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Hi all,

As Title, Should i Allow identify spell?

What about cursed items?

Is there any limitation I should use?

In 3.5 with its christmas trees and magic marts, Identify is a bread and butter spell that should be allowed.

As for cursed items, keep the following in mind:

An identify spell only has a 1% chance per caster level to reveal a cursed item’s true properties, including the cursed aspect.

This is an extremely significant limitation that makes cursed items hard to detect, yet sometimes rewards cautious players by warning them of cursed items.

Yes.

But I suggest that you use the material component requirement.


Though, if you don't include identify...


That makes figuring out what magic items do more a matter of research and of trial and error. That could be fun.

Skyrock wrote:In 3.5 with its christmas trees and magic marts, Identify is a bread and butter spell that should be allowed.

As for cursed items, keep the following in mind:

An identify spell only has a 1% chance per caster level to reveal a cursed item’s true properties, including the cursed aspect.

This is an extremely significant limitation that makes cursed items hard to detect, yet sometimes rewards cautious players by warning them of cursed items.

Ok, thank you, didnt recall that! That makes more sense

ewancummins wrote:Yes.

But I suggest that you use the material component requirement.


Though, if you don't include identify...


That makes figuring out what magic items do more a matter of research and of trial and error. That could be fun.

I think i'll ask my players if they would like to trial and error or not.

Research/Trial and error should apply to NPCs and monsters too.

In effect, some of those cursed items in treasure chests should end up in the personal possession of NPCs. Triggered items without a known activation key may end up in a cabinet.

Hidden powers.

Also, "Identify does not function when used on an artifact."

Since magic is so rare in Ravenloft, many items could legitimately be called artifacts that are normal magic shoppe inventory in other worlds.

I allow identify, but note that I play PF, where it isn't an automatic success to use. there's a Spellcraft check involved.
I also like to give a bit of the history of the item as a vision, along with the powers, to establish that magic items in Ravenloft are all special, if only in back-story.

When I started the current campaign in 2003, I reviewed the list of wizards spells, to remove the most fantasy ones (flashy spells mostly). But I kept Identify, as the other pointed out, the usual limits are OK.

My rule in my Povero campaign (PN Elrod module+ homebrew) is to add two or three spells for every spell I remove from the list.

I think continual light should go on the chopping block. It makes getting around darkness and gloom too easy.

ewancummins wrote:I think continual light should go on the chopping block. It makes getting around darkness and gloom too easy.

Same here, it's not available in my campaign since 2003, and for the exact same reason.

At night, you try to make a description of mysterious things they can't really see because it's dark and ... "I open my continual light/flame/whatever" ! Ambiance ruined. I ruled that the darkness is just too deep in RL for this spell

Same with fly (to easy to escape a danger, or to enter a keep from the top), stoneskin (how do you want a monster damage to be scary if the PCs are covered with stonekins), and fireball (too flashy, and I want my PC wizards to think differently from traditional wizards).

IMC, that adds to the standard RL spell modification lists.

And many RL spells were added to the campaign.

Joël of the FoS wrote:

ewancummins wrote:I think continual light should go on the chopping block. It makes getting around darkness and gloom too easy.

Same here, it's not available in my campaign since 2003, and for the exact same reason.

At night, you try to make a description of mysterious things they can't really see because it's dark and ... "I open my continual light/flame/whatever" ! Ambiance ruined. I ruled that the darkness is just too deep in RL for this spell

Same with fly (to easy to escape a danger, or to enter a keep from the top), stoneskin (how do you want a monster damage to be scary if the PCs are covered with stonekins), and fireball (too flashy, and I want my PC wizards to think differently from traditional wizards).

IMC, that adds to the standard RL spell modification lists.

And many RL spells were added to the campaign.

Fact is most of the RL spell are evil and should cause a power checks.

I see your reason to avoid the continual light. What about darkvision? i'm quite annoyed about it.

Ways to deal with dark vision:


Don't include any races with dark-vision vision as playable options. Maybe your Ravenloft has no native dwarves and half orcs/calibans.


Swap dark vision for something else.

You could always be mean and rule that darkvision pierces natural darkness, but that when using it instead of a light source darkness themed monsters like undead shadows and shadow-asps are invisible.

Hazgarn wrote:You could always be mean and rule that darkvision pierces natural darkness, but that when using it instead of a light source darkness themed monsters like undead shadows and shadow-asps are invisible.

I would possibly to that in any setting.

Nox wrote: Fact is most of the RL spell are evil and should cause a power checks.

Where does that comes from? Most spells from RLCS or VRA are useful and not evil.

I see your reason to avoid the continual light. What about darkvision? i'm quite annoyed about it.

What bugs me with continual light spells is that they are permanent, or last for hours.

You could put darkvision in this category, 1 / hour per level is very long, and indeed, annoying in a RL campaign.

Joël of the FoS wrote:

Nox wrote: Fact is most of the RL spell are evil and should cause a power checks.

Where does that comes from? Most spells from RLCS or VRA are useful and not evil.

I see your reason to avoid the continual light. What about darkvision? i'm quite annoyed about it.

What bugs me with continual light spells is that they are permanent, or last for hours.

You could put darkvision in this category, 1 / hour per level is very long, and indeed, annoying in a RL campaign.

I just took a look at the RL spell list, and it looks like the spell are for the most part evil.. But maybe it's just an impression...

Anyhow i solved the problem of the Dark vision: Only humans, GG.