Identify Spell revised so that it’s actually useful at a low level.
submitted by
Subadai on Sep 17th, 2009
Identify (Revised)
(Divination)
Level: 1
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 rd/level
Casting Time: special
Area of Effect: 1 item/level
Saving Throw: none
Description: (note: changes to the original published spell are in bold)
When the
identify spell is cast, magical items subsequently touched by the wizard can be identified. An
hour per item to be identified must be spent immediately preceding the casting of the spell to purify the items and remove influences that would corrupt and blur their magical auras. If the hour is interrupted
or if someone else handles the item, it must be begun again. When the spell is cast, each item must be handled in turn by the wizard. Any consequences of this handling will fall fully upon the wizard and may end the spell, although the wizard is allowed any applicable saving throw.
The chance of learning a piece of information about an item is equal to
20% plus 9% for each level above first, to a maximum of 90%, rolled by the DM. Any roll of 96-00 indicates a false reading (91-95 reveals nothing). Only one function of a multifunction item is discovered per handling (i.e., a 5th-level wizard could attempt to determine the nature of five different items, five different functions of a single item, or any combination of the two). If any attempt at reading fails, the caster cannot learn any more about that item until he advances a level. Note that some items, such as special magical tomes, cannot be identified with this spell.
The item never reveals its exact attack or damage bonuses, although the fact that it has few or many bonuses can be determined. If it has charges, only a general indication of the number of charges remaining is learned: powerful (81% - 100% of the total possible charges), strong (61% - 80%), moderate (41% - 60%), weak (6% - 40%), or faint (five charges or less). The faint result takes precedence, so a fully charged
ring of three wishes always appears to be only faintly charged.
After casting the spell and determining what can be learned from it, the wizard loses
a point of Constitution for every hour of preparation. He must rest for one hour to recover each point of Constitution.
If the loss drops the spellcaster below a Constitution of 1, he falls unconscious. Consciousness is not regained until full Constitution is restored, which takes 24 hours (one point per three hours for an unconscious character).
The material components of this spell are a pearl (of at least 100 gp value) and an owl feather steeped in wine; the infusion must be drunk prior to spellcasting. If a
luckstone is powdered and added to the infusion, the divination becomes much more potent: exact bonuses or charges can be determined, and the functions of a multifunctional item can be learned from a single reading. At the DM’s option, certain properties of an artifact or relic might also be learned.
These are good changes, but they don’t go far enough for me. I’ve considered reducing Identify down to a fire and forget type spell. The casting time has always been the big hangup with me with this spell. Something that tells you what a magical item is shouldn’t waste an entire day to determine imo. Determine what it is and move on to other adventuring. Just my opinion.