Effective ghost hunting in Phasmophobia relies heavily on a thorough understanding and strategic use of its diverse equipment. While players begin with a basic set of tools, progressing through the game unlocks access to a wider array of items and upgrades, each designed to aid in gathering evidence, completing objectives, and ensuring survival.
Essential Starter Equipment
Each ghost-hunting expedition begins with a selection of eight core equipment items automatically added to your loadout. Players can select the tier of these items in the equipment manager before each contract. These include fundamental tools for initial evidence collection and navigation.
The D.O.T.S. Projector, priced at $65, is essential for detecting the ghost's physical form via emitted green lasers. Its range and spotlight clarity improve with higher tiers, unlocking at levels 27 and 49. The basic Flashlight, costing $30, offers illumination for navigating dark environments, with tiers providing increased intensity and a wider spotlight, unlocking at levels 18 and 34.
The Spirit Box, available for $50, allows direct communication with the ghost to gather evidence. Higher tiers offer improved audio quality, response rates, and range, unlocking at levels 23 and 46. For collecting fingerprints and footprints, the UV Light, priced at $35, is crucial. Its effectiveness, UV charge time, and spotlight area improve with upgrades unlocked at levels 18 and 46.
The EMF Reader, costing $45, gauges ghost activity and is used for EMF Level 5 evidence. Its accuracy and range increase with tiers unlocked at levels 18 and 46. Ghost Writing Books, at $40, allow players to collect evidence when the ghost interacts with them, with interaction rate and range improving through tiers unlocked at levels 23 and 55. The Thermometer, a $30 tool, detects temperature changes and is vital for identifying Freezing Temperatures evidence, with its accuracy and sample speed improving at levels 27 and 65.
Finally, the Video Camera, priced at $50, is used to capture Ghost Orbs and provide live feeds to the van. Its image quality, paranormal resistance, and night vision capabilities are enhanced through tiers unlocked at levels 27 and 49.
Optional and Advanced Equipment
Beyond the starter gear, Phasmophobia offers a variety of optional equipment that must be purchased and added to your loadout. These items provide specialized utility, from preventing hunts to aiding in evasion.
The Crucifix, costing $30, can be strategically placed to prevent the ghost from initiating a hunt within its radius. Higher tiers increase the range and number of uses, unlocking at levels 34 and 80. Head Gear, priced at $60, offers different functionalities per tier: a video camera for Tier 1 (unlocked at level 13), a headlight for Tier 2 (unlocked at level 42), and night vision goggles for Tier 3 (unlocked at level 80).
Incense, a $15 item, can be used to temporarily blind, slow, or halt a ghost, or prevent a hunt altogether. Its effectiveness and duration increase with tiers unlocked at levels 37 and 80. The Parabolic Microphone, costing $50, detects paranormal and distant sounds, aiding in locating the ghost and completing objectives, with its range and sensor shape improving through tiers unlocked at levels 32 and 70.
Salt, priced at $15, can be thrown to create footprints that reveal the ghost's location, with higher tiers adding a slowing effect during hunts, unlocked at levels 39 and 65. The Sound Recorder, a $30 tool, captures audio media, with upgraded tiers offering increased range and display features, unlocked at levels 39 and 60. The Tripod, costing $25, provides a stable surface for placing video cameras, with higher tiers offering better stability and rotation control, unlocked at levels 34 and 60.
Firelights, available for $15, provide light that reduces Sanity loss and can be extinguished by ghosts. Tiers offer increased duration and Sanity drain reduction, unlocked at levels 27 and 75. The Waterproof Igniter, costing $10, is essential for lighting Firelights and Incense, with tiers affecting duration and uses, unlocked at levels 37 and 52.
The Motion Sensor, priced at $100, detects movement and sends alerts to the van, with higher tiers expanding its detection range and adding audio indicators, unlocked at levels 42 and 70. The Photo Camera, at $40, is used for taking photographs to earn extra cash and XP, with upgraded tiers reducing the time between photos and adding a display screen, unlocked at levels 23 and 55.
Sanity Medication, costing $20, restores player Sanity and higher tiers include a sprint boost. These are unlocked at levels 39 and 75. The Sound Sensor, priced at $80, detects sound within a radius and transmits readings to the van, with upgraded tiers offering increased range and wider sensor shapes, unlocked at levels 32 and 52. It is generally considered less versatile than other equipment.
Purchasing and Equipping Gear
New equipment and upgrades are purchased through the in-game Shop, accessible from the lobby's GH//OS.T.OS3 computer. Items can be bought in bulk, up to 999 units, though selling items only recoups half their purchase price.
Equipment upgrades are unlocked by reaching specific player levels. Once unlocked, they appear in the Shop with an arrow icon and price. Purchasing these upgrades is necessary before they can be equipped. Higher-tier items, particularly Tier 3, can become quite expensive, requiring players to save significant in-game currency.
To add purchased items to your loadout, navigate to the 'Equipment Manager' via the computer. Select the desired item and tier, then use the plus icon to add it to the truck's available equipment. Note that all items added to the truck by a single player must be of the same tier, though different players in a lobby can contribute items of varying tiers. For convenience, the 'Quick-Loadouts' feature allows players to pre-set loadouts, but this can rapidly deplete funds if not managed carefully, especially after frequent deaths.
