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Message: <blockquote data-quote="random user" data-source="post: 1759452" data-attributes="member: 16581">Worlds of Warcraft (the MMORPG) uses a concept called "bind on equip."  What that means is that a magic item can be traded around freely as long as it's not used.  Once it's used by a person, however, that item only works for that person and can't be traded around anymore.This poses interesting economic ripples, which, because this is a D&D forum, I won't go into.However, I think that is an interesting concept, and while I didn't intentionally theft the idea, a couple sessions ago I did something very similar for one of my characters...About 700 years ago, a singularly gifted elf was able to craft several special magic items.  Each of these items were standard low level items (+1 shield, +1 morningstar etc) with the exception that he was able to attune them via a special magical ritual to a person.  Once attuned, the person would bring out other properties in the item (could be anything from an additional +1 to flaming burst etc etc), but in the hands of anyone not attuned it would simply be a +1 item.In something that is much too complicated to need to explain here, one of my characters became attuned to a set of weapons.  In his hands they are pretty cool, much cooler than they would be in for any other party member or any other person in general.But this got me to thinking... One of the most common complaints I hear about magic items (from DM's) is that they are too common and ruin the economy and are unrealistic.  So what about a system where all (or almost all) magic items are bound to a person.An example would be:Character A finds a magical star ruby in a dungeon.  (The particulars of how these magically imbued gems exist can be explained in any number of ways.)  He knows that this star ruby can be used in a ritual to attune his essence and the gems essence into a sword to make it a +1 sword.So he acquires a masterwork longsword, and finds someone who can perform the ritual on him.  During this ritual, the magical star ruby is consumed, as is a bit of his own essence (but not enough to cause harm to the character).  The sword has been imbued with magic to make it a +1 sword for him.  In anyone else's hands, it's still just a masterwork longsword.Now this changes the economy a lot since you can't get half price of the magic item when you sell it -- it's just a normal item.  This also causes each item to be more special, especially if you tailor the magic to the player (for example, you can say that the resultant magic is not always predictable, so in addition to a +1 bonus, the paranoid rogue who enchants his sword also gets a +4 bonus to spot and listen checks, etc etc).It can also make for interesting plot devices.  Let's say a character wants a carpet of flying.  The only way to get one would be to get "the feather of a giant eagle" and "an essence of a vampire" and then perform a ritual with someone who knows the ritual.  It would require a "fine, hand-crafted rug made with lambswool."  Each of these items (and finding the person who can perform the ritual) may be an adventure in itself.  It would also explain why there aren't 10000 carpet of flyings in the world.  And once created, only the person who was in the ritual can make it fly -- to everyone else it's just an expensive rug -- and when the person dies, so does the magic item essentially.This causes other interesting ripples.  For example, you can equip villains with magic items and not worry about the players getting them.  There is no incentive for NPCs or PCs to ambush people just to get items from them.  Instead, they may be kidnapped and coerced into using their magic items.  It also explains (since magic items are rarely destroyed in most universes) while there isn't a massive number of magic items that exist.Anyways, I haven't really thought this all through.  But I figured it might be an interesting thought for people to chew on and discuss.  I'm sure there are disadvantages to this system as well.  I'd be interested in hearing people's comments, and whether there is any system like this that already exists and that people may be using.</blockquote>

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