Guides/Identifying ghosts

This guide will teach you how to identify ghosts in Phasmophobia.
== Using evidences ==
The standard way of identifying a ghost is by collecting evidence. The list below presents a brief overview on how to collect evidences; more information may be found in their respective pages.
=== D.O.T.S Projector===
A silhouette will appear when the ghost enters a "D.O.T.S state".
===EMF Level 5===
When the ghost interacts with a door or object, take an EMF reader and check for any EMF level 5 readings at that spot. If the ghost has EMF Level 5 as one of its evidences, there is a 25% chance for that interaction to show level 5 instead of level 2 or 3. You can also use a Ouija Board to check for EMF level 5 by repeatedly asking questions with a reader nearby. Note that electronic interference during hunts or ghost events will never result in a reading of level 5, though it can be obtained if the ghost leaves EMF 5 on an object and moves far enough during a hunt.
===Ultraviolet===
When a ghost interacts with a door, light switch, or window, take a UV Light and shine it around the object it interacted with. On some maps, the ghost can leave fingerprints on many more objects, including string light poles, cooler boxes, tent windows, and more. Be aware that each fingerprint will only last 2 minutes (or 1 minute on Insanity difficulty) before disappearing, and some could last for much shorter if the ghost is an Obake. Alternatively, the ghost can leave footprints behind after stepping in salt.
===Freezing Temperatures===
Freezing Temperatures can be confirmed using the thermometer with a reading of less than 0°C or 32°F. The player's cold breath does not count as Freezing Temperatures.
===Ghost Orb===
Ghost Orbs can be viewed via video cameras and appear as a small dot that glides around slowly, flashing in and out of existence. Unless the ghost room changes on higher difficulties, they will remain in the same room, but will move around the room from time to time. Take care in observing them in snow or foggy weather; snow will never go upwards while Ghost Orbs may move in any direction, while fog may make it harder to see.
===Ghost Writing===
Ghost Writing works similar to the D.O.T.S. Projector in that the player simply waits for it appear. However, Ghost Writing can take a much longer time to appear than the D.O.T.S. Projector silhouette. Removing all others props in the room (excluding player equipment) may help to increase the chance of the ghost choosing the book to interact with.
===Spirit Box===
When asking questions using the Spirit Box, ensure that the lights are off in the room, have only the questioner in the room if the ghost is stated to respond only to people who are alone (or on Professional difficulties and higher), and ask multiple times per room to improve accuracy. The ghost must be within the Spirit Box's range. Doing this only after the ghost has been located is usually less tedious.
==Using traits==
If the ghost refuses to give certain evidence, and when some pieces of evidence are hidden, observing the ghost's abilities and traits may be advantageous in finding out the ghost type. Certain ghosts will exhibit traits and behavior exclusive to their type, such as Mares interacting with lights more often, or Onis being more active and causing more ghost events. However, some of these traits are also subject to the game's random nature, and may or may not manifest itself because of this.
=== General tips===
On Nightmare difficulty, after having obtained two pieces of evidence, it is generally best practice to compare the "tests" that can be performed, and first conduct those that are more objective, or easier to observe. For example, when given a choice between Mare and Revenant, it is usually easier to check the ghost's speed during a hunt, as the Revenant's slow wander or fast chase speed can identify it immediately, instead of looking for abilities from the Mare like instant light-switching or light-shattering ghost events, as these are more prone to error due to the game's random nature. In addition, certain behaviours that the ghost exhibits any time in the contract may allow for instant identification or elimination, such as the Obake's six-fingered handprints or the Oni's inability to produce a smoke ball ghost event.
Since the rate of ghost footsteps is tied to its speed, listening to the rate of footsteps will be useful in eliminating or confirming ghosts.
===Narrowing ghosts to one with specific traits===
The following section is for ways to identify ghosts via specific traits and behaviours. A list of mechanics of each ghost can be found in their respective pages.
