Death

There are no taxes in Sunset Valley, but that other great inevitability is a lurking presence: death. Death occurs when a Sim either suffers an unfortunate accident or reaches the end of their natural life and dies through old age. When death occurs, the expired Sim crumples to the ground and the Grim Reaper appears on the lot.

With his scythe hovering high in the air, the reaper extends a bony hand toward the deceased. A ghost rises from the remains. The ghost takes the reaper’s hand and is sent to the great beyond.

The reaper will often leave right away, but occasionally it will hang around for a few moments following the death.

Yes, by all means, Grim Reaper, have a seat? What, no cable in the underworld?

You can converse with the Grim Reaper for a few moments before it vanishes back into the ether.

Those left behind can only mourn and cherish what the deceased left behind. When a partner or spouse dies, the survivor gets the Heart Broken moodlet. Family members or dear friends get the Mourning moodlet.

The arrival of the reaper tends to freak everybody out, too.

When a Sim dies, they leave behind remains. Depending on the death, it could be just a pile of ash or a marker. You can carve an epitaph on a marker, mourn the Sim over a marker, or pick it up and take it to the graveyard to install it there.

Fire is a particularly disturbing death - especially because there is so much time to put the flames out.

There are several ways to die in Sunset Valley: burning, drowning, electrocution, starvation, and old age. Each death changes the physical appearance of the ghost. Death by fire creates a red ghost. Drowning results in a blue ghost. Here are the five ways death becomes you in Sunset Valley and how to avoid it.

Burning

Possible Ages: Child, Teen, Young Adult, Adult, Elder

Source: If a Sim is next to an object or surface that is on fire, they risk catching fire themselves. The On Fire moodlet kicks in with a timer below it. If the fire is not extinguished in time by another Sim or the Sim reaches a water source, the Sim dies. If the Sim makes it to water, the On Fire moodlet becomes the Singed moodlet.

Avoidance: Be cautious around fire. Don’t get too close. If your Sim does catch fire, put out the flames right away.

Color of Ghost: Red

Drowning

Possible Ages: Child, Teen, Young Adult, Adult, Elder

Source: Swimming while Fatigued is dangerous. The Fatigued moodlet has a timer beneath it and if the Sim is not out of the pool by the time it reaches zero, he or she drowns.

Avoidance: When Fatigued, a Sim usually tries to get out of the pool. Allow this.

Color of Ghost: Blue

Electrocution

Possible Ages: Teen, Young Adult, Adult, Elder

Source: Trying to repair broken electronics without a high enough Handiness skill risks electrocution. So does using an electrical object while standing in a puddle of water.

Avoidance: When a Sims fails to repair an electrical object, they typically get the Singed moodlet as a warning. Take heed of it. If the Sim tries again, they get zapped to the point of death.

Color of Ghost: Yellow

Starvation

Possible Ages: Teen, Young Adult, Adult, Elder

Source: Failure to feed a Sim after a set period initiates the Starving moodlet. There is a timer on the moodlet. If the Sim has not been fed before the timer reaches zero, he or she dies.

Avoidance: Feed the Sim, for goodness sake.

Color of Ghost: Purple

Old Age

Possible Ages: Elder

Source: Reaching the end of the life cycle

Avoidance: None

Color of Ghost: White

Warding Off Death

There are actually two ways to prevent death from taking a Sim away. One of the special harvestables, the Death Blossom, can be exchanged for another chance at life with the reaper. If the Death Blossom is in a Sim’s personal inventory when death occurs, it can be offered in exchange for more time.

Death Blossom

Life Fruit

Ghosts

The other way of keeping death at bay is a steady diet of Life Fruits. Consuming Life Fruits adds extra time to your life span. You can grow both of these plants by reaching the highest levels of the Gardening skill and discovering their seeds.

Ghosts

Death is final. Once a Sim has crossed over to the other side, they cannot come back to the realm of the living. But that does not mean they are necessarily gone forever. Deceased Sims have been known to haunt the area around their grave markers. If you install the marker somewhere on your lot, there is a good chance you might see the ghost of a former friend after 11 PM, rattling around the old stomping grounds.

Ghosts can and will interact with objects on the lot, making noise and generally creeping out the living. Different Sims have different reactions to ghosts or haunted objects. Sims with the following traits are actually happy to see a ghost: Brave, Childish, Daredevil, Insane, and Party Animal. Coward and Neurotics Sims have the opposite reaction to a ghost or haunted object. They get the Scared moodlet.

Ghosts also appear at the graveyard at night. If your Sim has a wish to see a ghost, head to the graveyard sometime after midnight but before dawn. Look for rattling objects as a sign of a ghost. You can converse with ghosts in the graveyard, just as with a living Sim. However, they cannot engage in romantic socials, marry Sims, or be asked to move in with the family back on the lot.