Draft:Scroll of clairvoyance
| ? | |
| Type | Scroll |
|---|---|
| Base value (Au) | 25 |
| Item level | 1 |
| Weight | 5 |
| Unidentified appearance | Random inscription |
| Cursed name | Scroll of amnesia |
A scroll of clairvoyance reveals terrain around a selected point on the current map. It is useful for examining a route or objective before walking into it.
Generation
It is an item-level-1 random scroll, also obtainable from pawn-shop stock and acquirement. A floating eye's corpse is a related source of the clairvoyance effect when eaten; its alchemical transformation instead makes a potion of levitation.
Description
An uncursed scroll reveals a square extending five tiles in each direction from the selected center, up to 11 by 11 tiles. At positive blessing strength B, that radius is 5 + 5B: +1 blessing therefore covers up to 21 by 21 tiles. Map edges clip the area. Secret flags in that area are removed and the squares are redrawn; this is more than a temporary monster-location overlay.
A cursed reading instead clears remembered exploration of the current map and redraws the area the player can presently see. It does not erase item identification or spell knowledge. Noncursed use identifies the scroll type; the curse does not receive that automatic identification.
Strategy
Use clairvoyance before committing to an unknown corridor, selecting a teleportation destination, or approaching a guarded objective. Blessing increases the surveyed area substantially, especially when the target lies far from the player's present position.
The map does not by itself describe the capabilities of a creature occupying a revealed square. Monster detection and object detection answer different questions and can supplement it. Mapping also does not remove traps or grant permission to enter restricted areas.
An older player account recommends mapping the Eater's area before attacking. That is a useful reason to investigate reconnaissance, not a guarantee that the same combat tactic works in every version or against every target.