Identifying an object w/o an identify spell

[MarkVIIIMarc]

We've always had a Wizard with one.

Now that we don't have an Identify Spell what is the process of our Bard identifying a ring he found going to be like?

[Laserlight]

We've always had a Wizard with one.

Now that we don't have an Identify Spell what is the process of our Bard identifying a ring he found going to be like?

AFB, but as I recall....I believe the DMG specifies that you can spend a short rest to identify it, and another short rest (explicitly not the same one) to attune if attunement is necessarily. You MAY be able to figure out what it does without a short rest, eg "the command word for the ring is etched on the inside of the band".

This is subject to DM, of course. If you found a +1 sword and started using it without Identify, I would go ahead and tell you that it's +1 ; I probably wouldn't mention that it's a Soul Eater Blade.

The exception is potions; by RAW one sip is enough to tell you what it does.

[mephnick]

You get to eat some food and take a piddle on a tree and then you suddenly know all the properties of your magical item for some reason.

[DMThac0]

Yup, according to the DMG, if you spend a short rest fondling the item, whispering sweet nothings to it, and swinging it around aimlessly, you'll figure out that the pointy metal stick is in fact a Dancing Sword. The idea of an identify spell is absurd, when this is simply a ritual casting of it.

[mephnick]

There is a variant in the DMG that requires Identify to discover everything, or simply try and figure it out through use. No Short Rest miracles.

If you decide to use that there's always the option of taking it in to town to get it identified for a gold cost.

[TheCleverGuy]

I just had this come up at my last session. The rule about taking a short rest is a weird one. I found a little golden statue and my wizard friend used Detect Magic to discover that it had some sort of divination enchantment on it. By RAW my 8-INT Fighter would be able to figure out what it does over a short rest just as well as the wizard. DM decided that didn't make sense and ruled that I wouldn't be able to ID it myself (and I agree). I can see a Fighter figuring out the properties of a magic weapon, but a trinket like that should be beyond his abilities.

[MarkVIIIMarc]

I just had this come up at my last session. The rule about taking a short rest is a weird one. I found a little golden statue and my wizard friend used Detect Magic to discover that it had some sort of divination enchantment on it. By RAW my 8-INT Fighter would be able to figure out what it does over a short rest just as well as the wizard. DM decided that didn't make sense and ruled that I wouldn't be able to ID it myself (and I agree). I can see a Fighter figuring out the properties of a magic weapon, but a trinket like that should be beyond his abilities.

I like that. Usually I give the appropriate party members a chance to roll and arcana check. Then feed them some information. A fighter and a trinket, yeah, you are correct. He'd have to nat 20 that for me.

[Lord8Ball]

Well, you could always do the good old scientific method.

[JPicasso]

Identify has the bonus that it will point out any cursed items without activating them. But really, how many are there? Go ahead and fondle.

[Lunali]

Identify has the bonus that it will point out any cursed items without activating them. But really, how many are there? Go ahead and fondle.

Except that it won't, identify will point out some cursed items without activating them, but some will identify as something else.

[RSP]

Identify has the bonus that it will point out any cursed items without activating them. But really, how many are there? Go ahead and fondle.

Per the DMG:

"Most methods of identifying items, including the identify spell, fail to reveal such a curse, although lore might hint at it. A curse should be a surprise to the item's user when the curse's effects are revealed."

So the SR is just as good as Identify. Also, this kind of contradicts the description of Identify which states it will reveal an items "properties." Apparently a curse is not a property of the item.

[MrLowRes]

So the SR is just as good as Identify. Also, this kind of contradicts the description of Identify which states it will reveal an items "properties." Apparently a curse is not a property of the item.

Okay fair argument but there's the specific over general rule or whatever it's called. I don't remember where in the books it is but the way it works is that something that specifically says something overrides the general rule. So identify identifies whatever but if the book specifically says that identify can't find it then it can't.

[RSP]

Okay fair argument but there's the specific over general rule or whatever it's called. I don't remember where in the books it is but the way it works is that something that specifically says something overrides the general rule. So identify identifies whatever but if the book specifically says that identify can't find it then it can't.

Right, the specific rule on curses would overrule the description of Identify, which is why I said Identify wouldn't reveal a curse. I was, additionally, trying to point out that the devs could have easily written that into the description of Identify, rather than putting a clearly relevant rule in a completely different book.

[Tubben]

Identify has the bonus that it will point out any cursed items without activating them. But really, how many are there? Go ahead and fondle.

We had once a Belt of Giant Strength, which was in reality a "Cursed Belt of Change Gender". Our Barbarian named "Varg" took that belt without an identify spell.

The next morning.. Well, he was kinda surprised. Took a while to remove the curse, because no one of us was able to do it.

The next few sessions we called him "Vargina".

He was about to kill some of us :)