How do you guys handle it when you need to identify an item to the party or let them know the lock they are trying to pick is magical or detect a magic property etc.... when you don't have somone who can cast identify or spellcasters who can nail high arcana checks etc?
I hate just asking for an arcana check because nothing says "there is something magical about this thing" like asking for an arcana check.
in a sense, the party will figure it out for themselves if this happens often enough. it's not entirely on you to present a solution for everything. but you should allow for the party to creatively work around it. one of them might decide smashing the wall instead of trying the door is actually a legit idea in the circumstances. another more plausible example, the cleric might start packing detect magic as a prepared spell. or the party pools enough gp to go to a town and request of the local arcanist a "rod of magic detection" or (insert useful item here).
If they ask "is it magical?" Then have them roll for an Arcana check. If they're looting bodies or rooms, and they roll particularly well on an Investigation check, tell them that the item is unusual in some way. Perhaps it's still clean while everything around it is dirty, maybe it gives off a nice scent, or even, "The circlet in your hands feels.. unusual."
"The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." - Terry Pratchett
Well, for identifying items? If we take the tinker gnome as an example, a History check could identify it. If that fails, then visiting a temple or hiring a wizard could do the identification.
Now, detecting magical traps? If no one has Arcana or Religion, then use Investigation to figure it out. Normally, you can get through by studying and figuring out the right runes on a trap to get past it. Investigation or Perception would spot the runes, though, which should be enough to know there's a magic trap. After that, its just a matter of letting the player creativity find its way out.
Arcana should only be rolled if someone knows something is magical, and seeks to ascertain if they know what it is. It isn’t used to detect magic - the spell “detect magic” does that. So, they might see that something has crystals or runes or feels warm to touch or is blinking or “looks magical”, and might guess that it is magical, but they won’t know what that magical nature might be, if indeed it is actually magic and not just a junk dealer’s lucky but useless charm, or some such. Basically only ask them to roll arcana if a player asks, “I examine the item. It could be magic. Do I know what it is?”
You can also roll it behind the DM screen in secret. Or ask for a d20 roll and don't say what the roll is. People can get suspicious easily, but without a way to point them in some direction, its also meaningless.
I have this issue with my party. None of my player's spell casters have identify. So when an item needs to be attuned I give them some of the abilities (if not all). When it comes to items that cannot be attuned then they must experiment or hire someone who can identify.
In this edition, all that identify actually does is make identifying a magic item take less time. Any character can already identify the properties of any item just by taking the time to do so (a short rest for most thing, but just a quick sip for potions).
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How do you guys handle it when you need to identify an item to the party or let them know the lock they are trying to pick is magical or detect a magic property etc.... when you don't have somone who can cast identify or spellcasters who can nail high arcana checks etc?
I hate just asking for an arcana check because nothing says "there is something magical about this thing" like asking for an arcana check.
in a sense, the party will figure it out for themselves if this happens often enough. it's not entirely on you to present a solution for everything. but you should allow for the party to creatively work around it. one of them might decide smashing the wall instead of trying the door is actually a legit idea in the circumstances. another more plausible example, the cleric might start packing detect magic as a prepared spell. or the party pools enough gp to go to a town and request of the local arcanist a "rod of magic detection" or (insert useful item here).
If they ask "is it magical?" Then have them roll for an Arcana check. If they're looting bodies or rooms, and they roll particularly well on an Investigation check, tell them that the item is unusual in some way. Perhaps it's still clean while everything around it is dirty, maybe it gives off a nice scent, or even, "The circlet in your hands feels.. unusual."
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"The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." - Terry Pratchett
Well, for identifying items? If we take the tinker gnome as an example, a History check could identify it. If that fails, then visiting a temple or hiring a wizard could do the identification.
Now, detecting magical traps? If no one has Arcana or Religion, then use Investigation to figure it out. Normally, you can get through by studying and figuring out the right runes on a trap to get past it. Investigation or Perception would spot the runes, though, which should be enough to know there's a magic trap. After that, its just a matter of letting the player creativity find its way out.
Hirelings! They could pay a wage/share of the loot to have a lower level wizard come along for the ride.
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Wary the wizard who focuses on homebrew, for he can create nightmares that you wouldn't even dream of
Yeah this is what I do pretty much. I just wanted to be sure there wasnt some easier way. I hate calling attention to something by asking for a roll.
Arcana should only be rolled if someone knows something is magical, and seeks to ascertain if they know what it is. It isn’t used to detect magic - the spell “detect magic” does that. So, they might see that something has crystals or runes or feels warm to touch or is blinking or “looks magical”, and might guess that it is magical, but they won’t know what that magical nature might be, if indeed it is actually magic and not just a junk dealer’s lucky but useless charm, or some such. Basically only ask them to roll arcana if a player asks, “I examine the item. It could be magic. Do I know what it is?”
You can also roll it behind the DM screen in secret. Or ask for a d20 roll and don't say what the roll is. People can get suspicious easily, but without a way to point them in some direction, its also meaningless.
I have this issue with my party. None of my player's spell casters have identify. So when an item needs to be attuned I give them some of the abilities (if not all). When it comes to items that cannot be attuned then they must experiment or hire someone who can identify.
In this edition, all that identify actually does is make identifying a magic item take less time. Any character can already identify the properties of any item just by taking the time to do so (a short rest for most thing, but just a quick sip for potions).