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Author Topic: Identifying Items [No-Priority]  (Read 2268 times)

Purist

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Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« on: November 03, 2011, 12:45:58 PM »
I personally think that most items are pretty easily identified by a PC with a low rank in Lore. I think my main PC has a total of 8 or 10 in Lore, when he wears a Ring of Scholars (+5), and he can pretty much identify all items that he encounters. Maybe we could raise the Identify DC a little. To try and make scholars(or PCs that really invest in knowledge) be the ones really identifying things.

The NPCs still charge the default RPG-Game 100 coins. 99% of the times it's not worth. I've lost money with this back when I was a newbie. Maybe lower the price a bit....



Do you agree?
« Last Edit: November 03, 2011, 12:47:31 PM by Purist »

Bodhidharma

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2011, 01:27:45 PM »
Low magic = Low DCs.

Items have a low value, crafted goods have low value and most merchants have a capped pay-out price so I think the ID price should be lowered to better fit the setting.

ethinos

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2011, 01:35:56 PM »
The ID price is a relic of the NWN campaign, right? Where you usually come into a lot more coin by way of adventuring...

I'd say make it something like 35-40 fangs, and influenced by Appraise.
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Kurgh: A simple herdsman

Exordium

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2011, 01:39:11 PM »
If it was possible to increase the lore DCs without affecting the item values, that'd be great.

My paladin for example, with zero points invested in lore and 10 intelligence, has never encountered an item he can't identify with gear only.

Counting items I know and that are relatively easily available, you can get +19 to lore from items alone - enough to identify everything we have. :?

Purist

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2011, 01:45:04 PM »
That's my point Exordium.  :awesomeface:

Mcskinns

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2011, 07:30:51 AM »
slightly off topic, but worth mentioning....

I have always dreamed of a system where all Special Item properties that are not immediately apparent(ie emit light, flaming, adjusted weight etc) are stored on the item in the form of a variable.  The players would have a widget(or radial skill) that can be used to target an item.  Upon use the PC would have a roll against a set DC for any of the special properties.  For those properties that they succeed on, a script fires to add them to the weapon, for those they fail... they gain no insight that they exist.  Thus making it much more worthwhile to seek out a true sagely type to uncover any possible rare abilities.  Then remove the option to "identify" from shops, and perhaps add in a few NPC's who players can seek for the information if no PC seems approachable.  Have the NPC's Lore skill check rolled and only reveal the things they succeed on too... leaving one to wonder if there isn't some untapped potential to an item in their possession. 


On topic... I agree that identifying items via shops is mostly a waste of coin and could deserve a nerf.... however, I also wonder how so many respectable Barovian businessmen/women have managed to gain so much insight into the properties of the arcane.



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Nemien Callishan

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2011, 09:01:51 AM »
The ID price is a relic of the NWN campaign, right? Where you usually come into a lot more coin by way of adventuring...

I'd say make it something like 35-40 fangs, and influenced by Appraise.

Yes and no. The inrgedients for the Identify spell include a pearl worth at least 100 gold pieces. So their 100 gold for identify from shopkeepers was actualy very generous. However I find it very rare that such assistsnace is needed (once or twice in the last year and a half) because everything in the module is either very easy to identify, or has already been done so by someone else.

Purist

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2011, 09:36:23 AM »
IMO, a PC from a different plane should not be allowed to identify, so easily, an item that he probably has never seen before in his life time. Even if we're "low magic".

HellsPanda

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2011, 09:49:12 AM »
As I understand it, Lore DCs are one of those things Bioware made very difficult/impossible to change, and its based off of cost.

ethinos

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2011, 01:14:19 PM »
The ID price is a relic of the NWN campaign, right? Where you usually come into a lot more coin by way of adventuring...

I'd say make it something like 35-40 fangs, and influenced by Appraise.

Yes and no. The inrgedients for the Identify spell include a pearl worth at least 100 gold pieces. So their 100 gold for identify from shopkeepers was actualy very generous. However I find it very rare that such assistsnace is needed (once or twice in the last year and a half) because everything in the module is either very easy to identify, or has already been done so by someone else.

Are they actually casting Identify? Or is NWN considering them to have a near unlimited Lore skill, and thus identifying things that way? I tend to think the latter, especially since Barovian merchants typically aren't spellcasters.
Torgan Ironshield: Battlerager and smith
Wirth Darmington II: Roguish noble
Kurgh: A simple herdsman

Exordium

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #10 on: November 04, 2011, 01:20:27 PM »
In DnD, to actually identify without any spells all the magic properties of an item that does not have any inscriptions on it or similar to aid you, you'd need a spellcraft check of 70 + spell level. ;)

But yeah, maybe those merchants have good lore skills. :dozey:

Bato

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2011, 01:43:32 PM »
I have one problem with the lore system.

No matter how many Ukonkirves, or Farsha's, or Gaw Bulg's I find, get ID'd and explained to me what they are and what they do.
I still have no idea what they are.

MAYBE this one is different!

Mark Johansen

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #12 on: November 04, 2011, 09:30:45 PM »
I'd rather see the identefy items removed as it makes no sence how an items suddenly gives you new lore about X, and when you holster it again you turn dumb..

Exordium

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Re: Identifying Items [No-Priority]
« Reply #13 on: November 04, 2011, 09:37:30 PM »
Unfortunately Neverwinter Night's lore skill not only combines all the specific subskills of DnD's Knowledge skill, but also mixes in stuff that is supposed to be left for Spellcraft.

In DnD "Legend Lore" (which we also have in NWN, giving something like +2 to lore per level) for example doesn't work if you know nothing of the subject. If you know only rumors, the casting time is 2d6 weeks to get vague knowledge.

This is why I promptly ignore about three fourths of all lore skill checks unless I ask for them.. :P