How do you determine the properties of an artifact

[Yqatuba]

Even analyze dweomer (the most powerful identify type spell I could find) says it doesn't work on artifacts so do you need a wish or miracle or what?

[Adjoint]

Legend Lore spell, Contact Other Plane spell, or Knowledge (history) checks about the previous instances it was used. The GM can also hide the information about the arttifact somewhere in the story, like in the notes of its previous owner or something. You can also just try to use it (blindly activate it with Use Magic Device) and see what happens.

[deuxhero]

Detect Magic. Despite Analyze Dweomer's text, there's no restrictions on IDing artifacts with anything that doesn't explicitly say you can't. The spellcraft rules say nothing about artifacts. Anything that says you can't is a holdover from 3.5 where you needed a spell to ID an item.

Most artifacts are only DC35. Given you don't need all that long, it's pretty easy to buff up and clear that hurdle.

Assuming you're a 5th+ level (some APs dump artifacts on you this early) wizard with a 5th+ level cleric in the party
+5 skill ranks
+3 class skill
+4 intelligence
+2 Fox's Cunning (enhancement to intelligence)
+1 Prayer (luck)
+3 bestow insight (insight and roll twice)
+1 Guidance (competence)
+2 Heroism (Morale)

+21 and roll twice take better isn't take 10, but pretty decent odds. Likely a way to make up that +4 I overlooked. Hiring multiple skilled laborers to aid another could work, but I doubt GMs would allow it.

[Dave Justus]

deuxhero wrote:

Detect Magic. Despite Analyze Dweomer's text, there's no restrictions on IDing artifacts with anything that doesn't explicitly say you can't.

I think it is pretty clear from both Analyze Dweomer and Identify that the use of the spellcraft skill alone is not sufficient for artifacts. While that isn't stated in the spellcraft skill, it also isn't stated that you can, and the text in the other spells makes it clear that artifacts and identification work differently than other magic items.

More to the point though, probably more than anything else in the game artifacts exist to break the rules. They can work in ways nothing else can (including in how they are identified) and do things nothing else can do. Certainly I could see some artifacts that would reveal themselves and their powers without even a spellcraft check, some that would work with a simple detect magic, and some that not even a wish would reveal much (or any) information about. Artifacts are usually plot devices more than they are 'equipment.' And of course what you 'know' about an artifact may well not be true.

If you are the GM, make it as easy or difficult as you want, based on your story. If you are a player, try everything you can, but I'd generally focus on the RP ways of finding out (sure cast the spells you can) and try talking to NPCs and such.

[Meirril]

It also comes down to the difference between lesser and greater artifacts.

Lesser artifacts are magic items mostly created by mortals or accident. Forgotten techniques use to make a spectacular item that can't be recreated. Staff of the Magi is a good example of such an item. While you can't create one it really isn't much of a mystery how it generally functions. Other lesser artifacts may have come into existence naturally (such as a Philosopher's Stone), or been created by an exceptional circumstance. Either absorbing magical energy from a rich environment, or being created in an accident, or some tragedy. Most such items can simply be identified with a Spellcraft roll, a bit of research into magical libraries, or Legend Lore. Generally speaking lesser artifacts are not unique and multiple copies or similar items exist in the world.

Greater Artifacts are unique. Their creation is a tale in and of itself that often offers clues to what the artifact is capable of. Spellcraft won't reveal what its capable of, its going to take effort or the item itself deciding it needs to be used. Many such items are 'aware' even if they aren't intelligent in the conventional sense. Greater Artifacts have been known to reject potential wielders, or hide abilities from the unworthy. Some have even been known to curse those that dare to trifle with them. Legend Lore reveals stories about the item which can be useful. Contact Other Plane targeting deities that are directly involved with the item are also fairly reliable, though at great risk.

Also greater artifacts have been known to disappear. Mysterious objects that act according to an unknown will, they are powerful plot devices meant to move a story more than a simple reward.

[Ventnor]

You could try asking the artifact what it does. Politeness does sometimes get you somewhere, even with semi-sentient/fully sentient objects of legend.