I’ve often found the idea of a magic shop in D&D to be kind of silly. For one, I don’t see a wise lord allowing such easy access to magical trinkets within his realm. And second, someone that is powerful enough to create magic items or horde them is likely to be on the lord’s staff or be the lord themself.

While I at first scoffed at the idea of a magic wish list given by the players, having long experienced that as a GM-only area, it does seem to make items more level appropriate and useful to the party. And just because it appears on a wish list, doesn’t mean that the players are guaranteed to get it.

One thing I might add, however, is that it seems more logical to insert the magic items into the hands of the opposition when the encounter is created (perhaps most GMs are doing this). To find a magical sword after the encounter is over, and not have seen an intelligent opponent using it against the PCs, just seems rather lame to me. Non-intelligent creatures are another matter entirely.

Either way, I’ve been told I’m a little stingy with the awarding of magic items. Perhaps a wish list will lower my worry of handing out the wrong thing and unbalancing a campaign. That’s probably why I’ve been more stingy about the magic items in the past.

It’s a different take, embracing a “wish fulfilled” instead of “wish list” at its core. He takes advantage of moving treasure out of the GM’s hands to take another swing at wealth.

Key items grow in power, just as the player characters do. I refer to the process as “Awesomosis”: Over time, the character’s awesomeness rubs off on the item. So a character’s regular mithril chainmail may develop a +1 Parry or Toughness modifier.

There are no specific mechanics other than listening to the players and occasionally asking them what they’d like. It also helps that most other magic items in the game are expendable (potions, scrolls, etc).

The wish list idea, to be a little more specific, is to pick out specific items appropriate to your level as defined in the Magic Item Compendium (or PH for 4e). So it’s not “invent anything you want”, it’s “pick an appropriate item from the list that excites you”. Does that make it sound more reasonable?

@Lychess – Unusual items are tricky– they don’t make sense in most hordes. Your “charm” idea looks like a nice work around to the problem.

Instead of random failure chances though, I assigned a skill DC for charm removal and attachment. Crafting skills and local artisans took on new meaning.

This is a must-use idea. My current 12th level is still swinging a +1 weapon, because I can’t find a freaking Guisarm! Argh!

I don’t trust players to make up a wish list, sorry. I’ve seen too many players trying to dream up new items, like the +20 vorpal sunsword axe of frost power drain and spell storing. With a good character questionaire regarding where they want to take the character in the future, a GM can easily place in the character’s path something unique, with a twist or two, that complements the character in a way the player does not expect.

I once gave a monk character an “unknown” magic staff. The first time he used it to pull a team mate from a quick-sand bog, and the other character was healed of 3D8 hit points as a result, the look on the players’ faces was priceless.

I’ve also created a number of items designed to take a character out of the game, in case of desertions or lousy team work (I’m a bad bad boy). One cleric took off to parts unknown to search for a rumored holy item, a bard became obsessed with a “perfect” song score, and a fighter was left in the middle of a field to fight imaginary enemies.

Your mileage may vary.