magic-item-creator

name: magic-item-creator description: > Create complete custom magic items for D&D 5e 2024, formatted to match the 2024 DMG style. Covers the eight standard categories (Armor, Weapons, Potions, Rings, Rods, Scrolls, Staves, Wands, Wondrous Items) at all five rarities (Common, Uncommon, Rare, Very Rare, Legendary). Each item gets a stat block with category / rarity / attunement / properties / charges plus lore and origin paragraph, 1–2 variants, and 2–3 plot hooks. Use on "crée un objet magique", "create a magic item", "épée magique custom", "magic weapon for level 5", "wand of X", "homebrew ring", "Uncommon potion", "Rare wondrous item", "custom legendary item", "fabrique-moi un objet magique", "potion custom", "objet merveilleux", "anneau magique homebrew", "+1 sword with a twist", "magic item with a story". Boundary: cursed flavor and minor sentience can be added as options to standard items, but full Sentient items, full Cursed items, and Artifacts (unique campaign-tier) are deferred to dedicated future skills. NOT for non-magical equipment, potion-as-spell-component crafting rules (use DMG crafting chapter), or monster stat blocks (use monster-creator). Targets 2024 rules only.

Magic Item Creator

Create publication-ready custom magic items for D&D 5e (2024 rules), formatted to match the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide style. The output is what a publisher's mechanical designer would deliver for a treasure entry, a supplement chapter, or an adventure's signature reward.

The skill is mechanical and narrative: balance discipline is non-negotiable, but an item without an origin, a journey, and a hook is just a number bonus.

Scope and Boundary

This skill covers the eight standard categories of D&D 5e 2024 magic items at all five rarities. Deferred categories will get their own skills when added:

For items that are flavored as cursed (e.g., a sword that occasionally whispers in the wielder's ear without imposing mechanical drawbacks), this skill handles them. For items where the curse is the central mechanic (removal challenge, save-or-stay-attuned, alignment shift), wait for a dedicated Cursed Items skill or run this skill and add the curse layer manually.

For artifacts (single-of-a-kind items central to a campaign — the One Ring, the Hand of Vecna), this skill produces the mechanical layer but defers the campaign-scaffolding layer (destruction quest, minor and major properties tied to identity, etc.) to a future Artifact skill.

Before You Begin

1. Identify the category. Which of the 8 standard categories does the item fall into? Load references/item-categories-2024.md for the conventions of each category.

2. Determine the rarity. Common, Uncommon, Rare, Very Rare, or Legendary. Anchor on the party tier that should access it:

   • Common: Tier 1 baseline, accessible early
   • Uncommon: Tier 1 late / Tier 2 standard
   • Rare: Tier 2 late / Tier 3 standard
   • Very Rare: Tier 3 late / Tier 4 standard
   • Legendary: Tier 4 capstone, unique-feeling Load references/rarity-and-attunement-guide.md for power-level expectations and reward cadence.

3. Decide attunement. Most powerful items require attunement (max 3 attuned per character). Common items rarely require it; Legendary items almost always do. Attunement prerequisites (class, alignment, ancestry, level, ability score) sharpen identity.

4. Identify the concept. What is this item about? Origin story, the function it serves at the table, the personality it brings to play. An item without a concept ends up as a number bonus with a name.

5. Identify campaign context. A standalone item or part of a series (matched pieces, set bonuses, themed collection)? An item tied to a specific faction, location, or NPC? Context informs the lore section and plot hooks.

If any of these is unclear from the brief, ask before designing.

The Six-Step Creation Workflow

Every item passes through these steps. Output assembles them into a DMG-style entry.

Step 1 — Concept and Identity

• Name. Distinctive, evocative, not generic. "Verglas, Shard of the Drowned Pact" beats "Frost Sword +2." Avoid noun-soup names. Pattern often is [Distinctive Single Word], [The Role / Origin Cue].
• One-line pitch. What is this item, in 15 words or fewer?
• Visual. 2–4 sentences of physical description. Concrete sensory details: material, color, scale, wear, sound, smell, weight. Avoid generic "ancient and glowing" descriptions.
• Identity hook. The one feature that makes this item itself and not interchangeable with another item of the same category and rarity.

