This is a compendium of data on Jason, how his abilities and traits work, and what to consider when deciding which Jason to pick, with a lot of information based on controlled experiments in private matches. There's plenty of nuance to the way that Jason's mechanics work, and a lot of clear metrics to determine what kind of value you are getting out of your Jason choice. This guide was previously published on Reddit (my username there is Geekboxing), but I have moved it here to Steam.

I have endeavored to make sure my data collection exercises are very clear, both to demonstrate precisely how I arrived at each conclusion, and to highlight where any possible blind spots are. This is a work-in-progress, and I will always be receptive to feedback on how to improve the quality and accuracy of this data. If you like it, please rate the guide appropriately.

This information is current as of PC patch v1.03.


The following information was added/amended on July 16:

• Stalk: Clarified that this ability does not prevent the "scrambled screen" effect that counselors see when Jason uses Morph or Shift.
  
• Sound Alerts: Added a section that describes the sound cues Jason receives when specific counselor actions occur.

In this guide, you will find everything I've learned about how Jason's abilities and traits work. Note that, every time you hear the "Ki Ki Ki Ma Ma Ma" cue, it means that Jason has received a new ability. He always receives them in the same order: Morph (Jason starts with this), Sense, Shift, Stalk, and Rage. The sound cue does not occur for Rage. I have timed ability acquisition milestones for each Jason, and they all occur at the same time in every match.


Savini Jason's +Weapon Strength trait is currently broken -- his swings deal normal damage, equivalent to not having the trait at all. In all other respects, he currently functions as expected.

The Morph ability allows Jason to teleport across the map. Note that he does not land exactly where you place the mouse cursor; there are pins placed all over the map, and Jason will land at a predetermined pin near where you click. These pins are completely predictable, so with some practice, you'll start to get a feel for where you will actually land. If a counselor is nearby (at your current location or your destination), their screen will flicker when you use Morph.

Jason begins the game with this ability.


Morph has the following cooldown rates.

• 0:20: +Morph strength cooldown (Jason Part 2). Drops to 0:13 during Rage. Maximum of 68 uses over the course of a 20-minute game, unless Jason gets Rage early.
  
• 0:30: Normal cooldown (Jason Part 3, Jason Part 7, Jason Part 8, Jason Part 9, Savini Jason). Drops to 0:20 during Rage. Maximum of 45 uses over the course of a 20-minute game, unless Jason gets Rage early.
  
• 0:40: -Morph weakness cooldown (Jason Part 6). Drops to 0:26 during Rage. Maximum of 34 uses over the course of a 20-minute game, unless Jason gets Rage early.

A +Morph strength significantly increases Jason's overall presence and ability to cycle objectives, while a -Morph weakness puts more pressure on Jason to use it carefully. This ability is Jason's primary tool for controlling objectives (including power boxes), and I would subjectively rank it as his second most critical ability behind Shift.

The Sense ability allows Jason to see counselors' current positions, if they are in his vicinity. Sense ranges naturally expands as the game goes on. Counselors will glow red when outdoors, and a cabin or tent will glow red if a counselor is inside of it (though Jason will not know their exact position if they are in a cabin). The most effective way for Jason to make this ability more useful over the course of a game is to destroy power boxes, as this leads to Fear build-up in unlit cabins. Jason cannot see counselors in hiding spots until he has Rage. Sense cannot be activated while Jason is underwater.

Jason receives this ability at the 0:45 mark.


Sense has the following cooldown rates.

• 0:10: +Sense strength cooldown (Jason Part 6, Jason Part 7). Drops to 0:06 during Rage.
  
• 0:15: Normal cooldown (Jason Part 2, Jason Part 9, Savini Jason). Drops to 0:10 during Rage.
  
• 0:20: -Sense weakness cooldown (Jason Part 3, Jason Part 8). Drops to 0:13 during Rage.

Sense also has the following maximum duration, which does not correlate in any way with the Sense strength or weakness. In fact, this seems entirely random. Maybe it's a bug?

• 0:12 maximum Sense duration (Jason Part 3).
  