An evidence icon below the ghost's name (e.g. Deogen ) means that the evidence is guaranteed for that ghost. This means that on difficulties with 1/2 evidence (e.g. Nightmare), that one of those 1/2 evidences will always be the guaranteed evidence for that ghost. If you do not obtain that evidence, then you can eliminate that ghost as a possibility. This does not apply on 0-evidence difficulties.
Ghost 	Tests, unique identifiers, or anti-tells	Other possible identifiers
Banshee 	
* Will target a single player, ignoring all other players
** If target is outside building/investigation area, will hunt normally (i.e. can chase and kill other players)
** Test: During a hunt, have all players hidden inside the building, then let one player attempt to bait the ghost through line-of-sight (LoS) (e.g., by looping); if the ghost ignores the player, then it is a Banshee. If the player is chased, repeat with another player.
* Chance of emitting a shriek-like sound via Parabolic Microphone (33% to replace a whisper)	
* More likely to perform singing ghost events
* Frequently wanders away from favourite room to target; use motion sensors to check. Seeing ghost activity far away from the favourite room (especially on larger maps) could indicate a Phantom/Wraith/Banshee/The Twins, but this will be more common with Banshee
* Hunts based solely on target's sanity (even if outside); no hunts despite low average sanity but with one high-sanity player may indicate them as target, and vice versa
Demon 	
* Minimum hunt cooldown of 20 seconds, instead of standard 25 seconds (excluding cursed hunts)
** Test: If it hunts before 25 seconds, it is a Demon. Hunting 25 seconds or later does not exclude Demon
* Hunt sanity threshold of 70%, with rare chance to hunt at any sanity	
* Smudging prevents regular hunts for next 60 seconds, instead of standard 90 seconds
** Test: If it hunts within 60 - 89 seconds, it is probably a Demon; hunting only after 90 seconds does not exclude Demon
** Take care to not use Incense when the ghost is standing on stairs, as this can cause the cleansing effect to miss - hunting before 60 seconds means that the ghost was not actually cleansed
* Effective crucifix range is 50% larger
** Having a lazily placed crucifix burn when the ghost would normally not have used it may indicate a Demon, though ghosts could happen to wander away from their room into the crucifix's range
** A crucifix being used while still on the van wall on 42 Edgefield Road is almost certainly a Demon (usually in the garage or master bedroom)
Deogen 	
* Always knows the location of all players, and speed is based on distance to currently targeted player (3 m/s when further than 6 metres, 0.4 m/s when closer than 2.5 metres)
** Test: During a hunt, stay near or in a hiding spot, and listen for the ghost running quickly to a player and slowing down massively as it approaches
** The Thaye has a similar speed to a Deogen far away when young; prepare an Incense in case it is not a Deogen
* When using the Spirit Box within 1 metre of the Deogen, 33% chance per question to produce a loud wheezing sound instead of a regular response
** Set up motion sensors to accurately track the ghost's location, and use the spirit box near it
** Ghost event/hunt vocalisations do not count	
* Hunt sanity threshold of 40%
Goryo 	
* D.O.T.S Projector silhouette only visible through a video camera, and while no players are in the ghost's current room
** Seeing the silhouette without a video camera eliminates Goryo
** Not based on where the D.O.T.S Projector or favourite room is; if you are in the favourite room and the Goryo roams out, you could still see the silhouette
** Ghost events and hunts are not affected by this ability
* Will never change favourite room; the ghost doing so (having confirmed by Haunted Mirror or other means) eliminates Goryo
** Never changing favourite room could be (but not definitely) a Goryo; the larger the room is, the less likely the ghost is to change rooms	
* Cannot wander far distances; ghost activity being relatively confined to favourite room and immediate vicinity (excluding ghost events and hunts) could indicate a Goryo
Hantu 	
* Speed based on room's current temperature and will not speed up on line-of-sight: slowest at 1.4 m/s when above , fastest at 2.7 m/s below 
** Test: Listen for hunt speed; if it is very fast in a cold room (favourite room is usually but not always cold) but slower in warm rooms, then it is probably a Hantu. Alternatively, turn the fuse box off, then listen for its footsteps over several hunts
* Will never turn on the fuse box; a ghost doing so eliminates Hantu
* Will emit freezing breath during a hunt if fuse box is turned off	
* Twice as likely to turn off the fuse box relative to other ghosts
Jinn 	
* Speed fixed at 2.5 m/s if three conditions are met: fuse box is on, Jinn is chasing player, and the player is further than 3 metres. Otherwise, chases at standard ghost speed
