Artifact Ball

Artifact Ball

Two artifact balls with each color
Description
Added in	v1.0
Item type	Unique
Location(s)	Endgame
Obtained through	Collecting
Equipable	Yes
Upgradable	No
Throwable	Technically yes
Consumable	No
Spoils	No
Storage	None
Statistics
Other Effects	Alters mutant aggression
Max. Stack	1

The artifact ball is a unique end game item that was added in update v1.0 to The Forest. Thanks to its properties, it's considered one of the most powerful items in the game.

Gameplay

The artifact ball is used to alter the way the cannibals work. It may be held in the hand or stuck in the ground. It will have its own HUD icon for you to be able to locate it.

Blue: Activated by the right mouse click. Will cause enemies to become passive, or run away from the artifact ball. It seems to be good solution for crisis situations. Additionally this affects the entire map, groups of creepy mutants no longer spawn.
Red: Activated by the left mouse click. Will cause enemies to spawn near the artifact ball and become very hostile. It is intended to replace Horde Mode, which was made many updates ago and was removed prior to the finished update v1.0. It is a good way to test your base's durability, against a massive invasion of cannibals and mutants.
Closed: Activated by clicking same mouse button twice. This mode, from what is known, has no effect on gameplay.

Theory

According to a Cajun survivor who shut down the Second Artifact, the Artifact Ball may be tied to the cannibals' origin as a behavioral manipulator. The 'blue' mode causes the cannibals/mutants to fall into a dormant/docile state by quickly draining the urge to hunt/eat, even replacing their desire to kill and eat people/each other with a strong fear of strangers.

On the flipside, the 'red' mode causes the Artifact Ball to produce rage-inducing waves of energy throughout the peninsula, even going so far as to draw enemies towards its location. This may have been used by its creators to send large groups of cannibals to exterminate intruders via planting it discretely at said intruders' location.

Blue mode possible usage

Blue mode Artifact Ball stuck into the ground near your base provides security in every minute of game-play, making it possible for you to gather supplies, project new base elements and even rest - being completely safe.

Red mode possible usage

Red mode Artifact Ball stuck into the ground near your base allows you to test how advanced your base protection is. From here, you are able to break routine of safe farming by organizing your own death matches. Cannibals summoned by the power of the artifact are violent, they might come in big groups. As observed so far, 6 creepy mutant and up to 15 cannibals might come at close time distance. So far, the game never gave you as good an opportunity to test your combat abilities. Red Mode can be also useful during bone/skull/creepy armor/body parts/head trophy farming.