Smudge Sticks in Phasmophobia have been updated with the intent to make them easier to use. This change also make them less safe though. In this video I am showing you exactly how smudge sticks work now and why they are less safe. Keep in mind this update already rolled out to the main branch so you have to be more careful using smudge sticks.
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Did you notice a change with smudge sticks?
That was a really good showcase as always psycho <3 but, i dont think the dev was being sincere there, it wasnt a "bug" it was just bad developing xD he just didnt thought on the "double use" of a smudge stick, because the mechanic of "checking" when its turned on and when it runs out was always the same like he said. But to me it was a needed nerf because it was just way too good
I think the dev trying to explain away the smudge mechanics like that just adds confusion. The fact that when the item looks like it it doing something means it is not doing something, and it does it at the start and end is SUPER counter intuitive. Also, with the wandering changes and the speed changes it feels like death is just an RNG fest. Dying when there is nothing you can do just isn't fun to me. What's that? A Banshee on Willow started an early hunt just as you were about to leave? Well, RIP, because there are no hiding spots in the living room and with only 5 seconds (less with reaction time) you better hope it wasn't stood near the door to the garage randomly. Feels super cheap.
Definitely less useful, I understand why they got rid of it working twice during a hunt and I'm fine with that, and it's made it easier to smudge it at least once during a hunt. I really hate trying to smudge a room now though, unless it's a small room I don't even bother. I just let it hunt and get it done that way if it's an objective.
How long the smudgestick is burning is debatable but I prefered the way it was before.
It should protect you as long as it is burning and when smudging the ghost room you should have to walk around to cleanse the area. It is way more realistic.
it killed me once but I never play large maps so I manage to hide in the 5-sec window of opportunity
I found a glitched spot in asylum did not know who to report it to so here i am; the bug: () when you go inside the map the right door behind the checking desk (wooden one)when you open it there is a bed (pink bed) on the left of it, close the door and go near the bed then open the door in a way that you will be between it and the bed ,if you close it fully it will pop you on top of the bed and there is going to be a hole that you can get yourself stuck at (thats it sorry if my explanation isn't good i tried my best)(and idk if its a safe spot because when it happened to me the ghost spawned very far away)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QprpQIToDs8
обновил чит на Phasmophobia
пофиксил накрутку лвла и вещей
improved:изменил speedhack
It definitely isn't a buff like some people say, and is a nerf, but it isn't a massive one. Typically you hit the ghost when you light it and then run and don't stick around for the second. That said, I am kind of disappointed that the smoke doesn't do anything.
Why have checks when it should be coded as a constant while the smudge stick is lit
Honestly, you might as well not buy/bring them at all if this is the case now.
How are folks smudging from within the van?
its a nerf and a buff, on one hand it only forces a wander once, on the other if you miss the first smudge you only need to wait 6 seconds to hit that second one
Why not just make it check for overlapping with the ghost every second or even every .5 seconds?
Would even make more sense that way.
Sure it's harder to cover large rooms, but that should be expected. As for the hunt, I'd MUCH rather have a backup effect 6 seconds after the initial one in case it didn't take. 15 seconds is too long. Proccing it just once is only bad if you're intentionally staying in line of sight and letting it keep up, like in these videos.
I feel like if you smudge too early the first time and miss the ghost, you have a good chance of getting the ghost when the stick goes out now instead of having to wait and survive 15 seconds for the 2nd try. It's definitely a nerf for people good at smudging who were reliably able to get 2 smudges off on one stick. But honestly, the people who are really good at keeping the ghost at bay will probably be fine without it
Had a couple of strange games with a friend. One in the highschool the ghost would wander or spawn in the bathroom that was on a different level or on the other side of the school where he was. I watched the camera and it was moving much faster than a Yokai should. Also in another game we had a Yokai straight outrun us within seconds of starting the hunt.
Insym made a video on how they really work, actually, and this change made them a bit more safe in a way.
I was died in the Willow House because of it, I managed to smudge the banshee and it starts wandering, I run in panic to the bathroom (the door opens to outside) and leave it open thinking it would break LoS, but apparently the ghost saw me going into the bathroom and goes straight after. The smoke gives you false sense of security, I was assuming it still effective while it's smoking, apparently it is not.
