Guide:How to Play

## What is My Goal?

Your goal is to find out what type of Ghosts are haunting a location. You must find the room the ghost is inhabiting, record Evidences, and complete all objectives that are listed on your tent's monitor to complete the playthrough. Alternatively, you do not need to complete these goals and can simply pack up and leave a map once you have determined what ghost type is haunting the grounds, as Exorcisms are not a requirement.

Much like the game Phasmophobia, there are certain mechanics to the game that will determine your success and what will happen within a round. We will be looking into mechanics such as Sanity, Hunting, and Cursed Items so that you will understand how to be a good and beneficial player to your ghost hunting team.

*Demonologist* can be played with up to 4 players in multiplayer modes in both public and private lobbies, but can also be played in singleplayer mode. Singleplayer will allow the player to have a higher reward, but will risk their lives depending on the difficulty that is set, the map that is chosen, and how large a map can be and how long it will take the player to find the ghost and the room it inhabits.

## Tools and Evidence: What Do I Need?

The general tools that each player receives when playing *Demonologist* is as follows:

* 2 Flashlights
* 1 EMF Device
* 1 ESG Device
* 1 Ecto Glass
* 1 Spirit Box
* 1 UV Light
* 1 Easel Canvas

These tools are used to determine Evidence. Evidences are required to figure out what the ghost is. To select evidences, the player can open their tablet using the J key and access the Evidence tab as pictured below. A player can click *once* to mark an Evidence as positive, and this will narrow down the ghost type that the ghost could possibly be. The player can click *twice* as well to mark an Evidence as negative, meaning it is not possible to obtain this evidence.

The player **does not** require any additional tools to figure out a ghost's type, **however**, some maps will require the player to have an additional tool such as the Sledgehammer or Pocket Watch to complete additional tasks before an Exorcism.

### Flashlight

Can be toggled on and off with the F key. The player must pick one up to have it for use with their inventory. It can be used in tandem with other Tools if the player uses the scroll wheel to cycle to another tool that they are carrying with them. It is considered a *passive item*.

### **Your Breath (and Thermometers)**

**This is not a Tool, however** it is an important Evidence that should be mentioned. Freezing Temperatures can be spotted and noted as positive if the player sees one of two things:

1. The player begins to breathe misty air, visible to the naked eye.
2. The Thermometer tool's temperature bar becomes blue or dips below 0, even for a slight moment.

### EMF Device

The EMF Device (*Electromagnetic Fields Device*) is used to pick up when the ghost is active. The ghost will throw items, interact with objects in the map, and simply exist in a room. This will trigger the EMF device to light up on a scale from 1 to 5 depending on how strong of a EMF signal it gives off. A level 5 reaction will light up all lights on the board (the highest color being red), and it will be considered positive for the EMF Level 5 evidence. The EMF device can be dropped on the floor to pick up readings, but it is recommended that the player keeps the device in their hands when wandering a room to detect a level 5 reading.

### ESG Device

The ESG Device is used to pick up a ghost when it interacts with it. The player must only place the ESG device on the floor using the G key for it to become active, as long as it is in the room that the ghost is currently inhabiting. It is considered a passive item much like the Thermometer in the fact that the player does not need to be interacting with it frequently for it to show evidence. The player may need to move the ESG around the room however if there are little to no results for a certain amount of time.

The ghost will appear over the device in an almost T-pose like state, and an audio cue will play similar to a brief loud static humming when the ESG device is triggered. This is positive evidence of an ESG Ghost Reaction. The ghost **will not** be walking, running, or generally moving over the device if it is interacting with it.

### Ecto Glass

The Ectoplasma Glass is an item used to gather the Ectoplasm Stains evidence. The player must hold the glass to their face holding the **left mouse button (LMB)** and look around the room through the glass to look for ectoplasm. There will be a positive evidence of Ectoplasm Stains if the player sees a small, white and flashing smear on the wall through the glass. The stain will move however if the ghost decides to change the room it is in. It is very easy to mark out this Evidence early, as if the player sees no Ectoplasm Stains whatsoever in the ghost's room on the walls, they can mark it as negative and not possible.

The Ecto Glass is also used to complete miscellaneous tasks, such as finding a sitting invisible ghost, or finding the time of death on Cyclone Streetto complete its Exorcism.

