Making Magic Items

Creating new magic items is easy. Would one of your players like something specific for their character? Do you just want to make something new and fun? Go for it. Magic items are an exercise in creativity more than anything else. Ignore balance and write something cool. (Seriously, don't waste time worrying about whether an item will be overpowered or game-breaking. That's not actually an issue and if you do run into a problem, talk to your friends and sort it out like adults.)

Magic items all have three basic parts: What it is, what it does, and a name.

What it is

The physical description of the item. The materials, quality and workmanship, design, decorative features, and what type of object it is (a hat, weapon, scepter, etc).

There are endless options here. Literally. The only limit on what form an item takes is your imagination.

A few considerations while writing:

• Do you want it to be flashy and ostentatious or misleadingly mundane-looking? Some magic items obviously look magic, ornate and impressive in a form of arcane aposematism, but simple enchanted items are a staple of folklore and fairy tales. A worn cloak, old boots, a simple wooden staff, or bone flute; things that don't look impressive but are powerful nonetheless.
• Do you want it to be thematically appropriate? Since the item can be made of any material and crafted in any shape, do you want it to have symbolic references to what it does worked into the design? Puns or ironic references too. Shoes of Waterwalking that are cement clogs would be hilarious and you know it.
• Do you want form to be related to function? What the item is doesn't have to reflect what it does at all. This is related to how much symbolism is in an item, but more prosaic. It's the choice between earrings that let you eavesdrop, a drinking glass that does the same thing when its mouth is pressed to a solid surface, or a silk shirt with a gaudy ear pattern that lets you hear better. They all technically do the same thing, and all have related symbolism, but are each increasingly removed from the actual ears they augment. This is magic, form doesn't have to follow function if you don't want it to.

The description is the most important of the three parts because it's what makes the item memorable. With the description to bring it to life it's a magical item of power. Without that description to highlight it in the player's minds it's just another line on the character sheet and might as well be a feat instead of a distinct object existing on its own.

What it does

The item's power and anything special it grants the user. Also curses.

Magic items have traditionally been a form of horizontal character advancement and growth. A way for characters to gain abilities that are unrelated to their classes, like a feat but transferable to whoever holds the item (unless it's cursed). Also a way for characters to get better at what they already do of course, but the weird abilities are more fun.

Some considerations:

• How strong is it? Is this the magical equivalent of a disposable lighter, useful in several small ways but mostly a convenience, or is it a significant and extremely potent object? This isn't a question of whether the item is overpowered, it's the decision of where it lies along the spectrum of "trinket" to "reality-ending folly."
• Are there any requirements or consequences to using it? You might want to make it consumable or only usable at certain times or under specific conditions. Maybe there's a terrible side effect or cumulative cost. If you add restrictions do it in a way that enhances the flavor of the item. That makes it feel more like a real, organic creation than if you only try to constrain it out of fear that it's OP.
• How closely does it interact with the rules of the game? Do you want the item to do something directly related to the rules like giving bonuses to rolls or extra attacks in combat, or do you want its powers to be more freeform and able to be used creatively. Where does it fall on the scale from a +1 sword (rule-affecting) to spiderclimb boots (freeform)?

A name

A distinctive name is almost as important as a good description. You want the magic item to be special and stand out from the character's mundane equipment, and a name that sparks the players' imaginations will do that. Your players don't need to know the name as soon as they find the item, but you should know it and they should find out eventually.

Some considerations:

• How much do you want the name to reveal about the item? You could choose a descriptive name like the classic [Item] of [Effect] formula that reveals its function or be more circumspect. Give a name that describes the physical properties of the item or is an oblique reference to what it does. What are Moonsilk Gloves? Who knows! Your players will want to find out though. (They let the wearer phase their hands through solid objects and are invisible except under moonlight. You don't want to meet the spiders the silk comes from or the witches who knit it.)
• How much does the name reveal about the game's world? Names referring to an item's place of origin, past owners, and notable events they were involved in (ex: dragonslaying) reveal as much about the setting as they do about the item itself.
• How much do you want to reference real-world mythology? Including items from or inspired by mythology is an RPG staple, but think carefully about how common you make them and how you present them. Are they the literal tools and gifts of the gods lying around in the mortal realm? Is it just a name that a mortal creator bestowed on the item because they were feeling inspired? A coincidence? There are plenty of ways to work mythology in. (I like the idea of an Excalibur that has nothing to do with kingship and whose only special ability is that it always cuts cheese into exactly equal portions.)

That's all there is to making magic items. Be creative, write something you think would be fun, and run with it. I believe in you.