Equipment and Tier Upgrades Guide
Phasmophobia uses a three-tier equipment progression introduced in the Ascension update, where each upgrade costs a one-time payment and requires a specific account level. Tier II unlocks land between Level 18 and Level 39 for the core kit, while Tier III runs from Level 46 up to Level 80 for the Crucifix and Incense. Higher tiers give you improved range, faster detection times, and stronger survival effects.
Phasmophobia features a three-tier item progression system introduced in the Ascension update. Completing contracts and earning XP unlocks higher equipment tiers that provide improved range, faster detection times, and specialized utility.
This guide covers the core investigation and survival kit, its unlock milestones, upgrade investment costs, and advanced sensor grid deployment strategies. The shop carries 21 purchasable items in total, so the tables below are the tools worth planning your levels around and not the full catalog.
The Chronicle update (v0.13.0.0, June 2025) lowered several tier unlock levels, and the values below are the current ones. Crucifix Tier III sat at Level 90 and Incense Tier III at Level 85 before that patch, and both now unlock at Level 80.
Equipment Tiers and Upgrade Costs Matrix
Upgrading gear requires reaching specific account level thresholds and paying one-time upgrade investments.
| Equipment Item | Tier II Unlock Level | Tier II Upgrade Cost | Tier III Unlock Level | Tier III Upgrade Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMF Reader | Level 18 | $3,000 | Level 46 | $4,500 |
| Spirit Box | Level 23 | $3,000 | Level 46 | $3,000 |
| Thermometer | Level 27 | $3,000 | Level 65 | $3,000 |
| D.O.T.S. Projector | Level 27 | $3,000 | Level 49 | $3,000 |
| Crucifix | Level 34 | $4,000 | Level 80 | $20,000 |
| Incense | Level 37 | $3,500 | Level 80 | $15,000 |
| Sanity Medication | Level 39 | $2,000 | Level 75 | $5,000 |
Evidence Detection Gear Tiers
EMF Reader ($45 unit cost)
- Tier I (Level 1): GheistField analog needle display. Detects within 1.7 meters.
- Tier II (Level 18 - $3,000 Upgrade): K2 meter with 5 lit LEDs and distinct audio tones per level. Detects within 2 meters.
- Tier III (Level 46 - $4,500 Upgrade): ParaMeter. Tracks direction, distance, and up to 3 simultaneous interaction signals within a 3.5-meter radius.
Spirit Box ($50 unit cost)
- Tier I (Level 1): Vintage analog radio. Ghost must be within 3 meters, and it answers roughly half the time.
- Tier II (Level 23 - $3,000 Upgrade): Standard radio. Range extends to 4 meters, response rate rises, and an on-screen icon marks an answer.
- Tier III (Level 46 - $3,000 Upgrade): Advanced digital audio receiver. Range extends to 5 meters with the highest response rate and a built-in noise filter. It reports answers through red and white LEDs and not a screen icon.
Thermometer ($30 unit cost)
- Tier I (Level 1): Alcohol tube with a red liquid column. Creeps toward the true room temperature at about 0.33 degrees C per second, so a freezing room takes a while to read.
- Tier II (Level 27 - $3,000 Upgrade): Infrared thermometer. Hold the use button and it refreshes every 2.5 seconds.
- Tier III (Level 65 - $3,000 Upgrade): Air thermometer that refreshes every 1.5 seconds.
D.O.T.S. Projector ($65 unit cost)
- Tier I (Level 1): Handheld laser pen pointer. Small grid spot.
- Tier II (Level 27 - $3,000 Upgrade): Stationary floor tripod module. Emits a static green laser matrix.
- Tier III (Level 49 - $3,000 Upgrade): Motorized laser scanner. Sweeps high-intensity laser grids across vast room volumes.
Duplicate-Evidence Indicators (v0.19.0.0)
Photo Cameras, Video Cameras, and Sound Recorders now warn you before you capture a Duplicate instead of a Unique. Tier I Photo Cameras show a yellow LED light. Tier II and III Photo Cameras, plus all Video Camera tiers, switch to faded text instead of the usual bold white text. Tier I Sound Recorders lower the brightness of their Volume indicator lights, and Tier II and III Sound Recorders show faded sound waves.
Survival and Utility Gear Tiers
Crucifix ($30 unit cost)
- Tier I (Level 7): 3-meter radius (4.5m vs Demon). 1 charge.
- Tier II (Level 34 - $4,000 Upgrade): 4-meter radius (6m vs Demon). 2 charges.
- Tier III (Level 80 - $20,000 Upgrade): 5-meter radius (7.5m vs Demon). 2 charges. Uniquely blocks one Cursed Hunt, but only while it still holds both charges, and doing so burns both. A Tier III Crucifix that has already stopped a normal hunt no longer protects you from a cursed one.
Incense ($15 unit cost)
- Tier I (Level 14): 5-second smoke burn, 3-meter range. Blinds a hunting ghost for about five seconds.
- Tier II (Level 37 - $3,500 Upgrade): 6-second smoke burn, 4-meter range. Blinds the ghost and slows it to half speed for the same window.
