Phasmophobia Ghosts Hunting Guide for Investigator

This is a basic accounting of what each tool does in my experience of using them.

Disclaimer: The play-style of players will fluctuate depending on that players method and/or experience. An experienced player may not even carry a flashlight, preferring candles and building lighting to have more inventory space. Some players may use only the UV Light. Just a disclaimer that this is my opinion first and foremost.

Items Required for Progression (subjective):

EMF Reader – Will detect ghosts interaction points with various levels of severity, a level 5 is noted as a research point.

UV Light/Glow Sticks – Needed to find prints left my ghosts, mostly on doors. A foot print does not count as progression, but a hand print on a door does.

Video Cameras/Head Cameras – Used for detecting Ghost Orbs, the room must be dark for this to work (subjective), and you generally need to be in the Ghost’s Room. Though a Ghost can roam from it’s primary room and be spotted elsewhere.

Spirit Box – Used to speak with ghosts. A ghost voice needs to be heard through the box to count towards investigation. A ghost throwing stuff/flickering lights in response to speech does not count as Ghost Box research.

Ghost Writing Book – Used to detect evidence, like fingerprints.

Note: There are 12 types of Ghosts in this game, and each one has a specific response to each stimuli. Each Ghost type has it’s preferred regulated research items, and the rest it won’t respond to. For me the book is major culprit here, most of my games I never get a Ghost that actually uses it. This is a investigative* game, you’re supposed to try each research method and see what the ghost responds to.

The Most Useful Items (in my opinion):

Super Flash Light – A weapon of immeasurable destruction, cast upon the impure grounds we mortals stride by God himself whom seeks to rid the world of the lost apparitions whom inhabit it. It’s holy beam shall light the path of any who hold its textured grip. Just kidding, it’s a brighter flashlight.

Thermometer – Used to find the Ghost’s Room at the beginning of a hunt. After that it’s pretty much useless. The Ghost’s Room is typically always between 40-51.0 F. Some people will argue that it’s only use is to find the frost-breath rooms, this is factually wrong.

Spirit Box – Used to interact with the Ghost. *You can turn it on and toss it on the floor and it works passively during the game. Some may not use it and prefer to use the general responses instead of the box-responses. (There are three types of voice commands in the game: General, Spirit Box, Ouiji Board.)

Glow Stick(s) – Useful for passively analyzing a ghosts room for fingerprints during a match, as well as tracking footprints in the Ghost’s Room.

Crucifix – Used to prevent that ghost from entering into a Hunt. You can also be placed on the ground of the Ghost’s Room to prevent a hunt. It *supposedly* has 2 uses before it’s used up. If a Ghost is already hunting, it will not save you. Example: I had a friend solo’ing a room, he had a Crucifix in his inventory but not equipped. The ghost starting hunting, he swapped to the Crucifix but the Ghost killed him anyway. It works as a preventative, not as a response item.

EMF Reader – Besides progression, it can be utilized to find ghosts.

Smudge Sticks – Can be used to halt the activity of ghosts in a room as well as completing the occasional optional objective. You need a lighter to activate it.

Lighter – Used to burn Smudge Sticks, and they’re useful. Sucks as a source of light.

Sanity Pills – Almost necessary for intermediate and professional, and useful for those gaining a footing early-on. But if the ghost is a certain type and hostile enough it’ll hunt regardless of your Sanity.

Useless Items:

Salt Shaker – Used primarily to detect the ghosts footprints, toxic to some ghosts (subjective). All ghosts can interact with Salt except the Wraith, who will not leave footprints. A ghost can step in salt every 10 seconds. Supposedly, taking a picture of Salt with footprints in it will earn you extra money at the end of a round.

Candles – Never really used them. I use the indoor lighting and a flashlight of choice, if it’s a hostile ghost that constantly flips the breaker I use just a flashlight.

UV Flashlight – Used to find hand-prints left by ghosts on doors. Though I find placing a UV light on the floor near the opposing side of the Ghost Room’s door is better. You can throw it on floor/or table aimed at the door though.

Flashlight – Use the Super Flashlight as soon as possible.

