Perception DC to identify potion by taste (which one is it?)


Rules Questions

Scarab Sages

3 people marked this as FAQ candidate.
Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber

Under the skill Perception it says the DC is (15+Caster Level) to taste a potion to get an idea about it effects.

Under potions in the magic item section it states the DC is (15+Spell level)

Which one is correct?

Since you can only make potions of 3rd or lower, the spell level DC limits the number to 15-18, but the Caster level DC will vary accordingly.

Contributor

Hmm, and under Spellcraft, it also has the 15 + caster level formula to identify items.

The potions listing seems to imply that you get two chances to identify a potion, once with Detect Magic, another with just tasting a drop, but a clarification would indeed be useful if one is easier than the other.


Cralius the Dark wrote:

Under the skill Perception it says the DC is (15+Caster Level) to taste a potion to get an idea about it effects.

Under potions in the magic item section it states the DC is (15+Spell level)

Which one is correct?

Since you can only make potions of 3rd or lower, the spell level DC limits the number to 15-18, but the Caster level DC will vary accordingly.

Someone can answer officially?

Also the Per skill states you can retry, but not how many times. I assume potion vials are very small so you can't sip 20 times and take 20 on this check.


The old rules for 3.5 suggested that the primary source is always a winner over the secondary source

Errata Rule: Primary Sources:

When you find a disagreement between two rules
sources, unless an official errata file says otherwise, the
primary source is correct. One example of a
primary/secondary source is text taking precedence over
a table entry. An individual spell description takes
precedence when the short description in the beginning
of the spells chapter disagrees.

So, if that rule is still being followed, the text in the magic item description trumps the table entry in the skills section. . . which is preferable -- the DCs to identify potions should be easier than harder.

The DC for a spellcraft check to identify magic items using detect magic is for *all* items -- the perception check is purposely an easier check to help non-magic types learn what potions do (since they're more likely to use potions in the first place).


Does Craft (Alchemy) help in identifying potions at all?


I think meabolex has the right idea.

Sczarni

DC is (15 + Spell level) is for Spellcraft checks.
DC is (15 + Caster Level) is for tasting potions via Perception.

I think at least.


Here's a follow-up question: Can one Try Again on a Perception check to taste a potion?


I would say, personally, its + spell level. You are tasting it to see if you can determine what it's doing to you and that generally becomes more complex the higher the spell level.

If anything it would be easier (in theory) to know what it is as it increases caster level as the effects would be amplified even more and more obvious. That's just my take on it.


It should be +caster level. Perception should be less effective, since it's way easier to attempt (you don't need ranks or detect magic).


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
Kobold Cleaver wrote:
It should be +caster level. Perception should be less effective, since it's way easier to attempt (you don't need ranks or detect magic).

It should be +caster level, just to be the *same* DC.


Well, "should be" and "is" are two different things. I'll clarify: It is caster level, and if either should be less effective, it should be Perception. :P

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