Chams (short for "chameleon") renders player models in bright, solid colors that are visible through all walls, obstacles, and terrain in Dead by Daylight. Unlike traditional ESP boxes or skeleton overlays, chams replaces the actual character model rendering with a colored version that ignores depth — making players impossible to miss, even in the darkest maps.
This guide covers how chams works in TATE DBD, the difference between chams and ESP, and optimal configurations for both killer and survivor gameplay.
Chams vs ESP — What Is the Difference?
| Feature | Chams | ESP Boxes | ESP Skeleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual style | Colored 3D model | 2D rectangular box | Wireframe skeleton |
| Depth perception | Excellent — see exact pose and distance | Basic — box size indicates distance | Good — skeleton shows pose |
| Visibility through walls | Full model visible | Box outline visible | Skeleton visible |
| Information density | High — pose, direction, action | Low — position only | Medium — pose and position |
| Performance impact | Moderate | Low | Low |
| Screen clutter | Low — intuitive colored models | Medium — boxes can overlap | Medium — skeletons can be hard to read |
The key advantage of chams over ESP is information quality. A colored 3D model tells you the exact pose, facing direction, and action of every player. You can see if a survivor is crouching, running, repairing a generator, healing, or looking in your direction — all from behind a wall.
Chams for Killer Gameplay
As killer, chams provides unmatched tracking information. Every survivor on the map is rendered as a bright colored model visible through all obstacles:
- Generator tracking: See survivors actively repairing generators through walls — know exactly which generators to pressure
- Stealth detection: Survivors hiding in lockers, behind objects, or in dark corners are impossible to miss
- Chase assistance: Track survivor movement during loops, pallet drops, and window vaults through the loop structure
- Hatch finding: Combined with object ESP, see both the hatch and the last survivor simultaneously
- Hook proximity: See survivors approaching hooked teammates for rescue attempts
Recommended Killer Chams Colors
- Survivors: Bright red — maximum visibility against all map backgrounds
- Hooked survivors: Yellow — distinguish hooked survivors from free ones at a glance
- Injured survivors: Orange — prioritize chasing injured targets
- Dying survivors: Grey — lowest priority targets
Chams for Survivor Gameplay
As survivor, chams shows the killer's position at all times — effectively eliminating the core tension mechanic of Dead by Daylight. But that is exactly the point:
- Killer tracking: Know the killer's exact position, direction, and action at all times
- Safe generator selection: Work on generators far from the killer's current patrol route
- Loop preparation: See the killer approaching a loop and pre-position for the optimal path
- Unhook timing: Approach hooks when the killer is far enough away for safe rescues
- Exit gate safety: See the killer's position during endgame to choose the safer exit gate
Recommended Survivor Chams Colors
- Killer: Bright red — always know where the threat is
- Teammates: Green — track teammate positions for coordination
- Injured teammates: Yellow — identify teammates who need healing
Chams on Dark Maps
Dead by Daylight's darkest maps are where chams provides the most dramatic advantage. Maps like Yamaoka Estate, Backwater Swamp, and The Dredge's realm have areas so dark that survivors can hide simply by standing still in a shadow. Chams renders them in solid bright colors regardless of ambient lighting.
Combined with ESP features, chams on dark maps eliminates any possibility of survivors using stealth builds effectively against you.
Performance Considerations
Chams has a slightly higher performance impact than ESP boxes because it modifies how 3D models are rendered rather than drawing simple 2D overlays. On most modern hardware, the impact is 3-5 FPS. If you experience frame drops:
- Reduce chams render distance (200m is usually sufficient for DBD maps)
- Disable chams for dying/hooked survivors to reduce rendered models
- Use ESP boxes for distant players and chams only for nearby players (hybrid mode)
Configuring Chams in TATE DBD
- Open the TATE DBD menu after injection
- Navigate to the Visuals tab
- Enable Chams and select your preferred color scheme
- Set render distance (200-300m recommended)
- Configure color assignments for each player state
- Enable or disable chams for specific categories (killer, survivors, hooked, dying)
- Adjust transparency if you prefer semi-transparent models over solid colors
Combining Chams with Other Features
Chams works excellently with other TATE DBD features:
- Auto skill check + Chams: Repair generators while tracking killer position through walls — know exactly when to leave the gen
- Speed hack + Chams: Move faster while tracking all players for maximum map control
- Wallhack + Chams: Full wall transparency plus colored models for ultimate visibility
Detection and Safety
Chams is a client-side rendering modification that is invisible to other players. The killer cannot see your colored model rendering, and survivors cannot see the killer's chams on your screen. EAC detection depends on the cheat driver, not on which visual features you enable.
Run the HWID spoofer before every session for hardware ban protection.
Bottom Line
Chams is the premium visibility feature in Dead by Daylight cheats. It provides richer information than ESP boxes with more intuitive visual feedback. For killer players, it eliminates stealth entirely. For survivors, it removes the game's core tension by making the killer permanently visible. Combined with auto skill check and speed adjustments, chams is a cornerstone of the TATE DBD experience.
Visit the Dead by Daylight product page for the full feature set. For a complete overview, see our Best DBD Cheats 2026 guide.