Welcome to the guide that teaches you how to become a professional ghosthunter in Phasmophobia!
About this guide
A quick search on google will yield a few guides on this, so this isn’t something I discovered personally. I hope this saves you some time. Enjoy!
Equipment
Spirit Box ($50)
The Spirit Box is a type of Evidence, that can be used to ask the Ghost questions to get more information. Only certain Ghosts will respond which can be used as Evidence when identifying the Ghost. Questions and answers will be explained later on. The lights need to be turned off in order for the spirit box to work properly.
Flashlight / Strong Flashlight ($30/$50)
A flashlight is your primary source of illuminating dark areas. You have two types of flashlights, the strong flashlight and a normal flashlight. You can either lay it on tables or such or you can hold it. You can also put it on your shoulder by switching to another piece of equipment and pressing “T”.
During a hunt your flashlight will flicker until the hunt is over.
EMF Reader ($45)
The EMF Reader is used to read the strength of Electro-Magnetic Fields in the nearby environment. It can be turned on by pressing the right mouse button.
Photo Camera ($40)
The Photo Camera can take pictures of objects ingame. This equipment cannot be used for gathering evidence, but it may be required to complete additional objectives, daily challenges, or to acquire money from photo rewards upon finishing the investigation. It can be used by pressing the right mouse button.
Video Camera ($50)
This DSLR Camera is used to take videos of the paranormal. The camera has a live feed to your computer monitor in the van. Clicking the mouse cycles cameras, and clicking the keyboard toggles night vision.
Head Mounted Camera ($60)
The Head Mounted Camera can be used to help teams track each other and to see Ghost Orbs. Just put it on your head by picking it up from the wall in your van.
Tripod ($25)
The Tripod can be used to mount Video Cameras on. Picking up a video camera and placing it (or pressing F) on top of the tripod will mount the camera on the tripod. Tripods will be deployed facing the same direction as the player deploying them. You can place them by pressing “G”.
Ghost Writing Book ($40)
A Ghost Writing Book is used to obtain Ghost Writing evidence by placing it near a Ghost.
You can place it by pressing “F”
UV Flashlight ($35)
The UV Flashlight is used to detect Fingerprints and Footprints. It can be carried and activated at the same time as a standard Flashlight or Strong Flashlight, but the faint fingerprints might not be visible under their light. It can be turned on by pressing the right mouse button.
Smudge Sticks ($15)
Smudge Sticks will deter the Ghost from hunting or attacking for a period of time when burned. They can also be used to complete an additional objective (If available) Once lit, the smudge sticks will begin to smoke for roughly 15 seconds, and if the Ghost is within 6 meters, Ghost Activity will be increased marginally and the Ghost won’t be able to enter a hunt for 90 seconds (180 for Spirit).
To use the smudge sticks, you must interact with it using either a Lighter or a lit Candle. press “F” to light them.
Lighter ($10)
The Lighter is an item used to light Smudge Sticks and Candles. It creates a small amount of light when activated and held by the player.
Salt ($15)
Salt is used to detect the Ghost’s footprints. Place salt piles on the floor which the ghost can walk in, disturbing it and creating footprints that can be seen with the UV Flashlight, which can then be photographed with a Photo Camera for extra money. Each Salt Shaker can create three piles of salt, once empty it can be discarded.
Thermometer ($30)
The Thermometer is used to read the temperatures in the nearby environment.
Under temperatures at or below 0°C/32°F will cause the player’s breath to become visible, indicating and providing evidence of Freezing Temperatures. Temperatures at or below 10°C/50°F is generally an indication that the player is either in or next to the Ghost Room.
Sanity Pills ($45)
Sanity Pills replenish your Sanity level. Each bottle replenishes 40% Sanity, up to the maximum of 100%. It’s more important on higher difficulties in general due to increased sanity drain.
Crucifix ($30)
The Crucifix is a purchasable item that is used to prevent the Ghost from entering into a Hunt. The Crucifix has a range of 3 meters for most ghosts, and 5 meters for the Banshee.
Candle ($15)
Candles are deployable light sources that can be lit using a source of fire such as the lighter, which can be used to light up a room and prevent the player’s sanity from dropping.
Glowstick ($20)
The Glowstick, when activated, emits a UV light when thrown. The height of the light is half of a doorway, enabling it to detect fingerprints.
