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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ThirdWizard" data-source="post: 5527007" data-attributes="member: 12037">Keep in mind the reason that they changed this from 3e to 4e was that effects and raw pluses of items weren't equivalent, but were treated as equivalent for magic item creation. So your +1 flaming, frost, shock weapon was worth the same as a +4 weapon, but did considerably more damage (and you'd just cast greater magic weapon on it at the start of the day). So, 4e went away from the equivalents. So in 4e you get a certain plus at certain levels and powers vary within said level range. This creates a consistency of power both for expected bonuses and expected powers. If you change either, you might throw off the other one. You don't want a level 7 sword, for example, that has only a +1 to hit because that's what some formula said. Everything has to be looked at individually.Having said that, I'm a big fan of custom magic items. One of the weapons I gave out in my last game was a +4 Jagged Vicious Executioner Axe. Instead of calculating costs, what I did was add a penalty, making it slightly cursed. So, two things make the weapon dangerous: 1) when the wielder becomes bloodied, they take ongoing 5 damage that cannot be prevented and 2) enemies score critical hits on 19-20 against the wielder. I like dangerous items like that, which tempt the character into using them. The axe also fit, in this case, the barbarian's wild nature and habit of accelerating combat, in either direction. It worked really well and was a memorable weapon.Another item I put out there was a mannequin. Once per year, two items could be placed on the mannequin in the same slot. The first would disappear, then the second would absorb the powers of the first, but whoever wore the item would lose a healing surge for the day. So the players could combine any two items they wanted, once, and suffer a minor generic consequence.Another interesting one I did was infusing the PCs' armor with Far Realm taint, giving them slightly increased powers with disturbing flavor. The cleric's armor would heal him, blood from his armor running into his own, but he became addicted to it (suffering penalties if he didn't use the ability early in the adventuring day), while the ranger would involuntarily steal healing magic for herself when bloodied, and the barbarian would shrug off enemy dominate effects, but his armor would dominate him instead.So, I'm a big fan of giving out power for a price. I don't know if it would work for ever group, and some players might balk at the idea of using any item with a curse on it, but in my experience, players eat that kind of stuff up. They just can't help themselves.</blockquote>

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