You can see and hear a creature you choose that is on the same plane of existence as you. The target makes a Wisdom saving throw, which is modified (see the tables below) by how well you know the target and the sort of physical connection you have to it. The target doesn’t know what it is making the save against, only that it feels uneasy.
| Your Knowledge of the Target Is... | Save Modifier |
|---|---|
| Secondhand (heard of the target) | +5 |
| Firsthand (met the target) | +0 |
| Extensive (know the target well) | −5 |
| You Have the Target’s... | Save Modifier |
|---|---|
| Picture or other likeness | −2 |
| Garment or other possession | −4 |
| Body part, lock of hair, or bit of nail | −10 |
On a successful save, the target isn’t affected, and you can’t use this spell on it again for 24 hours.
On a failed save, the spell creates an Invisible, intangible sensor within 10 feet of the target. You can see and hear through the sensor as if you were there. The sensor moves with the target, remaining within 10 feet of it for the duration. If something can see the sensor, it appears as a luminous orb about the size of your fist.
Instead of targeting a creature, you can target a location you have seen. When you do so, the sensor appears at that location and doesn’t move.
* - (a focus worth 1,000+ GP, such as a crystal ball, mirror, or water-filled font)
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Posted Sep 16, 2024Currently contemplating how Strahd will use this against my players! :D
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Posted Feb 6, 2025Have one of his servants steal a lock of hair or something during a fight or even have them find a "gift"from strahd that they keep and he uses to scry on them. In my game he gave one of the characters an enchanted necklace that provided some protections to the wear, but he would use that to scry on party.
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Posted May 7, 2025If I have a Water-Filled Font do I still need the focus worth 1000 gp?
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Posted May 13, 2025The focus worth 1000 gp is the water-filled font. Or a crystal ball. Or a mirror.
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Posted May 16, 2025Ok, thank you. Just needed to be sure.
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Posted May 20, 2025No problem!
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Posted Jul 28, 2025So if you go to the Crystal Ball entry... its in the "Very Rare" category which is generally valued at like 40k. And people are saying it allows at-will casting. I think its BS because the spell literally names a crystal ball as the focus.
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Posted Jul 28, 2025Well, the Crystal Ball does allow at-will casting, because that's what it says it does. In that case it doesn't really matter what the material component is, because spells cast from magic items don't have any components unless the item specifically says they do (which that one doesn't).
The spell gives a crystal ball — not necessarily the magic item of that name, just any ball made of crystal — as an example of what the focus can be; it also suggests a mirror or a font full of water. Really the important part is the cost, not exactly what it is.