Clarification of Loremaster's Greater Lore ability?

[Sound of Azure]

At 6th level, a Loremaster gets an interesting class ability...

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Greater Lore (Ex): At 6th level, a Loremaster gains the ability to understand magic items, as with the identify spell.
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It's an extraordinary ability, but duplicates a spell. I'm wondering if the ability exactly duplicates the spell (1 hour "casting" time for the examination of a magic item), or if the Loremaster can get the information that identify provides just by looking at a magic item for a moment.

Since it's not the actual spell, no material component is required, correct?

Edit: Finally, the Loremaster can use this at will, right? (The True Lore ability states it is once per day, but Greater Lore says nothing).

 

[EyeontheMountain]

If it says as the spell, then you need all the components, casting time, duration etc of the spell. You just do not need to memorize it, though you still need the 8 hours of rest to regain it in the morning.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

since when does a ex ability require a spell component?

 

[Three_Haligonians]

As far as I can tell, all your loremaster would need is an hour out of their day. No components, no casting, heck no magic either (in case you need to do it in an anti-magic field). The problem here is that I think they ability is written poorly - no real detail involved. For instance, what if your loremaster comes across a cursed item? Per the rules in the DMG identify has a 1% chance per caster level to correctly identify the item but the loremaster entry gives no mention of a caster level, an effective caster level, or even the words "caster" or "level" so how good is such a character at uncovering the true abilities of that Robe of Vermin?

Obviously, these questions can be resolved on the fly: caster level = loremaster level, or some such. The point is that the Greater Lore ability needs some house rule decisions to round it out - something you and the DM should discuss and set down before it comes into play and possible conflicts or confusion arise.

J from Three Haligonians

 

[airwalkrr]

An extraordinary ability is a free action unless otherwise stated. So that depends on what your interpretation of "may use identify as the spell" is. Personally, I find it odd that one could rationalize it taking the same casting time without costing a material component. It either works like the spell or it simply grants the benefit of the spell.

There are only two possibilities the way I see it:
1) Greater Lore allows you to use identify as a free action an unlimited number of times per day without any material component cost.
2) Greater Lore allows you to use identify an unlimited number of times per day but otherwise must follow the rules for the spell (1 hour casting time, 100 gp material component, etc.).

Personally, I favor 2 as it seems most balanced, but I have seen DMs approve interpretation 1 with little problem. 2 is favored by the fact that True Lore is limited to 1/day, which does essentially the same thing as identify for more items, which would be pointless if you could already identify an unlimited number of items for free each day anyway. But it isn't as if rapid and free identification of items really ruins the game.

 

[Sound of Azure]

Yeah, it really is vague (hence the query). It makes sense for it to take the normal hour-long casting time, but I don't believe spell-like, supernatural or extraordinary abilities require spell components. It seems like a good ability for the stereotypical sage to have.

1 hour "casting" time
No material component
CL= Loremaster level
Works in antimagic field (!)

That's how I'll run it if someone asks me. I'll ask my DM about it when I take the class.

Thanks, all!

PS: Was the ability any different in the 3.0 DMG? I seem to recall it being a few times per day or something, and it was spell-like.... or something. :\

 

[Darklone]

Huhm. It's a Lore ability, therefore I'm in the free action camp assuming the Loremaster simply recognizes the item from his books.