What makes a magic item interesting?

S

Set

First Post

• Jun 3, 2009

• #41

I voted diverse powers.

I'd rather have a Bag of Tricks, Decanter of Endless Water or Rod of Lordly Might than a belt that gives me +2 strength, or, worse, a belt that gives me +4 to strength for one round as a swift action three times / day.

What kind of mad genius came up with the idea of creating a flask of water and then said, 'Hey, let's jot down some guidelines for how to use this as a weapon!' Brilliant!

I'd also maybe have chosen 'Other' to go with thematic, setting-appropriate, character-specific or just plain evocative / creepy. Stuff that's tailored for the characters, storyline and / or setting and campaign tone is always gonna be better than a generic item like +1 chainmail or a property that is fussy and mechanical and feels 'unmagical,' like heavy fortification.

 

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Desdichado

Hero

• Jun 3, 2009

• #42

In general, I don't find magic items interesting. In fact, in general, I don't find magic interesting at all in D&D.

But the rare exceptions seems to have specific goals or purposes, so I checked that.

 

Oni

First Post

• Jun 3, 2009

• #43

To me there are a few things that help make an item interesting.

It should be storied in someway or at least mysterious, more than just a fancy expensive tool. As far a player reaction (inexperienced players are the most fun btw), the best item I ever put into a game I've run was originally just a candle with continual flame on it in the module I was running. On a whim I described it as eerily as I could, guttering green flame, whispers when holding it et c. The player who found it decided to leave it behind, and the look on his face when he found it in his pack later was priceless. Of course it didn't really do anything else, but I got a lot of mileage out that candle that couldn't be lost.

It needs to be more than useful. A +1 sword is useful, but it's also dreadfully boring.

It should let you break the rules a little bit, that is to say rather than just being an enhancement to what you can do, it should let you do something you normally can't.

Sometimes (but not always) there's a price to be paid for using magic items.

 

Ed_Laprade

Adventurer

• Jun 3, 2009

• #44

I'd like to add something here. I'm sure that all (or at least most) of us who clicked useful don't think that an item can't be interesting without being useful. However, the problem is, for how long? Even the most interesting item in the (game) world is going to stop being interesting if it (as said elsewhere) just becomes a note on someone's character sheet that no one remembers. On the other hand, non-useful items that you can't get rid of may well be interesting. (Or is that annoying? YMMV.)

 

M

mlund

First Post

• Jun 3, 2009

• #45

The problem with an Magic Item that isn't Useful, first and foremost, is that it doesn't properly register as "Magic Item Treasure," in terms of its value to a player. Instead it is falls into one of the following categories: gag, macguffin, cash, or trash.

So here is the deal. Build a useful Magic Item. Then modify it so as to give it uniqueness without compromising the usefulness. That way the item gets some show time to make a lasting impression.

A quick gag or a unique quirk are great to start an infatuation with an item, but it won't list through the long haul. For a Magic Item to truly hold interest it needs to be, helping out in a meaningful way with the daily adventuring grind. That's a Magic Item a player can love as opposed to flirt with and then dump soon after.

That's not to say that one-shot type objects can't serve an important role and capture a lot of attention for a while. Likewise a MacGuffin can be a great narrative focal point. It is just that items of that type don't really qualify as "Magic Item Treasure," of the type players like to equip their characters with.

- Marty Lund

 

Leatherhead

Possibly a Idiot.

• Jun 3, 2009

• #46

The problem with background/history, for me, is that it means magical items can never be interesting if you are the first person to have the item. I much prefer making my own legends to carrying on one for someone else.

 

Oni

First Post

• Jun 4, 2009

• #47

Leatherhead said:

The problem with background/history, for me, is that it means magical items can never be interesting if you are the first person to have the item. I much prefer making my own legends to carrying on one for someone else.

Click to expand...

Then I would submit that how you got it should be more interesting than, "Oh this? I bought it from Bahb the Enchanter over at the Wonder Emporium." If you had to go through hell and high water to get it, then it's got its interesting origin right there.

 

Leatherhead

Possibly a Idiot.

• Jun 4, 2009

• #48

Oni said:

Then I would submit that how you got it should be more interesting than, "Oh this? I bought it from Bahb the Enchanter over at the Wonder Emporium." If you had to go through hell and high water to get it, then it's got its interesting origin right there.

Click to expand...

While trying to avoid innuendo: It's not the weapon, it's how you use it.

Adventures demand action now, not from days before. A sword that you had made from a friendly blacksmith, and you used to kill a dragon, which then gained fire powers from the blood; is far more personal than a fire sword you got from a lady in a lake after rescuing a her only son from a dragon, despite the fact you didn't go on the quest for the first sword.

However, that just makes the first sword have sentimental value because it was a part of your history, and sentimental value isn't quite the same thing as interesting.

 

K

Kraydak

First Post

• Jun 4, 2009

• #49

I didn't vote. I didn't vote because I believe the answer is: "nothing makes a magic item interesting." Or rather, nothing will make a magic item still be interesting 5 sessions down the road, and, frankly, you'll be lucky to have the item be interesting next session.

The shiny newness of things wears off fast.

That doesn't mean a DM should put no effort into it, but he should neither labor over making items interesting nor resent players mentally turning the item he did labor over into a mere tool within hours.