The way my party finds out which sword is better... legal?

[MerakSpielman]

This is something my gaming group has been doing since long before I knew them.

They find a magic sword. They already have a magic sword. They want to know which one is more powerful.

They cast Detect Magic and compare the strengths of the magical auras.

Their assumption is that the sword with the highest plus-value will glow brightest. Is this true?

This is also the method they use for Rings of Protection, bracers, magic armor, etc... It just seems like kind of a cop-out, when there's a perfectly good Identify spell in their spellbook just for this reason.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Well, there are only 4 strengths for magical auras (faint, moderate, strong, and overwhelming), so while this is possible to a degree, it isn't really a viable way to distinguish magical items. Also, it doesn't give you their powers! The 3.5 DMG is nice in that it lists magical auras as well, so that should help figure out what gives what kind of aura.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Their assumption is that the sword with the highest plus-value will glow brightest. Is this true?

The 'glow' - the strength of the aura of a magic item - is based on caster level.

Enhancement bonuses have minimum caster levels, so a Faint aura cannot be +2 or higher, and a Moderate aura cannot be +4 or higher.

However, a +1 weapon made by a 15th level caster could have a Strong aura, while a +3 weapon made by a 9th level caster would have a Moderate aura.

-Hyp.

 

[dcollins]

However, a +1 weapon made by a 15th level caster could have a Strong aura, while a +3 weapon made by a 9th level caster would have a Moderate aura.

That's only if you assume that (for non-potions/scrolls/wands) caster levels are variable and set at will by the creator -- which is not how the rules are written. According to the DMG, "the caster level is three times the enhancement bonus" for weapons and armor.

For anyone who hasn't seen it, here's the usual "caster level" issue link -- www.superdan.net/dndfaq3.html

By the rules, simply enhanced armor and weapons have auras of: +1 = Faint; +2 or +3 = Moderate; +4 or +5 = Strong.

 

[Hypersmurf]

By the rules, simply enhanced armor and weapons have auras of: +1 = Faint; +2 or +3 = Moderate; +4 or +5 = Strong.

Quite right - I misremembered the wording for armor and weapons.

I strongly agree with your interpretation

-Hyp.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

This is something my gaming group has been doing since long before I knew them.

They find a magic sword. They already have a magic sword. They want to know which one is more powerful.

They cast Detect Magic and compare the strengths of the magical auras.

Their assumption is that the sword with the highest plus-value will glow brightest. Is this true?

This is also the method they use for Rings of Protection, bracers, magic armor, etc... It just seems like kind of a cop-out, when there's a perfectly good Identify spell in their spellbook just for this reason.

It works, but is not very accurate. You see that sword X is better than sword y, but you don't know whether they're 1+ or +3 or something. Then again, they could be different ones, but they have the same aura, like a +2 and a +3 sword.

You also won't know the special abilities the sword has. You can't know whether that is +1 frost or +1 screaming or something (you need the command word to activate that, and that usually isn't written on the blade).

And finally, this may work with armor and weapons (they aren't so many different uses for swords - usually they hurt people), but when you find a ring, a cloak or a bracer or something more exotic, you'll have problems knowing what it is, unless the characters somehow obtain the "Oerth Collector'S Guide to Magic Items - now with a complete list of magical auras". I mean, sure, detect magic will tell you that this item has a medium transmutation aura, but the characters don't know what that means...

 

[Arravis]

Sounds like a reasonable and well thought out solution to the problem... what's the issue with it?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Sounds like a reasonable and well thought out solution to the problem... what's the issue with it?

Well, it works, but not very well. You won't know exactly what the thing does, maybe you don't know it at all, for you only have a robe with strong abjuration or something. Remember that your character doesn't own the DMG and can't look up what robe in there has a strong abjuration aura...

 

[Arravis]

Well, it's better than not knowing anything at all about it. Knowing which is more powerful is quite effective in my opinion. They know to give that weapon to the fighter in the party, etc.

Anyway, my worry is that this is a DM trying to punish his players for being smart... I might be wrong though. I've just seen it happen too many times.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Well, it's better than not knowing anything at all about it. Knowing which is more powerful is quite effective in my opinion. They know to give that weapon to the fighter in the party, etc.

Anyway, my worry is that this is a DM trying to punish his players for being smart... I might be wrong though. I've just seen it happen too many times.

It's always the fine line between being smart and being a smart-ass.

As long as you won't give out complete information, or let the players look up the item in the DMG to determine what it is, it should be fine. But if the players want to find a way around paying for identification but still get the whole package, the DM should intervene.