Without becoming attuned to an item that requires attunement, a creature gains only its nonmagical benefits, unless its description states otherwise. (If the class is a spellcasting class, a monster qualifies if that monster has spell slots and uses that class’s spell list.) If the prerequisite is to be a spellcaster, a creature qualifies if it can cast at least one spell using its traits or features, not using a magic item or the like. If the prerequisite is a class, a creature must be a member of that class to attune to the item. This bond is called attunement, and certain items have a prerequisite for it. Some magic items require a creature to form a bond with them before their magical properties can be used. If you prefer magic items to have a greater mystique, consider removing the ability to identify the properties of a magic item during a short rest, and require the identify spell, experimentation, or both to reveal what a magic item does. You then say the character jumps unexpectedly high. For example, if a character puts on a ring of jumping, you could say, "Your steps fee strangely springy." Perhaps the character then jumps up and down to see what happens.
Wearing or experimenting with an item can also offer hints about its properties. The command word to activate a ring mighr be etched in tiny letters inside it, or a feathered design might suggest that it’s a ring of feather falling. Sometimes a magic item carries a clue to its properties. Potions are an exception a little taste is enough to tell the taster what the potion does.
5E DMG MAGIC ITEMS HOW TO
At the end of the rest, the character learns the item’s properties, as well as how to use them. Alternatively, a character can focus on one magic item during a short rest, while being in physica l contact with the item. The identify spell is the fastest way to reveal an item’s properties.
Discovering a magic item’s properties isn’t automatic, however. Whatever a magic item’s appearance, handling the item is enough to give a character a sense that something is extraordinary about it. Some magic items are indistinguishable from their nonmagical counterparts, whereas other magic items display their magical nature conspicuously. † Value / Asking Price is halved for consumable items like potions or scrolls. Properties Rarity See also Downtime: Buying a magic item Rarity 1.2.1 Variant: more difficult identification.