Parabolic Microphone ($50)
A Parabolic Microphone can detect sound through walls and at a great distance. When turned on, the display will show a set of numbers (00.0). The values on the display are updated every 1-2 seconds. The Parabolic Microphone is required to be pointed in the direction the sounds are being made to pick up any form of interaction on the screen.
Infrared Light Sensor ($65)
An Infrared Light Sensor that detects both human and paranormal movement. When set off, it will illuminate the surrounding area with a bright light. Although cheaper than the regular Motion Sensor, the Infrared Light Sensor does not provide feedback to the truck, nor does it count for the “Detect ghost with a motion sensor” Optional Objective.
Sound Sensor ($80)
The Sound Sensor is a sensor that can listen to the most quiet sounds and vibrations in the air. This is displayed as data at the van. The Sound Sensor will detect any noise in a boxlike area in front of the sensor itself.
Motion Sensor ($100)
The Motion Sensor is the most expensive piece of equipment in the game. But it can be very handy when tracking the movement of the Ghost, providing a visual sign and a sound when the ghost moves through it. The Motion Sensor also displays on the Site Map.
Lobby
The Lobby is a place you will spawn upon starting up the game or finishing a contract.
This room can be made into a public or private server where players may join you to prepare for an investigation.
Note: you cannot view daily challenges or change your settings once you have joined a server.
You can buy items, add items (you will have to add your items after each finished investigation), you can copy the code top right and send it to your friends so that they can join your lobby.
In the bottom left you can choose your job by pressing Select Job, by pressing the small Change button you can choose your character, as soon as everyone pressed the Ready Up button the Lobby Leader can press the Start button. By pressing the Leave button you go back to the main menu.
Once you die, you will lose all the items that you bought!
Objectives
Objectives serve as main goals in investigations.
There’s always 4 of them, each team member gets $10 for each successfully completed task (multiplied by Difficulty bonus). As soon as you complete an objective, it will be greyed out.
List of all possible objectives
- Detect a room below 10 Celsius/50 Fahrenheit with a Thermometer
- Discover what type of Ghost we are dealing with
- Have a member of your team witness a Ghost Event
- Detect a Ghosts presence with a Motion Sensor
- Cleanse the area near the Ghost using Smudge Sticks
- Capture a photo of Dirty Water in a sink
- Find evidence of the paranormal with an EMF Reader
- Capture a photo of the Ghost
- Get a Ghost to walk through Salt
- Prevent the Ghost from hunting with a Crucifix
Note: There are many objectives that can’t be finished with starter equipment.
Photos you get paid for:
- Bone (After taking a picture of it you can pick it up, it does not take inventory space)
- Fingerprints (They do not have to be visible in the photo)
- Interaction (Most ghost activities like a ghost writing book for example)
- Footprints (They do not have to be visible in the photo just like fingerprints)
- Dead player
- Ouija Board
- Dirty Water
- Ghost
The Journal
The Journal holds several important bits of information on Phasmophobia and its ghosts. It has a section explaining some of the equipment and evidence, as well as information about the different sort of ghosts you may encounter. You can also see any photos you may have taken, with a brief description if applicable.
The final page can be used to select what evidence you’ve found, and what type of ghost you think you’re dealing with.
This page is used to fill in any evidence you find in order to identify the ghost type
The Van
The Van is the starting location for every Map. It is where every player spawns, it is also the place where the equipment you added will spawn. The Van has lights that cannot be toggled, or disabled by any means, and will pause Sanity drain while you are inside.
You can find the following information inside the Van:
Sanity Monitor
The Sanity Monitor is screen in the van labelled “Team Sanity”, where you can see all players’ sanity. The Sanity monitor is not fully accurate, as it will oscillate by +/-3% in order for sanity to be perceived as more organic.
Activity Monitor
The Activity Monitor shows the activity ranging from 0 to 10, 0 indicating the Ghost is disturbing nothing, while 10 indicates a possible Hunt, the door of the ghost room closing, lights turning off in the room, and the exit door of the house closing, but not locking.
The Current Map Screen
The Site Map shows the layout of the map, players, exit doors, cameras, stairs, and the location of the fuse box. If a Motion Sensor is used, it appears as a stripe where its line of sight is. Sound Sensors will cover a large portion of the map with a yellow detection radius. A large white square-shaped switch can be found on the left side of the map, which can be used to change to different levels of the map if a location has multiple stories.