** Test: Stand at the end of a long hallway or room, then wait for ghost to appear at the other end. If its speed increases instantly and not over a period of time, then it is a Jinn
** Unlike Revenant, has normal speed when not chasing a player, and ability is not based on hearing player or detecting electronics
* Occasionally, decreases sanity of a player in same room or within 3 metres by 25%, giving an EMF reading at the fuse box
** Test: Place EMF Reader on fuse box. If it rings without anything else happening, then it is likely the Jinn's ability. Note that the fuse box turning on or its door moving is not indicative. Depending on where EMF is placed, it could also be another ghost using its own ability while standing near the fuse box
* Will never turn off fuse box directly, but can still overload it if too many lights are turned on (set limit based on map size)	
* Fuse box never being turned off after a long time could mean (but not definitely) a Jinn
Mare 	
* Will never turn individual lights on; a ghost doing so eliminates Mare
** This does not include televisions, computers, car alarms, or radios
* Has a chance of turning the lights off immediately if a player turns it on nearby, giving an EMF 2 reading
** Note that any ghost can do this by chance
** 10-second cooldown on a per-light basis, if you turn the light on before the cooldown is over it will restart
** Mare must be within 4 metres of the light to potentially trigger ability	
* Hunt sanity threshold: 40% if lights on, 60% if off
** Applies even if fuse box is off/broken
* Decreases interactions if room is lit
* More likely to perform light-shattering ghost events
* Less likely to roam into a lit room; having the ghost roam frequently when lights are on could indicate a Mare
Moroi 	
* Curses a player if Spirit Box response obtained or whisper through Parabolic Microphone heard. This doubles their sanity drain, and lights will not stop sanity drain. Curse temporarily pauses when player is outside the house, and Sanity Medications remove the curse for a player.
** Take note of sanity at time of receiving spirit box/paramic response and a few minutes after; if one person's sanity drops noticeably quicker than others, then it could be due to the curse
** Sanity can drain in other ways, such as ghost events or abilities; try to eliminate these possibilities
* Speed based on current average sanity (1.5 m/s base speed above 45% sanity, 2.25 m/s at ~0% sanity). Will also increase speed in line-of-sight
** If base speed increases over several hunts, then it could be a Moroi
** Ensure that it is not a Hantu by keeping the fuse box on (if possible)
* Smudging during a hunt "blinds" the Moroi for 50% longer.	
Myling 	
*Footsteps and vocalisations can only be heard within 12 metres (instead of 20 metres)
* Test: Go to a hiding spot and place an active electronic on the ground. If the ghost's footsteps/vocalisations are audible only when the specified electronic starts flickering (within 10 metres of ghost), then it is probably a Myling
** Note that the Raiju interferes with electronics from further (15 metres)
** This test is not reliable if the ghost is on a different floor, since electronics will not flicker
** Some vocalisations can be very soft; try listening for footsteps in this case
** Note the audible range being slightly larger than the interference range. Some specific audio setups may allow you to hear the ghost before electronics flicker	
* Increased frequency of paranormal sounds when listening through parabolic microphone
Obake 	
*16.7% chance to leave unique fingerprint pattern: Six-fingered handprints instead of five, two fingerprints on light switches instead of one, and five fingerprints on keyboards and Prison cell block gates instead of four
*During a hunt, can appear as a different ghost model during a flicker
* 25% chance to not leave fingerprints when interacting with a valid surface (for standard difficulties). If you see it leave a fingerprint once but not on another time, then it is probably an Obake
* Occasional ability to halve the remaining duration of existing fingerprints on the map	
Oni 	
* Will never cause "airball" ghost event (airball chases a player, before disappearing with a hiss); a ghost doing so eliminates Oni
** Will still hiss if it manifests to chase a player and disappears due to colliding with the player
** Some maps have a larger mist that will fly out of the building in a straight line and disappear. Seeing this also eliminates Oni
* Will be visible for a longer period when flickering during hunts; seeing a ghost that doesn't disappear as often as other ghosts during a hunt makes it probably an Oni	
* During ghost events, more likely to use its full ghost model instead of a shadow or translucent form
