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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mannahnin" data-source="post: 9681050" data-attributes="member: 7026594">Well, leaving aside for a moment the extent to which the purpose of forums like this is for the enjoyment of nerd musings ( <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> ), whether they cast spells in a D&D sense kind of matters, because of the exact points you're making about the more <a href="https://alasnotme.blogspot.com/2015/12/for-this-is-what-your-people-would-call.html" target="_blank">subtle nature of magic in Tolkien</a>.As contrasted to, say, the more mechanistic magic we characteristically see in Vance.  Yes, of course, D&D obsesses with categorization and rationalization and defining clear distinctions and statistics for bogies and elves and all kinds of mysterious entities and phenomena which defy such clear categorization in real world myths and legends, and it's important to distinguish D&D fiction from real-world folklore.  In my opinion it's still worthwhile to comprehend where it corresponds to or contradicts various inspirational fiction.Hmm. In the TSR editions, the rules for making magic items are mostly pretty abstract, but the details given (say, 1E DMG pages 116-118, or 2E p83-88) do involve sourcing strange materials, and for Clerics and Druids, praying and asking the favor and aid of divine beings.  And of course, the PCs involved are superhuman craftsmen by the time they get the ability to make such items.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f606.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":LOL:" title="Laugh    :LOL:"  data-smilie="17"data-shortname=":LOL:" />In 3.x and 4E, ingredients are largely abstracted to simple gold piece or residuum costs,  though the actual processes are laid out in clear and straightforward mechanics (for example, 3.5 DMG p241-247).  Making them generalized and reproducible. 3rd ed does include special material properties, like Adamantium weapons having an inherent +2 bonus, mithril armor counting as lighter in encumbrance and having a reduced spell failure chance, and darkwood items being masterwork, lighter, and less encumbering (3.5 DMG 242-243), as well.</blockquote>

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