- Tier III (Level 80 - $15,000 Upgrade): 7-second smoke burn, 5-meter range. Blinds the ghost and stops it moving entirely.
During a hunt, incense blinds the ghost for about five seconds (seven against a Moroi). It cannot detect or kill you in that window and has to pick a new waypoint, and that is what buys you the room to reposition. Higher tiers change what the blind does, not how long it lasts: Tier I only blinds the ghost, Tier II also slows it to half speed, and Tier III stops it moving entirely. Range grows from 3 m to 4 m to 5 m. Only a Tier III smudge leaves the ghost standing still, so with Tier I or II plan on getting away. These per-tier figures come from the community wiki, since Kinetic does not publish them.
Sanity Medication ($20 unit cost)
- Tier I (Level 14): Restores sanity over 20 seconds.
- Tier II (Level 39 - $2,000 Upgrade): Restores the same amount in 10 seconds.
- Tier III (Level 75 - $5,000 Upgrade): Restores in 10 seconds and grants a sprint stamina boost for 10 seconds afterwards.
Tiers change how fast medication works, not how much it restores. The amount is set by difficulty, running from 40% on Amateur down to 20% on Insanity, so a Tier III pill on Insanity still returns 20%.
Sensor Grid Deployment Dynamics
Mastering sensor grids is critical for large-scale maps like Brownstone High School or Sunny Meadows. A triangulation grid boxes in the suspected ghost room from four sides:
| Grid Position | Sensor |
|---|---|
| Wing A, beyond the ghost room | Sound Sensor |
| One side of the ghost room, aimed at it | Motion Sensor |
| Opposite side of the ghost room, aimed at it | Motion Sensor |
| Wing B, beyond the ghost room | Sound Sensor |
- Tier III Sound Sensors: Range is selectable at 5, 10, or 15 meters, and Tier II already offers the same three settings. What Tier III adds is a switchable detection shape, letting you pick Cone, Sides, or Sphere. Set a sphere at 15 meters on a hallway intersection and two or three sensors will triangulate ghost footsteps and thrown items on the truck monitor.
- Tier II Motion Sensors: The conical laser sweep is the tier that reveals direction. Watching which way the beam trips tells you where the ghost is roaming, which is where you want your D.O.T.S. arrays.
- Tier III Motion Sensors: A rotating scanner covering a 1.5-meter sphere, floor-mounted and triggered only by the ghost. It trades the Tier II cone's reach for a reading you can trust, since players cannot set it off.
Loadout Recommendations
Beginner Solo Loadout
- 1x Flashlight
- 1x Thermometer
- 1x EMF Reader
- 1x Spirit Box
- 1x Video Camera
- 1x Crucifix
Full Team Intermediate/Professional Loadout
- 4x Flashlights (highest tier unlocked)
- 2x Thermometers
- 2x EMF Readers
- 2x Spirit Boxes
- 2x D.O.T.S. Projectors
- 2x Ghost Writing Books
- 4x Crucifixes
- 4x Incense + Lighters
- 4x Sanity Medication
- 2x Video Cameras + Tripods
Place a Tier I Thermometer in the room early. Its alcohol column only moves about 0.33 degrees C per second, so a room that is genuinely freezing still takes the better part of a minute to read out from a warm start.
Frequently Asked Questions
What level do you need for the Tier III Crucifix in Phasmophobia?
Level 80, and the upgrade costs $20,000. It gives a 5-meter radius (7.5m against a Demon) with 2 charges, and it uniquely blocks one Cursed Hunt, but only while both charges are still intact, and doing so burns both. The Chronicle update moved this unlock down from Level 90.
Is the Tier III Thermometer worth the upgrade?
It costs $3,000 at Level 65 and turns the tool into an air thermometer that refreshes every 1.5 seconds. The Tier I alcohol tube only crawls toward the true reading at about 0.33 degrees C per second, so the upgrade saves real time on every room sweep.
What is a good beginner solo loadout in Phasmophobia?
Take one Flashlight, one Thermometer, one EMF Reader, one Spirit Box, one Video Camera, and one Crucifix. That covers room location, evidence testing, and basic hunt prevention.
How do Tier III Sound Sensors help on large maps?
Tier II and Tier III both offer 5, 10, and 15 meter range settings. Tier III adds a switchable detection shape, so you can pick Cone, Sides, or Sphere. Set a 15-meter sphere at a hallway intersection and two or three sensors triangulate footsteps and thrown items on the truck monitor.
How much does the Tier III Incense upgrade cost?
$15,000 at Level 80. It burns for 7 seconds at the longest range of the three tiers. Lighting it during a hunt blinds the ghost for about five seconds, so it cannot detect or kill you and has to pick a new waypoint. The Chronicle update moved this unlock down from Level 85.
What to Read Next
- Evidence and Identification. The testing procedures your gear has to support.
- Sanity, Hunts, and Survival. Survival items that matter more than evidence gear.
- Maps and Locations. Sizing your loadout to the map you queued into.
- Achievements. Equipment-specific achievements and what they require.
- Tips and Tricks. Crucifix charge rules, medication timing, and what a tier really buys.