Phasmophobia is a co-op horror game where you and your friends investigate haunted places and try to work out what is haunting them. Each investigation is assigned one ghost type at random, and every type leaves its own clues, moves at its own speed, and attacks in its own way. Knowing which ghost you're dealing with is the heart of the game, because it tells you what to look for and how to stay safe.
Group
Items
Aswang
A slower-starting ghost that accelerates quickly and stops hunting when it finds a player in an official hiding spot.
- Evidence
- D.O.T.S. Projector; Freezing Temperatures; Ghost Writing
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.53 m/s without line of sight; accelerates to about 2.53 m/s in roughly 8.7 seconds, faster than standard line-of-sight acceleration.
- Strength
- Builds line-of-sight speed faster than any other ghost.
- Weakness
- Its base hunt speed is below normal, and reaching a player in an official closet or locker ends the hunt.
- How to Identify It
- Listen to its first hunt: it starts near 1.53 m/s and accelerates unusually fast. If it reaches a player in an official hiding spot, the hunt ends.
Banshee
A target-focused ghost that pursues one player and can make a distinctive scream.
- Evidence
- D.O.T.S. Projector; Ghost Orb; Ultraviolet
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% of its chosen target's sanity, not the team average
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- Chooses one player to pursue and is more likely to use singing ghost events.
- Weakness
- Its distinctive scream can be captured with a Parabolic Microphone or Sound Recorder.
- How to Identify It
- Record paranormal sounds with a Parabolic Microphone or Sound Recorder; about one in three can be its distinctive scream. In multiplayer, it also passes through everyone except its target while that player stays inside.
Dayan
Its hunt speed and threshold change with the nearest player's movement.
- Evidence
- EMF Level 5; Ghost Orb; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 65% when the nearest player within 10 m is moving; 45% when that player stands still; 50% when nobody is within 10 m
- Hunt Speed
- 1.2 m/s when a nearby player stands still; 2.25 m/s when they move; otherwise 1.7 m/s with standard line-of-sight acceleration.
- Strength
- A moving player within 10 m makes it faster and raises its hunt threshold.
- Weakness
- A still player within 10 m slows it and lowers its hunt threshold.
- How to Identify It
- During a hunt, compare its speed with the nearest player within 10 m: it locks to about 2.25 m/s when they move and 1.2 m/s when they stand still.
Deildegast
A very fast ghost that slows down when players move different objects.
- Evidence
- EMF Level 5; Ghost Writing; D.O.T.S. Projector
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- Starts each hunt at 3.0 m/s. Each different movable object used or moved outside a hunt lowers its speed by 0.1 m/s, to a 0.4 m/s minimum; the speed resets after every hunt or a Crucifix burn. It does not gain line-of-sight acceleration.
- Strength
- Starts hunts at 3.0 m/s before players have moved objects.
- Weakness
- Moving different objects slows it by 0.1 m/s each, and dead players can move objects too.
- How to Identify It
- Its first hunt starts at 3.0 m/s without line-of-sight acceleration. Move several different objects before the next hunt and listen for the drop in speed.
Demon
An aggressive ghost that can hunt early and rarely ignores sanity limits.
- Evidence
- Ghost Writing; Ultraviolet; Freezing Temperatures
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 70% average sanity; a rare ability can start a hunt at any sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- Hunts more often than other ghosts and can rarely hunt at any sanity.
- Weakness
- Crucifixes work at 50% greater range than usual.
- How to Identify It
- An uncursed hunt above 70% average sanity strongly points to a Demon. Incense only blocks its hunts for 60 seconds, and its Crucifix has 50% extra range.
Deogen
A ghost that always finds players but slows down when it gets close.
- Evidence
- D.O.T.S. Projector; Ghost Writing; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- Spirit Box
- Hunts Below
- 40% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- Runs at 3.0 m/s beyond about 5.3 m along its path, then slows continuously to 0.4 m/s within about 2.4 m; it does not gain line-of-sight acceleration.
