House-ruling Identify--suggestions?

Yeah, this has probably been a subject of several threads...sorry about that.

Does it upset any game balance to just use the 2E version of Identify in 3E? I'm sick of keeping a list of what magic item powers the players still don't know...I know it makes for a nice mystery, but sometimes it can be a pain.

Any suggestions? Any previous threads you could point me toward? Thanks!

In my experience I hated the 2nd Edition version of Identify.

I thought a 1st level spell should not reveal everything about something. Most magic items will be identified by the spell anyway. Potions only have one power, rings generall have one power, most weapons and armour will have one power and so forth.

I don't think it will break your game, however the 2nd edition of Identify never ID'd the item completely either, only 1d4 powers, with a % chance of knowing those powers. The new version guarantees knowledge of one power.

The method I use to track items is pretty simplistic but it may help you out a bit: I use a spreadsheet style form.

It lists:
ITEM (FOUND)
PLAYER
KNOWN POWERS
UNKNOWN POWERS

That's it ... so at the start of a session I can look at this list and know what is going on. If someone says "I use the sword we found in the liches lair" I will know from this list which one that is and so forth.

Once an item is fully ID'd off the list it goes. I do not keep track of what they have fully ID'd.

Hope that helps.

My groups have usually taken to trying a very high DC Spellcraft check to glean more info on the item, if applicable. It doesn't work on the +1 Greatsword, but it REALLY helps out with the Figurine of Wonderous Power.