In Phasmophobia, maintaining your character's Sanity is paramount. It directly influences when a ghost can initiate a hunt and determines your ability to safely interact with cursed objects. Sanity is tracked on both an individual and a team average basis, with the latter being a key factor in ghost behavior.
The Sanity Monitor, found in the van, allows players to check each team member's individual Sanity level, provided the difficulty setting includes it. A player's personal Sanity impacts cursed object usage; each interaction costs Sanity, and attempting to use an object with insufficient Sanity can trigger a cursed hunt, characterized by longer and more aggressive ghost activity. The team's average Sanity, however, is the mean of all living players' levels. Ghosts typically attempt to hunt when the average Sanity drops below 50%, though some, like the Demon, can hunt at 80%, and the Banshee's hunts are triggered by its specific target's individual Sanity.
How Sanity Drains
Sanity can deplete in three primary ways: passively through environmental factors, via ghost abilities and events, or by using cursed objects.
Passive Drain
Passive Sanity drain occurs mainly within the investigation area when the main lights are off. The longer a player remains in darkness, the faster their Sanity decreases. The rate of this drain is influenced by the map size, the selected difficulty's Sanity drain percentage, and whether the setup phase is active. For instance, on smaller maps like Tanglewood, passive drain is 0.09% per second during setup and 0.12% normally. This rate increases with map size and is doubled on Insanity difficulty. Additionally, the Blood Moon weather condition can double passive Sanity drain.
Passive drain is paused when a player is outside the investigation area or inside the well-lit van, though other Sanity-draining effects may still apply.
Ghost Abilities and Events
Certain ghost abilities and events can directly reduce Sanity. Colliding with a ghost during an event like a manifestation, or causing it to disappear prematurely, can result in an immediate 10% Sanity loss. Encounters with specific ghosts during events, such as a Banshee or Oni, lead to greater losses, with the Banshee draining 15% and the Oni 20%. Some ghosts possess unique abilities that drain Sanity: the Poltergeist drains 2% per thrown object, the Yurei drains 15% when closing a door, the Phantom drains 0.5% per second within its line of sight, the Moroi doubles Sanity drain and bypasses prevention methods, and the Jinn can drain 25% when the breaker is on.
Cursed Objects
Cursed objects, while useful for gathering evidence, often come at the cost of Sanity. The Ouija Board, for example, can drain 5%-20% Sanity per question, except for "Hide and seek?" Using these objects without sufficient Sanity can lead to their destruction and trigger a cursed hunt. Tarot Cards and the Monkey Paw have a chance to drain Sanity depending on the outcome, while other objects consistently drain it.
Preventing and Increasing Sanity
The primary method to prevent passive Sanity drain is to keep the main lights in a room switched on. This action halts normal passive drain, though it does not protect against the Moroi's curse. Larger rooms or corridors may still experience a reduced rate of passive drain even with lights on. Standing within two meters of a lit Firelight also slows passive drain, with higher tiers offering greater reduction.
Avoiding cursed objects or using the Monkey Paw cautiously can prevent Sanity loss from these items. However, deliberately allowing the ghost to drain Sanity can be a strategic choice. It aids in identifying ghost abilities and thus the ghost type. For instance, a sudden 15% Sanity drop after a door slam might indicate a Yurei, while a 25% drop near the ghost with the breaker on suggests a Jinn.
Restoring Sanity
When Sanity levels are low, Sanity Medication is the most direct way to restore it. The amount restored and the speed of restoration depend on the medication's tier and the difficulty setting. Tier 1 pills restore 40% Sanity over 20 seconds on standard settings, while Tiers 2 and 3 restore the same amount faster. Tier 3 also provides a temporary sprint boost. Teams can equip a maximum of four Sanity Medications.
Cursed objects like the Monkey Paw and Tarot Cards can also boost Sanity. The Monkey Paw can restore all players' Sanity to 100% with a wish, but at the cost of increasing passive Sanity drain. Tarot Cards offer potential Sanity boosts through specific cards: The Sun restores Sanity to 100%, and a green-burning The Wheel of Fortune grants 25%. However, drawing The Moon or a red-burning Wheel of Fortune will result in Sanity loss.