### Spirit Box

The Spirit Box is a tool used to gather the Spirit Box Response evidence. Holding the **left mouse button (LMB)** with the tool in hand, the player must have their mic enabled *or* use the P key for text-to-speech to ask the ghost questions. The following questions can be asked to the ghost:

* "Can you talk?"
* "Can you speak?"
* "Can you communicate?"
* "What is your name?"
* "Where are you?"
* "When did you die?"

It may take a few minutes of use, but the ghost will generally respond as long as the player has the Spirit Box in their hands in the same room the ghost is haunting. The ghost icon at the top of the device will flicker blue and the ghost will speak to the player if it is a positive evidence. **Caution must be had however**, as using the Spirit Box will cause the ghost to become aggravated over time with frequent repeated use as it drains the player's Sanity.

### UV Light

The UV Light is a passive tool used to locate the Fingerprints evidence, as well as complete certain miscellaneous tasks such as finding cracks in the walls on Cyclone Street. When the UV Light is held out, the player can see if a ghost touches either a door or a light switch once it has been interacted with. It is a fairly easy evidence to mark as impossible early on, as if a ghost is frequently interacting with doors or the lights and it doesn't leave behind prints, it is safe to say that it's impossible.

### Easel Canvas

The Easel Canvas is a passive tool used to collect the Easel Canvas Drawing evidence. The player can rotate the canvas by scrolling the mouse wheel, and place it on a surface using the G key. The player may need to move the canvas around a few times and leave it alone for a bit before the ghost will draw on it, and the player may hear a sketching sound cue if it occurs. This is a positive evidence for the Easel Canvas Drawing.

### Optional and Recommended Tools

If the player can afford such, it is recommended that the player buys the following items upon further playthroughs of the game:

* **Thermometer:** Can easily locate the haunted room when first entering the map.
* **Candle:** Good for maintaining Sanity and determining if a ghost is a Myling.
* **Crucifix:** Protects the player from death if the ghost starts to Hunt and the player is caught.
* **Photo Camera:** Used to complete a miscellaneous task and can be used to get an Achievement.
* **Tripod Camera:** Best used to determine if the ghost is a Goryo.

*For information on optional tools, please read the Tools page and discover more wikia articles to learn more.*

## What is Sanity?

Sanity is what the ghost will use to determine whether it wants to cause trouble for you and your friends or not. The less Sanity a player hass, the more likely the ghost is willing to engage in a hunt. On higher difficulties, the player may encounter "early hunters", which can hunt in as high as the 70% range!

If one of your teammates has low Sanity, be sure to encourage them to stay within the light, stay around a Candle, or take Sanity Pills to restore their Sanity. A teammate with low Sanity can put the entire party at risk of death!

*To learn more about Sanity, visit the wikia page here.*

## First Round: What Should I Do?

The first items you pick up will determine what you will do first. The most obvious choice is to pick up a **flashlight**. After this, the best first items to use are:

* **Ecto Glass**: Can be used to easily find the room that the ghost is in if it is an evidence.
* **EMF Device**: Best to determine if a ghost is active in a room.
* **UV Light**: If the ghost is active and touching things, it is good to carry this around to see if it leaves behind Fingerprints.
* **Spirit Box**: Simply carrying this around in your hand, it is bound to trigger if it is an evidence once you wander into the ghost's room.

After you determine what room the ghost is in, it is best to drop any items you are carrying (*not including your light source*) and go back to the tent to gather passive items such as the **Easel Canvas** and **ESG Device** to put down in the ghost's room. Be sure not to misplace the **Ecto Glass**, as you may need it for a side objective later on.

After this, it is all about patience. The ghost will become more aggressive over time (depending on the ghost type) and start to leave behind more evidence. Using the **Spirit Box**, you can try to communicate with the ghost to see if it responds at all. You can also wander the room holding the **EMF Device** to see if it triggers the device to run up to a level 5. Saying phrases such as "manifest" and "show yourself" will cause the ghost to react more.

Be sure to be on the lookout over time for **Fingerprints** and watch to see if your breath is visible. **Visible breath is a positive indicator of the** **Freezing Tempuratures** **evidence**.

Over time, you should be able to gather all of the evidence you need and be able to either leave the residence after guessing the ghost's type. To guess the ghost's type, simply click the ghost type name (*ex. Iblis*) in the Evidence tab to mark down your guess. **Be warned:** **You cannot change your answer once selected**, and you cannot guess the ghost's type when you are dead.

