Lethal Company sanity level, explained

This reported secret mechanic affects who the Ghost Girl will chase.

The Ghost Girl is Lethal Company with her backed turned to the camera.
Image via Zeekerss, Remix by Dot Esports

Lethal Company has a secret “Sanity level” stat that affects all players, and it’s part of what determines who the terrifying Ghost Girl will haunt first. The lower your Sanity level, the higher your chances of seeing and being chased by the Ghost Girl.

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There is no bar or meter in Lethal Company that represents your Sanity level. The only evidence we have of this hidden stat today are players who delved into the game files and discovered references to it. Sanity surfaced as a real mechanic while they were trying to find out how the Ghost Girl chooses her targets and how the “most paranoid employee” note is given after each exploration. While the findings presented by this player are quite compelling, the Sanity mechanic has not been officially confirmed by the game’s developers.

How Sanity works in Lethal Company

Your Sanity level in Lethal Company gradually decreases over time, but other factors affect it. Being alone causes your Sanity to drop more quickly than usual, whereas being in the company of another player or communicating with someone via the Walkie-Talkie increases your Sanity. That means staying close to your crewmates is a strategic way to maintain a higher Sanity level throughout the game.

As far as we know today, the only Lethal Company mechanic involving Sanity is the AI that chooses who the Ghost Girl should attack.

If you have the lowest Sanity level among your crew, you are likely to become her primary target. Other stats, like how often you turn the camera around and the value of the items you are holding, also affect the monster’s targeting, but Sanity has the highest impact.

So maintaining a low Sanity level is crucial if you want to avoid the Ghost Girl. There is no Sanity level low enough to make you immune to her targeting, though. Sanity only affects who she will attack first, not if she will attack. If you are the only person alive in your crew and she’s around, you automatically become her target, as you are, by default, the player with the highest Sanity level alive.

How to increase Sanity in Lethal Company

The only known way to increase Sanity in Lethal Company is by sticking with other players while exploring the facility or speaking with them through the Walkie-Talkie. A good strategy for a full four-person crew is to leave one person on ship duty with a Walkie-Talkie to speak with someone inside the facility. If the crew inside ever splits, let the person with the Walkie go alone as the one in the ship will help them keep a good Sanity level and guide them through the maze, while the other two will stick together and help each other.

Can you check your Sanity level in Lethal Company?

It’s impossible to check your Sanity level in Lethal Company. It’s a hidden stat used by the game’s code only. The best you can do to ensure good Sanity is to always stick together with your crewmates.

Author
Image of Bhernardo Viana
Bhernardo Viana
Staff Writer
Bhernardo is senior guides writer and strategist at Dot Esports. He's been working in the gaming industry for over 9 years, with works published on Destructoid, Prima Games, ESPN, and more. A fan of Pokémon since 6 years old and an avid Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch player. Now writing strategy and quests guides for several mobile and PC titles.