Zellaras Harrow deck for the Pathfinder RPG

[magnuskn]

I am starting a CotCT campaign today. While doing a last check of the likely to come up things for the first session, I came up upon the description of Zellaras Harrow deck.

Zellaras Harrow deck has the useful ability to cast Identify on three items per day.

However, since Identify was changed in the PFRPG, it works quite differently than before.

There are two obvious possibilities to handle this. The first would be to have the Harrow deck automatically identify three items per day, without a check.

The second one would be to handly the Identify as per the spell, giving the deck a fixed bonus to its Spellcraft check.

Which one would you think more appropiate? I'd appreciate some input.

[Cpt_kirstov]

I just had the deck tell whomever was holding it the complete descriptions of the first 3 magic items it touched each day (telepathically)

[the David]

In Pathfinder, all you need to identify a magic item is Detect Magic and some ranks in Spellcraft. Identify is only necessary when you fail your Spellcraft check in the first place. On top of that, it won't even set you back 100gp for a pearl.
That means that all of a sudden, this artifact has a somewhat redundant ability. My guess is that it wouldn't matter that much. I'd say the second option is better. Also, you might want to drop a hint that the Wizard shouldn't waste a page on the Identify spell.

[magnuskn]

the David wrote:

In Pathfinder, all you need to identify a magic item is Detect Magic and some ranks in Spellcraft. Identify is only necessary when you fail your Spellcraft check in the first place. On top of that, it won't even set you back 100gp for a pearl.

That means that all of a sudden, this artifact has a somewhat redundant ability. My guess is that it wouldn't matter that much. I'd say the second option is better. Also, you might want to drop a hint that the Wizard shouldn't waste a page on the Identify spell.

Yeah, I think I'll go with option two. As for the Wizard, one page and 22,5 gold shouldn't set him back too much. :p

[Brutesquad07]

In both games of CotCT I am running I just had it provide the identify spell (+10 to the check) 3/day. It is essentially an automatic thing with that +10. The best part though is this.

Spoiler:

The Raktvarna dagger, the party finds when encountering Verik Vancaskerkin in All the World's Meat encounter, is unidentifiable, as it radiates magic but has no actual abilities. The Spellcraft check to identify the aura I told the party was Transmutation but they could not identify the dagger. Each party used the Identify +10 several times and were unable to identify it convincing them that it was an awesome weapon of power but seemed to be waiting for just the right occasion. So I am a fan of keeping the deck as the identify spell if for just that one reason.

[fanguad]

Brutesquad07 wrote:

In both games of CotCT I am running I just had it provide the identify spell (+10 to the check) 3/day. It is essentially an automatic thing with that +10. The best part though is this.

** spoiler omitted **

I run mine the same way, although I did jack up Spellcraft difficulties for identifying magic items as a house rule. 20+2xCL instead of 15+CL. The Harrow deck has made the difference between identifying some stuff or not.

Spoiler:

My PCs had similar confusion about the Raktavarna. When they started talking about taking it to a "pro" to get identified (or selling it was worthless), it told the rogue that it was really a sentient magic weapon on the run from the wizard's guild - they'd capture or destroy it if he let any wizards get their hands on it. The rogue bought it.

Of course, then I botched it by forgetting about it when they fought Vimanda. I sloppily patched it by saying "the snake bit the rogue during the fight, causing the rogue to forget that it turned into a snake and ran away" - except the player "didn't remember either" so the whole conversation was in my head. Oh, well.

[magnuskn]

Thanks, +10 sounds about right.

It gives the deck an excellent chance to identify lower level items, but the PC's have to use their own resources sometimes in the high levels.

Now let's see how my campaign gets off the ground, the gathering was rather haphazard, due to one player missing and one being absent half the evening. >.< Oh, well, they went to the fishery at night and got impatient, so they kicked in the door at the right side. We'll pick up from there in three weeks, when the guy at whose home we play gets back from a private journey.