**Be sure to read about every ghost's abilities, as some may be different from others, and some descriptions may give you useful information.** *Did you know you could see the Agash's breath when it is hunting?*

## The Ghost is Hunting!

***Oh dear!*** This is now a test of wits.

*A Hunt is what occurs when:*

* The ghost's aggression becomes too high. (*ex. swearing too much when the ghost is a Gul*)
* The player's Sanity is too low, or another player has low Sanity in the party.
* A Cursed Item is used frequently, poorly, and/or broken due to low Sanity.

To know if it's positively a hunt and not the ghost manifesting, it is crucial that the player knows that **the flashlight you're holding will flicker, and an audio cue of the ghost laughing will be heard**. The player must avoid the ghost at all costs during a Hunt, otherwise it will result in a quick and untimely death once it catches you. To avoid the ghost, the player can do multiple things:

* ***Run!*** As simple as it sounds, running away from a ghost can provide to be the most effective method of avoiding it. This may not work with fast ghosts such as the Oni, or determined ghosts such as the Iblis however. The player can loop furniture, loop around the map, and more to avoid the ghost with the running method.
* **Hide!** If you are sure the ghost is fast or dangerous, another method is the run as far away from the ghost as possible and follow the three Ss: be out of **sight**, be **silent**, and be **still**. It may target another player or be too far away to notice you if you are lucky enough to escape it. You can determine if a ghost is nearby by keeping track of your vision effects, the lights and if they flicker around you, and if there is things being thrown around near you.
* **Fight!** If a ghost is determined, dangerous, *and* fast, it is best to fight back. You can use the **Crucifix** to protect yourself or others by taking the hit, or you can hide inside a **Salt Barrier** that a player has placed down. It may be a temporary solution, but it can prove to be a quick and effective one.

If a ghost happens to catch you and you die, *don't make a big deal out of it!* There's always another round once the current one is up.

## I Can't Find the Ghost...

Having trouble finding the ghost's room? Has it changed rooms without warning? Here's methods you can use to determine a ghost's whereabouts:

* **Use a Cursed Item:** Cursed Items come at the price of a player's Sanity, but it may be worth it if you are facing a ghost such as the Mare. The Ouija Board can be used to locate the room the ghost is in by asking it "where are you?" or "what room are you in?". Using a Voodoo Doll or drawing aggression cards with the Tarot Deck can prove to be useful as well, increasing activity by decreasing your Sanity. **Do not use Cursed Items with low Sanity** however, as this may instantly start a hunt by breaking your item.
* **Use a Fulu:** High enough level to use the Fulu? Has your friend brought one along to use on the mission? Use one! It is guaranteed to increase activity at least *somewhat*, so it should help find what room your ghost is haunting.
* **Use the Thermometer:** If you are having a hard time locating ghosts, it is best to bring a Thermometer along. The room will always be near the 10 degree mark if the ghost is active in it, and will *rarely* be warm or warmer.
* **Use the Ecto Glass:** Ghost change rooms? If you had the Ectoplasm Stain as evidence prior to this, it will be in the new room the ghost is inhabiting.

## I've Figured Out the Ghost's Type! What Now?

Great! You're on your way to becoming a great ghost hunting detective. Once you have selected the ghost's type in the Evidence window, your next steps are one of the following:

1. **Leave.** You can simply go back to the car once you've picked the ghost's type. This will result in a small reward.
2. **Complete the secondary objectives.** You can complete the secondary objectives (such as: *putting the rats in the boiler)* and then leave if you'd like. This will guarantee a bigger reward, but not quite a complete playthrough.
3. **Complete the Exorcism.** With this, it is determined by each map. If we are on the Abandoned House for example, the player must complete all prior objectives before the final objective (the exorcism) can be unlocked, which will always be **find five fingers and put them in the vases in the basement.** After this is complete, the Exorcism will take place, and you will be done! You will get the highest reward a player can receive on your difficulty if you complete the Exorcism.

*To find out what you need to do for your map's exorcism, see this page for guidance.*

## The End

Thanks for reading the guide! Happy hunting, ghost detectives! If you have any more questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me on either Twitter (@\_JackVT) or Discord (jackvt).