Facing Naiad in Identity V can be a daunting task, especially if you’re unfamiliar with her mechanics and unique pressure style. As one of the hunters with strong map control and area denial capabilities, Naiad thrives on limiting survivor movement and forcing them into difficult positions using her water-based abilities. However, with the right strategy, coordination, and awareness, survivors can significantly reduce her impact and turn the tide in their favor. Understanding her strengths, weaknesses, and behavior patterns is crucial when learning how to counter Naiad effectively in Identity V.
Understanding Naiad’s Abilities
Naiad is a hunter who uses a water-based mechanic known as Tide, which accumulates around survivors caught in her mist. Her presence is defined by controlling large areas and slowly building up pressure until survivors are forced into vulnerable states.
Tide Mechanic
When survivors are within Naiad’s mist zone, a Tide Meter begins to fill. Once it reaches 100%, the survivor will begin to take damage over time, eventually leading to a down if not cleansed or healed. This makes her a threat even when she isn’t physically near, allowing her to influence kiting paths and cipher control.
Water Realm and Movement
Naiad has an ability to send her water through walls and structures, allowing her to pressure areas survivors might think are safe. Her movement ability also allows her to chase more effectively by increasing speed in her Water Realm, making kiting difficult in confined spaces.
General Tips to Counter Naiad
To counter Naiad successfully, survivors must adapt their movements, avoid enclosed areas, and make full use of map awareness. Her power grows the longer she controls an area, so constant repositioning and splitting objectives become key tactics.
- Stay mobile and avoid her mist zones whenever possible
- Use open areas to kite where her mist has less control
- Coordinate healing and cleansing when Tide builds up
- Delay decoding if necessary to avoid clumped pressure
Best Survivor Picks Against Naiad
Certain survivor characters perform better than others against Naiad due to their mobility, rescue potential, or ability to reduce her pressure. Picking the right team composition can significantly lower her effectiveness in a match.
Effective Survivor Counters
- Forward: His charge ability can interrupt Naiad during a chase or rescue, and his tankiness gives time for others to reset or decode.
- Grave Keeper: His shovel skill allows him to ignore the Tide buildup temporarily, making him one of the best rescuers against Naiad.
- Entomologist: Her bees can slow down Naiad, reduce her vision, and assist in kiting or body blocking.
- Acrobat: His bombs help create space, and his enhanced mobility gives him more control in misty areas.
Characters with speed boosts, invulnerability frames, or damage delay mechanics are especially helpful when trying to buy time or force Naiad into inefficient chases.
How to Kite Naiad
Kiting Naiad effectively requires a different approach than with other hunters. Her mist punishes survivors who stay in one place for too long, so the focus should be on wide kiting patterns and creating distance quickly.
Recommended Kiting Techniques
- Rotate early: Leave the cipher area as soon as Naiad approaches to avoid setting up her mist trap.
- Use the map’s edges: Open fields or corners of the map let you break line of sight and reduce mist impact.
- Vault windows only when necessary: Naiad’s mist can slow you near vaults, so don’t stay around them longer than needed.
- Fake direction: Since Naiad depends on guessing your path with mist, quick jukes or sharp turns can throw her off.
Being unpredictable and not getting trapped in areas where the mist can stack quickly are your best defenses while kiting her.
Rescue Strategy Against Naiad
Rescuing a teammate while Naiad controls the area with mist can be extremely risky. Her mist builds up quickly near the rocket chair, and she may trap both rescuer and rescuer if not handled properly.
Tips for Safe Rescue
- Send rescuers with delay or shield abilities to absorb Tide damage if needed.
- Time your rescue to avoid the mist’s full stack effect go in when it’s under 100% buildup.
- Use terrain to your advantage. Trees, crates, and walls can help you dodge Naiad’s approach and reduce Tide buildup.
- Have support survivors use distraction abilities (like Coordinator’s flare gun) to draw Naiad away during rescue.
When possible, rescue early or after Naiad commits to chasing someone else to lower the risk of double downs.
Decoding and Cipher Management
Survivors must manage cipher rush effectively while Naiad is pressuring. Since she excels at area denial, decoding near each other is a mistake that plays directly into her strengths.
Optimized Decoding Against Naiad
- Split up and decode ciphers in opposite corners of the map.
- Avoid ciphers in tight areas where Naiad can block off escape routes with mist.
- Designate one cipher for baiting and two others as primary decoding zones to create distraction and spread her attention.
- Rotate off pressured ciphers early instead of waiting until the mist builds too high.
Consistent communication and a flexible plan will prevent Naiad from delaying your decoding progress too much.
How to Handle End Game Against Naiad
Naiad can be dangerous in the end game due to her ability to block dungeon access or gate exits with mist. Survivors must prioritize coordination and patience during these critical moments.
End Game Survival Tips
- Have at least one survivor open the exit gate while others distract Naiad from a distance.
- Use movement boosts or items to dash through her mist during final escapes.
- Keep track of her mist patterns near the gate and use terrain for cover while waiting for the gate to open.
- Look for dungeon access early in the match and keep it in mind for a last-minute escape.
If Naiad is chasing, don’t panic her mist takes time to build up, so you still have a window to escape if you time it right.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many survivors struggle against Naiad because of a few common errors. Avoiding these mistakes will drastically improve your chances in a match against her.
- Staying too long in mist zones: Always reposition quickly to reset Tide buildup.
- Grouping around cipher machines: This lets Naiad pressure multiple survivors at once.
- Late rescues: Tide buildup can reach full during a delayed rescue, resulting in instant downs.
- Picking low-mobility survivors: Characters without good escape tools will suffer more under Naiad’s pressure.
Awareness and fast decision-making are the keys to overcoming her area control tactics.
Countering Naiad in Identity V requires a deep understanding of her mechanics, along with strategic survivor play. Avoiding her mist, rotating early, and choosing the right team composition can drastically reduce her threat level. Focus on decoding spread, smart rescues, and using characters that can survive her Water Realm pressure. With the right mindset and coordination, Naiad becomes a manageable opponent rather than an overwhelming force. Practice, communication, and adaptability are what turn a tough Naiad match into a winnable one.