Cheapest identification?

[WarKitty]

So at low level play, what's the cheapest way to identify magic items? Artificer's monocle's the best I've seen.

[JeminiZero]

Note that the material component for identify (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/identify.htm) is specifically for arcane. Clerics/Archivists can theoretically cast if for free. If you are a Cleric who does NOT have the Magic Domain, but your deity/alignment/cause has it, you can swap one of your domains out during down time via Substitute Domain.

Dragonfire Adepts (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060912a&page=2) have a least Invocation called Magic Insight that is basically spammable free identify.

[WarKitty]

Note that the material component for identify (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/identify.htm) is specifically for arcane. Clerics/Archivists can theoretically cast if for free. If you are a Cleric who does NOT have the Magic Domain, but your deity/alignment/cause has it, you can swap one of your domains out during down time via Substitute Domain.

Dragonfire Adepts (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060912a&page=2) have a least Invocation called Magic Insight that is basically spammable free identify.

Ok, cheapest identification assuming the only person who can cast identify is a bard? We've also got a psion and a healer.

[Red Fel]

There's the Appraise Magic Value feat from CAd, which allows you to perform an 8-hour Appraise check to identify a known magic item's properties. Costs 25g per use, but that's still less than an Identify spell, although it takes way too long.

There are also a number of classes that get an Identify ability. A 7th-level Swordsage (ToB) can perform a free check to identify a weapon or suit of armor. A 3rd-level Maester (CAd) can also identify a magic item for free, with a Spellcraft check. And a 6th-level Loremaster (DMG) basically gains the effect of the Identify spell, again without cost.

[nedz]

Also available with the Oracle domain — which your healer could pick up with the Divine Oracle PrC.

Also: DC 25 Spellcraft check — but only for potions.

[Gemini476]

Ok, cheapest identification assuming the only person who can cast identify is a bard? We've also got a psion and a healer.

Does the Psion know Identify? If not, the only way for your party to do it themselves is to eat that 100gp cost. Literally.

Technically you could also pay someone to cast identify for you (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#spellcastingAndServices), but that costs 60gp if you manage to find a Cleric with the Magic domain and 110 if you find a Wizard.

But yeah, Dragonfire Adepts and level 7 Truenamers are the kings of free Identify.

[WarKitty]

Does the Psion know Identify? If not, the only way for your party to do it themselves is to eat that 100gp cost. Literally.

Technically you could also pay someone to cast identify for you (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#spellcastingAndServices), but that costs 60gp if you manage to find a Cleric with the Magic domain and 110 if you find a Wizard.

But yeah, Dragonfire Adepts and level 7 Truenamers are the kings of free Identify.

I'm figuring no one wants to rebuild their character just to be able to better identify items. Note however that I included things like artificer's monocle. I'm not looking for the cheapest way to identify a single item, but the cheapest overall option.

Edit: I don't think full transparency is in effect, which means the psion doesn't get to identify magic items.

[HunterOfJello]

Charm Person on a cleric who has the Magic domain.

[Jeff the Green]

Technically you could also pay someone to cast identify for you (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#spellcastingAndServices), but that costs 60gp if you manage to find a Cleric with the Magic domain and 110 if you find a Wizard.

10 GP from a cloistered cleric or archivist, since they cast it at level 1.

For having with you, a wand of identify will run you 750 GP (so 15 GP a pop) craft by said cloistered cleric or archivist. An Artificer's Monocle can be powered by a wand of detect magic, which will cost you 375 GP, so if you plan on identifying more than 200 items that's a better price.

[Gildedragon]

Feat: Shape Soulmeld (Disenchanter Mask) to get detect magic, goggles ontop of that...

For 400gp you can get identify 1/day with a minor schema. needs a scroll like UMD check

[Zanos]

Spellcraft: A character using the detect magic spell can attempt
a Spellcraft check to determine the school of magic associated
with the item’s powers. If the character exceeds the DC for this
check by 10 or more, the character magically divines the item’s
functions, its means of activation, and the number of charges
remaining.
Anyone who can cast cantrips can identify magic items with a good spellcraft check.

[WarKitty]

Anyone who can cast cantrips can identify magic items with a good spellcraft check.

At lower levels though...the DC to identify the school of spellcraft starts at 15. Which means the DC to identify starts at 25, which requires a pretty good roll for something that you most likely can't try again.

Edit: Bard can cast detect magic perfectly well. I somehow doubt our DM is going to let us get away with the 10gp thing, even if they do get it as a level 1 spell. I'm looking for something that's practical in a campaign, not RAW tricks like "find a cleric you can cast charm person on."

[Spore]

Charm Person on a cleric who has the Magic domain.

There is NO way that wisdom caster will make that will save and kick you out of his temple forever.

[Gildedragon]

At lower levels though...the DC to identify the school of spellcraft starts at 15. Which means the DC to identify starts at 25, which requires a pretty good roll for something that you most likely can't try again.

Edit: Bard can cast detect magic perfectly well. I somehow doubt our DM is going to let us get away with the 10gp thing, even if they do get it as a level 1 spell. I'm looking for something that's practical in a campaign, not RAW tricks like "find a cleric you can cast charm person on."

Viable in a campaign: put it on to see what happens (old school method) or wait until you get to town so you can ask (and possibly pay) someone to identify it for ya.

[Zanos]

At lower levels though...the DC to identify the school of spellcraft starts at 15. Which means the DC to identify starts at 25, which requires a pretty good roll for something that you most likely can't try again.

Edit: Bard can cast detect magic perfectly well. I somehow doubt our DM is going to let us get away with the 10gp thing, even if they do get it as a level 1 spell. I'm looking for something that's practical in a campaign, not RAW tricks like "find a cleric you can cast charm person on."
You could buy a casting of detect magic from a higher level caster. Would be cheaper than even a divine identify. Alternatively if you have an int based caster in your party their spellcraft check should be pretty good. Every time you cast detect magic you get another check as well, so they could retry as many times per day as they can cast detect magic, although your DM my nix that.

[WarKitty]

Viable in a campaign: put it on to see what happens (old school method) or wait until you get to town so you can ask (and possibly pay) someone to identify it for ya.

See, I'm trying to find options other than that, since we're level 3 and already like 4 or 5 unidentified magic items around. Not getting a huge amount of towns stocked with casters for the hiring even, and I'm pretty sure that we'd have to pay the arcane material component. Artificer's monocle would let us do it pretty much as long as I could cast detect magic, I was just wondering if there was a better option.


You could buy a casting of detect magic from a higher level caster. Would be cheaper than even a divine identify. Alternatively if you have an int based caster in your party their spellcraft check should be pretty good. Every time you cast detect magic you get another check as well, so they could retry as many times per day as they can cast detect magic, although your DM my nix that.

Not sure the former will be viable. As for the latter, party composition hasn't changed from when I posted it. :smallwink: I'm the only one with the requisite abilities and right now the highest possible I could get would be a 26.

[HighWater]

I don't think it really comes much cheaper than the Monocle. 1 item/casterlevel per casting of detect magic is pretty great, you pay the cost of 15 identify components up front and you'll definitely identify much much more during your career. It doesn't even cost you a slot as you can just put it on when you need it and take it off again when you're done. Also a great boon when identifying found potions as they may be worth less than an identification would cost. Unless your DM hands out free identifications, and is really stingy with the loot, the artificers monocle is an awesome group-investment.

[Darrin]

Ok, cheapest identification assuming the only person who can cast identify is a bard? We've also got a psion and a healer.

Can the bard cast legend lore? That should tell you what an item can do and what sort of command words it has.