The Sims 4 Occult Guides: Ghosts

Overview

Learn more about Ghost powers, needs, and how to become a Ghost in The Sims 4.

Ghost Sims

Ghosts are Sims that have left the world of the living and now exist in their spectral form. You’ll find free-roaming Ghosts in-game, but you can choose to play as a Ghost too. Ghosts come with The Sims 4 Base Game. Ghosts fade away over time. When this starts to happen, a notification appears saying the Ghost is Moving On. To stop it, select the Ghost’s urn or tombstone and choose the Strengthen Connection interaction to have them stick around. To get a Ghost to Move On, select their urn or tombstone and choose Release Spirit to the Netherworld. If you choose this option you can’t bring this Ghost back.

Who can be a Ghost in The Sims 4

Elder, Adult, Young Adult, Teen, and Child Sims.
All Occult types.
Elder Cats and Elder Dogs if you own The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs Expansion Pack.
Elder Horses if you own The Sims 4 Horse Ranch Expansion Pack.

How to turn into a Ghost in The Sims 4

When your Sim dies, a pop-up appears with two options.

Become a Playable Ghost: they’ll still be part of the Household.
Become a Freeroaming Ghost: they’ll no longer be part of the Household, and they’ll haunt the Lot where their urn or tombstone is located.
Want to switch to be a Playable Ghost? Select Add Ghost to Household on the Sim’s urn or tombstone.

If you own The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Pack, you can also choose Rebirth. This option is only available to Sims who completed the Dreams Fulfilled tier in their Soul’s Journey. If they didn’t, this option will be grayed out.

Make a Ghost in Create a Sim

1
Create any Sim.
2
Select Pick a Cause of Death! in the top left of the Sim Molecule.
3
Choose a Cause of Death for your Sim.
You’ll only see deaths available to you based on the Packs you own.
Some deaths are age-specific. For example, only Elders can experience Death by Old Age.
4
Select Toggle Ghost Overlay to switch between what your Sim looks like as a living or Ghost Sim.
If you have The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Pack, select the Ghost Full Body category to see outfits that are only available for Ghosts.

A dashed line surrounds the Toggle Ghost Overlay button. The icon is located beneath the Detail Edit Icon in Create a Sim.

Check out our guide to different death types in The Sims 4, and which are available in each Pack, for more info.

Tombstones and urns

All Ghost Sims have an urn or tombstone. You’ll usually find it near where the Sim died. For Ghost Sims created in Create a Sim, you’ll find their urn or tombstone in their Personal Inventory. Interactions on a Sim’s urn or tombstone:

Mourn Past Life
Possess
Display As: change the appearance of an urn or tombstone
Leave Sugar Skull Offering
Engrave Epitaph: enter a personal note
Read Epitaph
Put in Inventory
Add Ghost to Household
Turn on auto-switch: By default, the game switches between a tombstone when outside and an urn when inside. De-select turn on auto-switch to turn that off.
Return to the Netherworld: The tomb or urn remains, but the Ghost Sim will pass over to the Netherworld. They’ll no longer be available as a Freeroaming or Playable Ghost.

Interactions exclusive to The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Pack:

Plan Funeral
Light Candle
Recognize Familiar Name: only available for Rebirthed Sims on their old urn or tombstone
Move Onto the Great Beyond: only available if you reach the No Regrets tier of a Sim’s Soul’s Journey.

Ghost needs

A Ghost’s needs are a little different from a regular Sim. Here’s what replaces a living Sim’s needs when they pass over to the afterworld.

Goo Waste replaces the Bladder need.
Ethereal Sustenance replaces the Hunger need.
Otherworldly Slumber replaces the Energy need.
Spooky Diversions replaces the Fun need.
Ethereal Bonding replaces the Social need.
Apparition Cleansing replaces the Hygiene need.

Marriage status and career progress don’t carry over from a living Sim when they come back as a Ghost. When two married Sims die, they’ll no longer be married, but they can reinstate their marriage with the Ask to Stay Married interaction.Once a Sim becomes a Ghost, they can still work towards completing their Soul’s Journey if you own The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Pack. For more info, check out our Soul’s Journey guide.

Ghost Sims change color depending on their mood.

	Mood		Color
	Asleep		Navy Blue
	Angry		Red
	Bored		Gray
	Confident		Blue
	Dazed		Light Purple
	Embarrassed		Yellow
	Energized		Lime
	Fine		White
	Flirty		Pink
	Focused		Dark Purple
	Happy		Green
	Inspired		Turquoise
	Playful		Magenta
	Sad		Dark Blue
	Scared		Dark Purple
	Tense		Light Orange
	Uncomfortable		Orange

In The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Pack you can choose your Ghost Sim’s color.

