Obake

The Obake is a type of ghost in Phasmophobia. Described in the journal as a shapeshifter, their primary power is their ability to create unique fingerprints.
==Behaviour==
===Abilities===
Each time the Obake interacts with a valid surface, it has a 75% chance of leaving fingerprints, instead of the usual 100%.
When creating handprints or fingerprints, there is a one-sixth (~16.7%)https://imgur.com/a/2au2yqN chance for the Obake to create a unique handprint/fingerprint pattern:
*A six-fingered handprint instead of the usual five fingers
*Two fingerprints instead of one on light switches, lamps, and TV remotes
*Five fingerprints instead of four on keyboards and Prison cell doors
The Obake occasionally triggers an ability to reduce the remaining time for all existing fingerprints on the map by half. For example, two fingerprints lingering on the map with 40 seconds and 70 seconds before timing out and disappearing are cut in half to 20 and 35 seconds remaining respectively. This ability can be triggered multiple times in quick succession, making it possible for an instance of fingerprints to last for mere seconds before vanishing.
===Hunt===
During a hunt, the Obake will occasionally shapeshift into a different ghost model of the same gender during a flicker. Dead players cannot see this shapeshift.
A shapeshift will always occur on the 12th, 27th, 39th, 54th, 62nd, 80th, 105th, 120th, and 132nd flickers (starting with the first flicker-in) of a hunt.
*This means that the first shapeshift will happen approx. 6 - 7 seconds after the grace period ended.
*This also means that the Obake will not shapeshift at all if the hunt ends prematurely (after the ghost kills a player or when all players leave the investigation area), as it will not have the time to reach the 12th flicker.
When shapeshifting, the Obake has an order of models it will use. The first shapeshift of the contract will always be using the first ghost model in the following list. The second shapeshift will then use the second model, the third one the third model, and so on with the list looping on itself. When the Obake reaches its own model in the list, it will shapeshift into itself with a more or less visible posture reset.
Male ghosts 	Female ghosts
→ → → → → →	→ → →
Both the shapeshifting and the fingerprint duration's reduction will count as an ability in the post-game statistics.
==Evidence==
On limited evidence (1/2 evidence) games, an Obake will always have Ultraviolet as one of its evidence types. This does not affect its ability to occasionally not leave fingerprints on a surface.
==Strengths and weaknesses==
These are the strengths and weaknesses as listed in the journal:
Strength: When interacting with the environment, an Obake will rarely leave a trace.
Weakness: Sometimes this ghost will shapeshift, leaving behind unique evidence.
==Strategies==
If the ghost touches a surface and leaves no fingerprints, then later leaves fingerprints on another surface, or vice versa, this usually points to the ghost being an Obake.
If an Obake is suspected, checking a touched surface with a UV Light each time it interacts with a door or the like is prudent to spotting the Obake's special fingerprints, both to maximize the chances of spotting them and to note any instances of them rapidly disappearing. Note that getting normal fingerprints, even several times repeatedly, does not rule out an Obake outright.
Although the Obake has a 75% chance to leave Ultraviolet evidence, due to probability, it is possible for the Obake to always leave fingerprints on surfaces that it touches much like any other ghost with Ultraviolet. It's also possible for an Obake to interact with nearby doors frequently enough that it can effectively "mask" an instance where it does not leave fingerprints during one interaction by instead providing them in a separate interaction moments later, as well as conceal its ability to quickly decay its fingerprints.
If you are on a zero-evidence run, the Obake will never produce fingerprints nor footprints, and hence can only be identified spotting its shapeshifting power during a hunt. Strong looping skills are very favorable in order to maintain sight on it for extended periods of time to catch it changing models during a flicker. Use of Incense or Tier III Salt can make the task significantly easier in that regard.
Note that there are difficulty settings that can change the default chance of a fingerprint being left on a surface, as well as the decay timer. Keep this in mind when playing on such custom difficulties.
==Trivia==
*In Japanese folklore, an Obake (お化け), or sometimes "Bakemono" (化け物), is said to be a type of Yokai. Literally, the terms mean a thing that changes, referring to a state of transformation or shapeshifting. These words are often translated as "ghost", but primarily they refer to living things or supernatural beings who have taken on a temporary transformation, and these bakemono are distinct from the spirits of the dead. However, as a secondary usage, the term obake can be a synonym for Yurei, the ghost of a deceased human being. 
**In English, the ghost is referred to as a general, non-specified type of an Obake. However, if set the language to Japanese, this ghost type is actually written as 化け狐 (Bake Kitsune), making this ghost specifically a fox Obake.
==History==
Early Access	Early Access
0.4.0 	Added Obake.
0.4.1.0 	Increased the chance of the Obake leaving fingerprints from 50% to 75%.
0.8.0 	The Obake now has a 1/15 (~6.67%) chance to appear as a different ghost model per flicker during hunts; will happen at least once per hunt
? 	The Obake's shapeshifting mechanics have been changed."Originally it was different, ... it was changed." Shuee, Kinetic Games Lead QA. 21 October 2024 (on Discord).
== References ==
ru:Обакэ
fr:Obake
Category:Ghosts