After few years of playing The Sims 4, your Sims’ daily life can be a bit repetitive. It’s nice to see that a whole bunch of supernatural life states have been introduced by Maxis. Sims which have anything to do with “occult” provide players with a whole new way to immerse themselves in the game. Players can, for instance, enjoy simming as a vampire or a werewolf, or even as an alien, ghost, etc.
Here’s a complete explanation of how to become each occult type, the gameplay changes you can expect, as well as the perks and downsides to each type.
Birthright: Your Guide to Owning an Occult Identity
There are some spawns that can be born occult and don’t have to be created manually. When both parents belong to the same occult type, the offspring will inherit it. There’s a chance of 50% that child will be occult if one parent is occult. If non-parents, have two different occult types, their offspring will not be both, but one or the other. You can’t make hybrid states in the base game, but you can with mods.
Ghosts, however, cannot be born—they only come from death.
Vampire Life (Requires Vampires DLC)
Becoming a vampire.
Through Create-a-Sim or befriending a vampire to ask for a transformation, players can have a vampire.
Changes after transformation.
As the needs have shifted the hunger became the thirst, the energy became vampire energy and bladder vanished. Vampires age very slowly and have a skill tree of unique powers and weaknesses. Sunlight, garlic, and normal food become harmful.
Perks.
- Access to powerful abilities.
- True immortality.
- There are perks in depression to not have any needs.
- Plasma fruit or packs help avoid attacking others.
Drawbacks
- Sunlight is lethal.
- Must constantly manage thirst.
- Perks come with required negative traits.
Cure method.
Sims with a high level of Vampire Lore can prepare the Ultimate Vampire Cure at a bar.
Living as a Werewolf (Requires Werewolves DLC)
How to become one.
You can create a werewolf in Create-a-Sim or get bitten by a werewolf.
Key gameplay differences.
Fury meter takes over emotional stability—triggered by moods & werewolf activities. Sims automatically transform during full moons. Temperaments dictate rage triggers. These abilities are also tied to a skill tree (especially for werewolves) that unlocks as you take certain actions.
Benefits.
- Join or form a pack.
- Unique travel powers like burrowing.
- Furniture-eating perk.
- Potential immortality (though aging continues).
Challenges.
- Managing Fury is difficult early on.
- Rampaging hurts social reputation.
- There are no big faults, like vampires, but the gameplay feels very disconnected with the base game.
Reverting to human.
Read werewolf tomes to unlock the Lunar Epiphany ability.
Spellcaster mastery as a spellcaster (Includes realm of magic DLC)
How to transform.
A Sim can become a spellcaster in Create-a-Sim, ask a sage in the Magic Realm for a Rite of Ascension, or ask a powerful spellcaster for it.
Gameplay changes.
Open up a tree of magic skills and three form of magic you can access. One learns spells and potions through practice and experimentation. A charge meter adds risk—overuse can backfire fatally.
Advantages
- Replicate items, instantly mend items, or satisfy your needs with potions!
- Access immortality through potions.
- Resurrect sims or return ghosts to life.
- No real downsides to this lifestate.
Removing magical powers.
The magic status will no longer be active, but any progress you’ve made will remain.
Aliens Among Us (Requires Get to Work DLC).
How to become one.
You can only find Aliens in Create a Sim or in alien pregnancies. A sim can be captured through a satellite and return without regard to gender.
What’s different.
Aliens can mimic, turn substances into other substances, and read or mirror emotional states. No major system changes occur, and there is no skill tree.
Pros.
- Low-impact lifestate with fun bonus features.
- Emotional manipulation and disguises are great tools.
Cons.
- No major drawbacks.
Life as a Mermaid (Requires Island Living DLC)
How to become one.
Create in CAS, have it be born as one, or eat Mermadic Kelp from world or aspiration rewards.
What changes.
Sims will need moisture to survive, not food. Mermaids grow a tail when they swim. The mermaid world is enriched with powers. The power to affect others’ moods with their song. The ability to talk with sea animals. The strength to impact the weather.
Strengths
- Swim faster than regular sims.
- Unique interactions with aquatic life.
- Useful in oceanic neighborhoods like Sulani.
Weaknesses.
- Water is harder to manage without nature.
- Chlorinated water worsens hydration instead of helping.
Ghostly Existence (Requires Life & Death DLC)
How to become a ghost.
Simply die.
Unique features.
Ghost sims are given a skill tree for Ghost Mastery and lose their body. Essentially, people have a choice in doing something good or bad, such as cursing others or blessing them. Ghosts who died in their occult form maintain their powers.
Benefits
- Phase through walls.
- Scare sims for fun.
- Unique social and supernatural interactions.
Limitations
- Can’t have children.
- Some normal sim actions are restricted.
Ways to return to life.
- Use a Book of Life.
- Consume ambrosia.
- Cast the Dedeathify spell.
- Reincarnate in Revenwood waters.
Final Thoughts
The Sims 4 has a large and wacky selection of occult life states that enhance the gameplay in various ways. Want to meld into a shadow, fling fire or armed shade spell, howl away at the moon, or mess with the living? Every one player can choose a path to a supernatural fate. Your Sim could live for eternity (or perish) with the clever use of knowledge.