* Double sanity drain during a ghost event if it collides with a player (20% instead of 10%)
Onryo 	
* If attempts to hunt within 4 metres of a flame (firelight, igniter, Maple Lodge Campsite campfire), it will blow out the flame instead
* In addition, prioritises blowing out a flame instead of using a crucifix
* Confusingly, every third flame that the Onryo blows out will also cause it to hunt
** Can still be prevented by normal methods (crucifix/incense/another lit flame)
* Test: At high sanity, place a crucifix down, then a lit firelight directly on top of it. Let it blow out the firelight 3 times; if it hunts on the third blowout, then it is likely an Onryo (try to eliminate Demon as a possibility)
** This test is better performed using Tier I or II crucifixes, since they have a smaller or equal range as a flame. Tier III crucifixes may lead to inaccurate results if the ghost attempts to hunt within range of the crucifix but outside range of the flame
* Test: Spread out multiple lit firelights in the favourite room and nearby (as desired), then keep them continously lit while average sanity is low. If it attempts to hunt (e.g. burns a crucifix) without blowing out the firelights, then it is not an Onryo. If the ghost refuses to hunt, it could be (but not definitely) an Onryo
** The Shade will not hunt if at least one player is in its room. Try to eliminate this ghost before testing for Onryo	
* Hunt sanity threshold of 60%
Phantom 	
*Taking a photo of a Phantom will make it instantly and temporarily disappear for that specific instance that it appears
** Will not end the ghost event or hunt, but in ghost events, electronics will no longer flicker
** Ghost photo will have no interference, and the ghost will not be visible. Note that this can occur for any ghost if the photo is taken exactly at the end of the ghost event/hunt, and the photo can also have no interference if taken from another floor
** Best to check if the ghost event continues (listen for ghost vocalisations)
** This also applies to photos taken while the Phantom is visible in D.O.T.S.
*During a hunt, flashes visible every 1 to 2 seconds as opposed to every 0.3 to 1 seconds for other ghosts. The ghost being invisible for long periods could indicate a Phantom	
* Will occasionally walk (invisibly) to a random player outside of hunts/ghost events; seeing ghost activity far away from the favourite room (especially on larger maps) could indicate a Phantom/Wraith/Banshee/The Twins
Poltergeist	
* Has an ability to throw all nearby items at the same time. Create several piles of objects in and near the favourite room (try not to stack items), then see if the ghost throws multiple objects at once
** Can throw items using its ability even when the lights are on, unlike other ghosts which can only throw things in the dark	
* During a hunt, has a 100% chance to throw an item in its path every 0.5 seconds, instead of 50% with all other ghosts
** Noticing a considerable number of items being thrown around (much more than usual) after the hunt could indicate a Poltergeist
* Tends to throw objects more frequently than other ghosts in general
** Note that all ghosts cannot throw items if the room they are currently standing in is lit, though the multithrow ability overrides this
* Can throw items much further than other ghosts (up to twice as far). Noticing items being "shot" across the room (i.e, a dining utensil found across the living room from the nearby dining room) could indicate Poltergeist
Raiju 	
* Fixed speed of 2.5 m/s if there is at least one piece of active electronic equipment nearby (within 6-10 metres depending on map size)
** Standard ghost speed if not near these equipment
* Electronic interference range during ghost events or hunts is 15 metres, compared to the standard 10 metres
** Like other ghosts, does not interfere with electronics on a different floor
** Detection range is still 7.5 metres like other ghosts
* Getting EMF Level 5 and Ghost Orbs on difficulties with 2 evidences (e.g. Nightmare) confirms Raiju, since the only other ghost that has these two evidences is the Obake, which has Ultraviolet as a guaranteed evidence	
* Hunt sanity threshold is 65% if at least one piece of active electronic equipment nearby, otherwise 50%
Revenant 	
* During a hunt, moves at 1 m/s if no player detected. If a player is detected or when moving to last known player location, moves at 3 m/s. After arriving at last known location, it will decrease its speed by 0.75 m/s² until it reaches 1 m/s (over ~2.7 seconds)	
Shade 	
* Cannot interact with items, perform ghost events, or hunt if at least one player is in the same room as the ghost, regardless of average sanity
** Can still happen if it wanders into a room with no players
** Note that turning lights on in a standard ghost's current room will prevent EMF 3 interactions (throws) but not EMF 2 interactions (door touch, window knock, etc.)
