The Dayan is the ghost that punishes panic in Phasmophobia. If you sprint, circle-strafe, or shuffle around while it’s close, it gets faster and can even start hunting earlier than you expect. If you hold your ground and stop moving, it slows down hard, and your team gets breathing room.
That simple twist makes Dayan feel “unfair” the first time you meet it, because most players survive by constantly repositioning. Once you understand what triggers its speed, Dayan becomes one of the most consistent ghosts to confirm, even when you’re playing with limited evidence.
1. How to Identify the Dayan in Phasmophobia
Dayan’s identification comes down to two pillars: a unique evidence trio and movement-based hunt behavior. If you’re on a standard difficulty, you can lock it in with evidence alone. If you’re on Nightmare/Insanity, the Dayan’s speed shift inside its “bubble” is your best tell.
You do not need complicated tests here. Treat Dayan like a rules check: when it’s near, moving makes it stronger, and standing still makes it weaker.
1.1. Dayan Quick Checklist in Phasmophobia
Use this as your fast confirmation list whenever you’re doing a run in Phasmophobia:
- Evidence: EMF Level 5 + Ghost Orbs + Spirit Box
- Ghost Model and Name: Always female
- Default Hunt Threshold: 50% team sanity
- Movement Hunt Threshold Shift (When You’re Close):
- If you’re moving: hunts as high as ~65% Sanity
- If you stay still: hunts as low as ~45% Sanity
- Speed Inside 10 Meters:
- If you are moving: 2.25 m/s
- If you stay still: 1.2 m/s
If your team keeps dying “for no reason” while sanity is still high, assume Dayan (or another early hunter), then test the movement rule.
Dayan in Phasmophobia.
2. How to Find All Dayan Evidence in Phasmophobia
In normal evidence settings (Beginner to Professional), Dayan is straightforward because no other ghost uses the exact same three evidence types. The only “hard” part is not missing EMF 5 timing and not writing off the Spirit Box too early.
A clean approach is: Orbs first, Spirit Box second, and EMF 5 always running in the background while you do everything else.
2.1. How To Get Ghost Orbs Fast
Ghost Orbs are usually your quickest win condition because they’re visual and repeatable. Set up a Video Camera early, and commit to checking the entire room, not just the doorway angle.
- Place a Video Camera (or Head Gear feed) facing deep into the ghost room.
- Turn on night vision and watch for small, drifting orbs.
- If you don’t see them quickly, move the camera angle. Orbs can drift, and a bad angle can hide them.
If the ghost room changes on your difficulty, Orbs move with it. That means you should re-check Orbs if your other evidence suddenly points to a different room.
Finding Ghost Orbs is key to identifying Dayan in Phasmophobia.
2.2. How To Get Spirit Box Without Wasting Time
Spirit Box is reliable when the setup is done correctly. Most “Spirit Box didn’t work” situations are actually lighting, range, or room mismatch.
Do this every time:
- Turn off the room lights (adjacent rooms can stay on).
- Stand in the same room as the ghost and stay close.
- Ask quick, repeatable questions while you sweep the room.
If the ghost is set to respond to people who are alone, have everyone else step out so only one investigator is in the room.
2.3. How To Confirm EMF Level 5 Consistently
EMF 5 is the piece players miss because it’s tied to interactions and timing. You don’t “force” EMF 5; you increase your chances by being ready when the ghost touches something.
- Keep an EMF Reader with you while you’re doing the Spirit Box and camera setup.
- When you hear a touch (door, thrown item, switch), run EMF over the interaction point.
- If you have spare hands, leave an EMF Reader in the ghost room so you can grab it instantly during activity spikes.
If you already have Ghost Orbs + Spirit Box, do not leave until you’ve given EMF 5 a real chance. Dayan’s evidence is clear, but only if you finish the set.
3. Dayan Hunt Threshold And Speed Mechanics in Phasmophobia
This is the core of what makes Dayan feel different than other ghosts in Phasmophobia. Most ghosts get more dangerous as they see you and chase you. Dayan gets more dangerous simply because you’re moving near it, even if you’re trying to “play safe” by kiting.
Think of Dayan as having a movement sensor. When you’re inside its range, your movement changes both when it can hunt and how fast it moves.
