History Main / MAgicCompass

* Jack's compass in ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' which points to whatever the one holding it wants. It is rather difficult to use for someone like him; half the time it ends up pointing at his rum bottle.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', this is one of Harry's most commonly used spells in his job as a detective. However, it can also be weaponised as a remote cause of YourHeadAsplode.

* The Alethiometer in ''Film/TheGoldenCompass'' pointed to the truth.

* ''Manga/OnePiece:''

* The way to ''[[Anime/CastleInTheSky Laputa]]'' is shown when Sheeta accidentally activates her pendant which, in addition to activating a dormant robot that absolutely trashes a military base, shines a beam of light in the direction Laputa is.

* The Alethiometer in ''Film/TheGoldenCompass'' pointed to the truth.

* In one of the ''Literature/LordDarcy'' stories, Master Sean enchanted a splinter left behind by a murder weapon and used it to find the rest of the weapon.
* In Creator/EEDocSmith's ''Literature/SkylarkSeries'', it was possible to create an "object compass" which, once attuned to something, would always point towards it.
* Inverted with the ''Point Me'' spell in ''Literature/HarryPotter'', which uses magic to make the caster's wand briefly [[MundaneUtility point north]].

* In ''Literature/TheScar'', when pirates are on long voyages away from the floating city of Armada, they have compasses that always point to Armada to find their way back.
* In ''Literature/TalesOfTheKettyJay'', Grayther Crake makes daemon-bound compasses for the crew of the Ketty Jay that always point towards their captain Darian Fray.

* In an episode of ''Series/TheAdventuresOfBriscoCountyJr'' Socrates is given an object which glows when pointed towards an Orb. (Orbs being the MacGuffin of the HalfArcSeason.)
* The ol' Gilbert pocketwatch on TheVampireDiaries was in actuality a vampire detector.

* A ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' compass points to the world's player spawn point.
* Finding ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' and the ghost ship of the undead zombie ghost pirate [=LeChuck=] tends to involve constructing one of these.
* ''VideoGame/{{Soulbringer}}'' allowed you two different compasses at the same time: the usual and a magic one that points to [[PortalNetwork hex stones]].

* James Lee Quatermain's compass in ''VideoGame/DeadfallAdventures'' points toward the nearest treasure item, when such an item is close enough. The rest of the time, the needle drifts idly.
* One item in ''VideoGame/{{Spelunky}}'' is a compass that points to the level exit when it's off-screen. It becomes incredibly useful in area 3 which consists almost entirely of rocks and ice hanging over the yawning abyss.

* Phylacteries, in the ''Franchise/DragonAge'' universe, perform this function. Mages in the Circles of Magi are required to give a blood sample when they're first brought to a Circle, and should that mage escape or otherwise go missing, the Templars can use the phylactery containing their blood to find them.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePiratesOfDarkWater,'' Ren has a necklace that shoots a blue beam in the direction of a nearby [[MacGuffin Treasure of Rule]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Birdman}}'' episode "Meets Birdgirl". When the villain steals some hydrogen bombs, Birdman uses his "atomic compass" (which is "tuned to the wavelength of the bombs") to track them down.

%%[[quoteright:350:[[Film/TheGoldenCompass http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/golden_compass_17.png]]]]

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/TheGoldenCompass http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/golden_compass_17.png]]]]

-->-- ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''

** A non-magnetism example would be Vivre Cards, slips of paper which are linked to a person's life force and can show where they are located. Put the paper on a table or in your hand, and it will move on its own in the general direction of the person it's linked to. Luffy had once for his brother Ace, which he used in his rescue attempt in the Impel Down arc.

* On ''Literature/{{Gor}}'' compasses point to the Sardar Mountains, home of the Priest-Kings (the gods of the world).

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda'' it only shows the boss's room.

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', it shows all treasure chests and the boss's location.
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'', it shows all treasure chests and the boss's location.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePiratesOfDarkWater'' Ren has a necklace that shoots a blue beam in the direction of a nearby [[MacGuffin Treasure of Rule]].

* Gargamel and his magically-created clone made one from a magic stone that would help him track down Smurfs in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "Papa Smurf, Papa Smurf".

* The compass is ubiquitous to ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' games. In the first games it only showed the boss's room or the room after that, but in later games it also showed unopened treasure chests and sometimes keys.

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* Luigi's quest in ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' revolves around one of these. According to Luigi, the face of the so-called Marvelous Compass was split into seven shards, and each shard points to the location of the next.

** Although he can and does use a literal compass as a focus for the spell, Harry's also used various objects as plumb lines (leans in the direction of the target), sensations on the skin ([[StealthPun gets warmer or colder]] based on direction), and a wind-up duck ([[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer this happened]]) (walks in the direction of the target) in the past. It's a very versatile field of magic.

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* The way to ''[[Anime/CastleInTheSky'' Laputa]]'' is shown when Sheeta accidentally activates her pendant which, in addition to activating a dormant robot that absolutely trashes a military base, shines a beam of light in the direction Laputa is.

* The way to ''{{Laputa}}'' is shown when Sheeta accidentally activates her pendant which, in addition to activating a dormant robot that absolutely trashes a military base, shines a beam of light in the direction Laputa is.

-->--''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''

* Jack's compass in ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' which points to whatever the one holding it wants.

** 'Magazine/{{Dragon}}'' magazine #235 article "Mage on Deck!" The spell Absolute Location informs the caster of the direction and distance to a known landmark such as a port city, an island or a mountain.