* If summoned by a Summoning Circle, a Music Box, or a Monkey Paw, has a chance of appearing as a shadow instead of a full form; will return to normal upon hunt starting	
* Above 50% average sanity, increasing sanity means decreasing chance of ghost events; a ghost event at very high sanity may mean that a Shade is unlikely (but not impossible)
* Hunt sanity threshold of 35%
* Increased chance of airball ghost events instead of manifesting. If it does manifest, has increased chance of using shadow model instead of full/translucent form
Spirit 	
* Cleansing prevents hunts for 180 seconds instead of 90 seconds
** Test: Get sanity as low as possible, then cleanse the ghost and wait. If it hunts before 180 seconds is up, then it is not a Spirit. Hunting only after 180 seconds may indicate (though not definitely) a Spirit
** Take care to not use Incense when the ghost is standing on stairs, as this can cause the cleansing effect to miss - hunting before 60 seconds means that the ghost was not actually cleansed	
Thaye 	
* Has "age" parameter, where it will age the more time players spend in the same room as the Thaye. Speed is based on age and does not speed up with line-of-sight; is fast at youngest (2.7 m/s at age 0) and slow when old (1 m/s at age 10)
* Getting Ghost Writing and D.O.T.S Projector on difficulties with 2 evidences (e.g. Nightmare) confirms Thaye, since the only other ghost that has these two evidences is the Deogen, which has Spirit Box as guaranteed evidence	
* Age parameter also affects activity and hunt sanity threshold:
** Twice as active compared to normal ghost when youngest, half as active compared to normal ghost when oldest
** 75% hunt sanity threshold at youngest, 15% at oldest
The Mimic 	
* Ghost Orbs as "secondary evidence" or ability in addition to main evidences; this means that they will always be present, even on 0-evidence difficulties
** For example, you can obtain Ultraviolet, Spirit Box, and Ghost Orbs on Nightmare difficulty. If the difficulty gives less than 3 evidence, check for presence of additional evidence
** If you get EMF 5, Ghost Writing, or D.O.T.S Projector, you can safely eliminate The Mimic since it cannot mimic evidence types from other ghosts
* Randomly mimics another ghost, along with all its abilities and behaviour, such as 6-fingered handprints when mimicking Obake. Will change every 30 seconds to 2 minutes, but will not change during hunts
** Look for the ghost demonstrating two completely different traits (such as noticing the ghost flickering slower like a Phantom during a hunt, when it was not doing so earlier)	
* Since The Mimic can imitate any other ghost's properties, it is important to eliminate it as a possibility before making any conclusions about other ghosts (e.g. concluding that it's a Wraith because it didn't disturb salt)
The Twins 	
* Has two separate interaction ranges; the first within 3 metres and the second within 16 metres. Occasionally, will interact with the environment almost simultaneously (within 1 second) using these two ranges; noticing two interactions occurring in very quick succession at two separate locations, especially several times, can indicate The Twins
