Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 mightyTeuton Sep 10, 2014 12:24:45	I want to introduce an item into my campaign that has a specific event that triggers its power.  I don't want my players to know what it is until it happens.  My wizard will cast identify and detect magic, and I want to give him zero information from identify.   Now, I know it's within my DM rights to do this, but just responding, "It doesn't work" lacks any sort of fun.  So what I want to know is, how does the Identify spell actually let the wizard know the properties of the item, and what in-game magic or other source could be interfering with his ability to do so?   I thought it would be fun for the amulet in question to be so ancient that its source of power predates even arcane study, or something along those lines, but I thought the community could come up with some neat ideas!
#2 Centauri Sep 10, 2014 12:31:25	Tell the players what you're doing. If they think it's fun, and are in for being surprised, they'll go along with it and buy any reason you give, including just "It doesn't work." If they don't think it's fun, then it wouldn't have mattered if you had the backing of the rules. Drop the idea for now and do something else.
#3 iserith Sep 10, 2014 12:43:46	Wizard: I gesture my hands over the amulet and speak some arcane words. I am trying to see if this amulet is magical in nature. DM: A faint aura appears around the amulet. Normally, the shape and color of that aura would tell you the kind of magic with which the item is imbued, but in this case, it is a type of magic completely unknown to you. This is something that's never been in any of your tomes of magic nor taught to you by your mentors. Wizard: How odd. I draw out a pearl and an owl feather. Speaking more words of magic and waving them over the amulet, I try to identify the properties of this item and how to use them. DM: When you complete the ritual, the amulet flares with light and when your eyes adjust to the flash, you find you are somewhere else! You appear to be standing in a vast laboratory and library. A crooked, robed figure stands hunched over a pedestal, chanting in a strange tongue, his four arms and long hands gesturing in a practiced, yet impossibly contorted way. Now there is a smell of ozone in the air and a crackle energy. Its effort complete, the figure turns to face you - the black orbs it has for eyes fall upon you, and it holds the amulet which shines with power. It lets out a bone-chilling shriek and a second later, you find yourself back where you started. The identification ritual has left you with more questions than answers. What do you do? Wizard: The hell?
#4 Thoughts_My_Aim Sep 10, 2014 14:22:30	Centauri wrote:
(Reply to #4) mightyTeuton	Thoughts_My_Aim wrote:
#6 Noon Sep 10, 2014 17:03:23	The device contains another magic device within it, to which it magically directs the identify spell. Thus identify only identifies the dummy distraction magic item and not the actual powers of the item that holds the dummy item within it.
#7 iserith Sep 10, 2014 18:37:01	mightyTeuton wrote:
(Reply to #7) mightyTeuton	iserith wrote:
#9 iserith Sep 11, 2014 6:40:40	mightyTeuton wrote: