New DM, long time assistance on various matters

[Echobeats]

And two rogues, a ranger and a barbarian? How does that party survive?

Probably by killing everything before it can kill them. I imagine the rogues flank with each other a lot, the ranger kites and the barbarian charges in?

[GPuzzle]

Rogues debuff them to the heavens and get constant CA, Barbarian acts as a pseudo-defender via power choice, Ranger is your normal Ranger.

Just my bets.

[Tegu8788]

At the very least, you have to give them the very basics. What slot it is, and the plus's it gives. If you want to hide properties and powers that's up to you.

[Yakk]

Nope.... I'm deffinately not doing that. It makes no sense whatsoever, that a party that has nothing to do with magic can find out what it does. They are two rogues, a ranger and a barbarian! Isn't there some ritual of some sort?

In RAW such a ritual would be useless, so of course it does not exist.

I would have magic items 'drop hints', and brew a ritual (or an arcana check DC) to identify.

[Tegu8788]

Also, since none of them have anything to do with magic, and no one is inherently a Ritual Caster, who do you expect to make the check? Unless you are using it as a plot hook to make them go to the local wizard/temple.

[MrUberGr]

Well they used to be a rather nice party. Fighter, Paladin|Warlord, Barbarian, Rogue. Then the one died and the fighter got tired of using two dice *facepalm*. Now the Barbarian charges in, the one rogue has fey beast tamer, and the ranger is using a bow. The barbarian is unconscious after each fight, and the others are bruised. Someone has yet to die though... What is funny is that they refuse to purchase any healing pots.

As for the magic items, if they had a wizard or a sorcerer, or at least arcana trained, I'd allow them an arcana check. I was asking for the ritual, I'd have them pay someone to identify it, just like in 3.5e. As for using it as a plot hook, I might actually do that! P.S. neither of the two they have atm are "slotted" they are both wondrous items I gave out as "extras"

[Tegu8788]

We've given you RAW, but, as always, as a DM you get to decide.

However, if you are taking this position because of how something worked in 3.5, then forget it. This is an entirely different game. Take all your expectations, throw them out the window, and leave them there. 4E and 3.5 have virtually nothing in common aside from set dressing.

[Inevitability]

Maybe let them complete a quest and give them a small device that identifies magic items as a reward?

[MrUberGr]

Yeah that would be a good idea. But how would they identify what THAT does? jk!

[Inevitability]

Have it come with an illustrated manual in six languages?

[Echobeats]

Have it come with an illustrated manual in six languages?

Or you could have fun drawing an Ikea-style manual. Such as this one.