1. The Artifact spells work together with Blessings and Enchants skills. If you want to bless/enchant items then you need the skills AND the artifact spells. Therefore, wait until you gain the skills. Blessings (and the Cabalist trait) is a Temple Guild level 4 skill, Enchants (and the Occultist trait) is a Mage Guild level 4 skill. Once you acquire the skills, then:
a) Artifact of Vines - blessings for toughness.
b) Artifact of Stone - blessings for AC
2. Role change to a Paladin is offered by the Warrior and Temple Guilds. If you want your wizards to become Paladins then you have two possibilities:
a) Guild hopping trick (recommended
). Let the wizards pretend that they want change role such a way that they would join Warrior Guild or Temple in their new role. For example, let them pretend that they want to be Samurais (Warrior Guild). Once they will be "training for a new role", they will be able to join immediately - they do not need to complete the role change. Join the new guild and cancel the pretended role change (i.e., the Samurai training). Now, the wizards are members of the Warrior Guild or the Temple and they will be able to change role to Paladins. The guild hopping trick does not prevent you from changing role to the cancelled role (for example, Samurai) later.
b) Do it without trick. Your wizards need to change role such a way that they can join Warrior Guild or Temple first. For example, they can become Warlocks and join the temple. Later on, they will be able to become Paladins.
3. Identifying items: You need the Ancient Lore trait and the Artifact skill. Both the trait and the skill are guild level 3 skills available in the Temple, in the Mages Guild and in the Thieves Guild (in the Thieves guild only for thieves). Once you gain the skill, the description screen of an unidentified item will contain a new button: "Identify". The Reveal spell does not identify items.