The Sims 4: Thanatology Skill Guide

The Thanatology Skill, introduced in The Sims 4 Life & Death expansion pack, allows Sims to explore the mysteries surrounding death and grief. Rooted in the study of mortality, this skill teaches Sims about loss, coping, and the rituals tied to the afterlife. Whether Sims are fascinated by the macabre or work directly with the dead, mastering the thanatology skill offers powerful abilities and benefits.

From mastering dead languages to cheating death, there’s a lot to learn from thanatology in The Sims 4; this skill opens up unique social interactions and career opportunities, making it an invaluable tool for those interested in understanding – and embracing – the full cycle of life and death.

How to Acquire the Thanatology Skill in The Sims 4

Sims can unlock the Thanatology Skill in The Sims 4 to deepen their understanding of death, grief, and the afterlife. Early in the skill, Sims can explore death-related literature and purchase a Voodoo doll. This unique skill can be accessed and increased in a few specific ways:

• Reading Thanatology Skill Books: Head to any bookshelf or computer and purchase thanatology skill books. These books are available in three volumes: Vol. 1: Mortal Mortality, Vol. 2: Handbook For The Recently Expired, and Vol. 3: Piercing The Veil, each providing progressively deeper insights into death and loss. Sims can also select the Look up Historical Deaths interaction at any bookcase.
• Reading Theories on a Computer: Using a computer, Sims can select the option to read about theories. They can choose to learn about The Bloomsbluff Mystery House, The House of the Fallen Trees, The Mysterious Death of Robert Crumplebottom, and The Unknown Horse. Reading about these theories may also grant unique moodlets tied to existential and philosophical reflections on life and death.
• Reaper or Undertaker Career Paths: By pursuing the Reaper or Undertaker careers introduced in the expansion, Sims will gain hands-on experience that helps develop their Thanatology Skill naturally. Pop-ups can also give Sims the chance to boost their skill. Early tasks in these careers involve encounters with death, which provide frequent opportunities to boost this skill through work-related activities.
• Completing Social Interactions: Selecting interactions with the thanatology symbol, such as speaking to ghosts and speaking dead languages, can help Sims improve their Thanatology Skills.

How to Master the Thanatology Skill in The Sims 4

After performing actions in the active Reaper career, reading up on all there is to know about internet theories, and reading all of the Thanatology Skill books, Sims will be well on their way to mastering the Thanatology Skill. Here is a closer look at what each level of the skill unlocks:

The Thanatology Skill is a minor skill in
The Sims 4
, so gamers only need to reach Level 5 to master it.

Higher levels of this skill offer benefits like engaging in special interactions with Grim, gaining insights into death, and a new recipe to motivate Sims. Improving and mastering the Thanatology skill is required to complete the Ghost Historian aspiration as well as a requirement to get promoted in the Reaper and Undertaker careers.

The Sims 4 Thanatology Skill Cheat Codes

For those who want to pre-establish skill sets for their Sims or simply explore the extent of skills, there are ways to cheat the skills for instant mastery. First, enable cheats by opening the cheat window. This can be done in several ways, depending on the platform players are using:

• Windows: CTRL + SHIFT + C
• Mac: Command + SHIFT + C
• Playstation: L1, L2, R1 and R2.
• Xbox: LB, LT, RB, and RT.

Once the cheat bar is open, type “testingcheats true” and press enter. Text will appear under the cheat bar confirming that cheats have been enabled. Then, players can type the following cheat and the level they’d like their selected Sim to be at: “stats.set_skill_level Minor_Thanatology #” replacing the # with the desired skill level number.