As we often see with the full-sized expansions, The Sims 4: Life & Death brings several new traits into the game to help us explore the new additions. With Life & Death, we got three new traits, all having to do with death and your Sims’ belief in the great beyond.
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With the Chased by Death trait making accidents more likely, the Macabre trait making your Sims pretty gloomy in conversations, and Skeptical making your Sim weary of all things to do with the afterlife, we’ve got plenty of fun traits to play with in the Life & Death expansion.
Chased By Death
The Chased by Death trait in The Sims 4: Life & Death is relatively high risk, high reward to give to your Sim. If you’re curious about playing through the Soul’s Journey – the vastly expanded aspiration system added in the expansion that begins during life and is concluded in the great hereafter, potentially concluding with your Sim’s rebirth – then the Chased by Death trait might help out, since your Sims want to make the most of their time on earth.
These Sims are more adept at making bucket lists that are not only satisfying for them, but that are fun for you to play, and this is because Chased by Death Sims can make perfect goals for their bucket list, an ability usually reserved for Sims who have either recently witnessed a death or had a near-death experience of their own. Coming so close to their mortality, these Sims can manually choose bucket list goals, making their lists that much more customizable.
But with this great ability, you’ll also need to accept some pretty great risks, since these Sims are far more prone to accidents. If they’re doing something that could potentially kill them – fixing a broken electronics, succumbing to extreme emotions, eating the cake from a Cowplant, using telescopes to build the Logic skill, etc. – they’ll have a higher chance of being killed by these things.
These can, though, result in near-death experiences for your Sim, which sees them receive a warning from Grim about being careful with their lives. Whether or not these Sims have had a near-death experience themselves, they’ll be able to ask other Sims about their near-death experiences.
Once these Sims have met their end, whenever that may be, you’ll notice that the Chased by Death trait changes to Embraced by Death instead, and dying with the Chased by Death trait is currently the only way to get this trait without cheats. While playing as a ghost Sim who’s Embraced by Death, you’ll be able to continue getting the most of your bucket list, now referred to as “Unfinished Business.”
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Macabre
Maybe one of the most fleshed-out of the traits added in the Life & Death expansion, the Macabre trait is all about making the most out of grim situations. These Sims tend to be significantly less Scared than other Sims without the trait, especially when dealing with all the spooky happenings around Ravenwood. They’re less afraid of seeing or speaking to ghosts, On Hallowed Grounds lots, exploring the crypts, of Edith at the Well of Longing and Regret, and other supernatural happenings.
You can tell which Sims have the Macabre trait from the relationship menu, as Macabre Sims have a unique, unbothered expression and pose on any information panel. This also supersedes the normal pose for any Fine moodlets.
Perfect for the two careers in the Life & Death expansion – both the Reaper career and the various branches of the Undertaker career – this trait pairs well with the new Thanatology skill, rendering your Sim even more curious about all things to do with death and dying. These Sims earn positive moodlets from negative subjects, like becoming Energized on lots with the On Hallowed Grounds trait, Playful anytime Grim is around, or Inspired during rainy weather if you’re playing with Seasons.
Talking to these Sims can be kind of depressing for Sims without traits that make them less prone to gloom, since Macabre Sims have unique social interactions focusing on death and all things creepy. They can Spread the Gloom to other Sims, which makes target Sims Sad for a couple of hours, and they can also Make Morbid Observations, but peppy Sims or happy hobbies render them pretty Bored. They even become Inspired when being affectionate with any pet crow they may have.
If you’re heading out for a social event, try out the special Ghastly Gavotte dance when music is playing nearby, especially if you’re a fan of quintessential goth club dance moves.
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Skeptical
Maybe your Sim just doesn’t believe in all this supernatural nonsense, potentially even when they’re confronted with undeniable proof that such a thing exists. These Sims make for good Skeptical Sims, as they’re unlikely to believe in anything occult or supernatural in any way, able to press occult Sims for proof of their powers. Skeptical conflicts with Macabre, so no skeptically grim Sims, unfortunately.
These Sims can Ask for Proof of Powers on not only ghost Sims they may encounter out in the new world of Ravenwood, the dreary death-centric town added with the expansion, but several others as well. Should they come across aliens, vampire, werewolves, mermaids, or spellcasters, they’ll be able to grill them for proof that they truly are what they say.
If you’ve also got Seasons installed, Skeptical Sims can also use this interaction on Father Winter when he visits to give out presents during Winterfest.
