What Happens When You Cleanse a Totem in Dead by Daylight
Discover what happens when you cleanse a totem in Dead by Daylight, including dull vs hex totems, effects on gameplay, and practical cleansing strategies for survivors and killers.
Totem cleansing in Dead by Daylight is the act of interacting with a totem to remove its effects from the map, typically ending hex curses and eliminating the totem.
What Happens When You Cleanse a Totem in Dead by Daylight
What happens when you cleanse a totem in dead by daylight is surprisingly straightforward on the surface, but the implications can ripple through a match in meaningful ways. According to Cleaning Tips, cleansing a totem simply removes the totem from the map, preventing any lingering effects that totems might have historically provided. However, the real impact depends on the type of totem you target. Hex totems carry active curses that empower killers or hinder survivors; cleansing them ends those curses and reduces the killer's map pressure. Dull totems, on the other hand, do not bestow ongoing advantages or penalties while active, so cleansing them mainly clears the layout and prevents the map from becoming cluttered with inactive markers. The act itself also signals a survivor’s intention to govern the map’s danger zones and push focus away from areas that are heavily totemed.
Quick note on the context
In practice, players often weigh the risk of spending cleanse actions on hex totems versus dull totems. Hex totems can influence generator progress, aura reading, or killer visibility; removing them can temporarily level the playing field. The Cleaning Tips team emphasizes that managing totems is a strategic layer, not just a mechanic, and it interacts with killer perks and survivor objectives in meaningful ways.
Questions & Answers
What is the purpose of cleansing totems in Dead by Daylight?
Cleansing removes hex curses and neutralizes totems that could affect generator timing, killer visibility, or survivor safety. The exact effect depends on whether the totem is hex or dull and which perks are active.
Cleansing a totem removes its curse and reduces map threats, but the exact outcome depends on the totem type and active perks.
Do dull totems provide any benefit when cleansed?
Dull totems do not grant ongoing benefits while active. Cleansing them mainly removes the totem from the map, reducing clutter and preventing future hex conversions on that spot.
Dull totems have no active benefits to remove; cleansing simply clears them from the map.
Can cleansing totems affect killer powers?
If a hex totem supports a killer perk or ability, cleansing it disables or weakens that perk, which can slow the killer’s tempo by removing a map-based advantage.
Cleansing a hex totem can disable a killer’s extra power tied to that totem, changing how they pressure survivors.
How many totems should a team cleanse per match?
There is no fixed number; prioritize hex totems that contribute the most to the killer’s setup or the survivors’ safety. Balance cleansing with other objectives like rescuing, healing, and generating.
There isn’t a universal quota. Focus on hex totems that impact the killer’s power and the team’s safety, then proceed with other tasks.
Do totems respawn during a match?
Totems do not respawn within the same match. Once cleansed or destroyed, that location remains cleared for the duration of the game.
Totems don’t respawn mid match, so cleansing one permanently removes it for that round.
Is it ever better to wait before cleansing a totem?
Waiting can be strategic if hex totems are linked to critical killer perks or map control. However, cleansing hex totems early generally reduces the killer’s earlier pressure and helps the team avoid prolonged penalties.
Waiting can help if a hex totem is about to empower the killer, but cleansing early usually reduces pressure and risk.
The Essentials
- Cleansing removes a totem from the map
- Hex totems lose their curses when cleansed
- Dull totems do not grant ongoing benefits when cleansed
- Coordinate cleansing with teammates for efficiency
- Prioritize hex totems that power killer perks