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<blockquote data-quote="Stormonu" data-source="post: 9316257" data-attributes="member: 52734">With 5E no longer being dependent on the Christmas Tree, I no long have just generic +X weapons.&nbsp;&nbsp; They will always get a perk and possibly a flaw to make them unique.For example, a Flamberge (longsword) +1 named The Pride of Kas.&nbsp; When held aloft, streams of blood seem to be drawn into the blade and the murmurs of praise can be heard fleetingly in its owner's ear.Mechanically, it's just a +1 weapon, but with my playstyle I get to have a lot of RP fun with the wielder.&nbsp; I can use the murmurs to pass secret information or try to goad the player.&nbsp; Perhaps based on the foes the wielder faces, the streams of blood might strengthen or change color.&nbsp;&nbsp; Maybe, in the presence of undead the blood turns black, for example.&nbsp; In the presence of an enemy wizard, the streams might glow brightly &quot;in anger&quot;.I sometimes also do this to other items as well.------Which brings up another point.&nbsp; Invariably, someone starts arguing for &quot;mass-produced&quot; magical items, and I have come up with an argument against such a thing.&nbsp; For one, most of the guilds and mages are rarely open about the secrets of creation to those things that make them money.&nbsp;&nbsp; Guilds often swear apprentices to secrecy not to reveal the tricks of their trade and any training manuals tends to be written in code.&nbsp; Some use geas or other magics to enforce such oaths, and the more powerful ones aren't afraid to higher assassins, thugs, bounty hunters or extraplanar creatures to enforce their secrecy or hunt down rivals or renegades.&nbsp; Some have the ears of Kings and the likes through patents contracts or even magical bindings, legally allowing them to quash others from engaging in competitive trade.&nbsp;&nbsp; Likewise, wizards and other spellcasters are loathe to divulge the secrets of their trade, especially should the be used against them.&nbsp;&nbsp; Religions frown on sharing mystical secrets or relics with those not of the congregation and have been known to brand those who disobey as heritics, pariahs or worse.&nbsp; Some factions even restrict the creation of items to particular ranks, locations or methods, frowning on or admonishing those unwilling to follow tradition.Lastly, there is the items themselves.&nbsp; There's limited ability to mass-produce items of even regular quality.&nbsp; Most of the people in my campaign world look down on mass-produced items as &quot;junk&quot; or vastly inferior to hand-crafted items.&nbsp; This is backed up by the fact that mass-produced items have no &quot;soul&quot; to them, and enchantments fail to simply bond with them.&nbsp; Mass-produced items simply cannot be enchanted; only one that is hand-made that the artisan has poured their attention (their &quot;soul&quot;) into it are capable of being enchanted.As always, PCs tend to be exceptions - but they very well may be fighting against bureaucracy, tradition or prejudices if they try to distribute (or acquire) items of power through illegal means.&nbsp;&nbsp; In short, it can be used as fodder for an adventure and keep the PCs from blowing up the economy with their antics.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Stormonu, post: 9316257, member: 52734"] With 5E no longer being dependent on the Christmas Tree, I no long have just generic +X weapons. They will always get a perk and possibly a flaw to make them unique. For example, a Flamberge (longsword) +1 named [I]The Pride of Kas[/I]. When held aloft, streams of blood seem to be drawn into the blade and the murmurs of praise can be heard fleetingly in its owner's ear. Mechanically, it's just a +1 weapon, but with my playstyle I get to have a lot of RP fun with the wielder. I can use the murmurs to pass secret information or try to goad the player. Perhaps based on the foes the wielder faces, the streams of blood might strengthen or change color. Maybe, in the presence of undead the blood turns black, for example. In the presence of an enemy wizard, the streams might glow brightly "in anger". I sometimes also do this to other items as well. ------ Which brings up another point. Invariably, someone starts arguing for "mass-produced" magical items, and I have come up with an argument against such a thing. For one, most of the guilds and mages are rarely open about the secrets of creation to those things that make them money. Guilds often swear apprentices to secrecy not to reveal the tricks of their trade and any training manuals tends to be written in code. Some use [I]geas[/I] or other magics to enforce such oaths, and the more powerful ones aren't afraid to higher assassins, thugs, bounty hunters or extraplanar creatures to enforce their secrecy or hunt down rivals or renegades. Some have the ears of Kings and the likes through patents contracts or even magical bindings, legally allowing them to quash others from engaging in competitive trade. Likewise, wizards and other spellcasters are loathe to divulge the secrets of their trade, especially should the be used against them. Religions frown on sharing mystical secrets or relics with those not of the congregation and have been known to brand those who disobey as heritics, pariahs or worse. Some factions even restrict the creation of items to particular ranks, locations or methods, frowning on or admonishing those unwilling to follow tradition. Lastly, there is the items themselves. There's limited ability to mass-produce items of even regular quality. Most of the people in my campaign world look down on mass-produced items as "junk" or vastly inferior to hand-crafted items. This is backed up by the fact that mass-produced items have no "soul" to them, and enchantments fail to simply bond with them. Mass-produced items simply cannot be enchanted; only one that is hand-made that the artisan has poured their attention (their "soul") into it are capable of being enchanted. As always, PCs tend to be exceptions - but they very well may be fighting against bureaucracy, tradition or prejudices if they try to distribute (or acquire) items of power through illegal means. In short, it can be used as fodder for an adventure and keep the PCs from blowing up the economy with their antics. [/QUOTE]

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