Best Items To Upgrade First In Phasmophobia

Do you want to be the best paranormal investigator in town? Then you have to know which items to prioritize during ghost hunts.

The sleeper-hit four-player co-op psychological horror game Phasmophobia puts you in the shoes of a paranormal investigator on a mission to find proof of the supernatural. You will do so by utilizing a broad selection of ghost hunting equipment, each with its own specific uses.

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Each of the tools that are available to you at the start of every mission is upgradeable as well. Enhancing your gear’s overall functionality and performance is crucial for not only gathering proof but also for increasing your survival, as some of the entities you will encounter are malevolent. Here are the items you should prioritize upgrading in the game.

A must-have if you wish to gather visual proof of the other side, the video camera is included with the starter pack. The video camera connects to the live feed, which allows your ghost-hunting team to keep tabs on each other’s positions. It can also be used to capture orb evidence. Upgrading it to Tier 3 will provide higher-quality videos and enhanced resistance to electromagnetic interference.

The video camera will also have night vision functionality, which is incredibly helpful since you will often find yourself fumbling in complete darkness. Along with a sturdy tripod, you can lower the risk of being attacked by entities by setting up your video cameras in hot spots and monitoring occurrences from the safety of your truck.

Another integral tool in paranormal investigation, the spirit box allows you to listen to what the spectral entity wants to say. Not only is the Spirit Box a crucial item to bring, but it is also incredibly fun to use, especially with Kinetic Games constant updates that expand the Spirit Box’s uses. The Spirit Box is also part of the starter pack.

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At Tier 1, the Spirit Box is your standard AM/FM radio with less-than-ideal audio quality. Upgrading it to Tier 2 will enhance its overall performance with a wider range and improved audio quality. Upgrading the Spirit Box to Tier 3 will further enhance overall performance and will even feature noise filters, which will greatly reduce static noise. The chances of a supernatural response are also considerably increased.

The E.M.F. Reader can be a bit confusing to use for first-time players, but it is vital to learn how to operate this tool as it is indispensable during ghost-hunting sessions. This device will alert you to the level of paranormal activity that is happening within your vicinity, allowing you to react promptly to the alert level indicated by the E.M.F. Reader.

Upgrading this device to Tier 2 as soon as possible is essential to improving its reliability in the field and its accuracy in reading electromagnetic interference in the environment. At Tier 3, the E.M.F. Reader pretty much reaches its maximum potential with a range that is double what Tier 2 provides. The device will also come with additional features such as a display screen and audio, distance, and directional indicators for a more accurate reading.

Besides gathering video recordings, a respectable ghost hunter should also be ready to snap pictures of supernatural entities. As such, the photo camera is another integral item that you should level up as soon as possible since you will be using it during every mission. If you want to earn money faster and complete all objectives and daily challenges, you need to have a reliable photo camera on hand.

Maxing the photo camera to Tier 3 will give you the highest quality snapshots and a significantly faster reload time between each photo. This means that you won’t need to worry about missing that money shot due to the camera still recharging to take another picture.

A standard tool that is mandatory in hunting for spooky creatures of the night, the flashlight is available from the start. However, it is terrible at Tier 1, only generating a narrow beam of light with low intensity. This is why it is best to start upgrading this essential tool as soon as possible to improve your overall perception in the game.

Leveling it up to Tier 2 will give you the ability to focus the beam with improved intensity. At Tier 3, the flashlight will generate a wider spotlight with equally high intensity. It will also come with a carry handle now. Now, it is also recommended that you purchase the Strong Flashlight once it is available. As the name implies, it is a further upgraded version of the flashlight with a wider and higher luminosity and can even help you retain your sanity meter longer.

The Ghost Writing Book is a must-have during ghost-hunting sessions where the haunting entity is unknown. You will leave this item in rooms that are considered hot spots to see if the entity will leave a message (often threatening) on the book.

Upgrading the Ghost Writing Book will significantly increase its reliability in the field, so make sure to put some time into getting this item to Tier 2 and 3. Speaking of Tier 3, achieving this level will transform the Ghost Writing Book from a plain notebook to a snazzy occult tome. Of course, it doesn’t just have an aesthetic upgrade; the Ghost Writing Book will also now have a five-meter range and an exceptionally high interaction rate.

You can speed up narrowing down the areas with the highest paranormal activity with the help of a good thermometer. This is a priority item that should be present during every ghost-hunting mission no matter the location. Areas with paranormal entities will see a considerable drop in temperature, and having one member of the team carry a thermometer is integral during the first stage. Also, you can even determine what type of entity is haunting the area depending on how cold the reading gets.

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As for upgrading the thermometer, Tier 2 will give you an infrared thermometer that can read the environment's temperature faster and is pretty accurate as well. Pumping it to Tier 3 will further increase the rate of reading the temperature and provide almost pinpoint accuracy.

Not surprisingly, ghost hunting can be quite a stressful activity. One of the most important mechanics in the game is managing your sanity levels. The meter will gradually decrease as the ghost hunting goes on, but certain events, such as witnessing paranormal activities and apparitions, can speed up the decay of your sanity level. The lower the sanity level, the more active the haunting will be. While that may sound like an ideal scenario for gathering evidence, it also places you in the crosshair of the spirit or demon that is haunting the area.

To regain your sanity, you will need to take sanity pills. This will be a highly vital item if your sanity meter gets drained down to dangerous levels, as you will be targeted by the entity during the hunting phase. Upgrading the Sanity Pills to Tier 2 will help restore your sanity faster, and hitting Tier 3 will give you the Sanity Injection. The sanity injection will pretty much restore sanity levels almost instantly; plus, you can sprint indefinitely as long as the effects are active. Having a fully upgraded sanity injection will help keep you in the game longer.

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Kris Velasco is an introvert with a penchant for writing, videogames, and being an all-around cool hermit. With over a decade of experience in the freelance writing gig, Kris has built a solid foundation of experience away from society. What else kind of a job do you think he can hold down besides this?