Objective Board
The Objective Board can be found in the starting van players spawn in, opposite of the Computer and adjacent to the Site Activity Monitor and Sound Sensor Screen.
Sound Sensor Screen
The Sound Sensor Screen will list up to 4 separate Sound Sensors in a bar graph format. Once sound is picked up on a sensor, a red bar will show at a certain height depending on the volume of the noise detected. This will display both player-made and ghost-made noises.
A Computer
The Computer is an equipment located on a small desk in the van. It is the only way to detect Ghost Orbs, if the Ghost has them as an evidence type. The Computer displays a live feed from any currently active camera on the map, including the head-mounted cameras players can wear, as well as the location’s camera system. Left-clicking the computer’s mouse will cycle through all currently active cameras. The computer also comes equipped with a night vision system, which can be toggled by left-clicking the keyboard.
Ghost TypesGhosts are the main focus of Phasmophobia. Ghosts will not remain passive and, once agitated or threatened, will begin initiating Hunts in which they become corporeal, seeking out to kill any player they can find. Ghosts feed off of players’ Sanity.
Spirit
A Spirit is the most common Ghost you will find, but it is still very powerful and dangerous. It is usually discovered after an unexplained death.
Spirit: Ghost Writing, Fingerprints, Spirit Box
Wraith
A Wraith is one of the most dangerous ghosts you will find. It is the only known Ghost that has the ability to fly, and has sometimes been known to see through doors and go through walls.
Wraith: Fingerprints, Freezing Temperatures, Spirit Box
Phantom
A Phantom is a fear-inducing ghost, quickly draining the sanity of those who view it. It is said to be commonly summoned by a Ouija Board, although players cannot summon one themselves, nor does a Phantom’s presence guarantee that a Ouija Board will spawn.
Phantom: EMF Level 5, Freezing Temperatures, Ghost Orb
Poltergeist
A Poltergeist is one of the most famous ghosts, also known as a noisy ghost, the ghost can manipulate multiple objects around it to spread fear into it’s victims.
Poltergeist: Fingerprints, Ghost Orb, Spirit Box
Banshee
Banshees are described as natural hunters. They will attempt to slowly stalk and pick off ghost hunters one by one by selectively targeting one investigator at a time.
Banshee: EMF Level 5, Fingerprints, Freezing Temperatures
Jinn
A Jinn is a territorial ghost that will attack when threatened. It has also been known to be able to travel at high speeds, and will do so while hunting distant paranormal investigators. However, cutting off power via the Fuse Box will limit its speed.
Jinn: EMF Level 5, Ghost Orb, Spirit Box
Mare
A Mare is the source of all nightmares, it is a ghost that grows more aggressive in the dark. Keeping the lights on and remaining out of dark areas will limit its aggression. Beware, as it will also attempt to turn the lights off to empower itself.
Mare: Freezing Temperatures, Ghost Orb, Spirit Box
Revenant
A Revenant is a violent ghost that can attack indiscriminately, as it is capable of switching its current target mid-hunt. Hiding from it will cause it to move slowly, but it will travel faster than any other Ghost in the game if a victim is in its sights.
Revenant: EMF Level 5, Fingerprints, Ghost Orb
Shade
A Shade is considered to be a “shy ghost”. While it is harder to find evidence while investigators remain in groups, a Shade is far less likely to attack if there are multiple people nearby.
Shade: EMF Level 5, Ghost Orb, Ghost Writing
Demon
A Demon is one of the worst ghosts to encounter. Being highly aggressive, it will attack more often than any other Ghost, so a crucifix is recommended to prevent Hunts. Asking the demon successful questions from the Ouija Board will not drain the player’s sanity.
Demon: Freezing Temperatures, Ghost Writing, Spirit Box
Yurei
A Yurei is a ghost whose ability increases the passive drain of a player’s sanity (Although most ghosts drain your sanity rather quickly). Smudging the room a Yurei was found in will prevent it from wandering from the location for a long time.
Yurei: Freezing Temperatures, Ghost Orb, Ghost Writing
Oni
An Oni is an aggressive ghost who scales it’s activity level with the number of nearby investigators. This is its greatest weakness, as it will likely reveal itself early in the round. It is also likely to wander around near the Ghost Room.
Evidence: EMF Level 5, Ghost Writing, Spirit BoxThe End
Credits
| Article publisher | MGN TV |
| Author | Dwizny |
| Game | Phasmophobia |