How to Identify

xplorer

How does a Mage/Thief identify an item? Please be specific, as I am brand new at this. Thanks.

Brude

Right click the item in your inventory, as you do when you want to read the item description.

If your lore is high enough to meet the requirements for that item, it will automatically be identified.

If your lore isn't high enough, you'll get a dialogue box asking if you want to use a spell or scroll to identify the item.

This chart shows the requisite lore values for common items:

http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/comment/277213/#Comment_277213

Mitchfork

There is a Level 1 Mage Spell- Identify. If you find or buy one, Mages can scribe the scroll (right click the scroll and hit "Write Magic"), then go to your Mage Book and memorize the spell. You can then right click the item that needs to be identified, hit "Identify," and then hit "From Spell." This will tell you what the item is. This will use up your Identify spell until you rest. Conjurer specialist Mages cannot Identify.

If the Identify scroll and the item are in a Mage's inventory, you can right click the item that needs to be identified, hit "Identify," and then hit "From Scroll." This will identify the item, but use up the scroll permanently. Conjurers can't do this either.

All temples and some stores can perform an Identify service an unlimited number of times for 100 GP per item. Look in the store menu for a "?" symbol.

Finally, if one of your characters has a high Lore stat (check the Character Record on each), the character may be able to identify the item automatically. Just put it in the character's inventory and right click it.

xplorer

When the dialogue box asks whether I want to use a spell or scroll, I find that both items are grayed out and don't do anything when I click on them! What am I doing wrong???

Emptiness

In order to be able to choose the Spell option, you have to have learned the Identify spell and you must have memorized it. Note that each time you use a spell to identify an item you are casting that spell, so when you have cast all the Identify spells that you memorized you will have to rest before you can use this option to identify another item.

In order to be able to choose the Scroll option, you have to possess an Identify Scroll, in the inventory of the character who is trying to identify the item. Note that Identify scrolls in a scroll case cannot be used in this way until you remove them from the scroll case. Choosing this option to identify an item consumes one Identify scroll, and when you run out you will not be able to choose this option again until you acquire another Identify scroll.

CrevsDaak

A friend of mine grabbed my iPad and started (trying) to play as a Sorcerer, he selected Identify so he could save up money :P And the other spell choice was Protection Form Gaze Attacks, I don't know how is he going to kill Shank and Carbos that way...
And for M\T just pick some levels and you won't even need identify, they get amazing Lore, the best after Bards, and even more with 18 INT and 18 WIS.

Dee

If you're a mage/thief, make sure you don't have armor equipped. Spells can only be cast when you're unarmored, including Identify.

xplorer

Thank you all, but especially you, Dee! I would never have figured that out for myself, and neither do I recall the rather limited help screen mentioning it. I removed her armor and it worked! You all are great helpers.

Time4Tiddy

Just as a follow-up, you can wear robes and still cast spells, just not actual armor. If you can find elven chain mail, you will be able to cast spells while wearing that armor, but with a penalty to thief skills.

Skaffen

If you are referring to BGII you can buy glasses of identification that identify 3/day from the dealer upstairs of the first guy that gives you the quest to collect 20000 gold. Just right click on the item you want to identify and chose scroll option.

Ploughed_Jester

So... this is strangely still relevant. Long time player here, and my mage thief can't identify with scrolls in BGEE... the identify scroll is redded out... all of them are. I can't even learn one. Is this a known bug?

Ploughed_Jester

And no... I don't have armor on, not that it should mater for item use.

Ravenslight

@Ploughed_Jester
Did you by any chance make your mage class Conjuror? This occurred to me as a Conjurers can’t use Divination spells like identify.

pixie359

Are you a specialist mage?

Specialist mages get to cast extra spells at the disadvantage of having a school they can't access. This means some mages can't cast summoning spells, some can't cast death magic and some can't cast divining magic like Identify, Oracle, Detect Illusion and True Sight.

Ploughed_Jester

No. Gnomish mage thief, so illusionist. It was strange. I imported the character from multiplayer to single through eekeeper to try a new file. Worked fine, so I just deleted the scroll I had and added identify to my spell list in the original file and now all are working cleanly. It's sorted now, but I don't know why... just one of those weird things.

ThacoBell

Ploughed_Jester said:

No. Gnomish mage thief, so illusionist. It was strange. I imported the character from multiplayer to single through eekeeper to try a new file. Worked fine, so I just deleted the scroll I had and added identify to my spell list in the original file and now all are working cleanly. It's sorted now, but I don't know why... just one of those weird things.

INFINITY ENGINE! *shakes fist*

gorgonzola

Are you certain that your illusionist had not reached the maximum number of spells that he can learn for that level, according to his INT stat?

Ploughed_Jester

19 int says unlimited knowledge, so nope. Also, that wouldn't affect the ability to read it off a scroll... it was probably just one of those weird things.

gorgonzola

With 19 int is like you say.