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What makes a magic item interesting?
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<blockquote data-quote="der_kluge" data-source="post: 4587484" data-attributes="member: 945"><p>Useful powers 15 25.00%</p><p>Diverse powers 4 6.67%</p><p>Unpredictable or mysterious powers 9 15.00%</p><p>Unique powers 12 20.00%</p><p>Background and history 14 23.33%</p><p>Drawbacks 0 0%</p><p>Special purpose or goals </p><p></p><p>A wand of fireballs is <em>useful</em> but not terribly interesting.</p><p></p><p>A wand of wonder, a deck of illusions, or a deck of many things all have diverse powers - and they tend to be pretty interesting. So, I'd say diverse powers tend to make interesting items. But, it's not the only thing. A staff of healing has diverse powers, too, but it's not very interesting.</p><p></p><p>A wand of wonder has unpredictable powers. I can't think of anything that has mysterious powers, so I'll hold judgment on that one.</p><p></p><p>An immovable rod has a unique power, and I think it's pretty interesting. So, that seems like a good candidate.</p><p></p><p>Any item can have a background and history. Having them doesn't make them <em>interesting</em>. Gloves of Dexterity +2 that have a 3 page detailed history are not automatically interesting.</p><p></p><p>Drawbacks do not make an item interesting. They make an item annoying.</p><p></p><p></p><p>I voted unique - I like items that can't do the same things that spells can do. A hat of disguise is nice, but it's not really any more powerful than the spell used to create it. I like items like wands of wonder, immovable rods, or an apparatus of Kwalish that can't easily be replicated via magic easily.</p><p></p><p>I think that's what makes an interesting item.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="der_kluge, post: 4587484, member: 945"] Useful powers 15 25.00% Diverse powers 4 6.67% Unpredictable or mysterious powers 9 15.00% Unique powers 12 20.00% Background and history 14 23.33% Drawbacks 0 0% Special purpose or goals A wand of fireballs is [i]useful[/i] but not terribly interesting. A wand of wonder, a deck of illusions, or a deck of many things all have diverse powers - and they tend to be pretty interesting. So, I'd say diverse powers tend to make interesting items. But, it's not the only thing. A staff of healing has diverse powers, too, but it's not very interesting. A wand of wonder has unpredictable powers. I can't think of anything that has mysterious powers, so I'll hold judgment on that one. An immovable rod has a unique power, and I think it's pretty interesting. So, that seems like a good candidate. Any item can have a background and history. Having them doesn't make them [i]interesting[/i]. Gloves of Dexterity +2 that have a 3 page detailed history are not automatically interesting. Drawbacks do not make an item interesting. They make an item annoying. I voted unique - I like items that can't do the same things that spells can do. A hat of disguise is nice, but it's not really any more powerful than the spell used to create it. I like items like wands of wonder, immovable rods, or an apparatus of Kwalish that can't easily be replicated via magic easily. I think that's what makes an interesting item. [/QUOTE]
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