D&D 5E Identify Spell vs Resting With Item

[SilverBulletKY]

Is it intended for both of these to end up with the same result?

Identify says

You choose one object that you must touch throughout
the casting of the spell. If it is a magic item or some
other magic-imbued object, you learn its properties
and how to use them, whether it requires attunement
to use, and how many charges it has, if any. You learn
whether any spells are affecting the item and what they
are. If the item was created by a spell, you learn which
spell created it.

Resting with an item just says you learn it's properties.

Also the whole resting with an item seems weird to me. After concentrating on an item for an hour, I now know it's a +2 to armor?

 

[the Jester]

Is it intended for both of these to end up with the same result?

Identify says

You choose one object that you must touch throughout
the casting of the spell. If it is a magic item or some
other magic-imbued object, you learn its properties
and how to use them, whether it requires attunement
to use, and how many charges it has, if any. You learn
whether any spells are affecting the item and what they
are. If the item was created by a spell, you learn which
spell created it.

Resting with an item just says you learn it's properties.

Also the whole resting with an item seems weird to me. After concentrating on an item for an hour, I now know it's a +2 to armor?

This is one of my guaranteed, immediate house rules: you do not learn what a magic item does just by having it on hand for a while. You have to use it or identify it.

This is a definitely playstyle matter; most groups don't really want to be bothered with the "figure the item out" subgame. However, some enjoy it (hi there!).

 

[SilverBulletKY]

This is one of my guaranteed, immediate house rules: you do not learn what a magic item does just by having it on hand for a while. You have to use it or identify it.

This is a definitely playstyle matter; most groups don't really want to be bothered with the "figure the item out" subgame. However, some enjoy it (hi there!).

I'm thinking of doing this as well. It doesn't really solve cursed items though. Does identify show if an item is cursed?

 

[Agamon]

Is it intended for both of these to end up with the same result?

Identify says

You choose one object that you must touch throughout
the casting of the spell. If it is a magic item or some
other magic-imbued object, you learn its properties
and how to use them, whether it requires attunement
to use, and how many charges it has, if any. You learn
whether any spells are affecting the item and what they
are. If the item was created by a spell, you learn which
spell created it.

Resting with an item just says you learn it's properties.

So, no, Identify gives you more info. In fact, I give the back story of the items with identify, too, whcih could just be fluff, but it might be important to the plot of the game, too.

Also the whole resting with an item seems weird to me. After concentrating on an item for an hour, I now know it's a +2 to armor?

Studying the item allows the item to infer the properties onto the PC, magically. And, no, the PC doesn't know it's a "+2 Armor," the player does. +2 doesn't meaning anything in the game world. The PC would know it's a powerfully defensive item, though.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I'm thinking of doing this as well. It doesn't really solve cursed items though. Does identify show if an item is cursed?

Based on the snippet of monsters we have seen in the pdfs, I'm not certain if cursed items (per se) will be included.

For example the Rug of Smothering is done up as a monster entry so we might not see it get magic item "stats" so to speak. I'm just speculating here based on that example.

 

[TarionzCousin]

Resting with an item just says you learn it's properties.

Also the whole resting with an item seems weird to me. After concentrating on an item for an hour, I now know it's a +2 to armor?

Studying the item allows the item to infer the properties onto the PC, magically.

The character is presumed to be studying the item for an hour. "Concentrating" is an odd word to use here, but presumably they mean it in the D&D technical sense.

You look the item over carefully, notice artistic flourishes, find tiny runes written on it, notice it is slightly colder at one end, etc.

 

[SilverBulletKY]

The character is presumed to be studying the item for an hour. "Concentrating" is an odd word to use here, but presumably they mean it in the D&D technical sense.

You look the item over carefully, notice artistic flourishes, find tiny runes written on it, notice it is slightly colder at one end, etc.

This makes more sense to me.. but then I think an INT check would be required as well.

