Alternative Homebrew Magic Items

[DiceyDM]

Hello EN World,

I am working on some alternative magic items for my current game. Specifically I am looking for magic items that do not grant a +1 or +2 bonus. I want something that doesn't add to your rolls, but is still cool and fantastically Epic. It would be even sweeter if the magic item could engage the player. I have come up with a few myself, but I am curious to see what the community comes up with.

The reason I am doing this is because my players have gotten to used to magic items with a plus next to it. I want to keep it fresh and surprise them with an item that has more flavor.

Thanks for your time, effort and input.

 

[Li Shenron]

Have you tried to use the magic items from the actual playtest rules?

Unfortunately the weapons and half of the armors still have +s, but how about the following:

- take a magic item from the playtest rules
- remove the +s
- roll on the random tables for minor properties and add the results

You'll be surprised at how interesting results you already get just by adding a few of those minor properties.

Another idea I used in 3e, is to 'merge' multiple magic items into one (trying to combine items that had the same theme or some affinity), but doing so gradually. So that for instance a warhammer that deals some extra shocking damage, later also develops into a hammer of thunderbolts, and after a few more levels it lets the owner cast an empowered call lightning a few times a day. The idea originally came from trying to avoid the "Christmas tree" feeling, without actually changing anything, and if you enforce some strong attunement rules at the same time, you can manage to avoid the problem of the PC hoarding NPC magic items.

 

[CM]

I actually just started a thread about custom items, maybe these will give you some ideas:

Post your unique magic items!