Step 2 — Category and Mechanical Frame

• Category (1 of 8 — see Step 1 of Before You Begin).
• Sub-type within the category (longsword vs greataxe vs rapier; potion vs oil; wand vs staff).
• Rarity (Common / Uncommon / Rare / Very Rare / Legendary).
• Attunement (yes / no; prerequisite if yes).
• Slot (for wondrous items: head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, body, waist, feet, OR slotless for held / pocket items).

Match the mechanical frame to the lore. A Legendary helm should not behave like a Common cantrip-on-demand item. A Common potion should not deliver Rare-tier mechanical impact.

Step 3 — Mechanical Design

Build the mechanical body of the item. Load references/balance-and-power-budgets.md for the power budget per rarity and references/property-library.md for the recurring property patterns.

Core mechanical elements (mix as appropriate to category):

• Static bonuses (+1 / +2 / +3 to attack and damage; +X to AC; +X to specific saves)
• Ability score effects (set Strength to 21, advantage on Cha checks)
• Conditional triggers (when wielder is below half HP, when target has more HP than wielder, when in dim light)
• Charge-based effects (X charges per day, regain Y on dawn, expend N to cast spell Z at level W)
• Daily / per-rest uses (once per long rest, 3/day, recharge on dawn)
• Action economy (action / bonus action / reaction / no action)
• Spell-like abilities (cast specific spells from the item, with the item providing slots and DCs)
• Resistance / immunity / vulnerability
• Senses bestowed (darkvision, truesight, detect magic, see invisibility)
• Movement effects (fly speed, swim speed, climb speed, ignore difficult terrain)
• Defensive effects (advantage on saves vs certain types, proficiency in saves, expertise)
• Communication / metaphysical (telepathy, tongues, speak with X, planar awareness)

Design discipline:

• A Common item has one simple mechanical effect, often utility (a candle that doesn't go out, a cup that purifies water).
• An Uncommon item has one combat-relevant effect OR 2 utility effects.
• A Rare item has 2 notable effects OR 1 strong combat effect
  • lore-flavor minor effects.
• A Very Rare item has 2–3 notable effects, often including one signature ability.
• A Legendary item has 3–5 notable effects, with a signature identity-defining ability.

Don't pile mechanics on a low-rarity item to make it "interesting" — that's how power-creep happens.

Step 4 — Properties (DMG Format)

Format the mechanics into the DMG 2024 entry structure. Use this template:

Item Name
[Category, Rarity (Attunement requirement if any)]

[1-paragraph flavor lead, 2–4 sentences.]

[If charges:] The item has [X] charges and regains [Y] daily at [time].

[Property 1, named and described in 1–3 sentences.]
[Property 2, named and described.]
[Property 3...]

[If signature/major ability:] [Name (Recharges after [trigger]).]
[Description of the signature ability, 2–4 sentences.]

Each property gets a bold name in the final output (e.g., Frost Hunger, Coldsteel Edge, Drowned Pact). The names should reflect the item's identity, not be generic ("Magic Bonus", "Special Ability").

Step 5 — Lore and Origin

The narrative half. Cover, in this order:

• Maker. Who created the item? (Artificer-mage of a fallen order? Divine forge? Accidental fusion during a planar incursion? Monster-bound spirit? Cursed pact? Ancient ritual?) Be specific.
• Origin Story. The circumstances of creation. 2–4 sentences.
• Journey. What has happened to the item since? (Passed through three owners; lost in a battle; sealed in a tomb; smuggled across borders; inherited.) 1–3 sentences.
• Current State. Where is the item now, and what condition is it in? (Intact in a vault; damaged and dormant; partial — half of a paired set; drained of charges and awakening; bound to a guardian.)
• Cultural Significance. Who knows of this item and what do they believe about it? (Forgotten by all; legend among a specific faction; actively sought by a sect; mistaken for something else.)

Load references/lore-and-hook-templates.md for category templates (divine forge, monster-bound, accidental creation, etc.) and the journey pattern catalog.

