deep Wound asks you to mend. Broken blocks healing. Endurance can protect a survivor briefly. Haste changes chase distance.
- Exposed means a healthy survivor can go down from a basic attack.
- Deep Wound means the survivor must mend before the timer becomes fatal.
- Broken means healing is unavailable until the effect ends.
How to use icons during a match
Do not stare at the UI so long that you stop playing. Use the icon to decide the next job. Survivors should ask whether they need distance, a mend, a gate, or a teammate. Killers should ask whether the effect creates a real down, a forced reset, or a chase they should drop.
- After rescue, check whether Endurance is active before taking a hit.
- If Broken is active, stop wasting time trying to heal.
- If Haste is active, expect distance to change on the next loop.
Recommended next pages
These next pages split the most urgent beginner icons into practical survivor and killer choices.
Do beginners need to memorize every status effect?
No. Learn the effects that change immediate decisions first: Exposed, Deep Wound, Broken, Endurance, and Haste. Add the rest as you meet specific killers and perks.
Where should I look when a status effect appears?
Look at your health state, the killer position, and your current job. The icon matters because it changes whether healing, taking a hit, or staying in chase is still safe.