1
Self-select the Ghost Sim and choose Set Ghost Color to open the color options.
2
Select the Enable Mood Color checkbox for them to continue changing color per their mood.

A Purple Ghost Sim with the Set Ghost Color menu open above their head showing the different color options available.

Ghost powers

Like other Occults in The Sims 4, Ghosts have special powers. Ghost Abilities are linked to their Cause of Death. Some of these are in the Base Game, and others come with Expansion or Game Packs. The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Pack comes with expanded content for Ghosts, including Ghost powers.

If your Sim becomes a Ghost after they die, their ghostly Abilities are based on how they died. For more info on death types and all the ways to trigger them, check out our guide to deaths in The Sims 4.

Consumed by the Mother: Their needs don’t decay, they can possess plants to decrease their quality, and can possess objects covered in vines to remove them. This death is included with The Sims 4 Strangerville Game Pack.
Death by Anger: They’ll be prone to random outbursts of rage, making all nearby Sims angry too. This death is included in The Sims 4 Base Game.
Death by Beetles: They don’t get scared in a Lot with the Haunted House Lot Trait. This death is included with The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Expansion Pack.
Death by Being Crushed by a Murphy Bed: These Ghosts can’t sleep in beds or sleeping bags. Instead, to fill their Energy need, they steal it from other Sims by possessing them. This causes the Sim to pass out or even die of overexertion if they’re an Elder. They’ll have the Warn about Bed Safety and Wake up and Warn! interactions. This death is included with The Sims 4 Tiny Living Stuff Pack.
Death by Broken Heart: They’ll have the Furious Moodlet when they’re around Sims performing Romantic interactions. They’ll autonomously perform Mean interactions on Sim couples. This death is included with The Sims 4 Lovestruck Expansion Pack.
Death by Cowplant: When they’re happy, they can help make plants grow and mature faster. If they’re angry, they can choke plants with weeds and make them decay in quality, potentially killing them. This death is included in The Sims 4 Base Game.
Death by Drowning: They’re afraid of water, and when they move, puddles appear. This death is included in The Sims 4 Base Game.
Death by Electrocution: They can give Sims an electric shock. If they’re angry, they can possess electronic Items and break them. This death is included in The Sims 4 Base Game.
Death by Embarrassment: They’ll frequently remember the embarrassing way they died and become embarrassed all over again. This death is included in The Sims 4 Base Game.
Death by Fire: They’ll start random fires all over the Lot, and if you’re playing them as the active Sim, you can direct them to start fires too. This death is included in The Sims 4 Base Game.
Death by Flies: They’ll always be successful when bonding with flies. This death is included with The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Expansion Pack.
Death by Freezing: They can kill Sims by freezing them, cool down hot Sims, and extinguish fires. This death is included with The Sims 4 Seasons Expansion Pack.
Death by Hunger: They’ll frequently raid the fridge for food, their Hunger need will decay quicker, and they can eat when they’re full. This death is included in The Sims 4 Base Game.
Death by Killer Chicken: They’ll autonomously scare chickens on the Lot. This death is included with The Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack.
Death by Killer Rabbit: They’ll autonomously scare rabbits on the Lot. This death is included with The Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack.
Death by Laughter: They’ll often have the Playful moodlet and make nearby Sims Playful too. This death is included in The Sims 4 Base Game.
Death by Lightning: They emit sparks. This death is included with The Sims 4 Seasons Expansion Pack.
Death by Mold: They can Summon Allergic Mold and use the Fungal Overgrowth interaction outside to spawn harvestable mushrooms. Other interactions include Spoil Food and Blow Fertilizing Spores on plants which increases their quality, and the Confide interaction with plants which increases their Social need. They can’t eat mushrooms and have an Angry Moodlet when they see other Sims eating them, lowering their relationship with that Sim. This death is included with The Sims 4 For Rent Expansion Pack.
Death by Meteorite: They’ll sometimes reenact their death, leaving the ground covered in soot. This death is included in The Sims 4 Base Game.
Death by Murder: They can still use the Provoke interaction on a Crow, but they won’t be able to do it as often. This death is included with The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Pack.
Death by Old Age: Like Death by Overexertion, this death only happens to Elder Sims. If they die in this way, as Ghosts they’ll nap a lot. This death is included in The Sims 4 Base Game.
Death by Overexertion: This death can only happen to Elder Sims. If they die in this way, as Ghosts they’ll nap a lot. This death is included in The Sims 4 Base Game.
Death by Overheating: They’ll seek out ways to cool down, like drinking water and swimming. These Ghosts can use the Sabotage interaction on a sauna and have the Warm Up Sim interaction which can kill the Sim. This death is included with The Sims 4 Seasons Expansion Pack.
Death by Poison: They’ll often burp, which causes other Sims around them to pass out. This death is included with The Sims 4 Jungle Adventure Game Pack.
Death by Rabid Rodent Fever: They’ll have the Spread Rodent Fear interaction which causes all nearby Sims to flee. If they drink the Rabid Innoculation Serum, they’ll look like a regular Ghost. This death is included with The Sims 4 My First Pet Stuff Pack.
Death by Steam: They can absorb puddles of water to hydrate themselves and can use the Sabotage interaction on the sauna. This death is included with The Sims 4 Spa Day Game Pack.
Death by Stink Capsule: They’ll autonomously use the Defuse Prank interaction on objects. This death is included with The Sims 4 High School Years Expansion Pack.
Death by Urban Myth: They’ll become scared when they use a mirror and will autonomously use the Defuse Prank interaction on objects. This death is included with The Sims 4 High School Years Expansion Pack.
Death by Vending Machine: They’ll always be crushed by the vending machine when they perform the Shake interaction and will have a Scared moodlet. This death is included with The Sims 4 Snowy Escape Expansion Pack.

