The truck holds far more equipment than you can carry, so the smart move is to build a plan around three moments in every investigation: finding the ghost room, gathering evidence, and staying alive during a hunt. What you pack changes with the size of the map, because a cramped house and a sprawling asylum ask very different things of you.
Quick answer: On small maps, lead with a Flashlight, Thermometer, and EMF Reader. On medium maps, swap in a Parabolic Microphone to track sound. On large maps, unlock Nightvision Goggles first, then rely on the Parabolic Microphone plus a lit candle to protect sanity on long walks.
The three phases of every loadout
Each map size shares the same rhythm. First you sweep to locate the ghost room. Then you set up evidence-gathering tools and place a Crucifix to block hunts. Finally you shift into survival, keeping incense and a lighter close while you wait for evidence or take photos for extra XP and cash.
| Phase | Goal |
|---|---|
| Sweeping | Locate the ghost room using temperature, EMF activity, or sound cues. |
| Setup | Drop evidence tools in the room and place a Crucifix to prevent a hunt. |
| Survival | Hold sanity, blind the ghost with incense, and collect photo evidence. |
Small map loadout
Small maps are the easiest place to pin down a ghost, so your sweep can be quick and light. Carry a Flashlight so you can move through hallways and find the breaker without wasting time in the dark. A Thermometer confirms the room when the reading hits its coldest point, and the EMF Reader flags activity, since even a Level 1 hit points you toward the ghost.
If you are playing with a team, hand one person the Video Camera. Night vision replaces the need for a Flashlight, it is the only tool that spots Ghost Orbs, and once the room is found the camera can stay behind so the team watches from the van.
Setup gear for small maps
Start with the Crucifix the moment you find the room. It stops the ghost from triggering a hunt while you wait for evidence to appear. Then pile in the Spirit Box, Ghost Writing Book, and two D.O.T.S. Projectors, and add the UV Light to catch fingerprints. This is mostly a waiting phase, so watch from the van’s cameras if you want to preserve sanity.
Survival gear for small maps
When you need to test the ghost directly, return with Incense and a Lighter so you can blind it during a hunt, study it, or slip away to a hiding spot. Bring the Photo Camera and Salt too, since photos of stepped-in salt and other evidence pay out in XP and cash at mission’s end. Keep an eye on your Crucifixes, because once they expire the ghost can hunt freely.
Medium map loadout
Medium maps introduce distance, so sound becomes your best guide. The Parabolic Microphone tracks noises that you and your team did not make, steering you toward the ghost room without blundering into wrong rooms. Pair it with a Thermometer to check temperature as you enter each room, a Flashlight to navigate, and a Video Camera for both night vision and Ghost Orbs.
Setup gear for medium maps
Place a Crucifix first, then make trips back and forth from the van to fill the room with an EMF Reader, Spirit Box, Ghost Writing Book, D.O.T.S. Projectors, and UV Light. This is the most time-consuming stretch, and your sanity will drop, so keep Sanity Medication ready in the van to avoid a hunt while you are still setting up.
Survival gear for medium maps
With the room built, there is little to do but wait for evidence or a hunt. Lean on Incense and a Lighter to blind the ghost if a hunt catches you out, and use the Photo Camera to grab perfect evidence shots. Watching the salt matters here, because if nothing steps in it, you are likely dealing with a Wraith.
Large map loadout
Large maps are the hardest, and they are best left until you have Nightvision Goggles. The goggles free up a loadout slot that a Flashlight would otherwise take, letting you carry the Parabolic Microphone as your main search tool. Follow the sounds it picks up, then confirm the ghost room with an EMF Reader or Thermometer.
Setup gear for large maps
Dump your starting gear in the room, then make several trips back for the Spirit Box, D.O.T.S. Projectors, Ghost Writing Book, UV Light, and a Camera. Carry a lit Candle with a Lighter on those long walks, because it holds your sanity steady and prevents a hunt mid-trip. Once everything is placed, keep the candle handy, top up with Sanity Pills, and drop a Crucifix so a surprise hunt cannot catch you.
Survival gear for large maps
On a map this big, you do not want to linger. Set up a Video Camera on a Tripod for multiple angles in the ghost room so you can monitor evidence from the van, and place Sound Sensors in nearby hallways to check whether the ghost is on the move. Whenever you head back inside, eat Sanity Pills to keep hunts at bay and carry Incense and a Lighter as a safety net.
Loadout summary by map size
| Map size | Sweeping | Survival extras |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Flashlight, Thermometer, EMF Reader, Video Camera | Incense, Lighter, Salt, Photo Camera |
| Medium | Parabolic Microphone, Thermometer, Flashlight, Video Camera | Sanity Medication, Incense, Lighter, Salt, Photo Camera |
| Large | Parabolic Microphone, Nightvision Goggles, EMF Reader, Thermometer | Sanity Pills, Sound Sensors, Video Camera, Tripod, Incense |
Remember that you can only carry three items into the house at first, so make short trips and drop essential gear just inside the front door. A single source of light is always mandatory, whether that is a Flashlight, a Video Camera’s night vision, or Nightvision Goggles. Adjust the exact pieces to the ghost you suspect and the difficulty you are running, and the same three-phase plan will carry you through any location.
