eventually,in every campaign, the party either creates or I give them some item that lets them identify things on the fly.

Posted By gss_000 on 12/15/2006 1:32 PM
I personally don't use them, although I can see their use. I find that I like the wariness of "what the heck does this do" that creeps into the game because of the time and efort identifying items brings. What I do instead, is for items like potions if you have one or used one in the past, you can idntify it since alchemy is more like cooking in my mind where it doesn't change from maker to make that much. Other items can be so widly different in look due to style, markings, etc, that this doesn't work.

Basing identification on a skill does two things I don't like. One: Skills can get really high really quickly so that it is absurd. 30 is not a high number even at mid levels. Two: It removes the effectiveness of cursed items. I don't see them that much, but the fear that what you have could kill you is gone because identification is too easy. I can't remember if there is a rule that specifically covers this, but using a skill to get partial abilities, like school of magic or a basic clarification of its ability (protection, glammer, resistance, boosting abilities, etc) would be something I could get behind. Then you'd only have certainty with the Identify spell.

Solution 2: Spellcraft

The Spellcraft skill already allows characters to identify potions (DC 25) and scroll spells (DC 20 + spell level), so why not broaden it to include other magic items as well? Using Spellcraft, a character can identify a scroll in 1 round or a potion in 1 minute. You as DM must decide the time required for any other item, but most if not all should fall into one of those two timeframes. If you want to make it simple, just rule that a scroll takes 1 round and any other item takes 1 minute. That way, characters still can't identify most items in the middle of a battle, but they can do so as soon as the battle is over and then move on.

As a guide to setting Spellcraft DCs, you could use the prerequisite level for the relevant item creation feat. Potions (based on Brew Potion, minimum caster level 3rd) are DC 25 and scrolls (based on Scribe Scroll, minimum caster level 1st) begin at DC 20. By that logic, arms and armor and wands (minimum caster level 5th) should be DC 30, rods (minimum caster level 9th) should be DC 35, and rings and staffs (minimum caster level 12th) should be DC 40. Wondrous items (minimum caster level 3rd) should be relatively easy to identify (DC 25, the same as potions), but I suggest setting the DC at 25 for minor wondrous items, 30 for medium items, and 40 for major items.

If you want to make identifying magic purely a Spellcraft-based mechanic, you could change the identify and analyze dweomer spells so that instead of just identifying items, they provide bonuses to the caster's Spellcraft checks for identifying magic. Perhaps identify gives a +20 bonus on one check, and analyze dweomer gives a +20 bonus on every check made for the duration of the spell. You might also think about giving a character with the relevant item creation feat a +2 circumstance bonus (if not more) on checks to identify magic. That technique gives a character with Craft Wands a better chance to identify a wand than someone without the feat.

-snip-

Nowadays, cursed items are rarely seen in D&D. But if you want to keep that possibility in play, you could use the Spellcraft, Appraise, or lore techniques described above and add +10 modifier to the DC to discern that an item is in fact cursed, since most cursed items appear as beneficial ones to normal identification.

Posted By YRM_DM on 12/16/2006 12:39 PM
We've been using this for months. You don't have to try it, but, for us, using the typical wealth levels and all, it seems to be fine, and improves the flow of identifying.

Posted By YRM_DM on 12/17/2006 9:14 AM
BTW, Zenthrus, why'd you switch back if you liked the spellcraft system better?  Did others in the group not like it? Could the give a reason?