Creating magic items and the flavour text

[Prism]

Our 4e group has just leveled up to 5th and the wizard has learnt the enchant magic item ritual which pretty much lets you within 1 hour create any magic item assuming you have a normal version with you

I'm interested to know if you are following or ignoring the flavour text? A few examples would Dwarven Armour 'crafted by the finest dwarf armorsmiths' or maybe Tombforged Armour constructed from the link of chain from a 100 years dead hero? Would you play that you can create both of those with the ritual without having the flavour components?

Or how about elven boots? Does a basilisk helm really look like a basilisk? Can you only enchant a helm that already looks like a basilisk? Or does the ritual make it look that way? Or not? Maybe it doesn't matter

We have tentatively agreed (I think) that we should try and put some effort into finding/making/buying the right components before using the ritual as long as it doesn't derail the campaign

 

[Asmor]

The flavor text is just an example. Hell, for that matter, the name itself is just flavor text. Armor's armor. It's not like the tombforged armor your wizard enchanted has "Tombforged Armor, copyright 354 DE Anagorius Magnuff" stamped on the inside of the neck.

The wizard makes armor with the same abilities as tombforged armor. Heck, maybe he even copied the original enchantment from an actual set of tombforged armor. But it's still just a set of armor with some magical properties that happen to be the same as some other magical armor.

 

[El Mahdi]

We have tentatively agreed (I think) that we should try and put some effort into finding/making/buying the right components before using the ritual as long as it doesn't derail the campaign

I like this^. Finding materials and info for the items can be an adventure in itself. And doing it as long as it doesn't derail the campaign is excellent. Sounds to me that you and your group are adding something that sounds fun and interesting to all of you, without doing it to the point where it isn't fun anymore. Rock on.

 

[S'mon]

Is the flavour text supposed to be a mechanical limitation, or not?

 

[Starbuck_II]

Is the flavour text supposed to be a mechanical limitation, or not?

I don't think it is but it became so since 2.0.

In 3.5, Look at the Paladin (same deal in 2.0). Mechnical limitation from flavor. Same deal with Monk.

Strangely, it always the weak classes get limited. I'll admit Druids do have no wear metal armor, but with Wild Shape they don't need it.

Magic Items I'll note never had that issue largely.

4th edition has done its best to seperate mechanics from flavor (I'm so happy with the change to the Pally).
But those who came from before will undenyingly want to bring back the limitations.

 

[Prism]

Is the flavour text supposed to be a mechanical limitation, or not?

No. I think it boils down to whether its more interesting to use the flavour text, create your own, or not bother at all

 

[Victim]

I'd probably assume that the Enchant Item is the quick and dirty way to make something. The caster takes a big supply magical power in the form of residium, some templates for construction (the ritual book stuff) and an item, bangs them together, and gets his magic item in 10 minutes.

Using a lot time, funky components, etc is how to make magic stuff when you don't have a big power sources that you want to use up.

 

[evilgamer13]

I personally prefer the odd component (not the same thing as expensive) restriction... first it keeps magic item's from being a dime a dozen (thirteen actually because to make them sell it has to be the bakers dozen), secondly as was already mentioned it can become an adventure in it's self or allow for reasonably motivations for tower wizard sponsors and at the high levels you can always pay some young wiper snappers to get the crap for you, third I think it helps ad a certain amount of both flavor and mystique.