The Identify spell kind of ruined the surprise of cursed items in the original BG. Historically, the original AD&D Identify spell required the caster to actually wear, don, or grasp the item before it could be identified, and thus "any consequences of this use of the item fall fully upon the magic-user ..." In the new 5E rules, the caster must touch the item throughout the casting of the spell, but I don't know if that conveys any risks? I think that without having some sort of risk during identification, then there is no point in implementing cursed items at all, except for unavoidable plot devices. Wouldn't it have been interesting to see a shop keeper petrified while attempting to identify a cursed scroll?
