Magical Items in Fantasy Worlds
In every fantasy world there are powerful objects. Sometimes they are legendary weapons, bewitched utensils or even enchanted beads. Depending on the background of the story, the presence of magical objects in the plot will be something usual (as it happens in the Harry Potter universe) or be something really exceptional (as in Songs of Fire and Ice). That is why there are different categories for these objects and artifacts depending on their power and rarity. In the Treasures and Rewards Generator module you will find many randomly created magic items depending on their level. In other indirect modules such as the Random Shop Generator it is possible to find magic items if you select "Enchantment Shop" in Shop Types.
Levels of Magic Items in Role Playing Games
In Rolegenerator, and in most Epic Fantasy role-playing games, magic items are divided into five classes: Very Common, Common, Rare, Epic and Legendary.
1. The very common and common are trinkets, useful and artifacts intended to aid their possessor in simple tasks. as a rule they do not have much power, are easy to obtain and are not exorbitantly priced. For example, Harry Potter wands used to learn in magic school.
2. Rare magic items are related to powerful tools created for a specific purpose by a wizard with advanced knowledge in the field. For example, the cursed apple that poisoned Snow White, the sword used by Frodo in Lord of the Rings that lights up in the presence of orcs.
3. Epic items are very hard to find and possess exceptional magical abilities. Dr. Strange's cape that allows him to fly, Supernatural's "Colt" pistol that allows him to kill almost anything or Aladdin's magic carpet.
4. Finally, there are the legendary items. These are the most powerful and have a purpose that goes beyond the limits of any mortal. Unlike the previous ones, legendary items are not created by mere mortals, having a connotation always divine or immortal in their history. A single object of this type is enough to subjugate entire kingdoms, in addition to the fact that they are usually objects with a will of their own, capable of overpowering their bearers to fulfill their own desires. The best known is Sauron's "One Ring", but there are many more, such as Harry Potter's Elder Wand, the Gauntlet with the Infinity Gems, Constantine's Spear of Destiny, or the Mask from the movie "The Mask".
How are magic items created?
In modern fantasy, magical objects are created by sorcerers, witches, enchanting wizards, shamans or even deities. They all have in common that they are made for a specific purpose. If the will of the creator is very powerful, part of his spirit is impregnated in the object, so it acquires "own will" and will influence anyone who carries it, even taking control over it to fulfill the mission for which it was created.
Some magical objects are created from simple mundane objects, channeling energy from a specific source and giving it the desired shape. Other times they require rituals, divine favors or the joining of materials of different supernatural provenance. As a general rule, there must always be a receptacle and a source of energy that imbues the object to give it the magical property.
Differences with cursed or blessed items
Mundane items can be blessed by a deity (receiving some bonus or unique quality) or cursed by magical entities with sufficient power. These items may have a shorter durability than magical items, being useful until they serve their purpose or are used a number of times. In fantasy worlds it is very common for priests to bless the weapons of their companions in preparation for combat, but this does not make these weapons truly magical items. Similarly, a necromancer might curse a bow so that it misses all its shots while under his influence.