Video Camera – Besides progression, it’s somewhat useless in comparison to the Head Camera which requires no slot to carry. I suppose it could be used passively to analyze a room for Orbs for the whole duration of the match, but if you’re good at spotting them using the head cameras is preferred, and placing the stationary ones just wastes time and makes you a target.

Ghost Writing Book – Besides progression, it’s kinda funny when the Ghost casually makes it into a Frisbee.

Starting off, I should mention that if you die during the game playing solo, or if your team gets wiped you will lose all of your purchased items that you brought along with you.

You’ll be refunded a certain about of “insurance”, but it won’t equal out to the original amount you spent on the gear you brought along. But this will fluctuate depending how much you actually brought with you.

When the game starts, you’ll want to listen to the radio. He’ll say if the Ghost has violent tendencies, or if the Ghost is a more quieter/shy type. Nothing is definitive it seems, but it’s a decent hint. You don’t actually interact with the radio. The dialogue automatically plays at the start of any match.

After that, you’ll want to look at your board. It’ll give you some more insight into the ghost. If there’s a reliance upon Sticks and Crucifixes, it may indicate towards a more violent Ghost.

Preparation:

I like to break each team member into roles: Speaker, Runner, and Recon.

• Speaker will equip a Super Flashlight, Ghost Box, and Crucifix.
• Runner will equip a Super Flashlight, Thermometer, and a random research item.
• Recon will equip a Thermometer/Microphone, and begin deploying research items.
• Runner(2) will do the same thing the first Runner is doing.

– Speaker is in charge of standing in the Ghost’s Room to speak with the Ghost, creating events that can be analyzed by the rest of the team.

– Runner will find the room whilst the Speaker instigates the Ghost, then spend the rest of the match running research items and other items to the Ghost’s Room.

– Recon assists Runner in finding the Ghost’s Room, and then deploys research items at his discretion. That player will also be watching for activity and watching for Ghost Orbs.

Entering the House:

Make a note of where the breaker is early on. The Ghost will probably eventually flip the breaker in an attempt to drain your teams Sanity faster, especially if it hates lights or is aggressive. Once the Sanity reaches a low enough point it will begin hunting and killing. The breaker is usually in the garage or basement on the three cul-de-sac’s. In the wooden cabin you’ll find it on the right as you enter, or upstairs in the room on the far right. But the location of the breaker will vary as it’s RNG-dependent.

Finding the Ghost’s Room:

Runner will travel around the house going room-to-room scanning each room’s temperature. The Ghost’s Room will be between 40-50 F with some major fluctuations. There are some greater exceptions, but that’s the typical range. If it’s a particular kind of Ghost you’ll also encounter frosty-breath in that same room. The normal rooms in the house will be around 61-65 F.

– Runner(2) will assist.
– Recon will assist.
– Speaker will instigate the Ghost, if the Ghost reacts chances are that it will do so in its primary room. Though speaking to it may make it move to your current location. But that original room will still be cold.

After you find the Ghost’s Room:

Place a Glow Stick near the Ghost’s Room door. If the Ghost leaves prints during the match, it’ll be seen on that door.

Setting up your Research Point:

You’ll be doing this a lot. Speaker instigates the Ghost, Runners deliver stuff, Recon looks for Ghost Orbs. It’s a repeat of delivering items and getting the Ghost to interact with the items you bring it.

Oh, and try to avoid death. Good luck. 🙂

That’s basically it for the houses. But remember that the objectives are optional. If you get greedy and die, you’ll lose everything you brought with you. Then you’ll get to spend your optional objective bonuses for the next few games on the gear you lost when you died on this one. When that timer runs out or when the Ghost becomes hostile it’s better to get outta’ Dodge to live another day.

Q and A:

Q: What about the dirty sink picture? A: Well, you can try to get the Ghost to go into the bathroom or kitchen to perform it but the Ghost may not want to come out of it’s room. Most of the time if the Ghost isn’t near a bathroom we don’t even attempt because we know we’ll just be sitting in a dark bathroom speaking into the Ghost Box for 10 minutes. If the Ghost’s primary room is near a sink, in a bathroom, or in a kitchen have at it. Chances are it’ll do it anyway. Even if you get it in the bathroom it’ll probably click the lights or fiddle with the door instead. Purely random.

