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ffone
2011-01-15, 03:48 AM
'Identify' takes an hour to cast, has a 100 gp material component, and at low levels, a spell slot per item can be quite a tax (and encourage parties to spend a long time Rope Tricking etc.)

Are there some easier/quicker/cheaper workarounds? I know of:

- Identify as a L1 cloistered cleric spell, which I believe circumvents the material component? (Also means you could have a much cheaper wand...)

- Identify as a L2 Magic domain spell.

- MIC has a provision for using some skill checks (I think Spellcraft 25 + spell level in conjunction with Detect Magic and some others); fairly high DCs. Also suggests finding hire-able NPCs in towns to cast Identify (or provide the same info nonmagically, charging the equivalent cost.)

- Artificer's Monocle in MIC gives you unlimited IDing, at only one minute per item, for 1,500 gp! Requires being an artificer, or 5 ranks in K(arcana), which most parties' mages will have.

For a party which actually does lack characters with K(arcana), I wondered about finding a cheap 'sidekick' character to use the monocle...is there some sort of tiny 2 HD intelligent construct (or an awaken construct spell) in any manual? You could just keep it in the bag of holding, since it doesn't need to breath, and it could be doing the IDing with the monocle...

I have a vague memory some manual had a construct familiar which was a spark-spitting mechanical eagle. Anyone remember the reference?

Edit: Spark Guardian, from Complete Warrior. It ranks 2 HD, which is just what you'd need for 5 ranks. The only way to give it an intelligence score that I know of is Spell Compendium's Awaken Construct, a 9th level spell with a 5000 XP cost,so the 'market price' of a scroll or hired spellcast would include 25,000 gp for the XP plus the scroll / NPC hire cost. Combined with the Spark Guardian's 10,000 gp market price that's over 35,000 gp....no longer a cheap solution for unlimited fast IDing. (And that's breezing over all the issues with convincing an awakened creature to be your IDing slave.)

Godskook
2011-01-15, 09:52 AM
You seem to have all the 'normal' methods already.

1.All clerics are able to cast Identify for 'free'. This is due to the cost being an "arcane material component". Cloistered clerics just get it as a level 1 spell, while normal clerics get it as a level 2 spell.

2.Dragonfire Adept provides an Invocation that Identifies as a full-round action. Er, well, standard+full total.

Hanuman
2011-01-15, 10:22 AM
Magic Appraisal is a skilltrick which grants identify, also Sorting Beast (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20070226a) is basically what you are looking for.

Abaddon87
2011-01-15, 10:23 AM
Swordsages can do the Identify if they look the item over for 10 minutes and make s spellcraft check. Its a class ability but I'm AFB and dont remember the name. Also, rogue and and artificer's monicle can work fine with UMD.

Godskook
2011-01-15, 10:42 AM
Swordsages can do the Identify if they look the item over for 10 minutes and make s spellcraft check. Its a class ability but I'm AFB and dont remember the name. Also, rogue and and artificer's monicle can work fine with UMD.

It is called Sense Magic, and only works on weapons and armor

some guy
2011-01-15, 10:47 AM
- MIC has a provision for using some skill checks (I think Spellcraft 25 + spell level in conjunction with Detect Magic and some others); fairly high DCs. Also suggests finding hire-able NPCs in towns to cast Identify (or provide the same info nonmagically, charging the equivalent cost.)


DMG pg. 212
The DMG suggests here you can allow players a DC 15/20 search check for finding a clue pertaining the function of the item.
It also states you might permit a character to to attempt a DC 30 spellcraft or knowledge (arcana) for information about items.

My personal favorite method is experimenting with an item.
Depending on the DM, these methods might or might not give definitive information though.

Psyren
2011-01-15, 10:50 AM
Psions also get it, (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/identifyPsionic.htm) but you may want to cancel your appointments before manifesting it :smalltongue:

Godskook
2011-01-15, 11:04 AM
My personal favorite method is experimenting with an item.
Depending on the DM, these methods might or might not give definitive information though.

You're not including all the possibilities. Specifically where the method works by informing you that the item is cursed.

Glyde
2011-01-15, 11:56 AM
We houserule that Identify can ID a number of items equal to your caster level, but still have it take an hour to cast.

HunterOfJello
2011-01-15, 12:04 PM
For DMs, I reccomend having the players find an Eternal Wand of Identify early on in a campaign. That way they can identify at least 2 times per day without wasting resources.

Angry Bob
2011-01-15, 12:13 PM
In my setting, all but ancient items, specially commissioned items, and those made by someone who doesn't really care about Mage's Guild standards have runes on them denoting the function of the item. All you need is to be able to read the runes.

Darrin
2011-01-15, 12:37 PM
1st level Dragonfire Adepts can pick up the Magic Insight least invocation. Standard action + full round action to cast identify, no material cost, unlimited uses per day. You can either dip a level of DFA to pick it up, or have someone take the cohort feat, and specify that one of their 1st-level followers is a DFA.

Gloves of Object Reading (3000 GP, MIC) can also be used to research magic items, particularly command words: "Show me how the last owner activated this item".

Jack_Simth
2011-01-15, 12:38 PM
1.All clerics are able to cast Identify for 'free'. This is due to the cost being an "arcane material component". Cloistered clerics just get it as a level 1 spell, while normal clerics get it as a level 2 spell.Nope. You have to have the Magic Domain. It's not on the normal Cleric list.