Understanding Special Trials
Special Trials introduce sweeping modifiers to the established ruleset of standard Trials 1 and 2. They are identifiable by unique on-screen textual and visual indicators, requiring immediate strategic pivots from the player base.
Every match follows this structure:
- Trial 1: Standard objective (Collect or Capture)
- Trial 2: Standard objective (Collect or Capture)
- Trial 3: SPECIAL TRIAL — modifier active, rules altered
- Trial 4: Escape Trial — find the exit, survive
Special Trial Variants
👁️ Dolly
Identification
The trial objective text appears five times across the screen. A massive eye rises from below your screen with distorted audio.
Mechanics
When Dolly opens her eyes, players are mandated to immediately cease ALL movement. Failure to comply results in rapid damage. Fascinatingly, while Dolly's eyes are open, all other Killers and Entities on the map are paused.
Tactics
- Stop ALL movement instantly when eye appears
- Use the killer-pause window to reposition to safety
- Resume movement only after Dolly's eyes close
- The stop-and-go rhythm disrupts fluid chase evasion
2️⃣ Double Trouble
Identification
The objective text appears twice on the UI.
Mechanics
The baseline entity spawn count is multiplied by a factor of two. This doubles the frequency of required defensive interactions across the match.
Tactics
- Hyper-conservative movement strategies
- Prioritize hiding over objective completion
- Use Speed Coil more aggressively for repositioning
- Avoid exposing yourself in open areas
🌫️ Fog
Identification
Additional gray text layering behind the standard blue objective text. Vision is obscured by dense volumetric fog.
Mechanics
A dense layer of volumetric fog envelops the entire map, obscuring vision without removing light. Long sightlines become useless.
Tactics
- Abandon ranged weapons (Revolver) due to increased miss probability
- Rely heavily on Radar and audio cues for entity detection
- Stick to interior spaces with shorter sightlines
- Use Flashlight to cut through fog at close range
🌑 Blackout
Identification
The screen rapidly darkens and the area surrounding the trial objective text fades out.
Mechanics
Severe darkness restricts both peripheral and long-range visibility. Near-total reliance on artificial light sources like Flashlights and intelligence tools like Radars.
Tactics
- Flashlight (F key) is mandatory
- Agony becomes useful for navigation — it emits a light source
- Prioritize Radar over visual scanning
- Move slowly to avoid hitting geometry at full speed
🩸 Bloodbath
Identification
The trial objective text replicates itself five times across the screen.
Mechanics
A minimum of five or more Entities spawn simultaneously onto the map. This completely invalidates standard evasion routes, forcing players into a perpetual state of high-speed movement and rapid asset consumption.
Tactics
- Perpetual high-speed movement — never stop
- Rapid asset consumption to survive crossfire
- Focus on staying alive, not completing objectives
- If caught, use healing items immediately
🤖 Husk
Identification
The Husk's head graphic appears behind the objective text.
Mechanics
Trials spawn an indestructible, persistent entity known as a "Husk" that continuously tracks the player's movements, dealing proximity damage if it closes the distance. This prevents players from remaining stationary, rendering the Capture objective exponentially more difficult.
Tactics
- Never remain stationary — always keep moving
- Capture objectives become extremely difficult
- Use speed items to maintain safe distance
- Consider abandoning capture strategy for this trial
🦠 Infection
Identification
The objective text rotates and shifts to a green or black hue.
Mechanics
The server spawns an extra Entity every single time a player dies. At maximum difficulty, the map rapidly fills with lethal threats as the player count decreases.
Tactics
- Surviving veterans are punished for teammates' mistakes
- If multiple players die early, the map becomes overrun
- Prioritize escape over all objectives
- If infection stacks high, run immediately
Quick Reference Identification Chart
| Trial Type | Visual Indicator | Priority Action |
|---|---|---|
| Dolly | Objective text x5, massive eye | STOP ALL MOVEMENT |
| Double Trouble | Objective text x2 | Hide, avoid objectives |
| Fog | Gray text layers behind blue | Use Radar, avoid Revolver |
| Blackout | Screen darkens rapidly | Flashlight mandatory |
| Bloodbath | Objective text x5 | Perpetual movement |
| Husk | Husk head graphic visible | Never stand still |
| Infection | Text turns green/black | Prioritize escape |