My main issue with the smudge stick is that in order to use it defensively you basically have to commit yourself to doing absolutely nothing since you need the lighter in hand as well and the flashlight to actually see. It feels too weak for something that basically occupies your entire inventory and forces you to keep it that way until a hunt or whatever when using it defensively (I HAVE had times where i picked up the lighter on the fly but really this is very iffy depending on where it starts). I'd be OK with it if we could for example use it offensively during a hunt to make it wander to more safely get the ghost photo reliably, but since you can carry 0 utility items along with it (for non-VR anyway…) as is it's often hard to justify IMO.
Also I had no idea it activated only at the start and end until a week or two ago, it's completely counterintuitive.
I like this, honestly. Phasmophobia is a game where it's at it's best where you don't feel safe, even if you're in a position where you know you are. Nerfing our defenses like this contributes more to this, and elevates the sense of triumph when players survive close calls. It also adds to that pillar of gameplay established in Amatuer and Intermediate games. "You have a few minutes of assured safety. Use it wisely."
Which ultimately translates to everything in Phasmophobia. Making the best possible use of what little safety you actually have. Even if you're keeping the lights on, the ghost can chip away at your sanity with little things like turning the lights out, or worse, killing the power on you. You can hold a candle and stand in the blackness, safe from the lights going out… But that won't save you from ghost events or certain ghost powers that drain sanity anyways. Eventually, the ghost WILL be able to attack, no matter what you do. When it does, you have even less assured safety, and that's where this ties in, along with the cooldown periods between hunts. It all ties together, as it should.
Of course… You can just hide outside, but the odds of you making progress that way are very slim, unless it's a foyer ghost.
Dude, i love that hair! 🙂
Recently I had to laugh so much when you turned on the music and headbanged to it xD Your streams are so awesome ^^
Honestly not a fan of the change. But I get it .
I don't know why I never got hunt after the update. Most of the time I went in with 0-20% sanity and taunting them in the house but they still didn't start hunting 🤷
Such useful info.
Thank you! No one believes me in-game when I tell them how badly they got nerfed, but I see WAY more people dying with them now.
I fear this game is getting a challenge bias, where people who are experienced and good at the game keep demanding it gets harder and harder to match their 600+ hours on it, while newer players are getting shafted because of the slow but steady increase in difficulty every update. It's so hard for me to keep my teammates alive in random lobbies now days; to the point where people just refuse to play on larger maps or add items (yet they also refuse to play without items) out of fear… even if they're like level 400.
i noticed the nerf 100% since i died mutliple times after update, so to get this straight the smudge stick only works on activation and not deactivation? or is it because the time of the smudge stick only makes it so that it repels ghost on either activation or deactivation?
Smudge sticks are great, we were camping in toilet on this new map, me in vr holding lighter and smudge stick, and friend with another smudge stick, and the ghost said hello to us twice during one hunt, glad we were 2 😁
I'd say they are more useful. Most people only got one hit of the smudge before the update anyways. At least with this if you miss the first time there is less time you have to wait for the second hit.
I like the new change. It seems like it's the way smudge sticks should work. It's how I was using them all along anyway because I'm a numnum, so no difference for me.
Games are harder now. This is the kind of stuff that makes it more fun.
Sending love to super cute potato for the youtube algorithm ❤️
I think the smudge stick is for sure is a super strong buff if whilst being hunted you’re turning tight corners and hiding, and only a nerf if you’re being kind of dumb and being out in the opening running in a straight line down the hallway for the period of the smudge stick lol
Smudges made the game too easy. Love this change tbh
I love your new hair.
Ridgeview upstair hallways is big for smudging
Smudge sticks are less safe you say? Hehehehehe….
i hate this change so much, i had trouble wrangling with the smudge stick already and now they made it WORSE AAAAAAA
>:( angy
Spoilers for new thumbnail characters? Axe man uncle and… I don’t have a name for crawly ring lady
I honestly dont like the smudge nerf. 10 seconds during a 50 second hunt may seem like a lot, but when a ghost can not only hunt more than 4 times, but if you have a smudge objective or you use it for ghost picture, the I-Frame potential drops significantly. I understand wanting to keep this game challenging, but if things keep getting nerfed the way they seem to be, phasmo may risk loosing its casual "play a couple rounds a day" crowd (and no, bumping the difficulty down isnt an option. Most players won't touch anything under pro).