- Strength
- Always knows where living players are during a hunt.
- Weakness
- Slows to a crawl as it gets close to its target.
- How to Identify It
- Ask the Spirit Box within about 1 m; its distinctive heavy-breathing response confirms it. During a hunt, it cannot be hidden from and slows sharply as it approaches.
Gallu
A state-changing ghost that reacts to Crucifixes, Incense, and Salt.
- Evidence
- EMF Level 5; Ultraviolet; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% in its normal state; 60% enraged; 40% weakened
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s in its normal state; 1.955 m/s base while enraged, with line-of-sight acceleration up to about 3.2 m/s; 1.36 m/s while weakened.
- Strength
- Crucifix, Incense, and Salt can push it into an enraged state that weakens protective equipment.
- Weakness
- After a hunt that ends while enraged, it becomes weakened, slower, and more affected by protective equipment.
- How to Identify It
- Watch how it responds to protection: Crucifix, Incense, or Salt changes its state. An enraged Gallu moves faster and can pass over later Salt piles without disturbing them; it slows again when weakened.
Goryo
A ghost whose D.O.T.S. silhouette only appears on camera when the room is empty.
- Evidence
- EMF Level 5; Ultraviolet; D.O.T.S. Projector
- Forced Evidence
- D.O.T.S. Projector
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- Its D.O.T.S. silhouette can only be seen through a Video Camera when no player is in the room.
- Weakness
- It cannot change its favourite room and only makes short roams.
- How to Identify It
- Leave the room and watch D.O.T.S. through a Video Camera; the silhouette only appears on camera with the room empty. D.O.T.S. is forced on reduced-evidence runs.
Hantu
A cold-loving ghost that moves faster in colder rooms.
- Evidence
- Ghost Orb; Ultraviolet; Freezing Temperatures
- Forced Evidence
- Freezing Temperatures
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- Moves at about 1.4 m/s in warm rooms and up to 2.7 m/s in freezing rooms; it does not gain line-of-sight acceleration.
- Strength
- Colder rooms make it faster.
- Weakness
- Warm rooms slow it, and its breath is visible during hunts when the fuse box is off.
- How to Identify It
- Turn off the fuse box and watch its mouth during a hunt: visible cold breath identifies the Hantu. Its speed also rises as the room gets colder.
Jinn
A ghost that can rush distant players while the fuse box is on.
- Evidence
- EMF Level 5; Ultraviolet; Freezing Temperatures
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s normally; with the fuse box on, it moves at a fixed 2.5 m/s when it sees a player more than 3 m away. Otherwise, standard line-of-sight acceleration can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- With the fuse box on, it can rush a distant player at 2.5 m/s.
- Weakness
- Turning off the fuse box prevents its speed ability; it cannot switch the fuse box off directly.
- How to Identify It
- With the fuse box on, let it see a player more than 3 m away; the Jinn switches to 2.5 m/s. Turning the fuse box off removes that ability.
Kormos
A nearly blind ghost that tracks player movement by sound.
- Evidence
- Ghost Orb; Spirit Box; Ultraviolet
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% normally; 70% if a player sprints in its room
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s normally; it moves about 1.3 times faster toward heard footsteps (about 2.2 m/s), and built-up line-of-sight acceleration can combine with that boost to reach about 3.7 m/s.
- Strength
- Hears player footsteps over long distances, especially sprinting.
- Weakness
- Nearly blind during hunts; it only sees a moving player within about 5 m.
- How to Identify It
- During a hunt, stay still and quiet away from its path: it can hear sprinting from up to 30 m but normally ignores a stationary player unless it is right beside them.
Mare
A ghost that is more dangerous in dark rooms and cannot turn lights on.
- Evidence
- Ghost Writing; Ghost Orb; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 60% in a dark room; 40% when its room is lit
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- Has a higher chance to attack in the dark and hunts at a higher sanity threshold there.
