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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Zelda Themelin" data-source="post: 5829302" data-attributes="member: 167">I like mostly story related items. Or items that fit my character's style. Or in some cases I am interested about bonuses they grant to me, if game is very combat focused. Then I like calculted my every coin. If game is more plot-drawn marking all crap on my character sheet feels like wasted time.I also like to hang unto "legendary items", some great-great-dad weapon or other background item, thta reveals new more powerful abilities, but not level balanced ways, but when it fits the timing best. And some leveling with me items worked as well to be interesting. I was also exited when I managed with friend caster craft something unusual to give one npc-kid for protection. I like giving real-world chrismas presents. But I am one of thoe person who is very careful to give person what he/she could want. Maybe I work little similary when I play, I sometimes don't care  for treasure except in sense of "gearing" and not even that. I often thought that playing forsaker in 3.x would have fitted my style fine.I use to like magic items more, like times of 1st edition/somewhat to 2nd edition AD&D, I also liked Talislanta items, ever since they have progressed to works as spell status. Magic shops are not problem, the problem is that items were simplified, streamlined and mythos was elminated from artifacts. And when custom-items won't wow players, it is probably since they don't fit the character or are simply too lame. People like power. When item can do something awesome that character's can't. And when that ability becomes useful. And single use scrolls can be "wow" when used at right time, but they are easilty forgotten into gear list.When you custom make items, if you want to wow your players you have to know them.  Do your research, like I do with RL christmas presents. Intelligent items are funny if you bother to roleplay them. Cursed intelligent items with useful abilites are good, becaue if players hate it they have to do something to get rid of it. Maybe quest that item's counterpart or something. Think Stormbringer/Mournblade synergy. Those are from Elric books by Michel Moorcock, but just an example.If you play 3.5 get rid of +stat/dmg items as they would be magical. Go for rare materials that give those bonuses. Make it more like technology/crafter skill thing. And leave magic for actually magical things. Very idea of combining multiple +1 and +2 items to give you remarable AC is really rather lame. I would rather give some legendary +10 thing and not let crap enchant the crap. Rules let that happen and it cheapens the feeling.So I become this unhittable monster with enough minor buffs. Yay me.Generally if gm creates custom items same way most of 3rd party published did, following rules set at basic set, you end up with similar boring thing. Or item has really legendary story and then it's really crappy according to rules, or story is something not so impressive and item is way-too-good. So when "fluff" doesn't tell how it is. It's bit like real world presents. If person guesses right what you like, and you didn't even know about that thing, it's awesome. If it's something you kinda intended to buy anyhow, it nice but, bit "so what". If it's something you coudn't offer to buy it's "wow" and "isn't this bit too much moment": And if you got something you are going to give away/toss into garbage bin/throw at bottom of your closet and forget about it, you might pretend some "thanks moment" and feel really lukewarm about it.Finding treasure items rather than hard cash, is bit like that in D&D imo. Same for stories in games, sometimes they strike my fancy and somethings they are "yawn":</blockquote>

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