Identify and artifacts

[KittenMagician]

In the campaign i run i will hide information about different items based on the level of identify cast. i dont usually reveal curses but i was wondering about artifacts. are the detrimental effects like curses and should not be readily apparent or revealed or are they just part of the item?

[MrStabby]

Well really this depends on how you want to play it as DM.

The issue with "levels of identify" is it can just be a tax; what level spell slot do you want the wizard to not have that day? Or no tax at all if its during a period of downtime with fewer restrictions on access to magic.

On the other hand it can be fun to preserve some mystery about these most legendary of items and identification rules for basic items are very much on the lenient side.

My suggestion is to have courses play out as part of the game or be identified through RP. Listen to legends of the curse, histories of the previous owners etc. or they discover what happens when they pick up the item. Of course you should then not make the courses so bad that there is regret to using the item and they should add to, not detract from the fun at the table as you are basically telling the players to take a risk on the items.

[Samayu]

With your rule in place about spells slots, I would say it depends on what the artifact wants to reveal. A sentient item could certainly choose to reveal whatever it wants. I would say that even non-sentient artifacts have desires. Then the question would be whether the artifact could withhold info, or resist the Identify spell.

But to your specific point about detrimental effects, I would say that they would be revealed. I mean, if they're magical effects that are explicit consequences of use. They would be part of the abilities.