Magic Detection

[XuaXua]

I would like some way to detect the relative magical power of a large group of items; a Scroll of Magic Detection, if you will, working similar to a Scroll of Detect Curse.

It would give you a relative magical power (extreme, very high, high, low, none) so that you can decide whether to waste your scrolls of identification (or even experience training a skill to help you id) on an item. The ability could also be used to gauge the number of charges left in wands, etc.

As it stands, let's say I have short swords:7 and axes: 0, but I find a hand axe +9 +9; it gets discarded because having no other way to ID the item, I would never waste a precious Scroll of Identification on it. To be truthful, I'd totally switch to a hand axe +9/+9 if given the chance.

Of note, to prevent clashing with Detect Curse, weapon values would be set to absolute values when evaluated, so negative values would identify as equally as positive values. A -9, -9 weapon would evaluate to the same enhancement level as a +9 +9 weapon; you would just be informed that the weapon is extremely enhanced.

The problem this suggestion solves:
I believe, besides racial preferences, the low ability to identify the relative magical power of any given found item early on (requiring a high enough skill in said item or a scroll of identification, which is best used for rings, jewelery, potions and other scrolls) is where much of the choice to specialize with a specific weapon type comes into play. Having a way to gauge relative magical power would alleviate much of the desire to specialize and gives better options to easily play outside one's character comfort zone.

Feedback?

[smock]

Interesting thoughts. I don't know if a ?MD would be overall desirable. But I do appreciate your observation that the ID minigame increases the costs of early-game flexibility, by making it most troublesome to use unidentified weapons and armour.

I personally think that the ID minigame is no fun, but I know that some others like it. I'm wondering if it has other downsides.

[XuaXua]

It's really the whole point. Having the ability to gauge of how magically powerful an unidentified item is could really help with the weapon skill selection focus process.

And as stated, negatively-branded items would glow as equally as their positively-branded counterparts, and cursed items would also add a level of glow.

A scroll and/or a spell.

[SinsI]

This can be an interesting addition to the abilities of an Awareness skill (replacing Traps&Doors), or Ash powers.