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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Steverooo" data-source="post: 2537394" data-attributes="member: 9410">What I do (or, more properly, what my PCs do) depends a lot upon their abilities, and spells memorized...  I tend to play Rangers, so magic isn't usually an option.My PCs take at least a Rank of Spellcraft, even if they have to buy it Cross-Class.  That, and a good INT Bonus, allows them to ID most scrolls, even without Read Magic.  If necessary (and above fourth level), they can wait for the next day, and cast it.Potions can be identified by the party's Sorcerer or Wizard, with Knowledge (Arcana), or I could take a crack at it with Craft (Alchemy).  Otherwise, Identify.Magic items first have to be detected, or observed in use.  If the enemy troll attacks you with a Wand of Fireballs, Duh!, it's magic!  Make a Listen check to overhear the command word or phrase, get the wand, and find someone who can use it!  If the same Troll was also wearing Bracers and using a bow, you can try on the Bracers, as it's a pretty good bet that they're not cursed...Do they re-size to fit?  (Trolls are size Large, you're probably size Medium or Small.)  If they do, it's a pretty good bet that they're magical! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />   Now try to take them off...  If you can't, then they're cursed! <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/paranoid.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":uhoh:" title="Paranoid    :uhoh:" data-shortname=":uhoh:" />   If you can, then they're either 1) Bracers of Defense/Armor, 2) Bracers of Archery, or 3) Something new that the GM has cooked up, or gotten from a third-party source...  In any case, all treasure should have Detect Magic cast upon it, and this will show the Dweomer of the item(s).  So if the Bracers are showing an aura of Abjuration, then they are protective.  If the bow detects as magical, then it is probably, as well (although it could just be Nystul's Magic Aura). <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious    :]" data-shortname=":]" />   In any case, the aura should tell...Now testing can occur, although this usually doesn't reveal much...  Telling a +5 bow from a normal one might be easy, but telling a +1 from a normal one would be rough!  Telling a flaming sword (or a magical one that sheds light) would be ridiculously easy, however!Next (when in a safe place) could come Identify, if still needed.  This will give you the basics.  If still needed, you can pay someone for Analyze Dweomer, assuming the party doesn't have access to it.  A wand of Analyze Dweomer will work wonders, in such a situation! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />EDIT:  Also, note that the DMG gives a % chance that any item is made of a special material, or has something on it that might indicate its use...  Thus, a ring with feathers all the way around it might just be a Ring of Feather Fall, while an arrow with a ruby head shaped like a spider might be an Arrow of Spider-Slaying, for instance.  When generating treasure, GMs should include such chances, and allow perspicacious PCs to take advantage of them (as well as Knowledge checks, Bardic and otherwise)!</blockquote>

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