Ghost Mastery

The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Pack adds powers for Ghost Sims. Ghostly powers are fueled by Stamina. If a Ghost Sim’s Stamina bar gets too low, wait for it to refill before using their powers again. When a Ghost’s Stamina is low, they’ll have a more faded appearance, but they’ll return to their full vibrancy once their Stamina is recharged. You’ll find the Stamina bar in the Simology Panel by selecting the head icon in the bottom right of Live Mode. The blue bar encircling the pink and blue nexus is a Ghost’s Stamina bar. Hover over it to get more info about a Ghost Sim’s current Stamina level.You’ll also find the Ghost Mastery Panel in the Simology Panel. Using Ghostly Abilities will earn Ghost Sims experience, and they’ll move up in their Ghost Mastery level. Progressing through the levels earns Perk Points they can spend on more Ghost Mastery Abilities. The Ghost Mastery Panel is split into three sections.

Evil (left of the Mastery Panel)
Neutral (middle of the Mastery Panel)
Good (right of the Mastery Panel)

The Ghost Mastery Panel in The Sims 4 shows the five tiers, progress, as well as Evil, Neutral, and Good Abilities.

Depending on which path they choose when using Ghost powers, Ghost Sims gain either Fear Essence or Goodwill Essence by performing Good or Evil powers. These can be sold to the Mysterious Merchant, Waylon Warez, as a way for Ghost Sims to earn money in the afterlife.The five Ghost Mastery tiers are:

Level 1: Wispling
Level 2: Ethereal Novice
Level 3: Phantasmal Ascendant
Level 4: Spectral Luminary
Level 5: Transcendent Wraith.

Reaching the ultimate ability for Good or Evil unlocks a unique tattoo that’s exclusive to Ghosts and can be applied in Create a Sim or directly by self-selecting the Ghost Sim. The tattoo is different for a Good or Evil Ghost.

Evil Ghosts: the Mark of Evil Ghost tattoo.
Good Ghosts: the Mark of Good tattoo.

Evil AbilitiesPerforming Evil Abilities levels your Ghost Sim up, earns Fear Essence, and can unlock the ultimate reward of the Otherworldly Curse. This requires a Ghost Mastery level of Transcendent Wraith to use. Performing Evil Abilities fills the meter to unlock this.Casting the Otherworldly Curse on a Sim makes life a lot more difficult for them. Everyday tasks become a burden, and things will go wrong for Sims inflicted with this curse. Performing this curse grants Fear Essence. Good Abilities Performing Good Abilities levels your Ghost Sim up, earns Goodwill Essence, and can unlock the ultimate reward of the Benevolent Blessing. This requires a Ghost Mastery level of Transcendent Wraith to use. Performing Good Abilities fills the meter to unlock this.Casting the Benevolent Blessing on a Sim gives them the gift of boundless fortune, and daily tasks become swift and effortless. Performing this blessing grants Goodwill Essence.

Life & Death Expansion Pack

The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Pack adds lots of other new Ghost gameplay. If you have gravestones or urns on your Lot, it’s likely Ghosts will automatically spawn. Don’t want to see Ghosts on your Lot? Buy and place the No Ghosts Allowed Sign in Build Mode to stop Ghosts from appearing.This Expansion Pack adds ways for Ghost Sims to WooHoo with another Ghost, or a living Sim and a Ghost. To find out more about Possess WooHoo and Transcendent WooHoo, check out our WooHoo guide. One of a Ghost Sim’s powers is the ability to Conjure Material. If you own The Sims 4 Paranormal Stuff Pack this can spawn haunted objects.