Ghosts
Though vampires and werewolves are synonymous with the supernatural these days, there is one otherworldly being that has been linked to the supernatural across the centuries: ghosts. In The Sims 3 Supernatural , you can now opt to jump right in as a playable ghost rather than attempt to purposefully off a Sim and go through the effort of bringing them back via an Opportunity at the science facility or whatnot.
Playable ghosts in Supernatural do not have extra properties—they operate here in the same fashion as they did in the base game and all expansions. The prime difference is that you have the means of choosing their death from Create a Sim, which determines their spectral glow. There are additional objects that ghost Sims can haunt now, too, such as the beekeeping box and Moondial.
Otherwise, treat a playable ghost as you would any other Sim. Get out there. Find a job. Develop a skill. Design a house. Marry. Have a family. All of the trappings (well, trimmings) of a normal life are available to ghosts. They just have to worry about scaring the pants off some weak-kneed Sims, which can lead to bummer social situations.
Create a Sim: Death Types
Once you have decided to become a playable ghost, you can designate your demise. As you know from The Sims 3 base game, how a Sim “dies” affects the appearance of their ghost. Click the Ghost Basics tab on the Basics menu to pull up a list of gravestones. Click on each gravestone to sneak a peek at the changing colors that result from different deaths. While the determination of death does not affect how your playable ghost operates in the world, it’s certainly cool to be able to select your spectral hue.
Old Age
When Sims shuffle off the digital coil due to old age, they come back as ghostly white phantoms.
Drowning
Drowning victims appear as cool blue ghosts, ready to take one last lap around the pool.
Starvation
Sims that were not adequately fed—well, not fed at all—perish and then return as little purple spirits.
Electrocution
Being shocked to death may result in a ghastly death, but your spectral form looks fabulous. Check out those coursing currents!
Burn to Death
Immolation is a decidedly unpleasant way to go, but when a fire-ravaged Sim comes back to life as a playable ghost, they sport an exciting orange hue.
Mummy’s Curse
Sims that were shattered by the Mummy’s Curse in World Adventures returned to the realm of the living in this gray, opaque form.
Meteor
Really, you couldn’t step out of the path of a falling space rock? Well, as a reward for such pokey plodding, you’re resurrected as a shade with orange highlights.
Watery Grave
Trapped in water deaths result in the same ghostly blue hue as a Drowned ghost.
Human Statue
Being turned to stone is a terrible way to go, but at least you re-enter the mortal realm as a near-translucent spirit.
Transmuted
There’s a slight chance that using the new Philosopher’s Stone Lifetime Reward will backfire and turn the user to gold. That’s an instant death. And this gilded ghost is the result.
Haunting Curse
Should a Sim be victim to a Haunting Curse, they come back as this groovy green spectre.
Jelly Bean Death
There is a chance—remote as it is—that nibbling on a jelly bean from the Magic Jelly Bean Bush results in an immediate demise. Such a sweet death leads then to this sweet spectral hue, a glowing purple aura that looks positively dashing.
New Haunts
As a playable ghost, you may haunt objects to have a little fun with other, livelier Sims. There are a handful of new objects introduced in Supernatural that ghosts may shake and levitate, thus frightening nearby Sims and possibly hitting them with the Terrified moodlet. The new objects ghost may autonomously haunt are:
- Beekeeping Box
- Fairy House
- Moondial
- Rocking Chair
- Rocking Rider
- Wardrobe
MEET BONEHILDA
Look, sometimes houses get messy or kids need watching while a grown-up Sim attends to work or important activities. Hiring a nanny or maid to swing by the lot every day can add up. Why not funnel that cash into hiring Bonehilda, your very own live-in (dead-in?) skeletal maid/babysitter? Employing Bonehilda is as easy as dropping into Buy Mode and selecting Bonehilda Living Quarters for §3,999. Yes, that’s steep. But consider all of the benefits that come with owning your very own supernatural help.
Here are some things you should know about Bonehilda before making the investment:
Bonehilda is, in essence, an actual Sim that exists on your lot, even though she is not playable. She cannot be married, though, nor does she age or die.
You cannot engage Bonehilda in relationships. There is no LTR with Bonehilda.
Bonehilda has five traits: Brave, Neat, Workaholic, Athletic, and Perfectionist.
By nature, Bonehilda is somewhat robotic. She will not react to most activities around her, save for a fire breaking out on the lot or the arrival of a Burglar. In those situations, Bonehilda leaps into action to put out the flames or shoo away the Burglar.
When you install Bonehilda Living Quarters on your lot, the maid does not immediately jump into service. She remains in her coffin, no matter how messy the house gets. You must activate Bonehilda with the Awaken interaction if you wish for her to start cleaning or minding children. As soon as Bonehilda emerges, she starts her tasks. The priority is addressing the needs of toddlers and children on the lot, such as feeding. If you have Pets installed, Bonehilda will also look after your animals. If there are no pets or kids to watch, Bonehilda will then start a maid route, moving around the lot and tidying up after messy Sims.
If there is no more work for Bonehilda to do, you can Dismiss her, at which point she slips back into her coffin and enters a state of rest. However, if you leave her out with nothing to do, she engages in several idle activities.
If there is a bar in the room, Bonehilda will prepare a quick drink. But when she tries to gulp it down, it passes right through her skeletal frame and results in a puddle on the floor. If there is a mirror nearby, she will admire herself. And if there is a stereo in the room, Bonehilda will turn it on and then start dancing.
Now, you can Chat with Bonehilda, just like any of the other NPC service Sims. Though this does not generate LTR, it does satisfy the actor’s Social need. Sims with the Cowardly trait, though, should avoid her because they’ll freak out at the sight of a skeleton maid and get the Scared moodlet. In addition, if a maid NPC is in the same room as Bonehilda, they get seriously spooked and flee the lot. (At least they don’t charge for whatever work they’ve done so far!)
Sounds cool, right? It is! So start saving those Simoleons so you can get your very own Bonehilda today!
GENIES
Genies were a sweet part of the Showtime expansion. If you found a Dusty Old Lamp. You could free this being of fire and wind. Once out of the lamp, the genie granted three wishes from a list of 10 or so, including resurrecting a deceased Sim, depositing a large sum of Simoleons into your account, and guaranteed fertility. You could even wish to free the Genie and have it join your household.
Well, genies are back in The Sims 3 Supernatural . If you have Showtime installed, you may select a Genie from the supernatural type in Create a Sim. Selecting the Genie turns your Sim’s skin blue and dresses them up in some rather theatrical duds. Now, you are not required to keep these automatic cosmetic options. Feel free to change the skin tone or the outfits.
There are no extra benefits to being a Genie if you select the type from Create a Sim. The Genie is just another supernatural option for assembling a cool household or a mystical narrative.