The Best Cenobite Builds In Dead By Daylight (Update 8.2.1)

4 September 2024 - We've updated the page to reflect any recent changes to perks and abilities in Patch 8.2.1 that might impact the best Cenobite builds in Dead by Daylight.

The popular 4v1 asymmetrical horror game Dead by Daylight frequently introduces licensed killers into its ranks, inviting horror icons into The Fog. One of those licensed killers is Pinhead from Hellraiser, known in-game as The Cenobite, who can use his chains to bind survivors.

Using perks can help you make the most of Pinhead's strong ability and down survivors relentlessly. Here are the best Cenobite builds and loadouts in Dead by Daylight, including which perks you should use on this killer if you want to make your own loadouts.

The Cenobite Power And Perks

Before we delve into the best builds for The Cenobite, let's look at this killer's power and teachable perks, so you know what you're working with.

First, here are Pinhead's three teachable perks:

Power: Summons of Pain

The Cenobite's power is called "Summons of Pain." The in-game description reads as follows:

• The Cenobite can create a gateway from which to summon a Possessed Chain.

Special Attack: Possessed Chain

• Press the Power button to create a gateway and release the button to open it.
• Once opened, tap the Ability button to summon forth a Possessed Chain under your control.
• Directing the Possessed Chain into a Survivor will bind them with an uncontrolled Chain.
• Chains:
• A Survivor bound with a regular Chain is unable to sprint, suffers from the Incapacitated Status Effect, and cannot leave through the Exit Gate.
• If the Chain is not broken, a second and eventually a third Chain will appear and bind them as well, each applying a stack-able Movement Speed penalty to the Survivor.
• The Exit-Gate-Blocker lingers for 5 seconds after the Chains are removed.

Breaking Chains: 

• Bound Survivors can perform the Break Free action to break free from the Chains.
• Each Chain needs to be broken separately.
• If the bound Survivor brings any environmental object between them and a Chain's Gateway, the Chain will break immediately.
• However, this action causes a replacement Chain to spawn and attempt to rebind the Survivor.
• If other Survivors, or The Cenobite himself, walk through a Chain, the Chain will also break immediately, without spawning a replacement Chain.

Special Interaction: The Lament Configuration 

• Upon starting the Trial, the Lament Configuration spawns in a random location in the Trial Grounds, and does so after each time it has been interacted with.
• Survivors can see the Aura of the Lament Configuration, which is white when idle and yellow during an on-going Chain Hunt.
• Any Survivor can pick-up the Lament Configuration and carry it with them, but not without experiencing some suffering.

  • The Survivor suffers permanently from the Oblivious Status Effect.

  • The Survivor is intermittently attacked with Chains summoned by the Lament Configuration.

  • The Lament Configuration cannot be dropped, it must be solved to remove it from their possession.
  • Solving the Lament Configuration will indicate the Survivor's location to the Cenobite through Killer Instinct.

Special Ability: Teleportation

• While the Lament Configuration is being solved, The Cenobite can choose to teleport to that Survivor's location.
• This causes the Lament Configuration to open and bind the Survivor with three small Chains while The Cenobite completes the teleportation.

Special Ability: Chain Hunt

• If left to its own devices, the Lament Configuration eventually initiates a Chain Hunt.
• During a Chain Hunt, the Lament Configuration continuously summons Chains that pursue and attempt to bind every Survivor, until any Survivor picks up the Lament Configuration, which ends the Chain Hunt.
• The Cenobite can pick up the Lament Configuration himself, which will immediately start a Chain Hunt.
• Additionally, all Survivors are instantly bound by Chains, causing them to scream and reveal their respective locations.

Best Cenobite Builds In Dead By Daylight

The Cenobite's ability grants him a variety of boosts. Not only is he able to slow down survivors in chase using his chains, but he can also passively use the Lament Configuration to slow down survivors even further and locate them at key times.

As such, there are a lot of different ways you can play this killer. Here are just a few of the top Cenobite builds that you can try.

Beginner Cenobite Build

If you are just getting started as a new Pinhead main, it might be hard to decide which perks to use. The Cenobite needs the help of perks to find survivors and further slow them down, making this beginner build a great choice for those just starting out.

• Deadlock (The Cenobite)
  
• Whispers
• Sloppy Butcher
• Hex: Plaything (The Cenobite)

All of the perks included in this build are general perks, meaning they either come by default with The Cenobite or can be found in the Bloodweb of all killers without prestiging or reaching level 50.

Whispers help you find survivors and avoid dead zones. Deadlock provides both tracking and slowdown, while Sloppy Butcher provides more slowdown by making it harder for survivors to heal. Hex: Plaything forces survivors to waste time cleansing totems or risk you sneaking up on them as they are inflicted with the Oblivious status effect.

Franklin's Hoarder Cenobite Build

Pinhead gains a tremendous boost when he locates the Lament Configuration and completes it himself rather than letting survivors find it - but it can be challenging for the killer to locate the Box since you can't see its aura. This box assists you with locating and using the Lament Configuration.

• Hoarder (The Twins)
• Franklin's Demise (The Cannibal)
• Pop Goes The Weasel (The Clown)
• Trail of Torment (The Executioner)

Hoarder ensures that if you find a survivor picking up the Lament Configuration, you'll know their exact location and be able to target them before they can begin solving it. Franklin's Demise will force them to drop it once you hit them. Pop Goes The Weasel provides you with a generator slowdown, ensuring that the match does not end too early, while Trail of Torment provides you with both tracking and even more slowdown as it blocks generators.

What Are The Best Perks For Pinhead?

We've given you some builds to test out on The Cenobite, but you might be wondering what the best perks are on him.

A few of the best perks on Pinhead in Dead by Daylight are:

• Hoarder (The Twins)
• Whispers
• Hex: Plaything (The Cenobite)
• Hex: No One Escapes Death
• BBQ & Chili (The Cannibal)

We recommend mixing and matching the perks in the builds we've provided to create your favorite loadout. As you familiarize yourself with this killer, you'll determine which perks are your favorites and be able to mix and match these perks effectively.