D&D 5E Magic items and identify

[iserith]

Making it difficult to identify magic items can be quite enjoyable in a game (like 5e) where most people aren't going to be playing with a lot of permanent items. If each item is special, then it's worth a bit of effort to figure out the puzzle of the mysterious gauntlets. It could even be an adventure in its own right.

My experience over the years shows that the players unceremoniously chuck the items into a sack to be identified later when they can spare the time or get access to the spell. The "mystery" in this case just effectively delays the players opting to use the items in play, even after they've rightly earned it. There's just no payoff for this identification process in my view.

Of course, your solution of giving known legends regarding particular items is a pretty awesome way of doing it too. The only time it doesn't work that well is if the item is supposed to be mysterious. Or if there are a lot of these one-of-a-kind items and everyone seems to have them memorized (but maybe wizards learn that as part of their standard education).

I like to imagine that knowledge of magical or otherwise exceptional treasures is something adventurers have being that it's a common goal for adventurers to seek out and gather loot.

 

[iserith]

Identifaction can add some strategical aspect because there is the decision which item to identify first.

I don't think it adds much. Just an extra post-combat (or post-exploration) procedure. If we just did without it, what would we really lose? What system might we put in its place that is better than what we have now?

Side question:
If identify spell doesn't identify cursed items, how does one find out about the curse (except for the obvious curse blows up in your face method)?

Lore. So whenever a player encounters a suspect magic item, a player should say "Drawing upon my training in things arcane, I try to recall lore about these magical gauntlets to determine if they carry a curse for those who claim them..." The DM can then decide if the character succeeds, fails, or makes an ability check.

Curses are meant to be a surprise (read: Gotcha!) per the DMG. The best bet at most games in my experience is to have someone that can cast remove curse or have some scrolls of the same on hand. In my game, I would telegraph the curse in some way. If you're paying attention and making good decisions, you'll figure it out.

 

[TheLoneRanger1979]

Lore. So whenever a player encounters a suspect magic item, a player should say "Drawing upon my training in things arcane, I try to recall lore about these magical gauntlets to determine if they carry a curse for those who claim them..." The DM can then decide if the character succeeds, fails, or makes an ability check.

Curses are meant to be a surprise (read: Gotcha!) per the DMG. The best bet at most games in my experience is to have someone that can cast remove curse or have some scrolls of the same on hand. In my game, I would telegraph the curse in some way. If you're paying attention and making good decisions, you'll figure it out.

Got it. So, it's actually DM's discretion then?

 

[Uchawi]

My experience over the years shows that the players unceremoniously chuck the items into a sack to be identified later when they can spare the time or get access to the spell. The "mystery" in this case just effectively delays the players opting to use the items in play, even after they've rightly earned it. There's just no payoff for this identification process in my view.



I like to imagine that knowledge of magical or otherwise exceptional treasures is something adventurers have being that it's a common goal for adventurers to seek out and gather loot.

I tend to agree. It will benefit the DM to have a purpose for each magic item, and probably reserve specific use or command words to very powerful items. Offer clues as much as possible on how an item may be used. And even under those circumstances I usually create my own magic items with common always on powers that are pretty easy to discover, and then specific limited use powers that may take some experimentation. If all magic items are hard to discover in reference to properties then characters start to have closets full of magic items.

 

[iserith]

Got it. So, it's actually DM's discretion then?

As with anything. The section on Cursed Items in the DMG says "lore might hint at it" and that "a curse should be a surprise." I think that the latter should be telegraphed so that the cursed items, when it is revealed, isn't seen as a "gotcha" by the DM.

 

[Maxperson]

As with anything. The section on Cursed Items in the DMG says "lore might hint at it" and that "a curse should be a surprise." I think that the latter should be telegraphed so that the cursed items, when it is revealed, isn't seen as a "gotcha" by the DM.

I don't think it can be seen as a gotcha by the DM. He know about it well in advance.