- Weakness
- Lighting its room lowers the hunt threshold, and it cannot turn light switches on.
- How to Identify It
- A ghost that turns a light switch on is not a Mare. A Mare is more likely to turn lights off and hunts earlier in darkness.
Moroi
A cursed ghost that drains sanity faster and speeds up as the team loses sanity.
- Evidence
- Ghost Writing; Freezing Temperatures; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- Spirit Box
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- About 1.5 m/s while team average sanity is 45% or higher; it speeds up as average sanity falls, to about 2.3 m/s below 5%, then line-of-sight acceleration can raise it to about 3.7 m/s.
- Strength
- Curses players who hear it through the Spirit Box or recorded paranormal sounds, doubling their passive sanity drain; it gets faster as team sanity falls.
- Weakness
- Incense blinds it for about 7 seconds during a hunt, longer than most ghosts, and Sanity Medication removes its curse.
- How to Identify It
- After a Spirit Box response or a paranormal sound recording, watch the affected player's sanity drain twice as fast. Its hunt speed also rises as team average sanity drops.
Myling
A quiet hunter whose footsteps become audible only when it is close.
- Evidence
- EMF Level 5; Ultraviolet; Ghost Writing
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s. Its hunt footsteps and noises carry only about 12 m, compared with about 20 m for most ghosts.
- Strength
- Its footsteps and hunting sounds are quieter and carry a shorter distance.
- Weakness
- It makes paranormal sounds more frequently for Parabolic Microphones and Sound Recorders.
- How to Identify It
- Stand where your equipment starts flickering, about 10 m away: a Myling's footsteps are barely audible until roughly 12 m, leaving a small gap between interference and sound.
Obake
A shapeshifting ghost that can leave a six-fingered Ultraviolet handprint.
- Evidence
- EMF Level 5; Ghost Orb; Ultraviolet
- Forced Evidence
- Ultraviolet
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- It can leave fewer Ultraviolet traces than other ghosts, even when UV is one of its evidence types.
- Weakness
- It sometimes changes its ghost model during a hunt and can leave a six-fingered handprint.
- How to Identify It
- Check UV prints: one in six handprints has six fingers. During a hunt, watch for a one-blink model change; Ultraviolet is forced on reduced-evidence runs.
Obambo
A ghost that switches between a slow calm state and a faster aggressive state.
- Evidence
- Ghost Writing; Ultraviolet; D.O.T.S. Projector
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 10% while calm; 65% while aggressive
- Hunt Speed
- About 1.445 m/s while calm; 1.955 m/s base while aggressive, with line-of-sight acceleration up to about 3.2 m/s. It changes state one minute after the front door opens and then every two minutes, including during hunts.
- Strength
- Its aggressive state raises the hunt threshold to 65% and makes it faster.
- Weakness
- Its calm state hunts only below 10% sanity and is slower and easier to track.
- How to Identify It
- Watch for abrupt speed changes: it begins calm, turns aggressive one minute after the door opens, then alternates states every two minutes, even during a hunt.
Oni
An active ghost that is easy to see during hunts and cannot appear as mist.
- Evidence
- EMF Level 5; Freezing Temperatures; D.O.T.S. Projector
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s. During hunts it flickers rapidly and stays visible more often than most ghosts.
- Strength
- It is more active near players, and its ghost events drain sanity faster.
- Weakness
- It cannot produce the mist ghost event and is visible more often during hunts.
- How to Identify It
- It never produces the mist ghost event. If it hunts, its rapid flicker keeps it visible for much more of the hunt than usual.
Onryo
A fire-fearing ghost whose flame interactions can delay or trigger hunts.
- Evidence
- Freezing Temperatures; Ghost Orb; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 60% normally; 40% within 4 m of a flame; extinguishing three flames can arm an any-sanity hunt
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- Extinguishing flames can arm a hunt that ignores the normal sanity threshold.
