Again, this is something we hear a lot about; and certainly there's something very cool about creating a sword or wand or whatever that has a storied history and special unique powers... but do you want EVERY item to be that way? Do you feel like there should never just be a +1 sword?

RPGPundit

Not every magic item needs to have unique powers. However, in systems creating magic items is prohibitively expensive; in those systems they ought to be correspondingly rare.
For example, in AD&D that +1 sword you mention requires a permanency spell and thus the services of a high level magic-user, as well as exorbitant materials and craftsmanship. It seems to me nobody would create a magic sword unless he had a damned good reason. (Luckily, the existence of monsters which can only be hit by magic weapons provides a damned good reason). So there really ought to be some story behind each magic item, even if the players never bother to learn it.
Personally, I've always been partial to the "Weapon-of-choice +1, +2 v. dragons, giants, triclavians, what-have-you."

I feel unique histories are important, but unique abilities are not. Of course I've generally given magic items in most games that grow with the wielder. It is why High Valor has that as a potential feature.

I feel storied items give more flavor to the world. Of course in some cases (Pathfinder) it gets pretty silly when you can cook up magic items like they were baked goods with the right feats.

Quote from: RPGPundit;641094Again, this is something we hear a lot about; and certainly there's something very cool about creating a sword or wand or whatever that has a storied history and special unique powers... but do you want EVERY item to be that way? Do you feel like there should never just be a +1 sword?

RPGPundit

Now that is highly dependant on setting. In a low-magic world, every magic item is special and permanent ones are unique. In a high-magic world, consummable ones like potions are considered common or ordinary (scrolls would depend on the spells written therin) while permanent magic items would still be considered at least special.

Seriously, I thought 2e's Complete Fighter's Handbook got this right ages ago.

Fine weapons give you either +1 atk or +1 dmg.

Exquisite weapons give you both +1 atk and +1 dmg.

Boom, there's your ever-present generic +1 sword.

Since magic requires the best materials to work with (like spell books, scrolls, potions, etc.), assume Exquisite weapons are an essential base material for enchanting weapons.

Boom, there's your explanation for the ever-present +1 magical sword. Each one is enchanted with Mending (to always use on itself to stay ever sharp?). Or at least enchanted with Nystul's Mystical Aura (just because wizards can be dicks and didn't want to be bothered by a kingdom's armament commission).

Other than that, yeah, keep magic magical. 4e's initial offering really sucked the life out of magical items, a feat I thought impossible. I hear Mordekainen's Emporium helped alleviate that, but a little late into the game's life.

Not all magical items have to be unique but items ubiquitous enough to be considered standard "gear" fail at being truly magical items.

An item that can be created fairly easily and can be found for sale in shops loses the "magical" property fairly fast, regardless of the actual properties of the item. The effect of this on a campaign means that only unique artifact level items actually feel like magic items.

Quote from: Silverlion;641114I feel unique histories are important, but unique abilities are not.

This.  I'll make a +1 sword look special or give it some brief history, but it doesn't have to go beyond that, really.

I've always wanted to devise a system that would make a weapon gain attributes based on the wielder's actions.  E.g. if Blarg the Fighter makes his name by slaying 200 goblins and turning back the invasion of Pleasantvale single-handedly, the sword he used gets a +1 to-hit and double damage vs. goblins or inspires fear in them or something.  I've never come up with a wieldy set of mechanics that would allow that, and have settled on GM fiat to determine such things.

For things like +1 weapons I like to invent some sort of fairly standard but expensive enchantment, a Rune Of Valor or somesuch, that weapons can be branded with, or else a magical metal or alloy that requires enchanting to forge properly. So not every single thing will have a body of lore attached.

Broadly, every permanent item should be a unique artefact, however weak its powers may be.

However, I am fine with PCs and NPCs having the ability, via a spell, to create a standard sort of expendable magical trinket - scroll, potion etc.

Quote from: KenHR;641145I've always wanted to devise a system that would make a weapon gain attributes based on the wielder's actions.  E.g. if Blarg the Fighter makes his name by slaying 200 goblins and turning back the invasion of Pleasantvale single-handedly, the sword he used gets a +1 to-hit and double damage vs. goblins or inspires fear in them or something.  I've never come up with a wieldy set of mechanics that would allow that, and have settled on GM fiat to determine such things.

Thats a really neat idea, kind of like how artifacts get thier powers on the Warehouse 13 show. Ordinary objects gaining thier powers from extaordinary acts done by the people who possess them.

Quote from: KenHR;641145I've always wanted to devise a system that would make a weapon gain attributes based on the wielder's actions.  E.g. if Blarg the Fighter makes his name by slaying 200 goblins and turning back the invasion of Pleasantvale single-handedly, the sword he used gets a +1 to-hit and double damage vs. goblins or inspires fear in them or something.  I've never come up with a wieldy set of mechanics that would allow that, and have settled on GM fiat to determine such things.

That's been done already, and pretty well too. The name of the game escapes me at the moment, I want to say Earthdawn?

Ah yes

QuoteOne of the most innovative ideas in Earthdawn is how magical items work. At first, most magical items work exactly like a mundane item of the same type. As a character searches for information about the item's history, performs certain tasks relating to that history, and spends legend points to activate the item, he unlocks some of the magic in the item. As the character learns more about the item and its history, he can unlock more and more power within the item.

Each magical item, therefore, is unique by virtue of its history and the scope of its powers. For example, one magical broadsword may have only 4 magical ranks and only increases the damage of the blade. On the other hand the legendary sword Purifier, has 10 magical ranks and grants its wielder numerous powers.

Generally speaking I prefer to keep magical items rare or unique, there are +1 and +2 weapons/tools out there but they gain these bonuses by virtue of their quality and craftsmanship, not due to magic. Having common magical items makes them unmagical in a way. Mundane would be a better description.

To the OP: yes, sort of. Magic items should feel magical. Wizards don't just enchant swords and leave them lying around. Players need not have the complete 1000 year story of Moonwrath, The Orc-Skewerer, force-fed down their throats the minute they pick up the sword. But having a backstory (however vague) to some magic items, particularly those that spellcasters don't usually craft and/or enchant for their own use, sounds reasonable to me.

Quote from: KenHR;641145I've always wanted to devise a system that make a weapon gain attributes based on the wielder's actions.  E.g. if Blarg the Fighter makes his name by slaying 200 goblins and turning back the invasion of Pleasantvale single-handedly, the sword he used gets a +1 to-hit and double damage vs. goblins or inspires fear in them or something.  I've never come up with a wieldy set of mechanics that would allow that, and have settled on GM fiat to determine such things.

I like the idea and I'd probably allow a weapon to "level up" into legendary status along with its owner, maybe a la 3.0e Weapons of Legacy. This would make losing or breaking a weapon a huge deal. I love it.

Quote from: The Traveller;641187That's been done already, and pretty well too. The name of the game escapes me at the moment, I want to say Earthdawn?

But I wanted a wieldy ruleset.  ED was really cool with that stuff, but honestly the systems gave me a headache.

I prefer uniqueness more in my magic items than my monsters. However, it works best when said magic items are on the rarer side of the spectrum - otherwise you're making a lot of work for yourself and your character sheet. Likewise, making monsters unique only really works in a setting where monster numbers are on the rarer side of the spectrum.

For example, i'd like to see someone try to create a mega-dungeon where every critter is unique.

The answer to this question is conditional on the level of magic ascribed to a setting.  In a no-magic to low-magic setting, then, yes, all magic should be spectacular and unique.  However, in a high-magic setting, then, no, the vast majority of your magic items should mundane and vanilla.