• 0:15 maximum Sense duration (Jason Part 6, Jason Part 8, Jason Part 9, and Savini Jason). [Thanks to Corruptor0127 for timing Savini Jason!]
  
• 0:20 maximum Sense duration (Jason Part 2, Jason Part 7).

In practice, a Sense strength or weakness doesn't make much of a difference, because Jason can end Sense early to avoid triggering a full cooldown. Most of the time, the best tactic is to enable Sense briefly, look around, and disable it to trigger a partial cooldown. This allows Jason to spam Sense very quickly, making both the cooldown and the duration fairly trivial under most circumstances.

The Sense trait does not appear to affect the ability's range in any way.

The Shift ability makes Jason invisible, and dramatically increases his movement speed for 5 seconds. It is his best tool for catching up to nearby counselors who are fleeing from him, though it is rather difficult to control Jason in any fine way during this effect. He can cancel out of Shift by activating the ability a second time, swinging his weapon, or performing a grab. Note that Shift does not allow Jason to move through anything -- he cannot Shift through counselors' bodies, closed doors, or other objects. He CAN Shift over armed traps without getting caught, though. Shift cannot be activated while Jason is underwater.

Jason's red icon remains visible on counselors' minimap during the Shift effect, as long as he activates it while he is already visible. Regular Shift and +Shift can be used to swoop in undetected from outside of minimap range -- from long distance, or around sufficiently distant corners where line-of-sight is broken. This is often very deadly and difficult to defend against, as the counselor's only indicator that this has happened is a slightly zoomed-in camera.

Jason receives this ability at the 2:15 mark.


Shift has the following cooldown rates.

• 0:20: +Shift strength cooldown (Jason Part 6, Jason Part 9, Savini Jason). Drops to 0:13 during Rage. Maximum of 47 full uses over the course of a 20-minute game, unless Jason gets Rage early.
  
• 0:30: Normal cooldown (Jason Part 3, Jason Part 8). Drops to 0:20 during Rage. Maximum of 33 full uses over the course of a 20-minute game, unless Jason gets Rage early.
  
• 0:40: -Shift weakness cooldown (Jason Part 2, Jason Part 7). Drops to 0:26 during Rage. Maximum of 26 full uses over the course of a 20-minute game, unless Jason gets Rage early.

Shift's movement speed also differs, based on which Jason you choose. Here is approximately how long each Jason takes to Shift across the half-circle at Flat Rock on the Packanack map, from west to east.

• Traveling with the +Shift strength clears this area in 0:05 (Jason Part 6, Jason Part 9, Savini Jason).
  
• The Normal Shift also clears this area in 0:05 (Jason Part 3, Jason Part 8).
  
• Traveling with the -Shift weakness clears this area in 0:08, which is 60% slower and requires two Shifts (Jason Part 2, Jason Part 7).

Note that -Shift is not faster than the car, so you cannot effectively chase counselors who are using that escape method -- in this case, you need to Morph in front of the car to have any chance of stopping it. I will be adding speed comparisons for each level of Shift and the car soon.

Shift is Jason's most critical ability for catching and killing counselors. The +Shift strength allows Jason to be much more aggressive at chasing counselors. The -Shift weakness significantly impairs his ability to pursue fleeing counselors, demanding much better decision-making skill from the Jason player.

The Stalk ability turns off the musical cue that warns counselors when Jason is in their vicinity. It lasts for a maximum of 3:20 when standing absolutely still, and 0:20 when moving (regardless of speed). It is primarily used to buy Jason a few seconds when attempting to close distance with a counselor who is hiding in a cabin that has an already-broken door, or to trick a counselor into compromising themselves while believing that Jason has left the area. Stalk does not prevent the "scrambled screen" effect for nearby counselors when Jason uses Morph or Shift, so this can still give you away.

Jason receives this ability at the 4:15 mark.


Stalk has the following cooldown rates.

• 0:20: +Stalk strength cooldown (Jason Part 8, Jason Part 9). Drops to 0:13 during Rage. Maximum of 25 full uses over the course of a 20-minute game, unless Jason gets Rage early.
  
