Identify spell (p. 109)

[Paris Crenshaw]

One of my players made an interesting observation and I wanted to see if anyone here knows the answer:

my player wrote:

I was looking over the rules for identifying magic items using the Identify spell and the Appraise skill and came across an interesting little quandary. According to the rules as written, Identify is useless until you reach third level (or 2nd, potentially - since a feat can increase CL). Specifically, it takes 3 rounds to perform the study of the object to be identified, but the duration of Identify is only 1 round/level.

Do you think this was an oversight, or intentional?

[Malkari Durant]

Paris Crenshaw wrote:

One of my players made an interesting observation and I wanted to see if anyone here knows the answer:

my player wrote:

I was looking over the rules for identifying magic items using the Identify spell and the Appraise skill and came across an interesting little quandary. According to the rules as written, Identify is useless until you reach third level (or 2nd, potentially - since a feat can increase CL). Specifically, it takes 3 rounds to perform the study of the object to be identified, but the duration of Identify is only 1 round/level.

Do you think this was an oversight, or intentional?

I would think that this would be a slight oversight, but detect magic still lasts for a minute at 1st level.

[Selgard]

How many magical items are you getting before 3rd level?

[Mistwalker]

I too think it is an oversight.

However, I can see a weasel way around the quandary.

The low level caster casts detect magic, starts to examine the object, then casts identify to "confirm" their impression(s).

They have examined the object for the required 3 rounds, and abided by the duration for the identify spell.

[Paris Crenshaw]

Mistwalker wrote:

I too think it is an oversight.

The low level caster casts detect magic, starts to examine the object, then casts identify to "confirm" their impression(s).

You know, I think you're right. The skill description doesn't say that the items have to be examined with an active identify spell for a full three rounds. It just says how long the object has to be identified.

I kind of see this as...examine the item for a period of time (you may not need detect magic, first, but you have to examine it for at least 2 rounds), then cast identify and examine it for one more round. In this interpretation you would be making your roll after the final round of examination ends to earn your +10 on the roll.

This would mean that you could potentially identify 1 item per casting of the spell up through 3rd caster level, 2 items at CL 4-6, 3 items at CL 7-9, and so on.

[Lou]

Still, oversight or no, as written it's an ambiguity; so it should be cleared up. neh?

[Paris Crenshaw]

I think so. While it's true that 1st level characters won't be identifying dozens of magic items at once, a literal read of the rules would mean that characters would have to find a 3rd level wizard or sorcerer to identify even a single +1 arrow.

[LazarX]

I personally always thought that Identify should be a 2nd level spell, particuarly under these new rules. That would fix both problems at once.