Q: How do I complete the “defend yourself with a Crucifix” objective? A: Turn off the lights and stand in the Ghosts room by yourself in the dark with the Crucifix equipped. We’ll typically also set the Spirit Box on the floor and spam the Ghost’s name over and over to instigate violence.

Q: How do I complete the “have a team member witness a Ghost Event” challenge? A: This objective is incredibly easy. Just stand in the Ghost Room together and you’ll probably knock this one out without even trying.

Q: What is the “Smudge Stick” objective? A: There’s a white potato looking bundle of herbs you can buy called a Smudge Stick for $15. You just burn it in the Ghost’s Room using a Lighter, which you also purchase. Probably the second-easiest challenge to complete.

General Tips for Survival:

1. You can toss a Crucifix on the floor of the room you’re investigating to prevent a hunt. But it only protects you twice. A hunt can be identified by a flickering flashlight, an appearance from the Ghost itself, and/or a sharp shrill.

2. You don’t need to hold the Spirit Box for it to count, you can turn it on and toss it on the floor.

3. Avoid saying the Ghost’s name unless you know what you’re doing. If it’s hostile it may provoke it into attacking regardless of your Sanity.

4. Certain Ghosts, especially on higher difficulties, may attack regardless of what your Sanity is at. I got hunted by an aggressive Wraith at 90% Sanity once.

5. Each Ghost obviously has a type, but each ghost also has a various level of hostility. You may encounter a mild Demon, or an aggressive Mare. It’s various, and depends on RNG at the start of each match.

This list will be updated as we learn more and more about the game.

For this one I utilize a different yet similar method, you can even do this one solo on Amateur if you know the right method. Though I’d recommend at least two people. With High School and Asylum on Intermediate or Professional I’d heavily recommend three or four people.

Note: This game is subjective to the player’s play style, there are several methods to progression. But this is my method.

Required Items:

• x4 Sound Sensors
• x2 Thermometers
• x2 Microphones
• x2 Head Cams or x2 Stationary Cams
• x2 Sanity Pills
• x2 Glow Sticks
• x2 Crucifixes
• x2 Super Flashlights
• x1 Writing Book
• x1 EMF

Optional:

• x2 Light Sensors
• x2 Motion Sensors

For three or four people I’d up to x4 Thermometers, x4 Head Cams, x4 Sanity Pills, x4 Crucifixes, and x4 Flashlights.

Starting off, listen to radio and read to board. Do we have a hostile Ghost or a calm Ghost? There’s no definitive answer yet (and the Ghosts can be a bit random) but it’s a helpful tip.

Two people need to grab a Flashlight and a 2 Sound Sensors each, those are the white ones. Third and Fourth person (if avaliable) are gonna be running Thermometers and Microphones trying to find the Ghost’s Room preferably as quickly as possible.

Remember, when you enter the school you want to listen very closely. If you hear a faucet or a phone ringing those are pretty much striking gold on this map. Find that sound, you find the room.

Sound runners are going to want to enter the school from the Side Entrances and place Sound Sensors in the directions seen in the image. If you place them on the wrong side it won’t have an efficient coverage. The goal here is to create a coverage that can effectively eliminate a majority of the 1st Floor. Which means only the cafeteria, gym, and 2F will remain.

If you have only two people and haven’t heard a phone or sink yet, return to the truck and swap out for Thermometers and Microphones. One person can stay and listen for something on the first floor using the Sound Sensor.

The other people should be in the school with Microphones and Thermometers looking for the Ghost’s Room. Using the Microphone is easy enough, sweep left and right. If you pick up a 1.5 it’s your own equipment, if you pick up anything higher than a 2 it’s probably the Ghost.

Once you find the room it’s the usually investigative recipe, bring stuff to the room, instigate, get the research, and get out.

Good luck.

Phasmophobia (noun)
fas′mō-fō′bē-ă
The morbid fear of ghosts.

Types of Ghosts:

• Spirit
• Wraith
• Phantom
• Poltergeist
• Banshee
• Jinn
• Mare
• Revenant
• Shade
• Demon
• Yurei
• Oni

A Spirit is a the most common spectral, usually discovered at one of their hunting grounds after an unexplained death.
Unique Strengths: None.
Unique Weaknesses: Using Smudge Sticks on a Spirit will halt attacks for a long period of time.
Evidence: Spirit Box, Fingerprints, Ghost Writing.