 

[Lanefan]

This is one of my guaranteed, immediate house rules: you do not learn what a magic item does just by having it on hand for a while. You have to use it or identify it.

Seconded.

And even Identify isn't completely guaranteed to tell you everything - you'll very likely get the basics (it's a +1 longsword) but an item with multiple properties might not give up all its secrets (you might get that it's also a dragonslayer +3 but not get that it can cure its wielder for 10 points once a day) to one casting.

Also, casting Identify on an item will always trigger any curses; and if cursed items have been taken out of 5e RAW you can bet they're going right back in by houserule!

Lanefan

 

[amerigoV]

So, no, Identify gives you more info. In fact, I give the back story of the items with identify, too, whcih could just be fluff, but it might be important to the plot of the game, too.



Studying the item allows the item to infer the properties onto the PC, magically. And, no, the PC doesn't know it's a "+2 Armor," the player does. +2 doesn't meaning anything in the game world. The PC would know it's a powerfully defensive item, though.

Depending on the magic in the world, it may very well be called +2 Armor. I wrote this up several years ago and will cut paste:

I saw this topic in a discussion about WOW (the guy that did DM of the RIngs (Shamus) writting about his experinces playing WOW, kinda like my Warcraft report): “Its not roleplaying when everyone is sitting around talking about their specs/powers/magic items.” WoW is not the first place I have seen this said, as it has come up on webboards over the years as well. Ie, there are those that would argue the same about D&D if the players were sitting around saying “I am a L5 fighter with a +1 magic sword and shield.”

The implication is that if you would roleplay this, you would have to say the same thing using multiple paragraphs of prose. But, I wonder if this is true? I agree the wording might be different that that in the PHB, but man has always found ways to rank things. Otherwise, how would we know which guy wins in a boasting contest about his stuff or abilities? Lets think about abstract things that we apply rankings to the represent either abilities or responsibilities:

Karate – has belt ranks
Military – ranks for responsibilities
Jobs – job levels that represent skills/responsibilities
Professions – designations
Engines – Horsepower
Computers – a couple of basic specs tells computer literate people all they need to know (the rest is implied)
NFL Draft – various services rank them by position and overall (the generic 5-star method that can be used for anything)
On this board – we have ranks based on number of posts
Olde Time Professions: Apprentice / Journeyman /Master / Grand Master


So, it is very natural for men (I am not sure if women do this as much, but men do this for ANYTHING) to come up with rankings and scales. Thus, while I would accept that the actual terms might be different, I think an arguement could be made that adventurers would have a ton of acronyms and ranks for items like how tough they are, how tough opponents are, how powerful magic items and spells are, etc.

So, it may not be “I am a 5th Lvl Fighter with a +1 Sword and Shield”, but it might be “I am a low Journeyman in the Hecurles guild with a rank 1 enchantment upon my sword and shield.” It sounds a bit better than the raw system terms, but it is a shortcut of about the same length and conveys the same information (heck, I bet the dwarves would have even more shorthand, since they pound theirs into stone).

Tim “the Toolman” Taylor Version:

“It’s got a Marargus casing with dual vorpal lines, 250 muls of Mana driving a Retributive Strike Merlon Bolt, classic Trollhide wrappings that require no upkeep, all in a fine dragonscale scabbard with Keen™ auto-sharpening channels. Argh ARGH argh argh!”

 

[SilverBulletKY]

Seconded.

And even Identify isn't completely guaranteed to tell you everything - you'll very likely get the basics (it's a +1 longsword) but an item with multiple properties might not give up all its secrets (you might get that it's also a dragonslayer +3 but not get that it can cure its wielder for 10 points once a day) to one casting.

Also, casting Identify on an item will always trigger any curses; and if cursed items have been taken out of 5e RAW you can bet they're going right back in by houserule!

Lanefan

How would the player's know that there may be more magic if the initial results of Identify come back with something positive?