3.1. Dayan Hunt Sanity Threshold
Dayan’s baseline hunt threshold is 50% sanity, which is already aggressive enough to catch teams that don’t manage sanity well.
The twist happens when you’re close:
- If you’re moving near it, Dayan can hunt at a much higher sanity level (commonly cited around 65%).
- If you stand still near it, the hunt threshold drops lower (commonly cited around 45%).
Practical takeaway: if you want to avoid surprise hunts, stop pacing in the ghost room when sanity is mid-high. Get your gear placed, then back out and stabilize.
3.2. Dayan Speed Inside Its 10-Meter Bubble
Dayan’s most reliable “tell” is its fixed speed shift when you’re within range:
- You move: Dayan locks to 2.25 m/s
- You stay still: Dayan locks to 1.2 m/s
That speed change can happen even if you’re on a different floor, as long as you’re within the distance check. If your team is coordinated, you can use this to confirm Dayan without risking a whole chase.
3.3. The Line-Of-Sight Quirk You Should Respect
Dayan still interacts at line-of-sight speed, but it does so in a strange way compared to most ghosts. The critical, player-facing risk is this:
- If Dayan has line-of-sight on you while you’re within range, it can “bank” speed increases that may show up later once you’re no longer close.
When you actually encounter a Dayan in one of your playthroughs, that means you can get a nasty surprise if you sprint away after feeding it movement and vision. The safest plan is to break the line of sight early, then stop moving once it’s close, instead of doing long, panicked run loops.
Dayan’s Ghost Speed Graph.
4. How to Test Dayan in Phasmophobia’s Nightmare and Insane Difficulty
Limited evidence doesn’t remove Dayan’s identity. It just shifts your priority to behavior testing. You’re aiming for a controlled moment where you can observe the fast-then-slow pattern inside its distance check.
Do not try to “style on it.” Set up a safe test with exits, hiding spots, and a smudge plan.
4.1. The Safe “Freeze Test” During A Hunt
This is the cleanest method when you already suspect Dayan.
- Start the hunt from a position where you can quickly break the line of sight (corner + door + hiding spot).
- Let the ghost approach until it’s clearly close.
- Stop moving completely and listen to the footsteps.
- If the ghost noticeably slows down once it’s near, that’s a strong Dayan indicator.
If your team is testing, make sure everyone nearby stops moving as well. One person shuffling around can ruin the read.
4.2. The “Early Hunt” Confirmation
If your sanity management is tight, you can use hunt timing as a confirmation layer.
- If hunts consistently start around the mid-60s while someone is moving close to the ghost, Dayan jumps up your suspect list.
- If you can safely keep still near it and the hunt timing drifts lower than expected, that supports Dayan, too.
This is riskier than the freeze test, so treat it as confirmation rather than your first step.
5. How To Survive A Dayan Hunt
The mistake that kills players is doing what works on most ghosts: constant repositioning. Against Dayan, the winning play is often the opposite.
Surviving Dayan is about controlling two things: distance and your own movement.
5.1. Stop Moving When It’s Close
When Dayan is near, “micro-movement” and panic strafing feed it speed. If you have a safe angle and you’re already breaking line of sight, freeze and let it slow down.
This is especially effective when you’re tucked behind cover or inside a hiding spot. Once you commit to hiding, commit fully—no adjusting, no re-peeking, no last-second shuffles.
5.2. Break Line-Of-Sight Early, Not Late
If you wait until it’s in your face, you’ll be forced to move a lot, and Dayan will punish you for it. Instead:
- Close doors as you round corners.
- Use tight turns and quick room transitions.
- Pick a hiding spot that doesn’t require a long sprint path.
The earlier you cut vision, the less time Dayan has to build momentum.
5.3. Coordinate With Your Team
Dayan is a teamwork check. If one player is sprinting around near the ghost while another is trying to test or hide, you’ll get inconsistent results and messy deaths.
Call it out clearly:
- “Freeze when it’s close.”
- “No looping near the ghost.”
- “Let it pass, then reposition.”
If the team plays calmly, Dayan becomes manageable fast, and you will be able to identify this ghost correctly in Phasmophobia.
