How to use the Summoning Circle in Phasmophobia

It's a great tool for capturing a photo of the ghost.

An active Summoning Circle in Phasmophobia with a ghost trapped in the middle an a cross on fire in the background.
Screenshot by Dot Esports

Each of the unique Cursed Possessions players may come across while investigating in Phasmophobia are extremely powerful tools, but they also come with immense risk. One of the items players may come across is the Summoning Circle, so if you’re searching for the ghost and stumble across this item, you might be wondering how it works and what it is used for.

Recommended Videos

Here’s how to use the Summoning Circle to your advantage in Phasmophobia.

What does the Summoning Circle do in Phasmophobia?

The Summoning Circle is one of seven Cursed Possessions players may find in Phasmophobia and can be used to instantly trap the ghost for a short period of time. This item is the best Cursed Object to use when capturing a ghost photo is one of your objectives since it guarantees all players will see the ghost for a short period of time.

The player holding a lighter and looking at a ghost trapped in the Summoning Circle.
You’ll get a nice long look at the ghost while they’re trapped. Screenshot via Dot Esports

How do you use the Summoning Circle in Phasmophobia?

To use the Summoning Circle in Phasmophobia, players will need to light all five candles around the circle. Players can light each candle using either a lighter or an already-lit candle.

The Summoning Circle only has one use per game, so once players use it to temporarily capture the ghost, it cannot be used again. In my experience using this item, it’s best to have at least one player ready with a camera while another player is lighting the candles since the ghost is only visible for a very short period of time.

Related: How to use the Monkey Paw in Phasmophobia

For each candle on the circle player’s light, they will have 16 percent of their sanity drained for up to a maximum of 80 percent of their sanity in total. This applies to all nearby players and not just the one who is actually lighting each candle.

The player holding a candle and lighting the candles around the Summoning Circle.
Either a lit candle or a lighter will work for activating the summoning circle. Screenshot via Dot Esports

After five seconds the trap is ended, the ghost is released, and a cursed hunt immediately begins. If players choose to light the last candle while a hunt is already active, the ghost will immediately teleport to their location and likely kill them instantly.

Like all Cursed Possessions, the Summoning Circle is a high-risk, high-reward asset. Before using this item, I’d recommend already strategizing a solid hiding or running plan for after the hunt begins.

While the Crucifix can be used to prevent regular ghost hunts, nothing can stop a cursed hunt which means all players can do after activating the Summong Circle is try their best to survive by hiding or running.

Author
Image of Kacee Fay
Kacee Fay
Staff Writer at Dot Esports covering new releases and a wide array of topics including Minecraft, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Phasmophobia, general gaming, streaming, and more. She has been avidly writing and gaming her whole life and now spends her time combining the two. Kacee graduated from San Diego State University in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Certificate in Creative Editing and Publishing. She then joined Dot Esports as a Freelance Writer in 2022 before transitioning to a Staff Writer in 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys buying more books than she can read, gaming alone or with friends, drinking too much tea, attending concerts, fangirling over movies and television, listening to music, and spending time with her family, friends, and pets, who are the most important parts of her world.