A Wraith is one of the most dangerous Ghosts. It is the only known Ghost that has the ability of flight, and can travel through walls at will.
Unique Strengths: Wraiths almost never touch the ground, cannot be tracked by footsteps.
Unique Weaknesses: Wraiths have a toxic reaction to Salt.
Evidence: Fingerprints, Freezing Temperatures, Spirit Box.

A Phantom that can possess the living, most commonly summoned by a Ouija Board. It induces fear into those in it’s proximity.
Unique Strengths: Looking at a Phantom will considerably drop your Sanity.
Unique Weaknesses: Taking a photo of the Phantom will make it temporarily disappear.
Evidence: EMF Level 5, Ghost Orb, Freezing Temperatures.

A Poltergeist is known as a noisy Ghost that can manipulate objects around it to spread fear into it’s victims.
Unique Strengths: Can throw huge amounts of objects at once.
Unique Weaknesses: Almost ineffective in an empty room.
Evidence: Spirit Box, Fingerprints, Ghost Orb.

A Banshee is a natural hunter and will attack anything. It is known to stalk it’s prey one at a time until making its kill.
Unique Strengths: Will only target one person at a time.
Unique Weaknesses: Fears the Crucifix and will be less aggressive when near one.
Evidence: EMF Level 5, Fingerprints, Freezing Temperatures.

A Jinn is a territorial Ghost that will attack when threatened. It has also been known to be able to travel at significant speed.
Unique Strengths: A Jinn will travel at a faster speed if it’s victim is far away.
Unique Weaknesses: Turning off the locations power source will prevent the Jinn from using it’s ability.
Evidence: Spirit Box, Ghost Orb, EMF Level 5.

A Mare is a source of nightmares, making it most powerful in the dark.
Unique Strengths: A Mare will have an increased chance to attack in the dark.
Unique Weaknesses: Turning on the lights on around a Mare will lower its activity.
Evidence: Spirit Box, Ghost Orbs, Freezing Temperatures.

A Revenant is a slow but violent Ghost that will attack indiscriminately. It has been rumoured to travel at a significantly high speed when hunting.
Unique Strengths: A Revenant will travel at a significantly faster speed when hunting a victim.
Unique Weaknesses: Hiding from the Revenant will cause it to move very slowly.
Evidence: EMF Level 5, Fingerprints, Ghost Writing.

A Shade is known to be a shy Ghost. It will stop all paranormal activity if there are multiple people nearby.
Unique Strengths: Being shy means it’ll be harder to find.
Unique Weaknesses: The Ghost will not enter hunting mode if multiple people are nearby.
Evidence: EMF Level 5, Ghost Orb, Ghost Writing.

A Demon is one of the worst apparitions you can encounter. It will attack without a reason.
Unique Strengths: Demons will attack more often than any other Ghost.
Unique Weaknesses: Asking a Demon successful questions on the Ouija Board won’t lower the users Sanity.
Evidence: Spirit Box, Ghost Writing, Freezing Temperatures.

A Yurei is from traditional Japanese beliefs, if a person dies in a sudden or violent manner such as murder, if the proper funeral rites have not been performed, or if they are influenced by powerful emotions such as a desire for revenge, love, jealousy, hatred, or sorrow. That person will transofrm in a Yurei which can bridge the gap back into the physical world.
Unique Strengths: Yurei’s have been known to effect Sanity faster.
Unique Weaknesses: Smudging the Yurei’s room will cause it to not wander around the location for a long time.
Evidence: Ghost Orb, Ghost Writing, Freezing Temperature.

An Oni is a symbol in Japanese folklore when a truly wicked human dies and end up in one of the many Buddhist Hells, transformed into a type of demonic creature often of great strength and fearful appearance. They become more active around their prey.
Unique Strengths: Oni’s are more active when people are nearby and can move objects at great speed.
Unique Weaknesses: Being more active will make the Oni easier to find and identify.
Evidence: EMF Level 5, Spirit Box, Ghost Writing.