The fog of Dead by Daylight is about to welcome a new, ancient terror as the realms of Dungeons & Dragons collide with the Entity's grim playground. While the spectral, skeletal hand glimpsed in the teaser points almost certainly to the Undying Lich King Vecna, the vast and monstrous menagerie of D&D promises a potential future far beyond a single chapter. The possibilities stretch as deep and dark as the Underdark itself, offering killers whose very forms could rewrite the rules of fear within the Trials.

Among the most insidious candidates is the Changelings. These shape-shifters embody a paranoia long-sought by the community—a killer who wears the face of a friend. Imagine the creeping dread as a Survivor, having just healed a wounded Dwight, turns to see that same Dwight's smile twist into something far more sinister. While voice communication between friends might mitigate some of its power, the sheer psychological terror of not knowing who to trust would create a uniquely tense and poetic horror, a betrayal woven into the very fabric of the trial.

Then there are the cerebral predators, the Mind Flayers. Their iconic, alien visage—a mass of tentacles surrounding a ravenous maw—is a nightmare made flesh. Veterans of Baldur's Gate 3 know to flee at the first glimpse of their psychic aura. In the fog, their power could manifest as psychic blasts or a terrifying ability to momentarily dominate a Survivor's actions. The potential for a mori is the stuff of legend: a final, gruesome feast as the Illithid claims its prize, a moment of pure, unforgettable terror.

Perhaps no creature embodies D&D's particular brand of trickster fear quite like the Mimic. The very environment becomes a threat. That generator you're rushing to repair? Its metallic surface might ripple, revealing a toothy maw. The locker you dash into for safety could become a digestive tomb. This killer would transform the trial into a paranoid puzzle, where every interaction is a gamble. It would be a refreshing, mind-bending addition that plays on a fundamental adventurer's instinct: look before you leap, or loot.

For those who believe true horror lies in the aberrant and the inexplicably grotesque, the Gibbering Mouther stands as a masterpiece of body horror. An amorphous, gibbering blob of eyes, mouths, and ooze, its very movement would be a technological and terrifying spectacle. 🫠 The cacophony of insane whispers from its countless mouths could act as a directional audio terror, disorienting Survivors. For veterans who feel the fog has lost its sting, this creature would be a visceral, shocking reminder of primal fear.

The gothic elegance of Strahd von Zarovich offers a different, more classical tone. The vampire lord of Barovia is a ruler of nightmares, and his curse could become the Survivors'. Mechanics revolving around blood, charm, and his shape-shifting brides or wolf packs could create a killer of immense presence and strategy. He wouldn't just hunt; he would orchestrate despair from the shadows of his own dread castle, potentially brought into the trial as a unique map.

Finally, the Beholder itself, the monster that heralded this unholy alliance. Its central eye could project an anti-magic field, disabling perks or items, while its many stalks could unleash a devastating array of status effects:

Eye Stalk	Potential DbD Effect
Charm	Causes the Survivor to walk slowly toward the Killer.
Fear	Triggers the Oblivious status and random screams.
Petrification	Briefly immobilizes a Survivor in stone.
Disintegration	Inflicts deep wound or broken.

While balance would be a paramount concern, the chaotic, unpredictable nature of such a kit is the very essence of the Beholder's deadly paranoia. It would be a floating, gazing monument to absolute monstrous power.

The poetry of this crossover lies in translation—taking the terror of the tabletop and weaving it into the relentless rhythm of chase and generator. Each of these monsters represents not just a new killer, but a new language of fear: the paranoia of the Changeling, the cosmic dread of the Mind Flayer, the environmental betrayal of the Mimic, the visceral horror of the Mouther, the gothic tragedy of Strahd, and the overwhelming dominion of the Beholder. Vecna may be the first to step through the portal, but the fog has never been richer with potential nightmares, waiting for their turn to hunt.