Step 6 — Variants and Plot Hooks

Variants (1–2): Alternative forms of the same item that share the mechanical frame with tweaks.

• Functional variants (this item exists in matched pairs, with the paired item having complementary properties)
• Tier variants (a Common cousin, an Uncommon sibling, a Rare ancestor)
• Cultural variants (the same item as made by different cultures, with cosmetic and minor mechanical differences)

Each variant: 1-paragraph description + a property delta.

Plot Hooks (2–3): Stories that put the item into a campaign. Each hook is one to three sentences and answers: who has it now, who wants it, what's at stake.

Cover variety:

• A bounty or recovery hook (someone wants the item retrieved)
• A maker-tied hook (the maker or the maker's faction has unfinished business with the item)
• A rival-claim hook (multiple parties want the item)
• An item-demands-something hook (the item itself imposes a cost or task on the wielder)
• An item-attracts-trouble hook (carrying the item draws specific threats)

Hooks should make the item usable across campaign types, not just "loot it from a boss."

Output Format

Assemble all six steps into a single document formatted like a DMG 2024 entry. Use this structure:

# [Item Name]

*[One-line pitch in italics.]*

[Visual description, 2–4 sentences, read-aloud-able prose.]

## Mechanical Entry

> **[Item Name]**
> *[Category], [Rarity] (Requires Attunement [by X])*
>
> [Flavor lead, 2–4 sentences integrated into mechanics.]
>
> [If charges:] The [item] has [X] charges and regains [Y] expended
> charges daily at [time].
>
> ***[Property 1 Name].*** [Description.]
>
> ***[Property 2 Name].*** [Description.]
>
> ***[Signature Ability Name] (Recharges after [trigger]).*** [Description.]

## Origin and Lore

### Maker
[Paragraph.]

### Origin
[Paragraph.]

### Journey
[Paragraph.]

### Current State
[Paragraph.]

### Cultural Significance
[Paragraph.]

## Variants

**[Variant Name].** [Description and property delta.]

[Optional second variant.]

## Plot Hooks

1. **[Hook Title].** [1–3 sentences.]
2. **[Hook Title].** [1–3 sentences.]
3. [Optional 3rd hook.]

Language: Match the language of the user's brief. If the brief is in French, write the entire entry in French (including stat block labels: Arme, peu commun (harmonisation requise) instead of Weapon, Uncommon (Requires Attunement)). See references/item-categories-2024.md for FR vocabulary.

Tone: DMG professional. Evocative but precise. Names and properties should reflect identity, not generic fantasy. Avoid purple prose; favor concrete sensory detail and specific mechanical effect.

Tier-Specific Adjustments

Common (Tier 1 baseline)

• One simple mechanical effect, often utility (light at will, candle burns underwater, mug refills with chosen beverage once per day)
• Attunement: usually no
• Lore section: shorter, 2–3 paragraphs total
• Variants: optional, often a single one
• Plot hooks: 1–2 sufficient

Uncommon (Tier 1 late / Tier 2 standard)

• One combat-relevant effect OR 2 utility effects
• Attunement: sometimes (50/50 ratio)
• Lore section: standard, 3–4 paragraphs
• Variants: 1 standard
• Plot hooks: 2 sufficient

Rare (Tier 2 late / Tier 3 standard)

• 2 notable effects OR 1 strong combat effect + flavor minors
• Attunement: usually yes
• Lore section: full, 4–5 paragraphs
• Variants: 1–2
• Plot hooks: 2–3

Very Rare (Tier 3 late / Tier 4 standard)

• 2–3 notable effects, often with a signature ability on Recharge
• Attunement: yes, often with prerequisite
• Lore section: full + cultural significance
• Variants: 2 (often a matched pair)
• Plot hooks: 3

Legendary (Tier 4 capstone)

• 3–5 notable effects with identity-defining signature ability
• Attunement: yes, usually with specific prerequisite
• Lore section: full, with deeper history and cosmic-tier significance where appropriate
• Variants: 2 (paired set or paired forms)
• Plot hooks: 3+ campaign-scale

