Identifying Magical Items

[JoeCarr28]

In the absence of an 'Identify' type spell in Basic Fantasy, I was wondering how others handle the identification of magical items in their games. A 'Detect Magic' spell would tell you if an object was magical or not, but wouldn't tell you anything about the nature of the magic. For some items, it may be possible to work out the nature of their magic through use (e.g. armour or weapons). However, for other types of item, particularly consumable items such as potions, the trial and error approach is less practical.

Do you house-rule an 'Identify' spell? Or do you allow the players to pay specialists to identify an item for them (but then that begs the question as to how the specialist identifies it)? Or, in the case of potions, do you allow them to take a small sip to get an impression of its capabilities? Any thoughts/suggestions?

[SmootRK]

In the Spell Supplement there is a spell called Analyze Magic (2nd level if I remember correctly).

As GM, I would allow some research and experimentation to uncover some details, especially for items of renown. NPC sages, oracles, clergy, commune spells, etc. can all help uncover information. All that said, I am happy that there is no 'identify spell' as a first level spell. Having the various role-play methods of gathering information helps to drain off gold and move the game along better than 'during downtime the MU casts identify, presto "+2 dagger and 2 potions of healing"'

[ibldedibble]

In the last campaign we played I allowed my players to get the help of an ancient elven mage (who was slightly... well, let's just say he didn't always have all the tools in the shed, because he forgot to sleep for 200 years or something like that) who identified stuff for them in exchange for them doing something for him and then waiting a week for him to really figure out what it was.... and most of the time he was right, more or less. He might have missed something here and there or he "forgot" to tell the PCs some things.

Definitely the best way to identify things that I've used in any campaign. It gave the PCs a way to identify things and at the same time not always knowing EVERYTHING about whatever item they wanted identified.

[Solomoriah]

Analyze Magic is my personal creation, and it represents how I like the spell to work. I don't want to make it too easy...

[JoeCarr28]

Thanks for the feedback.

Personally I think there's probably a balance to be struck somewhere. For most magical items, especially 'signature' magical items that might be tied to the campaign storyline, I would agree that there should be a degree of challenge (or cost) involved in uncovering all of their powers and abilities.

However, I think there will also be instances when I'd want the players to know what they've just found - for example when a low-level party's mid-way through a dungeon and a healing potion or two might be the difference between them getting out or not. Perhaps once a party has successfully identified a potion once, and are familiar with it's characteristic colour/smell/taste, then it is reasonable to assume that they can recognise it again - in the same way that they would recognise water, beer or wine.

[Solomoriah]

I've always allowed characters to sip a potion to identify it; they don't recognize the taste, but rather the characteristic feeling of the potion.

[Hywaywolf]

I like the sip to identify method as long as even a sip of poison will kill if you fail your saving throw.