Crystal balls

When found, crystal balls are devoid of any kind of charge and pretty much useless. However when charged with a potion or fountain, they become imbued with the kind of energy that was used to charge it. For example a crystal ball dipped into an energy fountain becomes an Energy-Infused Crystal Ball and one mixed with a Potion of Death becomes Death-infused.

There are at least two uses for a charged crystal ball. They can be (u)sed, in which case the object casts a one shot Detect spell.

Using an infused crystal ball allows you to sense the following features, given the effect imbuing it: Inversion:  Random detect Change:     "You sense the mutable world" (doors, fountains) Duplication: "You sense objects" (any item, including remains but not level sphere) Energy:     "You sense knowledge" (the level sphere) Life:       "You sense the living" (living monsters) Death:      "You sense the dead" (undead monsters, remains) Absorption: "You sense the depths" (stairs down; possibly pits?) Dissolution: "You sense the surface world" (floors) Permanence: "You sense the stable world" (walls)

A charged ball can also be (m)ixed with the Mage Staff to add an effect of that energy type to melee and staff bolt attacks. A Death-Infused Crystal Ball topped staff will instantly kill any living thing - but will also heal undead. After several attacks the crystal ball is used up in the same way as other objects attached to the Mage Staff. A charged ball can also be thrown, exerting its effect in a Radius 2 ball on the object it hits.