Arcana Evolved spell for Identify

[daBooj]

K, we're playing Arcana Evolved right now and while the DM owns the books, I don't. We'd rather play than spending forever preparing spells. Or, rather, the group that doesn't have many spells to prepare expects me to hurry up and choose something already. I'm the magister.

So, I've not played with this system much. I'm only so familiar with all the spells.

And we haven't found the general identify spell.

We found analyze. That seemed ok, but my magister can't cast it due to it's being exotic (divination). So... my easy question of the day, "What's the identify spell for the Arcana Evolved spell system."

Also, which would you recommend taking. (btw, we just made 5th level)
I have the first level spell Fireburst, and it does well in taking out groups of enemies. I can heighten it, it doesn't require me to attack anything. Just the reflex save. It's an area burst.

I have the second level spell Icebolt, which requires an attack roll, but does 3d6 of damage on a full hit or 1d6 if it touches.

I'm choosing between Attack from Within and Sorcerous Blast. They both do the same amount of damage (1d6/level). Neither of them require an attack roll. One is area, the other is a burst. Both are ranged spells.

We have a mage blade, a ceremonial warrior (I think that's what he's called), and an akashiak (sp?). So we have 1 person that's always on top of the baddies, and two that would prefer to stay out, but usually flank the enemies if possible (ie, they get in the fray). We're in a mountain dungeon, so we have lots of rooms and hallways but nothing tooo open.

 

[lukelightning]

Object loresight can be a substitute for identify; with repeated castings you can find out one power of an item. I allow for further castings to discover more abilities.

Fireburst is a great spell, especially if you team up with another character who has alchemists fire...they throw the flask at an enemy, then after it breaks on him you burstify it and roast him and anyone next to him.

 

[Stalker0]

As per your other questions, in general I would go with Sorcerous Blast. Its pretty much better in every way. It has a longer range, hits more creatures, uses a reflex save instead of fort (more creatures tend to have stronger fort saves, especially if you fight people with class levels), and you can force two saves on a single creature.

At your level, you also don't have to worry about your party is your in a tight dungeon space. The diminished version of sorc blast becomes a single target.

There is one very nice advantage to Attack with Within, it affects objects. So you can blast within walls and the like. But...the real advantage is it can affect undead (you can hit undead with fort saves if the spell normally effects objects). This is your undead destroyer spell.

Keep in mind though, that in AE you don't really have to choose anything. Your only ever an hour away from having a completely different slate of spells. So I would go with Sorc Blast normally, but feel free to change it to Attack with Within if you know your going to be fighting creatures with weak fort saves and the like.

 

[lukelightning]

Also one of the things you can get from object loresight is the name of the creator of the object. There are a few magic items my party is going to encounter that have been created by the Local Mysterious Mage (you know them, they show up in every campaign). So if they are smart, they can just go and talk to the mage and ask him "hey we found out you made this magic amulet, what does it do?"

 

[Robert Ranting]

Analyze, a first level exotic spell is the direct equivalent of Identify. In AE, Magic items are supposed to be mysterious and unique, so it's not as easy for people to determine the exact functions of a magic item. In order to cast analyze, you need to either spend a feat on Exotic Spell Analyze, or else spend 2000gp on an item of spell knowledge, which allows a person to prepare a spell stored in the amulet.

While 2000gp seems a bit stiff for a 1st level spell, if you have a magister in the party, he can use down-time to cast Analyze as a spell-for-hire, which will eventually let the item pay for itself.

Object Loresight will work in a pinch, but remember that the questions are always answered in order, even if you know the answers to some of them. This means that at the very least you need to cast it 7 times in a single day to learn everything about the item, and that if you try to switch off spellcasters, they will start back at Question One.

Robert "Played a Magister for 2 1/2 Years" Ranting

 

[Stalker0]

In AE, Magic items are supposed to be mysterious and unique, so it's not as easy for people to determine the exact functions of a magic item.

Object Loresight will work in a pinch, but remember that the questions are always answered in order, even if you know the answers to some of them. This means that at the very least you need to cast it 7 times in a single day to learn everything about the item, and that if you try to switch off spellcasters, they will start back at Question One.

Robert "Played a Magister for 2 1/2 Years" Ranting

I would say its actually relatively easy to identify items in AE. Also, if you know any answers to some of the questions those get skipped. Finally, there's nothing that says you start at question 1 if you switch off casters, if you tell that casters the answers to the previous questions, they now know them and can move onward.

So if you have a lot of 1st level slots your good. That 2000 gp item can work. Or you can spend 6000k and get a constant item of object loresight that will identify as much as you want.

 

[lukelightning]

I also have a secret house rule that says if you have an item creation feat, you can identify magic items of that type.

If you know how to make magic weapons, if you find a magic sword you can figure out all its powers, either through normal examination ("ah, I see this sword has the Mark of the Swift upon it, and has a slight greenish color which means it is empowered with the element of Earth...." or magical (detect magic and reading the aura, or object loresight).