Phasmophobia, literally meaning fear of ghosts, is a new co-op horror from Kinetic Games. Players take on the role of ghost hunters, taking contracts to find and identify the spirits in haunted buildings. Phasmophobia is currently in early access on Steam, but already has many locations to explore and ghosts to hunt.

There are a total of 12 ghosts in the new horror game, and each has their own traits, strengths, and weaknesses. It's by identifying these that players can identify what kind of Phasmophobia ghost type they're facing, and get paid for the contract. Being well-prepared is key to ghost-hunting, and knowing what kinds of spirits are out there may just save lives.

Updated May 3rd, 2021 by John Higgs: The new April beta update for Phasmophobia dropped this week, making some interesting changes to the ghost-hunting horror game. All ghosts, with the exception of the Revenant, now move faster when they spot their target while hunting. In addition, ghosts now have a chance to remember the last-known location of a player, and search for them there. 

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The first six ghosts in this guide are the least difficult to handle in Phasmophobia's Steam release. This doesn't mean they should be underestimated however, as they can easily take a team apart in the right situation.

• Spirit: The most common of Phasmophobia ghost types, Spirits can still be very dangerous. They're usually found after an unexplained death, and can be prevented from hunting for two minutes with Smudge Sticks.
  • Evidence: Spirit Box, Fingerprints, Ghost Writing.
  • Unique Skills: None.
  • Shade: Another common ghost in Phasmophobia, Shades are notably shy, and will only hunt lone players. As is often true in Survival Horror games, sticking together will prevent deaths among the players, but also make it difficult to find the Shade.
    • Evidence: EMF Level 5, Fingerprints, Ghost Writing.
    • Unique Skills: Will rarely perform actions while in the presence of more than one investigator.
    • Poltergeist: The Poltergeist is known as a "noisy ghost" due to its ability to move objects around. This makes the poltergeist very dangerous in a room full of items, but almost useless in an empty one.
      • Evidence: Spirit Box, Fingerprints, Ghost Orb.
      • Unique Skills: Can throw multiple items and shut multiple doors at once. Has a special power that allows it to throw all the items in a room, decreasing the sanity of nearby investigators and creating an EMF Level 3.
      • Jinn: One of Phasmophobia's most territorial ghosts, the Jinn will attack only when threatened. Although it has the ability to travel at high speed, turning off the location's power source will prevent this ability.
        • Evidence: Spirit Box, Ghost Orb, EMF Level 5.
        • Unique Skills: Travels more quickly the further away its target is. Has the ability to heavily reduce sanity around it, but only if the power is on.
        • Mare: The Mare is the source of all nightmares, and is most powerful in the dark. Turning on all the lights makes it less likely that the Mare will attack, however it's fond of turning them off and tripping the breaker box.
          • Evidence: Spirit Box, Ghost Orb, Freezing Temperatures.
          • Unique Skills: Has a hugely increased chance to attack in the dark, and focuses on turning off lights and tripping fuses.
          • Phantom: The Phantom is a slow ghost, but has the ability to pass through the walls of Phasmophobia's levels. While it has a significant effect on sanity while viewed directly, taking a photo of it will make it disappear.
            • Evidence: EMF Level 5, Ghost Orb, Freezing Temperatures.
            • Unique Skills: Wants to be seen by the investigators, but appears less frequently than most ghosts when hunting to make it harder for a photo to be taken.

            

            While all ghosts in Phasmophobia are dangerous, these next six are the trickiest to deal with. Special powers, high aggressiveness, and relentless hunting make them a real threat to even the best prepared ghost hunters. Identifying a ghost in Phasmophobia requires evidence, but these spirits can make it hard to get.

            • Wraith: The Wraith is one of the most dangerous ghosts in Phasmophobia. It's a relentless hunter, has the ability to fly, and can teleport directly to players. Its weakness is a toxic reaction to salt, which will prevent it attacking.
              • Evidence: Fingerprints, Freezing Temperatures, Spirit Box.
              • Unique Skills: Rarely makes Ghost Footsteps that can be detected with the Parabolic Microphone, and can pass through closed doors. Can teleport directly to within 3 meters of a random player, creating an Interaction EMF.
              • Banshee:  Another dangerous hunter, the Banshee in Phasmophobia will focus on one player at a time. It has a strong reaction to the Crucifix, meaning the item can be used at longer range.
                • Evidence: EMF Level 5, Fingerprints, Freezing Temperatures.
                • Unique Skills: When it uses its power it will navigate directly to a random player regardless of their sanity, wait 20 seconds, and then begin hunting them. It's impossible to hide from or outdistance the hunt, and the only way to be safe is to leave the building.
                • Revenant: Just like Chris Walker in Outlast, the Revenant is a violent ghost that will attack players indiscriminately. It moves much faster while hunting, but is very slow if Phasmophobia's players are hiding from it.
                  • Evidence: EMF Level 5, Fingerprints, Ghost Writing.
                  • Unique Skills: Moves twice as fast while hunting, and can freely switch its target at any point during the hunt.
                  • Yurei: Many ghosts can't attack until the player's sanity drops low enough, but no Phasmophobia ghost drops sanity faster than the Yurei. It's a good thing they don't come in hordes like the monsters in The Evil Within 2. This can make the Yurei very dangerous, but using Smudge Sticks on its room will prevent it from wandering.
                    • Evidence: Ghost Orb, Ghost Writing, Freezing Temperatures.
                    • Unique Skills: Drains Sanity twice as fast as other ghosts during a Manifestation, or when a player comes within 10 meters while it's hunting.
                    • Oni: One of the most active of all ghosts in Phasmophobia, Oni move more quickly when players are close by. While this makes them dangerous, it can also make them easier to find and identify.
                      • Evidence: EMF Level 5, Spirit Box, Ghost Writing.
                      • Unique Skills: Becomes more active depending on the number of players nearby, and can throw items with increased force.
                      • Demon: One of the most dangerous of all Phasmophobia ghosts, the Demon is highly aggressive and a crucifix is recommended to prevent hunts. On the plus side, it will allow ghost hunters to use the Ouija Board without a sanity penalty.
                        • Evidence: Spirit Box, Ghost Writing, Freezing Temperatures.
                        • Unique Skills: No unique abilities, just very aggressive and very dangerous.

                        Phasmophobia is out in Early Access on PC.

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