Identify

[brightgoat]

I've become annoyed by the number of unidentified magic items that are sitting in my player's hands. Nobody wants to spend 100gp in order to find the weakest power of an item

So, I've developed a house rule for identifying magic items. This doesn't work on all items. It works on appx. 50% of items, subject to DM judgement.

It takes minimum one day uninterrupted study with access to a library or other magical research facility. Roll a spellcraft check at DC20 for the first, and weakest power (up to the DM which is found first). By spending a full week in study, DC goes down by 5. This is an either or sort of thing. You spend either one day or one week.

For each additional power, it takes an additional day (or week), and the DC is as follows:
related power DC 15,
unrelated power DC25,
and again, -5 for an additional week.

if you miss by 10, it's a misdiagnosis. DM rolls the check. No retry until an additional rank in spellcraft is gained. Bards can substitute a bardic knowledge check instead of a spellcraft check. If a caster has the appropriate item creation feat, they get an additional -5 to the identify check.

New Feat - Instant Identify

Prereq - 10 ranks in spellcraft or access to the bardic knowledge ability.

Allows instant identification attempt at DC 25 for main power. If miss, then upon further reflection, can retry with normal rules. This feat allows check on any magic item, except for artifacts.

 

[Centaur]

IMC I have the Identify spell work as listed, but add the addition efect that if there are more powers, then it indicates that more research is needed on that item.

After that, the players have the option of doing research at a library of some sort, or paying to have a higher level NPC use Analyze dewomer cast of each item that it is needed on.

Helps to eat up some cash. Once they are high enough level, they can get the spell themselves if they want, or continue to get the NPC to do the work while they rest at the tavern.

I think your research method works well enough. You might want to look that "lore Master" PRC in the DMg before offering the feat. I think the 10th level ability of that class gives something similar.

 

[Intrope]

Actually, Identify should not be the first spell you cast on an unknown item; you should always start with Detect Magic. Why? because it will tell you how many different magical functions the item has, and what kind of magic they are. (no need to house rule Identify!)

Also, Identify gets the most basic power of one item per level; while I still think it's 100 gp cost is silly, it's not nearly that bad!

I should really finish the Identify How-to I started writing 2 months ago...

 

[Drawmack]

My characters usually just take the item and start doing all kinds of stupid stuff to see if they can figure out what it does.

I still remember when the barbarian died because he wanted to see if it was a fing of fire protection so he jumped into lava.

 

[Centaur]

My characters usually just take the item and start doing all kinds of stupid stuff to see if they can figure out what it does.

I still remember when the barbarian died because he wanted to see if it was a fing of fire protection so he jumped into lava.

I wish sometimes that my players had a little more trust in the unknown and would just experiment with items to see if they can figure them out.

"Oh Look, another 3 items with detectable magical auras. Place them in the secure chest until we get back to town." Never mind that fact that I put several potions of healing there for them to find knowing they would need them at this point.

 

[Angcuru]

I wish sometimes that my players had a little more trust in the unknown and would just experiment with items to see if they can figure them out.

You're the DM, and you expect them to TRUST YOU? What are you, crazy?

 

[Karanaj]

You're the DM, and you expect them to TRUST YOU? What are you, crazy?

Hehe.

Yeah that's pretty much my experience as both player and DM

 

[brightgoat]

Hehe.

Yeah that's pretty much my experience as both player and DM

Especially when you're the type of DM who cackles with glee right before asking for a will save...

 

[yennico]

It takes minimum one day uninterrupted study with access to a library or other magical research facility.

Access to a library or magical research facility alos costs money.

Roll a spellcraft check at DC20 for the first, and weakest power (up to the DM which is found first).

Spellcraft check mmh so bards, clerics and wizards can "identify" magic items...

DC 20 for a 1st level wizard with Int max +4 and 4 ranks needs a 12 to identify a magical property. The time (a day ) is nearly the same as by indentify spell, but with the identify spell the wizards has neraly 100% chance to identify the magical property of a magical item.

So with your house rule also clerics can identify magical items and
high level wizards save some money.

For each additional power, it takes an additional day (or week),

For this is the spell Analyze dweomer. This spell costs only a focus and time.

New Feat - Instant Identify

Prereq - 10 ranks in spellcraft or access to the bardic knowledge ability.

A feat only for at least 7th level bards. At that level a wizard can identify with one identify spell seven magical items at 100 gp cost.

Are your player so greedy ? or do they do not like to wait the time of spell identify (8 hours) ?

Just my 2 cents
yennico

 

[Damon Griffin]

Also, Identify gets the most basic power of one item per level; while I still think it's 100 gp cost is silly, it's not nearly that bad!

It's all but useless where magic weapons are concerned, though. No what wonderful qualities a weapon might have, all Identify is ever going to tell you is that it's a +1 weapon (or +2, or +3) -- which you already knew, because ALL magic weapons are +1 (or +2 or +3) before they can have any other qualities added to them.

It's silly and uncomfortable for the characters to use game mechanic terms like "XP", "saving throw", "hit points" or "+1 to hit", so even though the player does need this detail, the attack/damage bonus information revealed by an Identify may not be something a character should easily be able to quantify.

"Pray, friend wizard, what mighty enchantment does this wondrous blade possess?"

"Well, it's a +1 weapon..."

"Eh?"

"I mean, it does slightly more damage than a weapon of its type would normally do, and you are 5% more likely to hit with it."

"Five per cent? Why speakest thou as an accountant?"

In other words, the only information Identify can give you about a magic weapon is a numeric value that should have no meaning to the characters in the game.

In the previous editions of the game, you could use Identify to obtain information that could be described in-game in terms that would make sense to the characters, and then the DM could say as an aside to the players "oh, and it's also +2 to hit and damage", but no longer.

So, yeah, it's nice that Identify now works on one item per level, but you get a treasure with a bunch of magic weapons and you might as well not bother. Nine assorted weapons with completely different qualities and eight of them register simply as a +1 weapon, but the ninth is -- gasp! a +2 weapon!

And now you wait for Analyze Dweomer.