How it works
Inside the orb.
Everything you wanted to know about how AuraAsk answers, why some answers glow brighter than others, and how to tip the odds in your favor.
1. Ask
Type a question, or simply hold one in your mind. The orb understands the shape of what you ask. A yes-or-no question gets a verdict, a "when" question gets a sense of timing, "who" and "where" questions get a direction, and a question with options in it ("pizza or tacos?") gets a choice. Questions also carry a topic, such as love, work, money, health or travel, which colors the reply.
2. Shake
Tap the orb, drag and flick it, press Space, or shake your phone. Under the surface, the engine rolls a rarity, picks a verdict and assembles an answer from thousands of handwritten pieces: cores, openers, codas and, for the rarest readings, visions. Because the pieces combine, the number of possible answers is effectively endless.
3. Receive
The die rises through the liquid, the answer appears word by word, and the oracle voice reads it aloud. Each reading carries a sigil, which is added to your Grimoire the first time you find it, and experience points that level up your profile.
The five rarities
Every answer has a rarity. Higher rarities are longer, stranger and more vivid, and they are worth far more experience. Here are the base odds for a normal shake:
| Rarity | Base odds | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Common | 68% | 10 XP |
| Rare | 22% | 25 XP |
| Epic | 7.2% | 60 XP |
| Legendary | 2.3% | 150 XP |
| Mythic | 0.5% | 500 XP |
Streaks: the orb rewards devotion
Ask at least once a day to build a streak. Each consecutive day raises your chance of Rare, Epic, Legendary and Mythic answers (rare odds rise by 4% per day, up to +80%), and multiplies the experience you earn by 5% per day, up to double at 30 days. Miss a day and the streak starts over.
The Daily Ritual
Once per day you can perform the Daily Ritual instead of a normal shake. A ritual reading can never be Common or Rare. It is guaranteed to be Epic, Legendary or Mythic. Save it for the question that matters most today.
Today's Aura
At midnight a new aura settles over the orb, the same for every visitor. It has a name, an omen, an energy reading, a lucky number and a lucky sigil, and it subtly tints the answers you receive that day. Read about all twelve auras in the Aura Encyclopedia, or check today's on the Today's Aura page.
Your journal and the accuracy score
Every reading is saved to your journal. You can ask the orb to remind you in a week, then mark whether the prophecy came true. AuraAsk keeps an honest tally, so you can see exactly how often the orb was right for you.
Levels and orbs
Experience raises your level and your title, from Curious Stranger to Starborn Oracle. Certain levels unlock new orb finishes:
- Pearl (level 1): The classic white orb.
- Obsidian (level 3): Polished volcanic glass.
- Rose Quartz (level 5): Soft, warm, a little dangerous.
- Nebula (level 8): A galaxy trapped in glass.
- Gilded (level 12): For oracles of standing.
- Prism (level 18): Every color of every aura.
Frequently asked questions
+Is AuraAsk a real magic 8 ball?
It's a reimagining of one. The classic toy has a 20-sided die with 20 fixed answers. AuraAsk composes each answer from thousands of hand-written fragments, so it can respond to many kinds of questions and rarely says the same thing twice.
+Can the orb actually predict the future?
No. AuraAsk is entertainment. Answers are generated with randomness and a little language understanding. Many people find it useful as a way to notice how they feel about a decision, the same way a coin flip can reveal what you were hoping for.
+Do I have to type a question?
No. You can hold a question in your mind and shake the orb in silence. The orb will still answer.
+How do I shake the orb?
Tap it, drag it back and forth, press the Space bar on a keyboard, or on a phone turn on motion and physically shake your device.
+Why does everyone see the same Today's Aura?
Today's Aura is a shared daily reading, like a horoscope for everyone at once. It changes at midnight and includes an omen, an energy level, a lucky number and a lucky sigil.
+What happens if I miss a day?
Your streak resets to one the next time you ask. Your journal, level and collected sigils are never lost.
+Where is my data stored?
On your own device, in your browser's local storage. There's no account. If you clear your browser data or switch devices, your progress starts fresh.
+Is AuraAsk free?
Yes. AuraAsk is supported by a single, unobtrusive ad space at the bottom of the screen.