If you are more interested in a guide that emphasizes the usage of knockouts to accomplish 100% completion you've come to the wrong guide. This is about going beyond being a SIGINT ninja into pure stealth.

Ghosting means going in and out of a level with absolute minimal trace.
In our case, we won't be firing any bullets to shoot out lights, and we won't knock out anybody to make our life easier unless we absolutely have to in order to complete our mission's objectives.


On expert difficulty you need to remember that there is effectively zero tolerance from guards on being seen. Anything above pitch black and a guard will investigate because he thinks he's seen something.
Anything above the first bar and the guards will identify you as an intruder, ruining your 100% rating.
Remember that leaning against a wall will always, always help more often than not as it silences your footsteps and minimizes your physical chance of alerting the guards.

Your major tools during any good ghost, in order of importance, will always be your first defense against relying on distraction-based means to sneak past security.

• The optically channeled potentiator (OCP) on your FN Five-seveN is the most useful tool in the field you'll ever have, with a very generous period of darkness created when used on any light source. If the light is at extreme close range to the nearby security they may inspect the light and become nervous, but otherwise it ends up a completely safe way to avoid using ammo or a light switch.
  If you use it multiple times to knock out lights in front of guards, they will become suspicious and investigate what could be causing the interference. This is incredibly useful for distracting them when necessary.
  Naturally this is your greatest tool for slipping past a security camera when there isn't room for simply timing your movements.
  
• Your goggles have an amazing zoom feature through which you can hack devices remotely if needed, rather than at close quarters next to the glowing screen of the computer. Never think you need direct access to plant e-mails or disable cameras.
  
• When confronted by a locked door you'll be picking the lock. There is, when played correctly, never a reason to break the lock with your knife due to it's creation of noise and a traceable form of breaking and entering.
  
• Sticky cameras have a small clicking noise they can make to distract guards momentarily. You will only end up needing these in the situation that guards are actively searching for you, among a very small number of exceptions otherwise.
  
• The save feature. There are a mere two or so situations in Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory where luck is the only real determining factor at play, but they are there. F5 will quicksave your game, but permanent saves are always, always a more reliable means.

Each of these videos demonstrates the most practical, minimal route I've been able to find in every level.
Ghosting these, especially on harder difficulties, isn't recommended unless you've played through the game at least once.


There is one necessary knockout on the guard at the top of the lighthouse. Even assuming you lure him away the game won't let you extract unless he is in fact asleep.
Make sure to scan the SCC bar code of the five delivered crates! if you don't complete this opportunity objective you won't 100% the level.
Be very careful using the ladder to the top of the lighthouse, as the guard's location won't be immediately evident.


A friend of mine has recommended distracting the man in front of the cargo hold with sticky cameras. This works, and lowers the knockout count, so I recommend this. You can also carefully whistle, I've found, but the whole affair is very time sensitive due to patrols up the stairs, and the fact that the sleeping guard loves to pull out a flare in the confined area. As a result, it's possible but highly difficult to avoid knocking him out.
You can avoid knocking out the captain by visiting the topside room with the records.
Remember to acquire as much information on the shipping as you can and to tag all the weapons crates.


The first level where knock outs won't be required, and the most nonlinear level in the series.
There's room for improvement in my room, as I begin by rushing past the outside guards and disturbing them. Don't be afraid to experiment on this one.
Remember to hack the computers and place the false e-mails, as well as search through the necessary file cabinet for 100%


Knocking out at least one guard in the penthouse will be necessary if you want to discover who is in charge of the Zherkezhi detail, since you need to interrogate someone on the matter.
Remember to tap all the cameras.


If you're quick enough you can hack the briefcase for information before even leaving the vents in the intro.
Remember to hack every division's computer for Grim.
After hacking the central server, make sure to quickly climb back up the rope.
If you're fast and you use the goggle's zoom function you can record a conversation that identifies Mylon. If you don't, hack the computer in the office to the conversation's left.


Retrieve the hidden microphones and don't get caught.
The one necessary kill isn't counted in your score.


Ghosting this level is a bit of a toss up, as patrols aren't always consistently placed.
Remember to acquire divisional information for Redding through the computers.
For whatever reason after the missile launch some of the guards inside the area you'll need to access tend to be fairly random.
Overall a very difficult level.


This is the tough one.
Remember to disable the propaganda speakers.
You don't need to rescue the pilots at the end. This was done out of a desire to fulfill a purely aesthetic bonus objective and emphasize pacifism.
Remember to hack every laptop and ensure North Korean drones won't be a problem for the next war.

Random save necessitating part
The tank's AI seems to be partially motion sensing based, and will shoot at you without actually identifying you as an intruder. The tank's operator seems to have similar aimbot-level capabilities. The entire firefight you have to sneak through has a small chance overall to randomly nick you.
Save before this point to ensure absolute rating assurance either way.


Remember to tap all phone lines.
Patrol paths in this one can be desynchronized pretty easily for whatever reason.
Either way, remember to hack the computer in the office next to Shetland's.

Random save necessitating part
Sneaking past the firefight after eavesdropping is a complete and total luck based affair.
Before you crawl out of the vent make absolutely sure to make a permanent save.

"The inconsistency of 100% in Bathhouse has nothing to do with the firefight guards seeing you. The issue is when you enter the vent for the meeting room to eavesdrop. Towards the end of the vent, you will not be in complete darkness, and one of the guards in the meeting will detect you as an intruder. He will not react and start shooting, he is scripted to just stand in the meeting room. Reach the laptop with your EEV as early as possible, complete your objective, then back up immediately into the shadows. Therefore, it is highly recommended to perform a manual save before the meeting room vent." - Joshhhuaaa

Disarming the bombs at the end is the only part in the entire game where there is no safe spot.
The elite guards have night vision goggles, meaning staying out of sight completely isn't a real option. Distractions are absolutely, 100% necessary during this period since pitch black no longer conceals you.


The fastest hack in the game is just after the escalator, so make a hard save before attempting.
When you access the war room's ventilation, make a save. It's a very tight sneak due to the two guards, one of which is stationary.
Before blowing up the servers, make sure to hack them.

Hopefully this guide results in a 100% run for you.

Here's hoping somebody finds a way to lower the run to less than 3 knockouts!
Most of these methods have been done somewhere else, earlier, since this is a popular game from 2005, but if you have better, or just need to ask questions, feel free to leave a comment!

Hit like if you found this guide helpful, it's appreciated more than you'd think!