Difference between revisions of "Scroll of identify"

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(Rewriting the page a fair bit, doubt it needs to be updated for 3.6.1 but I'll leave that be)
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{{scroll|name=identify|cost=20|ink=7-13}}
 
{{scroll|name=identify|cost=20|ink=7-13}}
  
The [[Price identification|cheapest]] [[scroll]] in the game is the '''scroll of identify'''.  
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The '''scroll of identify''' is a somewhat common [[scroll]] that [[Identify|identifies]] items in the player's inventory, with a chance based on its [[BUC]] status.
  
=== Facts ===
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==Details==
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As indicated by [[#Facts|the tables extracted from the code]] below, an identify scroll always reveals the full identity of at least one unknown item in your inventory. A non-cursed indentify scroll has a chance of doing this for all items in the open inventory. Blessed scrolls have a 20% of IDing 1, 2, 3, 4, or all items in the inventory, making it more likely to get multiple IDs per scroll; uncursed scrolls only have a 4/25 chance to ID more than one item, and 1/25 to ID all unknown items. A cursed scroll will only ever ID one unknown item at a time; while always safe to read, noncursed scrolls are far more beneficial.
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==Tips==
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It is advantageous to make [[holy water]] and bless scrolls of identify, which significantly increases their chance of identifying more items. [[Price identification]] can point players to the most important items to identify and thus give them the tactical flexibility needed to get the most use out of a blessed stack. As the cheapest scroll in the game, it is fairly easy to identify itself. It is also a good idea to gather many unidentified items into the open [[inventory]] before reading the scrolls, due to the 20% chance of identifying the entire contents of the inventory.
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Make sure the items you want to identify are in open inventory. Even if your scroll identifies your entire inventory, it will not identify items in containers.
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Whether or not this is better than learning the third-level [[spellbook of identify|identify spell]] depends on the ability to train and reliably cast [[divination]] spells; if the player is a priest, wizard or another class that can at least reach Skilled in divination, the spell may provide a significant advantage. The identify spell in combination with [[The Eye of the Aethiopica]] lets you identify any object soon after you discover it, even if you only want to know the [[BUC]] status.
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== Facts ==
 
''From [[scrl-343.txt]]:''
 
''From [[scrl-343.txt]]:''
  
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:: You merely identify the scroll.
 
:: You merely identify the scroll.
 
:: "You identify this as an identify scroll."
 
:: "You identify this as an identify scroll."
 
=== Strategy Tips ===
 
Reading a cursed scroll of identify is safe, albeit not efficacious in most situations.
 
 
The unique price of the scroll of identify allows players in the early game to recognize these scrolls by price checking them in shops.  Their low price also makes them quite affordable once recognized.
 
 
There is also a [[spellbook of identify]], but that is a level 3 [[divination]] spell. It is very convenient if you can learn it, but many [[Player|character]]s cannot. (The identify spell in combination with [[The Eye of the Aethiopica]] lets you identify any object soon after you discover it, even if you only want to know the [[BUC]] status.)
 
 
If you do not learn the identify spell, you will depend on these scrolls. It is advantageous to make [[holy water]] and bless your scrolls of identify, because that significantly increases their chance of identifying more items. It is also a good idea to gather many unidentified items into your [[inventory]] before reading the scrolls; if they are blessed, then the 20% chance of identifying everything is very significant.
 
 
[[Price identification]] can point you to the most important items to identify and thus give you the tactical flexibility to use these scrolls before you can bless a stack.
 
 
Make sure the items you want to identify are in open inventory. Even if your scroll identifies your entire inventory, it will not identify items in containers.
 
  
 
[[Category:Scrolls|Identify]]
 
[[Category:Scrolls|Identify]]
 
[[Category:Identification]]
 
[[Category:Identification]]
 
{{nethack-343}}
 
{{nethack-343}}

Revision as of 10:11, 25 March 2019

? Scroll.png
Name identify
Appearance random
Base price 20 zm
Weight 5
Ink to write 7-13
Monster use Will not be used by monsters.

The scroll of identify is a somewhat common scroll that identifies items in the player's inventory, with a chance based on its BUC status.

Details

As indicated by the tables extracted from the code below, an identify scroll always reveals the full identity of at least one unknown item in your inventory. A non-cursed indentify scroll has a chance of doing this for all items in the open inventory. Blessed scrolls have a 20% of IDing 1, 2, 3, 4, or all items in the inventory, making it more likely to get multiple IDs per scroll; uncursed scrolls only have a 4/25 chance to ID more than one item, and 1/25 to ID all unknown items. A cursed scroll will only ever ID one unknown item at a time; while always safe to read, noncursed scrolls are far more beneficial.

Tips

It is advantageous to make holy water and bless scrolls of identify, which significantly increases their chance of identifying more items. Price identification can point players to the most important items to identify and thus give them the tactical flexibility needed to get the most use out of a blessed stack. As the cheapest scroll in the game, it is fairly easy to identify itself. It is also a good idea to gather many unidentified items into the open inventory before reading the scrolls, due to the 20% chance of identifying the entire contents of the inventory.

Make sure the items you want to identify are in open inventory. Even if your scroll identifies your entire inventory, it will not identify items in containers.

Whether or not this is better than learning the third-level identify spell depends on the ability to train and reliably cast divination spells; if the player is a priest, wizard or another class that can at least reach Skilled in divination, the spell may provide a significant advantage. The identify spell in combination with The Eye of the Aethiopica lets you identify any object soon after you discover it, even if you only want to know the BUC status.

Facts

From scrl-343.txt:

identify

Always identified when read.
blessed
You can identify items from your inventory:
# items: 1 2 3 4 all
chance: 1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5
If your luck is positive, then 1 item becomes 2 items.
"This is an identify scroll."
uncursed
You can identify items from your inventory:
# items: 1 2 3 4 all
chance: 21/25 1/25 1/25 1/25 1/25
"This is an identify scroll."
cursed
You can identify one item from your inventory.
"This is an identify scroll."
confused
You merely identify the scroll.
"You identify this as an identify scroll."

This page may need to be updated for the current version of NetHack.

It may contain text specific to NetHack 3.4.3. Information on this page may be out of date.

Editors: After reviewing this page and making necessary edits, please change the {{nethack-343}} tag to the current version's tag or {{noversion}} as appropriate.