5e item identification toggle

[Zacchaeus]

I haven't seen anything showing where ID applies. From my experimentation, it appears that NPCs, Items, the names of images, and the names of individual monsters in encounters have ID buttons. Did I miss anything?

I don't know what you mean by you haven't seen anything showing where ID applies. And yes, the things you mentioned all have an ID toggle.

[Moon Wizard]

Summary:
* Item, image and NPC records support identification.
* Identification feature always available (instead of only by option)
* Default identification state is identified for all records (unless specifically set to unidentified by GM) (was defaulting to unidentified)

Previous Version:
* Identification feature only available by option
* Default identification state is unidentified for ALL records

Reasoning:
* Many people (non power users) didn't know identification state even existed, since a lot of people just use default options.
* For many records, you don't want them all to be unidentified. (regular items, most maps, NPCs) It's very GM dependent.
* It caused lots of confusion for image records, because players couldn't find the right shared map/image (i.e. they all read Unidentified)
* All of these considerations really depends on the GM, and now GMs can choose specifically which records they want unidentified.
* Since most GMs played with default settings (i.e. previously identification option off), then identification default to on gives exactly the same experience.

Regards,
JPG

[LordEntrails]

So here's my concern.

So by default now all images will be identified? And the DM has to mark each image as unidentified before sharing it in order for it to show the alternate name? There is no option or setting for using alternate names for all images? Cause you know, when a module has 3-400 images, that's going to be a PITA...

Can you set the identified state of each item in the development campaign so that when someone uses the module you create the identification state is set? Or does the DM have to set it for each item when they load the module?

[Moon Wizard]

The flip side of the coin that I've seen in every campaign I've played is that a GM shares images with the users throughout the campaign, and the player ends up with a giant list of 30-40 image records in their image list that are all labeled "Unidentified Image". Now, the player just closed the map and needs to re-open, or the player wants to review a handout, or just review what they've seen. They have absolutely no clue which record is which; and end up blindly clicking through all the links hoping to find the right one. A terrible experience as a player.

Also, it makes communication about the records difficult between the players and the GM. (i.e. the GM tells the player to look at image X, but all the player sees is "Unidentified")

If the identification state is explicitly set in a module (i.e. identification button clicked at least once); then the identification state will be remembered in the export.

Regards,
JPG

[Zacchaeus]

If you set an item/image/NPC to unidentified in a campaign and export it then the id state will be exported with it. So when the module is opened up the items/images/npcs will be unidentified.

[LordEntrails]

I get it Moon. But in may case I put unique, but non give away names for the player versions of all images. As long as i can set it for my module, I'm good. And from what you say, I can, so no problem.

[Moon Wizard]

Yeah, it's something that the GM can override both in their own modules as well as any adventures we sell.

Cheers,
JPG

[ymz]

I run/play Adventurers League, and I'm having some weird problems with this new system. It seems like all existing modules are defaulting to unidentified, so that when one of my DMs ran an old adventure module this week, he had to manually identify all the items in parcels and from the items tab. Similarly, when I build a character in Manage Characters, every item I drag from the Dungeon Master's Guide defaults to unidentified, with no option to identify it unless I join a campaign as DM and import that character.

[Zacchaeus]

I run/play Adventurers League, and I'm having some weird problems with this new system. It seems like all existing modules are defaulting to unidentified, so that when one of my DMs ran an old adventure module this week, he had to manually identify all the items in parcels and from the items tab. Similarly, when I build a character in Manage Characters, every item I drag from the Dungeon Master's Guide defaults to unidentified, with no option to identify it unless I join a campaign as DM and import that character.

The latter is a known issue and Moon Wizard has said he's thinking about how best to resolve that issue.

The first will be because the author of the module created it in FG and made all of the items unidentified before exporting it. FG won't change the state of an item if it already has a state.