D&D 5E Can 5E bring the wonder and mystery back to Magic Items?

[Nebulous]

I agree with the idea that magic items should be back in the DMG where they belong. That said, i wouldn't mind seeing "minor" craftable items in the PHB, low level scrolls and potions and such. Everything else, that should be DM eyes only to hand out as rewards, and as MUCH as possible i think the math should be divorced from the class, so a 10th level fighter is not "expected" to have a +3 weapon. If he does, awesome, he's a better character, but not subpar without it.

Also, as someone else mentioned, Sting had a few other qualities like glowing blue when orcs are around. I think this kind of minor storytelling quality needs to be vigorously reintroduced to the game.

As far as characters crafting powerful, permanent magic items....i would more than happy if that rule is NEVER created and left for NPCs to handle.

 

[drothgery]

Again, I'll have to be the annoying contrarian. Magic items belong in the PHB (or in a player-focused book, at any rate).

Players need the rules for magic items all the time (because player characters generally carry magic items, and monsters generally don't), and the DM only needs them when deciding which items to hand out. So why should they been in a book aimed at someone who usually doesn't need the rules for them?

The most-cited reason for this is absurd; you aren't protecting any 'mystery' by keeping the magic item rules in a book many players will buy anyway (and given an OGL and/or 4e-esque online tools, the information will be easily available online to them anyway).

 

[BrockBallingdark]

Again, I'll have to be the annoying contrarian. Magic items belong in the PHB (or in a player-focused book, at any rate).

Players need the rules for magic items all the time (because player characters generally carry magic items, and monsters generally don't), and the DM only needs them when deciding which items to hand out. So why should they been in a book aimed at someone who usually doesn't need the rules for them?

The most-cited reason for this is absurd; you aren't protecting any 'mystery' by keeping the magic item rules in a book many players will buy anyway (and given an OGL and/or 4e-esque online tools, the information will be easily available online to them anyway).

I get the "mystery" of magic items rules can't be hidden, look online or buying the DM book. So when I agreed having the magic items in the DM book, I didn't meant the shopping catalog of magic items, I really meant the rules for the DM creating them.

I don't think players should be making beyond minor level magic items, if any at all. Then you can have those minor items in the PHB, I have no issue with that.

Because the math has become heavy with magic items, the players currently need the rules for them but it's time to remove alot of the math so that wonder can find it's way back through the DM on to the players.

Brock

 

[Croesus]

What I'd really like to see them do is something similar to the old tables for creating artifacts. Various tables with flavor, special effects, powers, drawbacks, and so forth. Then some basic guidelines to GM's on how to use the tables to create their own unique items.

Whether using the tables as a random generator, or as a spur for ideas, this could potentially create much more interesting items than "just another +1 sword that glows".

 

[Aramax]

I think one of the few thing 4th did right was the items.
But then I like low leval ,low power games.
You experiance may be different

 

[nnms]

In every edition I've played in so far, I've never played in or ran a game where PCs could buy or create items at will. I've always maintained the creation and distribution of magic items as being part of the DM's job. I'll continue to do so in future editions. Though it would be nice if the rules supported this approach in some way.

 

[Ahnehnois]

The simplest thing is to just cut back. 3.X assumes you have a certain amount of treasure. Assume less. The rarer magic items are, the more special they become. Conversely, if my character needs to fill every eligible slot on his body with a magic item, regardless of how well-constructed the individual items are, the total experience will be less than the sum of its parts.

Beyond that, I wouldn't miss +X swords and armor, ability items, and the rest of the big six. It's easy to have flavorful effects without those generic bonuses.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

I definitely would like more mystery in magic items. It makes the game a lot more fun. I think you need three things two make this happen. First a whole bunch of unique and untemplated magic items, like AD&D, or maybe the Warehouse 23 basement page (which appears to be offline at the moment).

The second thing you need is an agreement that the players don't look at the magic item list. Obviously this won't work in every group, especially those with multiple DMs.

Third, you need magic items to be figured out during play, no identify spells, no just handing over the item description.

This is how we did it back in the day with AD&D, and it's certainly the most fun I've had with magic items.

 

[Aramax]

I definitely would like more mystery in magic items. It makes the game a lot more fun. I think you need three things two make this happen. First a whole bunch of unique and untemplated magic items, like AD&D, or maybe the Warehouse 23 basement page (which appears to be offline at the moment).

The second thing you need is an agreement that the players don't look at the magic item list. Obviously this won't work in every group, especially those with multiple DMs.

Third, you need magic items to be figured out during play, no identify spells, no just handing over the item description.

This is how we did it back in the day with AD&D, and it's certainly the most fun I've had with magic items.

I agree w/most of this but as a DM my old grognard brain always forgets what an item does when I dont tell the player right away....but yours would be a perfict world!

 

[Spinachcat]

I have never found TSR or WotC magic items to be "magical" enough for my tastes. The problem is as soon as you know everything an item can do, then it ceases to be magical and just another tool.

Though the best D&D magic item chart was in the Diablo supplement. That was seriously awesome and I've used it every since.