So, suppose I don't have the "detect magic" cantrip.
But suppose that I enter a room with loot and pick up a high-quality sword. I can't "detect magic" but can I now use spellcraft to "identify the properties" of the sword?
If the sword happens to be magic, I see nothing in the use of "spellcraft" that says I have to know that the item is magical. So wouldn't spellcraft work just as it normally does and I need to make a spellcraft check to see if I identify the properties?
And if it's not magical, does that mean I can identify the lack of properties? There is no caster for a non-magical item, so the caster level should be zero, which means the DC to determine if it is magical at all would be 15.
Obviously if I don't take "detect magic" then I can't just glance at a pile and locate the magic items, but I could pick up individual items and examine them with spellcraft, and that would tell me if it is magical or not, right?
This skill is also used to identify the properties of magic items in your possession through the use of spells such as detect magic and identify.
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When using detect magic or identify to learn the properties of magic items, you can only attempt to ascertain the properties of an individual item once per day.
The only way to use Spellcraft to identify a magic item is by casting a spell such as those mentioned. Without such a spell, you can identify a spell being cast, learn or prepare a spell from a scroll or spellbook, or craft a magic item with Spellcraft, but you can't identify properties of a magic item.
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The listed skill usage is "Identify the properties of a magic item using detect magic", which the text explains also applies to identify and similar spells.
You might consider that it works by analysing the item's magic aura, so you must be able to perceive the aura to do this.
This is also what you need to perceive that an item is not magical, though you can see if it's masterwork, or if it has any constant magic properties such as a glow or flames along the blade, using your normal senses. If it's affected by magic aura, you can make a Knowledge (arcana) check to identify the spell effect in place, provided you can perceive the spell effect, which you do using detect magic.
Hmm... so "spellcraft" is only usable for the purpose of identifying magic items when used with detect magic so that you can observe the auras?
That makes sense I suppose.
Too bad, I was trying to find a way to not have to take "detect magic" as a cantrip, and instead I think this just makes it more necessary. Oh well.
I suppose he could just take "identify" but then he's using up a first level slot...
You can see that an item is magic with Appraise (if your check is high enough)
But I don't think that actually allows you to observe auras, so it probably wouldn't allow you to make spellcraft checks to determine magical properties, would it?
You might be able to skip the Detect Magic cantrip and pick up a wand of Detect Magic. Sure, it would cost you gold to identify magic items, but it would save you the cantrip slot you were after.
If that is a worthwhile alternative for you...
Yeah, I am actually considering that. The party I will be playing in will have others capable of detecting magic, so it's not a party issue, it's a character backstory issue. I'm trying to work out which cantrips my character would have chosen based on their backstory, goals and personality.
For example, "spark" is already on his list because that's how he got his nickname "Sparky". I have his backstory as "spark" being the first cantrip he managed to acquire and he used it excessively to the point that those around him were somewhat concerned by his behavior, thus the nickname.
For the same reason I am leaning heavily towards "mage hand", "dancing lights" and "ghost sound" mostly because they fit with the idea of him being a practical joker and prankster.
But that would leave him unable to cast "detect magic". So I'm trying to decide now if the desire to detect magic would trump one of those other choices.
