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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jmartkdr2" data-source="post: 8239086" data-attributes="member: 7017304">Here's a big change: a system for players to build 'signature items' for their character.For example: a fighter's primary weapon is a big part of the character - often telling you about their personality, history, and approach to life. It's an important symbol of who they are, and changing one's weapon is a major metaphor for a character undergoing a major change in themselves. That means that a narratively good choice of weapon need to flow from, and build onto,  the character's core concept. I'd like to be able to capture that in DnD, but the current rules do not support it at all. Having the dm pick what items you get creates a significant fail point - a weapon that's described in a way that clashes with you're own vision of the character can deflate what could have been a cool moment. Randomizing the item creates a lottery of usefulness - a technically good weapon that you don't have the specializations for (ie giving a greatweapon polearm master a magic shortsword) can be a half-reward: it's nice, but it's not something you'll actually get excited about. And needing to replace your weapon to get any improvement takes away any narrative weight to the gear - you shouldn't be relegating you're fathers' sword to a backup weapon (which is really just a cosmetic accessory in most games) after three levels, if the whole reason for adventuring was to get revenge on the man who killed your father - and any sort of 'upgrade your weapon' rules are homebrew or obscure (I think SKT has some runes that kinda do this, but that's a half-system.)All of these reasons are reasons why getting a magic weapon might be a "meh" moment, in a story-driven game. Magic items shouldn't be meh. What I'd like to see is a is a system where players can build a signature item that grows as the pc does, while fitting within some sort of balance structure. A good system wouldn't be limited to weapons, of course: a wizard's staff, a warlock's tome, a clerics armor, even a rogue's cloak should be an option - and not class-limited.</blockquote>

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