1. RECOGNIZING A HUNT
THE MAP'S LIGHTS START FLICKERING, A HEARTBEAT SOUND KICKS IN, AND ALL EXIT DOORS LOCK INSTANTLY. DURING THE VERY FIRST SECONDS (THE "GRACE PERIOD"), THE ENTITY STAYS INVISIBLE AND STILL AND CAN'T SPOT YOU YET — THIS SHORT WINDOW SHOULD BE USED TO REACH A HIDING SPOT, NOT TO TRY AND ESCAPE. AT LOW SANITY, CERTAIN CLUES CAN WARN YOU OF AN IMMINENT HUNT A LITTLE AHEAD OF TIME. EACH ENTITY HAS ITS OWN SANITY THRESHOLD AT WHICH IT CAN HUNT, VISIBLE ON ITS DATASHEET ON THE GHOSTS PAGE — KNOWING IT IN ADVANCE HELPS YOU ANTICIPATE. FOR EVERYTHING ABOUT WHAT TRIGGERS A HUNT, SEE THE SANITY GUIDE.
2. THE IMMEDIATE REFLEX
SINCE EXIT DOORS ARE LOCKED FROM THE MOMENT A HUNT STARTS, THERE'S NO POINT HOPING TO BOLT OUTSIDE ONCE IT'S BEGUN: THE ONLY REAL OPTION IS TO HOLD OUT UNTIL THE END, EITHER BY HIDING OR LOSING THE ENTITY. TURN OFF YOUR FLASHLIGHT IMMEDIATELY (A LIT LIGHT DRAWS THE ENTITY'S ATTENTION), DON'T RUN IN A STRAIGHT LINE DOWN AN OPEN CORRIDOR, AND REACH A NEARBY HIDING SPOT DURING THE GRACE PERIOD. PANIC AND RANDOM MOVEMENT ARE THE MAIN CAUSE OF DEATH DURING A HUNT, NOT A LACK OF SPEED.
3. HIDING
CLASSIC HIDING SPOTS (WARDROBES, LOCKERS, SMALL TENTS) WORK WELL AS LONG AS THE ENTITY DIDN'T SEE YOU GO IN: IF IT DETECTS YOU INSIDE, IT HEADS STRAIGHT FOR IT AND FORCES THE DOOR TO GET YOU OUT, EVEN IF YOU'RE HOLDING IT SHUT. NEVER CONSIDER YOURSELF FULLY SAFE: IT'S BETTER TO REACH A HIDING SPOT WITHOUT BEING SEEN ON THE WAY THAN TO RUSH TO THE NEAREST ONE AND GET SPOTTED BY THE ENTITY JUST BEFORE GOING IN.
4. THE BASICS OF LOOPING
SINCE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO LEAVE WHILE A HUNT IS ONGOING, LOOPING IS OFTEN THE BEST ALTERNATIVE TO HIDING: IT CONSISTS OF USING A CENTRAL OBJECT (TABLE, KITCHEN ISLAND, PILLAR) TO REGULARLY BREAK THE ENTITY'S LINE OF SIGHT AND HOLD OUT UNTIL THE HUNT NATURALLY ENDS, RATHER THAN FLEEING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. CROUCHING WHILE PASSING BEHIND AN OBSTACLE (TABLE, KITCHEN ISLAND) KEEPS YOU OUT OF SIGHT: THE ENTITY CAN ONLY SPOT YOU OVER IT IF YOU STAY STANDING. EVEN BEFORE A HUNT STARTS, MENTALLY NOTING THE 2-3 ROOMS ON THE MAP WITH THIS TYPE OF OBJECT SAVES PRECIOUS TIME WHEN THE MOMENT COMES. AVOID DEAD-END ROOMS AT ALL COSTS.
5. AFTER THE HUNT
WHEN THE HUNT ENDS, EVERY LIGHT ON THE MAP THAT WAS ON SWITCHES OFF AT ONCE AND DOESN'T TURN BACK ON BY ITSELF: YOU HAVE TO TURN THEM BACK ON MANUALLY (SWITCH OR BREAKER DEPENDING ON THE MAP). A MAP LEFT IN THE DARK AFTER SEVERAL HUNTS DRAINS THE WHOLE TEAM'S SANITY MUCH FASTER — DON'T OVERLOOK THIS DETAIL.
6. MISTAKES TO AVOID
- RUNNING TOWARD AN EXIT DOOR MID-HUNT HOPING TO GET OUT: THEY'RE LOCKED FROM THE START, AND THIS REFLEX OFTEN WASTES PRECIOUS TIME
- RUNNING IN A STRAIGHT LINE ACROSS AN OPEN SPACE INSTEAD OF BREAKING LINE OF SIGHT
- HIDING IN A DEAD-END ROOM WITH NO ALTERNATIVE IF THE ENTITY SPOTS YOU THERE
- NOT WARNING YOUR TEAMMATES THAT A HUNT IS UNDERWAY, LEAVING THEM TO GET CAUGHT OFF GUARD
- TURNING YOUR FLASHLIGHT BACK ON TOO SOON, BEFORE THE HUNT HAS TRULY ENDED