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So a part of pc's justed finishdd combat and want to loot the bodies. They roll a perseption check to see what they find. There is a potion a scroll and misc gear, do the players then detect magic to tell that the potion and scroll are magical then roll a spell craft check. This is the interesting part, if ghey fail their spell craft check on the potion can they use the alch skill to identify or can they try the potion and make a perseption check to see the affects of the potion?
Usually no perception check is needed to find the gear the enemies carry. Sure, maybe someone had a hidden item concealed somewhere, but everything else is just lying around in plain sight. Looting rooms is different, all kinds of secret compartments and other hiding places might exist, but looting bodies is usually super easy.
Scrolls can be easily read by the right classes (anyone who casts divine magic can easily read any divine scroll, and anyone who casts arcane magic can easily read any arcane scroll). Since Read Magic is a cantrip that can be cast unlimited times every day, and usually someone has it, this is usually a non-issue.
From the Core Rulebook: The writing on a scroll must be deciphered before a character can use it or know exactly what spell it contains. This requires a read magic spell or a successful Spellcraft check (DC 20 + spell level). Deciphering a scroll is a full-round action.
Potions are a bit different. You can't usually just read them (although some people actually write labels on their potions).
From the Core Rulebook: In addition to the standard methods of identification, PCs can sample from each container they find to attempt to determine the nature of the liquid inside with a Perception check. The DC of this check is equal to 15 + the spell level of the potion (although this DC might be higher for rare or unusual potions).
So, no special skills or abilities, just a perception check with a relatively easy DC (anyone with 6 ranks in Perception, or just 3 ranks as a class skill, or even less if they have a good WIS score, can TAKE-TEN on a level 1 potion automatically).
Other than that, all the usual methods apply, such as using Detect Magic and the Spellcraft skill (rules for that are under the Spellcraft skill).
Not at all. I can't think of anything whereupon the lack of identification renders it useless.
The inability to read a scroll (and therefore identify it's purpose) means that a character cannot use it at that time, but it can be identified later.
And nothing's stopping someone from wantonly chugging every random unidentified bottle that happens their way. Well, common sense I suppose.