Ok, there are certain effects that if you don't practice the heck out of them, you will give the secret away in your attempt to divine whatever it is (the value of a card, the value of a die placed in a brass container, etc.)

Without giving anything more away, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE EFFECTS.

I am certain that the people who are complaining that their audience burns them on this are displaying a "tell" that is easy to spot. You MUST practice this until the method for divination is not visible to the audience. Once you do this, no one will "get it" and it elevates itself to the miraculous.

I've had my Die-Cipher II for close to 20 years . Other than a nice change in color from the brass...it's exactly as it was the day I bought it.

It's a clever and devious secret and I've never had a spectator figure it out. It works exactly as described.

If I have any reason for not giving it 5 stars, it's for one reason. It's like a "box trick" in stage magic: the object itself is so unnatural (a brass die and a specialized brass cylinder) that it's obvious that the "magic" is being done by the object itself....not the magician.

I'm sure there are mentalists who have found a way around this. I've tried various plots and stories (previously owned by a dead gambler, found in my grandfather's attic, etc.)....but, personally, I've never found a good plot that I was satisfied with.

But, other than that, it is a GREAT effect. It's very well-made and a joy to use.

Plus, it's gorgeous....and will look even more gorgeous in 20 years. It's a piece of magic that will last MORE than a lifetime...

Sure you can tell someone what number they picked, but you can do so much more! It's a lot of fun to incorporate mind reading tactics with this effect to really get in their heads. My favorite reaction is when you have your audience consequently come to the conclusion that you 'saw' more than just the image of a die.

The only reason I gave four stars and not five is because of a tiny wear and tear inconvenience that, while not usually endangering the secret, sometimes misleads onlookers to believe the selected number was (for example) a five instead of a four...and that can be a little bit of a set back.

I read in an earlier review that you can polish the set to take care of that problem.

Overall, very nice. I like it. If you have the money to spend, I definitely recommend this mental magic tool.

Awesome trick. Very well made.
So easy to do.
Only had one person figure it out because he happens to be an engineer by trade and works to 1000th of an inch.
Make sure you keep it polished as there can be a tiny tell tale mark after a bit of use.

This is a great mentalist effect that can be done anywhere, anytime, with a minimum of explanation. I use it in bars quite a bit much to the delight of spectators. This effect is for the serious-minded magician or mentalist who'd like to incoporate a very fast effect into his (or her) routine. I could even see building at least part of an entire routine AROUND this one effect, it's that good!

The secret is pure genius and 99.9% undetectable. Everyone I've done this for is completely stumped!!! Nice heavy duty quality and the heavy "gold" dice has a mystical quality all on it's own. People just like to hold it. Solid brass tricks like this one along with the Okito Box and the Mystic Chips make great keepsakes 'cause they're built to last. Add this to your arsenal now!

I like the idea of the trick. I like the construction of the trick.

As a magician there are 2 steps to figuring out the number.

Step 1 was easy to master.

I have spend close to 90 min practicing step 2. And when I say practice I me just trying to get the number right, not doing the full patter. So I can do 4 or 5 numbers a minute.

I am still only about 60% accurate, which is little better than a guess. 4/3 works for me but getting the 1/2/5/6 feels like I am just guessing.

Method 1 (in hand) is not something I can get to work at all.

Method 2 (on a flat surface) only work for 1/6 on a hard flat surface. Will not work on a pad or even a table cloth.

This trick is awesome, it has a great effect and nobody can figure it out, it's amazing and it will last you a lifetime.

This one is sweet, quick to learn, and provides you the opportunity to really mess with the poor sap who is the target of your performance. There is really no reset needed, and you can certainly do it a couple of times before moving on to something else.
I performed it for one friend who was increasingly convinced that I really was reading his mind. Freaked him out a little, actually... Anyway, this is a fun one that fits nicely in your jacket pocket!

Confusing at first, this mentalism trick eventually pays off as long as you take time to become aware of the secret. This sounds easy, but it does take practice. Also, even though most will be fooled, some brainiacs will get it, as I did just by reading the description and viewing the video a couple of times. Only because of something obvious within the secret, I think it deserves a 4, not a 5. Also, kind of pricey even though well made.