- Weakness
- A flame within 4 m can block a regular hunt, and Incense blocks its flame-triggered hunt.
- How to Identify It
- Place flames near it: a hunt attempt within 4 m blows out a flame instead of starting, and every third extinguished flame can arm an any-sanity attempt.
Phantom
A ghost that drains sanity when seen and vanishes briefly when photographed.
- Evidence
- Ultraviolet; D.O.T.S. Projector; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s. It flickers slowly during hunts and is visible for less time than most ghosts.
- Strength
- Looking at it during a manifestation drains sanity faster.
- Weakness
- A successful photo makes it disappear temporarily.
- How to Identify It
- Take a photo during a D.O.T.S. appearance or ghost event: the Phantom disappears and does not appear in the photo.
Poltergeist
An object-throwing ghost that can scatter a whole pile at once.
- Evidence
- Ultraviolet; Ghost Writing; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- Can throw several nearby objects at once and with more force than other ghosts.
- Weakness
- With no objects to throw, it loses its signature ability.
- How to Identify It
- Pile several items in its room; a single burst that scatters multiple objects points to a Poltergeist.
Raiju
An electronics-powered ghost that hunts earlier and moves faster near active equipment.
- Evidence
- EMF Level 5; D.O.T.S. Projector; Ghost Orb
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% normally; 65% near active electronic equipment
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s normally; on the same floor as active equipment, it moves at a fixed 2.5 m/s within 6 m on small maps, 8 m on medium maps, or 10 m on large maps. Outside that range, standard line-of-sight acceleration applies.
- Strength
- It siphons power from active electronics to hunt earlier and move at 2.5 m/s.
- Weakness
- Its attacks disrupt electronics over a wider area, making it easier to track.
- How to Identify It
- Put active electronic equipment on the same floor as the ghost. A Raiju can hunt at 65% sanity and move at 2.5 m/s inside its map-size-dependent range; interference reaches about 15 m.
Revenant
A slow ghost that suddenly rushes at 3.0 m/s when it detects a player.
- Evidence
- Ghost Writing; Ghost Orb; Freezing Temperatures
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- Moves at 1.0 m/s until it detects a player, then jumps to a fixed 3.0 m/s; it does not gain standard line-of-sight acceleration.
- Strength
- It moves much faster once it detects its prey.
- Weakness
- If it loses the player and reaches their last known position, it slows back down.
- How to Identify It
- Listen during a hunt: widely spaced 1.0 m/s footsteps suddenly become a 3.0 m/s rush when it detects sight, voice, or active electronics.
Shade
A shy ghost that stops interacting when a player is in its room.
- Evidence
- Ghost Writing; EMF Level 5; Freezing Temperatures
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 35% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- Its low activity makes it harder to find.
- Weakness
- It cannot hunt, interact, or cause ghost events while a player is in its current room.
- How to Identify It
- Stay in the current ghost room: a Shade cannot interact, create events, or start a normal hunt while a player is there. It also cannot hunt above 35% average sanity.
Spirit
A standard-speed ghost that stays blocked from hunting longer after Incense.
- Evidence
- Ghost Writing; EMF Level 5; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- None; it follows standard ghost behavior.
- Weakness
- Incense prevents it from hunting for 180 seconds, twice the usual 90-second period.
- How to Identify It
- Use Incense at low sanity and time the next hunt: a Spirit cannot start one for 180 seconds after being smudged, unless a cursed hunt overrides the delay.
Thaye
A fast, aggressive ghost that grows slower and less dangerous as it ages.
- Evidence
- D.O.T.S. Projector; Ghost Writing; Ghost Orb
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 75% displayed when young (74% actual trigger), falling by 6 points per age to 15% displayed (14% actual) when fully aged
- Hunt Speed
- Starts at about 2.75 m/s and slows by 0.175 m/s per age to 1.0 m/s; it does not gain line-of-sight acceleration.