Interaction with Other Skills

• Item is tied to a specific NPC (made by, owned by, sought by) → run npc-creator for the persona; reference in lore section.
• Item is tied to a faction (the holy order's relic, the cult's weapon, the guild's signet) → run faction-creator for the organization; reference in lore.
• Item is housed in a settlement / dungeon (the temple vault, the collapsed forge, the noble's manor) → run settlement-toolkit-creator for the place.
• Item appears in a scenario as a reward, a quest target, or a central object → run scenario-writer; pass this item as a key treasure or McGuffin.
• Item is wielded by a monster (the dragon's hoard sword, the lich's staff) → run monster-creator for the wielder; reference this item in the wielder's stat block under treasure.
• Originality check (is my "Sword of Truth" too cliché?) → run ttrpg-cliche-buster on the item concept before designing.
• Read-aloud for discovery scene → run read-aloud-crafter on the moment the party finds the item.
• Pre-publication review (this item is going into a supplement) → run ttrpg-supplement-reviewer after designing for editorial validation.

Edge Cases

Cursed flavor (not full curse): A sword that whispers without imposing mechanical penalties; armor that bleeds slightly when worn but doesn't damage the wearer. This skill handles cursed flavor in the lore and visual sections. If the curse needs full mechanical implementation (alignment shift, can't be removed without ritual), defer to a future Cursed Items skill or layer the mechanics manually.

Item with minor sentience: An item that occasionally speaks one word, that pulses warmer near specific creatures, that prefers certain wielders. Minor sentience is a flavor layer this skill handles. Full sentient items (personality, goals, alignment conflict, control challenge) defer to a future Sentient Items skill.

Item that's actually a kit / set: A matched pair (sword + sheath, amulet + ring) or a themed collection (the Five Reliquaries) — each piece is a separate item. Build each piece via this skill and define the set bonus (what happens when all are attuned simultaneously) in the variants section of the most-important piece.

Item for adult content: Standard 5e mechanics produce SFW output by default. Adult-themed flavor (sensual properties, intimate contexts) can be layered via Fantasy Vixens-specific skills after this skill produces the mechanical baseline.

Brief is vague ("I need a magic sword"): Ask for: target rarity, attunement preference, theme/flavor, intended owner / party tier. Without these, the design becomes generic.

Brief asks for "the same as [DMG item] but X": Don't reproduce copyrighted entries. Build from scratch with the requested twist as the differentiator. Cite the inspiration publicly only if the user is creating non-published / personal content.

Brief asks for an artifact: The skill produces standard items. Artifacts (one-of-a-kind, campaign-defining items with minor + major + destruction property structure) are deferred to a future skill. Either reframe as Legendary, or wait for the Artifact skill.

Reference Files

Load these as needed — not all at once.

• references/rarity-and-attunement-guide.md — The 5 rarity tiers with power-level expectations, gold price ranges (DMG 2024), reward cadence by tier, attunement rules, attunement-prerequisite patterns, slot rules for wondrous items.
• references/item-categories-2024.md — The 8 standard categories detailed: Armor, Weapons, Potions, Rings, Rods, Scrolls, Staves, Wands, Wondrous Items. For each: format conventions, naming patterns, sub-types, balance considerations, common pitfalls. Includes FR vocabulary for stat-block labels.
• references/property-library.md — Library of recurring magic-item property patterns: bonus types, conditional triggers, charge mechanics, spell-like abilities, resistance grants, sense grants, movement grants, action-economy options.
• references/balance-and-power-budgets.md — Power budgets by rarity (how many effects, what magnitude). Calibration by tier. Cap guidelines (items per PC by tier). Comparative examples (when is +1 vs +2 vs +3 appropriate; how Belt of Hill Giant Strength is balanced vs Belt of Storm Giant).
• references/lore-and-hook-templates.md — Maker categories (divine forge, monster-bound, accidental creation, etc.), journey patterns (passed down, lost-and-recovered, etc.), current-state options (intact, damaged, drained, awakening), and a hook library (bounty, maker-tied, rival-claim, item-demands, attracts-trouble) with examples by rarity tier.