Dec 24, 2016 8:55 pm
Note on identifying properties:
There are several ways that you can identify the properties of magical items. For potions, you simply need to taste a tiny bit of the potion and you know what it does (by RAW). Personally, I'm not as huge a fan of that rule. Though I'll run with it because I don't feel like coming up with other mechanics to figure that out. I will say with an herbalism kit you'd be able to ascertain if it was a potion or a poison without the need to cast detect magic.
For items, by DMG RAW, you need to either spend a short rest studying the item while being in contact with the item, wear/wield the item and experiment with it, or have someone cast Identify on it. You can assess one item during a short rest.
Through study, there is no harmful effect. Through wear/wield experimentation, there could be unexpected good OR bad consequences. Identify has no negative drawbacks.
I will say that you can spend some time during a long rest to do the same as the short rest.
Once you have ascertained the properties, you may or may not have to attune to an item to use its benefits.
There are several ways that you can identify the properties of magical items. For potions, you simply need to taste a tiny bit of the potion and you know what it does (by RAW). Personally, I'm not as huge a fan of that rule. Though I'll run with it because I don't feel like coming up with other mechanics to figure that out. I will say with an herbalism kit you'd be able to ascertain if it was a potion or a poison without the need to cast detect magic.
For items, by DMG RAW, you need to either spend a short rest studying the item while being in contact with the item, wear/wield the item and experiment with it, or have someone cast Identify on it. You can assess one item during a short rest.
Through study, there is no harmful effect. Through wear/wield experimentation, there could be unexpected good OR bad consequences. Identify has no negative drawbacks.
I will say that you can spend some time during a long rest to do the same as the short rest.
Once you have ascertained the properties, you may or may not have to attune to an item to use its benefits.