- Strength
- When young, it is highly active, fast, and can hunt early.
- Weakness
- It ages while players stay near, becoming slower and less aggressive.
- How to Identify It
- Check its age with a Ouija Board or compare its hunts over time: it starts fast, then loses speed and hunt threshold as it ages near players.
The Mimic
A copycat ghost with three real evidence types and always-visible fake Ghost Orbs.
- Evidence
- Ultraviolet; Freezing Temperatures; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- No real evidence is forced; it always produces fake Ghost Orbs, even with zero evidence enabled
- Hunts Below
- Varies with the ghost it is currently copying
- Hunt Speed
- Copies the current ghost's speed and behavior; its neutral state follows standard 1.7 m/s speed with line-of-sight acceleration, and a copied Moroi can reach about 3.7 m/s.
- Strength
- Copies another ghost's traits, behavior, speed, and hunt threshold, changing its imitation periodically.
- Weakness
- Always produces extra Ghost Orbs that are not part of its real evidence set.
- How to Identify It
- Treat Ghost Orbs as a fake fourth clue: they always appear, even on zero-evidence settings. Its behavior may change as it switches imitations.
The Twins
One ghost that can interact from near and far and alternates between two hunt speeds.
- Evidence
- EMF Level 5; Freezing Temperatures; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- Each hunt is either 1.5 or 1.9 m/s before line-of-sight acceleration; with acceleration the speeds can reach about 2.6 or 3.0 m/s.
- Strength
- Either twin can trigger a hunt, and it can create interactions in two places.
- Weakness
- It often creates two interactions close together, making its split behavior easier to notice.
- How to Identify It
- Watch for two interactions at separate locations within about 2 seconds; the distant one is EMF-only. Hunt speed also alternates between 1.5 and 1.9 m/s base.
Wraith
A ghost that can teleport near players and never disturbs Salt.
- Evidence
- EMF Level 5; D.O.T.S. Projector; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- Can teleport to a player outside hunts and leave EMF near them; it does not leave footprints.
- Weakness
- It never disturbs Salt piles, and Tier III Salt does not slow it during a hunt.
- How to Identify It
- An EMF reading appearing at a player's feet without an interaction can reveal a Wraith teleport. An undisturbed Salt pile is another clue, but not while an enraged Gallu is possible.
Yokai
A voice-sensitive ghost that hunts early when players talk nearby but hears poorly during hunts.
- Evidence
- D.O.T.S. Projector; Ghost Orb; Spirit Box
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% normally; 80% when a player talks near it
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- Talking near it increases its chance of attacking and can raise its hunt threshold to 80%.
- Weakness
- During hunts, it only detects voices and active electronics within about 2.5 m.
- How to Identify It
- If it hunts while players talk in its room above 50% average sanity, suspect Yokai. During a hunt, voices and electronics farther than about 2.5 m do not attract it.
Yurei
A ghost that can silently close a door and drain nearby players' sanity.
- Evidence
- Freezing Temperatures; D.O.T.S. Projector; Ghost Orb
- Forced Evidence
- -
- Hunts Below
- 50% average sanity
- Hunt Speed
- 1.7 m/s base; sustained line of sight can raise it to about 2.8 m/s.
- Strength
- A smooth full door close drains 15% sanity from players nearby.
- Weakness
- Incense traps it in its favourite room for 90 seconds, limiting its movement.
- How to Identify It
- Look for a full, smooth, silent close of an open door; it drains sanity from nearby players. A door slam is not this ability.
How Ghost Types Differ From One Another
Every ghost type has its own speed, its own habits, and its own point at which it starts a hunt. Most ghosts begin hunting once the team's average sanity, which is how calm the group is, falls to about 50%. The Demon starts much earlier, at around 70%, while Deogen holds off until sanity drops to about 40%. Speed varies too: Deogen moves fast when it's far from you and slows right down as it gets close, and Moroi picks up speed as the team's average sanity drops.