• 0:30: Normal cooldown (Jason Part 2, Jason Part 6, Jason Part 7, Savini Jason). Drops to 0:20 during Rage. Maximum of 20 full uses over the course of a 20-minute game, unless Jason gets Rage early.
  
• 0:40: -Stalk weakness cooldown (Jason Part 3). Drops to 0:26 during Rage. Maximum of 17 full uses over the course of a 20-minute game, unless Jason gets Rage early.

In my experience, Stalk tends to be a very underused ability. It is useful for a crafty Jason who wants to trick counselors -- Jason can, for example, use Stalk, Morph to a nearby pin, and catch the counselor as they climb out of a window. It can be a good idea to use Stalk before Morphing to an objective, as this can sometimes throw counselors off when they don't hear any music.

The Rage ability reduces all of Jason's ability cooldowns, and enables him to crash through locked or barricaded doors and interior walls instead of breaking them down with his weapon. Rage also diminishes Jason's noise detection range significantly, granting some counselors as much as an effective +7 Stealth bonus. And, once Jason unlocks Rage, occupied cabins will always glow red, even when counselors are using hiding spots.

Rage does not have any pertinent stats associated with it (either Jason has access to it or he doesn't), and it functions the same across all Jason variations. Rage is Jason's final unlockable ability, and he receives it when the meter at the top-left corner of his HUD fills up and turns red. It fills much faster as Jason takes damage. Removing Jason's mask does not have any dramatic effect on his Rage meter.

At worst, Jason will receive this ability at the 15:00 mark. This does not notify counselors with a sound cue.

(For bonus points, shout "OH YEAH!" into your mic each time you Kool-Aid Man through a door or wall.)

Each Jason is equipped with a different weapon. Some weapons (specifically Jason Part 6's spear and Savini Jason's pitchfork) have longer range than others, in the neighborhood of ~50% extended reach. The reach difference was determined using a specific large cabin rug for distance markers; see the screenshot below for a comparison of max distance where Jason Part 3 and Jason Part 6 can hit a counselor with a melee swing. Aside from the obvious benefit of having more reach vs. counselors, a longer weapon lets you break doors and windows with more safety and efficiency.


Weapon swings take approximately 1.3 seconds from startup to recovery (i.e. neutral stance, fully ready to swing again). Note that Jason's startup frames are lower than counselors', so he will always stuff their attacks. Most weapons kill counselors (with no perks equipped) in 5 hits. Jason Part 3 and Savini Jason have a +Weapon Strength trait (this is currently broken on Savini Jason), which effectively doubles their damage output, allowing them to kill counselors (with no perks equipped) in 3 hits.

Jason can throw manually targeted knives at counselors, and these have a cooldown of approximately 3.5 seconds between throws. Jason Part 6 starts with 4 throwing knives, while others start with 0. You can find more knives all over the map, stuck in walls and support beams; it takes Jason approximately 4 seconds to pick up a knife. Knives kill counselors (with no perks equipped) in 4 hits.

Jason can place traps that are similar to the counselors' bear traps (except that Jason cannot trigger them himself, and they are hidden under piles of dried leaves). He can only place these traps in natural areas (dirt, grass, etc.), and not inside cabins or on boat docks. Counselors can disarm traps by crouching and using a pocket knife on them. Jason's trap locations are marked on his map; he hears a sound effect when a trap is sprung, and the trap begins glowing on the map. Traps kill counselors (with no perks equipped) in 2-3 hits depending on their Luck stat (thanks to Reddit user D_Flavio for being persistent in convincing me to figure this one out).


Here is how many traps Jason has. He cannot get more beyond what he starts with.

• 7 Traps: Loadout w/ +Traps strength (Jason Part 2).
  
• 5 Traps: Normal loadout (Jason Part 3, Jason Part 6, Jason Part 8, Savini Jason).
  
• 3 Traps: Loadout w/ -Traps weakness (Jason Part 7, Jason Part 9).

