Identifying artifacts

3d6 · May 28, 2006

Is there any means to determine the activation method of an artifact? The conventional methods (identify and analyze dweomer) don't work, and there doesn't seem to be any other way to determine command words and so forth.

Do you just need to find someone who knows how to activate it or a book with instructions?

Crothian · May 28, 2006

Trial and error, go talk to an oracle, find ancient prophecy written on the belly of Great Wyrm, an ancient text written in a unique code that cannot be magically deciphered.....

It is not supposed to be easy to learn how to activate an artifact.

domino · May 28, 2006

It's obviously something that's heavily dependant on the DM, but I've got a standard method for dealing with items of immense power and ancient history.

I just ask the thing.

Keith Robinson · May 28, 2006

Crothian said:
Trial and error, go talk to an oracle, find ancient prophecy written on the belly of Great Wyrm, an ancient text written in a unique code that cannot be magically deciphered.....

It is not supposed to be easy to learn how to activate an artifact.

That's pretty much my call too. Have the players ubdertake some reaearch and givethem appropriate Knowledge checks and Gather Information checks to drop clues and hints. Discovering you've just acquired a powerful artifact is supposed to be fun

Evilhalfling · May 29, 2006

domino said:
It's obviously something that's heavily dependant on the DM, but I've got a standard method for dealing with items of immense power and ancient history.

I just ask the thing.

But if you have good evidance from other sources that its name is the "orb of lies"
then don't believe its answers. Im not sure how my players missed this concept.

Quartz · May 29, 2006

Legend Lore can help. While artifacts are often immune, their previous wielders are not. For example, if you've got the Sword of Power and you know that it was once wielded by King Tarus, Legend Lore might reveal his unusual battle cry, and a PC might well realise that that was the activation method.

Glyfair · May 29, 2006

I agree with Quartz. Even the bard's Legend Lore ability can be useful. Sure, you'll get a lot of rumors and misinformation. However, you'll usually have enough to get your going.

Knowing for sure....well, artifacts aren't supposed to be safe

ThirdWizard · May 30, 2006

Spellcraft checks and divinations are what I do.

domino · May 30, 2006

Evilhalfling said:
But if you have good evidance from other sources that its name is the "orb of lies"
then don't believe its answers. Im not sure how my players missed this concept.

Of course, if you know that much, you don't really need to know what it is any more then.

Jack Simth · May 30, 2006

domino said:
Of course, if you know that much, you don't really need to know what it is any more then.

Oh, I don't know.... an orb that cannot tell you anything factual can be used to give you true information - e.g., "What city isn't Mr. X physicaly in right at this moment?" The only non-false answer is the name of the city Mr. X is in.....

Of course, an orb that often lies to cause trouble and an orb that must lie are two very different things, but both might be called the Orb of Lies..... as would the orb that tells you what you want to hear, irrespective of what that "information" will do.