That's why a plan that works against one ghost can fail against another. If you're new, learn the Demon and Deogen first, since they break the usual pattern the most.
How to Identify a Ghost From Its Clues
Each ghost type normally leaves three clues, picked from a shared pool: EMF Level 5, Spirit Box, Ultraviolet, Ghost Writing, Freezing Temperatures, Ghost Orbs, and the D.O.T.S. Projector. No two ghost types share the same three, so the combination is what gives the ghost away. A single clue can fit several types, which is why you usually need the full set before you can be sure.
The in-game journal helps you keep track. It has a checklist of every clue, so you can mark what you've found and cross off the ones you've ruled out. EMF only counts at Level 5, so a lower reading doesn't count as evidence. When the clues don't settle it, watch how the ghost acts, since behavior often gives it away.
When a Ghost Starts a Hunt
A hunt is the ghost's attack on the team. Sanity drops as you wander through dark areas, and standing in lit areas helps keep it up. That's why keeping the team calm matters so much: once the average sanity reaches the ghost's threshold, the ghost can begin a hunt, though it doesn't always start one right away.
Once a hunt begins, the exit doors lock, so you have to outrun the ghost or hide from it. Hunts run longer on bigger maps, so a large location means a longer chase.
How to Stop a Ghost From Hunting
A crucifix is the main way to stop a hunt before it starts. When a ghost decides to attack, it checks whether a crucifix is within a few meters of it. If one is, the hunt is cancelled and the crucifix uses up one charge. Timing matters because the check happens at that moment, and a crucifix does nothing once a hunt is already running.
Incense, which many players still know as the smudge stick, works differently. When it's lit, it can keep a ghost from starting a hunt for a short time, and it can briefly blind a ghost that's already hunting. That gives the team a moment to get clear and regroup.
Ghost Types That Change During a Visit
Some ghost types change as the investigation goes on, so what worked early may not work later. Gallu moves between normal, enraged, and weakened states. It starts hunting at around 60% when enraged and around 40% when weakened, compared with 50% when normal.
Dayan keeps track of the closest player. If that player is walking nearby, Dayan's threshold rises to around 65%, and if they stand still, it drops to around 45%.
Obambo switches between calm and aggressive. It hunts at around 10% sanity when calm and around 65% when aggressive. It starts calm, switches about a minute after an exit door first opens, and then about every two minutes, even during a hunt.
Thaye starts young, fast, and quick to hunt at around 75%. It ages in steps, slowing down and dropping its threshold to around 15% by its final stage. It only ages while players are close by, so staying near it is what wears it down.
FAQ
How long does a ghost wait before it hunts again?
A ghost has to wait at least 25 seconds after a hunt ends before it can start another, or 20 seconds for the Demon. That wait is a minimum, so the next hunt won't start the moment the timer runs out. Use that time to get to a safer room and regroup, not to assume the danger has passed.
Which clues stay visible on Nightmare and Insanity?
On Nightmare, the game hides one of a ghost's three clues at random, so you see two. On Insanity, it hides two, leaving only one. Forced clues are the exception, since they can't be hidden: Deogen and Moroi always leave Spirit Box evidence, Goryo always leaves D.O.T.S., Hantu always leaves Freezing Temperatures, and Obake always leaves Ultraviolet. Seeing one of those is a strong lead, but not proof, since other ghost types can share the same clue.
Are Ghost Orbs ever fake?
Yes, with The Mimic. Its real clues are Spirit Box, Ultraviolet, and Freezing Temperatures, and its Ghost Orbs are a decoy that appear on every difficulty. Since many ghost types leave real orbs, seeing orbs alone tells you little, but four clues at once points to the Mimic, because no other ghost type shows more than three. It also copies other ghosts' behavior and switches which one it copies, so don't rely on behavior alone either.