Traps help Jason to lock down objectives -- primarily the phone box and the car. The car's gas tank is at the rear passenger side, while the battery chamber is at the front driver's side, on the right side of the hood. Note that counselors "snap" to the repair location when they press the interaction button while near it, so there is some nuance to skillful trap placement. Teams of counselors can currently bypass many trap placements, though I assume this is unintended, and will be patched out at some point.

Jason can walk, fast walk, run (Jason Part 2 and Jason Part 3 only), and swim at various speeds depending on his traits. The Can't Run trait is less "weakness" and more "Jason's default state." Please see the Shift section for details on movement speed while using that ability.


Movement speed is completely consistent across all Jason variations while walking, fast walking, and running. Here is approximately how long each mode of movement takes Jason to move across the half-circle at Flat Rock on the Packanack map, from west to east.

• Normal walking clears this area in 0:48.
  
• Fast walking clears this area in 0:30.
  
• Running (Jason Part 2 and Jason Part 3) clears this area in 0:26. This is a 13% speed advantage over fast walking.

Swimming speed differs greatly, depending on traits. This tends to be less of a concern in most matches, but here is approximately how long it takes Jason to swim from Packanack's south shore to the boat exit (from the point where he is a red dot in the water directly across from the exit, to when he hits the invisible border between the two orange cones).

• Swimming with the +Water Speed strength clears this area in 0:07 (Jason Part 7, Jason Part 8).
  
• Normal water speed clears this area in 0:11 (Jason Part 3, Jason Part 6, Jason Part 9).
  
• Swimming with the -Water Speed weakness clears this area in 0:17 (Jason Part 2, Savini Jason).

There are several other strengths and weaknesses that do not fall into any of the categories listed above. Here is what each of these traits do for Jason.

• Defense claims to reduce Jason's health (making him easier to demask), and block chance while in combat stance. Jason Part 2 and Jason Part 6 have this weakness; with a machete, Brandon normally demasks Jason in ~3-5 hits, and this weakness does not appear to change that probability at all. I am not entirely convinced that it affects block chance in a meaningful way, as I detected no difference when swinging baseball bats at Jason Part 3 and Jason Part 6 with Chad (15 hits each).

• Destruction determines how many weapon swings it takes for Jason to destroy a barricaded door or interior wall. With this trait, Jason Part 8 and Savini Jason destroy them in 3 hits. Without the trait, it takes 6 hits. Note that fragile doors (the ones with locks instead of bars) always break in 1 hit.

• Grip Strength determines how much effort it takes a counselor to escape Jason's grab. The trait amounts to a marginal (~8%) advantage or disadvantage for the counselor. Jason Part 3 and Jason Part 7 have this as a strength; Jason Part 8 and Savini Jason have it as a weakness.

• Less Hit Points claims to reduce Jason's health, making him easier to demask. Only Jason Part 9 has this weakness; with a machete, Brandon normally demasks Jason in ~3-5 hits, and this weakness does not appear to change that probability at all.

• Stun Resistance claims to affect Jason's resilience against stuns. Based on my research (hitting Jason Part 3, Jason Part 7, and Jason Part 9 50 times with a wrench, as Chad, outside of Packanack Lodge where the car spawns), all Jason variations are equally prone to stuns, in terms of both stun rate and duration. I have a lot of data on this in my counselor guide.

In practice, Defense, Grip Strength, and Less Hit Points are not relevant. Grip Strength is a non-issue, because realistically, you aren't escaping Jason's grab without a pocket knife or a buddy, no matter how fast you can tap the button. Defense and Less Hit Points (setting aside the fact that they don't actually seem to do much) don't really matter in actual play, as a coordinated team of counselors is probably going to demask Jason no matter what. And like I said, Stun Resistance doesn't actually seem to do anything either.

Destruction, on the other hand, is a very powerful trait -- and this will certainly remain true when/if the game is patched to prevent a combat-stanced Jason from knocking down doors with a shorter animation (or clipping through doors quickly by swinging at the cabin wall from an off-center position).