** Use EMF readers and see if both readings stop within less than 1 second of each other.
** All ghosts can interact with items within about 2 seconds in between, while cursed possessions can also cause near-simultaneous interactions (e.g. repeatedly using Voodoo Doll)
** Interactions for all ghosts happen in a radius confined to the same floor; they can interact through walls in an adjacent room
* Depending on where hunt starts, has slightly different base speed; 1.53 m/s if it starts from where the ghost actually is, and 1.87 m/s if it starts from the location where the large-range interaction occurred	
* Because it is one ghost with two interaction ranges, you could misidentify where the ghost actually is; noticing a single interaction in one area, but then realising that the ghost was never there (e.g. absence of low temperatures/another room is of low temperatures) could indicate The Twins. Other indicators of ghost presence include motion sensors to track ghost movement, and evidences
* Look for items interacted with by the ghost far away from ghost room (e.g. thrown objects, turned-on lights). Seeing ghost activity far away from the favourite room (especially on larger maps) could indicate a The Twins/Phantom/Wraith/Banshee
* 50% chance to hunt from where the ghost actually is, or from "ranged" interaction
** The ghost hunting far away from the favourite room could indicate The Twins, one of the ghosts mentioned above, or simply a very roamy ghost
* Crucifixes only work from the ghost's actual position, so "Fast Twin" hunts can appear to begin directly on top of a crucifix
Wraith 	
* Will never disturb salt piles, even during hunts
** If the ghost never steps in salt after a long time, then it is likely (though not definitely) a Wraith
** Test: During a ghost event or while the ghost is in a visible D.O.T.S. state, place salt under the ghost. Alternatively, place salt beneath a Motion Sensor. If it doesn't disturb the pile despite walking over it, then it is a Wraith. This is best done with stationary ghost events (e.g. singing)	
* Can teleport to a random player when not hunting/performing ghost events, leaving an EMF 2/5 reading. Seeing ghost activity far away from the favourite room (especially on larger maps) could indicate a Wraith/The Twins/Phantom/Banshee
Yokai 	
* Can only sense player voices/held electronics within 2.5 metres
** Test: During a hunt, stand in a room at a suitable distance away from the ghost, hold an electronic equipment (to check if the ghost is within 10 metres), then repeatedly talk/use global chat (since voice detection for normal ghosts is 9 metres as opposed to electronic detection, which is 7.5 metres). If the ghost is nearby with no line-of-sight but does not enter the player's room despite the potential attraction, then it could be a Yokai. Note that the ghost going to the player does not eliminate Yokai, since it could have wandered over by chance	
* Hunt sanity threshold is 80% if players are talking near the ghost, otherwise 50%
* Increased ghost activity if players are talking near the ghost
Yurei 	
* Has an ability where it will drop the sanity of all players within 7.5 meters of it by 15%, while also closing a door sharply at the same time. Seeing this door close very likely indicates (but not definitely) a Yurei
** Note that any ghost can close a door this way; the Yurei simply does it much more often because it is also part of its ability
** If this occurs on an exit door, then it is definitely a Yurei
** This does not count during ghost events or hunts	
* Will walk back to favourite room and not wander out for 90 seconds when smudged. Place a Motion Sensor at the doorway, then smudge the ghost. If the motion sensor is never set off by the ghost within the next 90 seconds, then the ghost could be a Yurei. This test is not very reliable
** Ghost events override this mechanic
== Other tips ==
=== Elimination by negatives ===
If you can be sure that the ghost will not provide a particular piece of evidence, you can eliminate all ghosts that have that piece of evidence. This also works on Nightmare difficulty, but requires two negatives instead; for example, if you can be sure that the ghost will not give both Fingerprints and Freezing Temperatures, then you can eliminate four ghosts: Demon, Hantu, Jinn, and The Mimic. Conclusively eliminating evidence may be trickier for chance-related evidence like EMF Level 5, for example. This strategy is more useful if you are unable to easily find evidence in the first place.
=== Speed-altering defensive equipment ===
Some higher-tier defensive equipment, such as Tier III Salt and Tier II and III Incense, can temporarily reduce or even halt the ghost's movement entirely, potentially masking the unique movement behavior of several ghost types. Past being mindful of these attributes, if the ghost needs to be identified through its speed or movement, using lower tier defensive items that do not affect the ghost's movement can be considered, although this will require giving up the significant power of these higher tier items.
== See also ==
* Ghost#Evidence
* Ghost#Ghost types
Category:Guides
fr:Guides/Identifier les entités