Identifying Magic Items

[TimP]

How have you guys handled identifying magic items in your Burning Wheel games, aside from trial and error or npc exposition?

The first skill/trait that leaps to mind is aura reading/second sight. Maybe some artifact-wise?

Tim

[Iskander]

Touch of Ages

Ob 1 to find out the name of a thing.

[Kublai]

Barring Touch of Ages, Aura Reading is the right way to go with appropriate FoRKs such as Artifacts-wise, Loot-wise, Magic Theory-wise, and Enchanting.

[TimP]

Thanks, guys!

[luke]

Anthony mostly just tells us!

Remember, if it's not important (and the nature of magic items rarely is), don't make it a test!

-L

[pseudoidiot]

Anthony mostly just tells us!

Remember, if it's not important (and the nature of magic items rarely is), don't make it a test!

Especially when it comes to magic items with cool drawbacks. The quicker the players have an idea about how cool the magic item is, the quicker they'll jump to use it. So, really, unless there's a really important reason why you'd hold out (I can see how you could make learning to use a magic item into a quest itself), just let 'em know and let the fun begin! (or continue, as the case may be)

[TimP]

So, really, unless there's a really important reason why you'd hold out (I can see how you could make learning to use a magic item into a quest itself), just let 'em know and let the fun begin! (or continue, as the case may be)

Yeah, I agree for the most part. I was thinking about Monterossa's Belief about finding Daoud's Wondrous Lanthorn in our game and tying it into his stuff about joining The Opal Court, though...seems like finding out the nature of a major artifact (in the D&D sense) like that could be pretty interesting.

[luke]

Daoud's is a great example! Have him find it, tell him what it does, then make him find the lenses!

-L

[Kublai]

Oh, Luke! If you only felt this way from the beginning!

[luke]

My feelings have never changed. Look at what I said! That campaign was about discovering what the important artifacts did.