Jason sees the noise that counselors make (primarily from movement) as white circular pings on his HUD. Higher-Stealth counselors make less noise. This mechanic has nothing to do with Composure or Sense. Radios also generate noise pings, which counselors can (theoretically, anyway) use to distract Jason. Jason's noise detection range drops dramatically, once he unlocks Rage.

Reddit user jessehiraya discovered that Jason Part 7 has better noise detection range than all other Jasons (whose ranges are identical). This is likely an oversight; in beta, Sense picked up both noise and Fear, and I'm guessing the mechanical update was probably botched for Jason Part 7.

Jason receives sound cues for the following counselor activities.

• Counselor starts the car with the keys for the first time (Jason hears an ignition noise).
  
• Counselor finishes calling the police on the phone (Jason hears a phone dial tone).
  
• Police arrive at one of the exits (Jason hears a police siren).
  
• Counselor fails a battery, electrical box, or fuse Repair check (Jason hears an electrical zap).
  
• Counselor fails a fuel Repair check (Jason hears a spilling noise).
  
• Counselor fails a propellor Repair check (Jason hears the sound of clanging metal).
  
• Counselor gets caught in one of Jason's traps (Jason hears a trap-springing noise). The triggered trap also glows on Jason's map.

Note that Jason does NOT receive sound cues when counselors repair the car (battery + fuel repaired) or the phone (fuse repaired), when the boat is repaired or started, or when a counselor disarms one of Jason's traps using a pocket knife. The boat is 100% silent to Jason, as long as counselors do not fail a Repair skill check.

This is a quick note for everyone who is unaware or doesn't use Jason's combat stance: It is very strong. Jason can use combat stance to block melee attacks (while still sapping counselors' weapon durability), which is powerful enough in and of itself. But he can also currently block a lot of other things that will hopefully be patched: firecrackers, flare guns, traps (he can just walk over them)... basically everything except the shotgun and the sweater. He can also use this stance to leverage a faster animation when swinging at barricaded cabin doors, which is particularly strong with longer weapons.

I am not providing this information to encourage exploits, but it's well-known enough (and easy enough to use) that everyone should be aware of what Jason can potentially do to get around counselors' combat tactics, and plan accordingly.

And that's it. I will continue to update and refine this guide, and add more research as I tackle other topics on my list. Hopefully I accounted for all of the important factors; feel free to leave feedback or questions below. And again, if you find this guide useful, please rate it to help with visibility. Happy Jasoning!


Here are some ideas for things I plan to look into for future updates.

• Do some more thorough research on Jason's Defense, Less Hit Points, and Stun Resistance traits using different counselors.
  
• Record each Shift level's relative speed vs. the car.
  
• Record each Water Speed level's relative speed vs. the boat.
  
• Examine each Jason's weapon swing arc more thoroughly, to figure out whether some weapons have different arcs, or are more unwieldy than others in close quarters (I know that the answer to that last part is "yes," but I'm wondering if I can quantify it).
  
• Try to quantify Jason's grab length and startup/recovery frames.

Here are the rest of my Friday the 13th: The Game guides, for your reading pleasure:

• Full Maps With All Objective/Location Spawns
  
• Counselor Stats: Knowledge Base w/ Lots of Hard Data
  
• Counselor Tier List (data-driven analysis w/ perk advice)
  
• Jason Tier List (data-driven analysis)

My name is Ryan Scott. I spent eight years as a full-time editor and critic for popular publications like Computer Gaming World, Electronic Gaming Monthly, 1UP, and GameSpy. I've also got a couple of popular podcasts that I'd love for you to check out -- The Geekbox[www.geekbox.net] (a weekly show about video games and lots of other pop culture) and The Comedy Button[www.comedybutton.com] (a weekly show about... utter nonsense). You can also follow me on Twitter.

I am currently a professional video game consultant, which means that I collaborate with developers who are actively working on games, and help to make them a little bit better. I feel it pertinent to disclose that I contracted for Friday the 13th developer Gun Media from about 2011-2012, back when they did this kind of consultation work (before they got into game development). I have nothing to do with Friday the 13th, but I obviously sure do like it a lot.