Magic Item Creation - Forging Legendary Power

Excalibur. The One Ring of Power. Merlin’s Staff. Gandalf’s sword Glamdring. The Spear of Destiny. All names for objects of legend. Objects of power. To speak the name of one of these items is to evoke images of great deeds done, of dragons, of heroism and of terrible villainy. The true power of magic items comes not from their ability to work miracles but from their ability to evoke wonder in all of us.

It is no wonder, then, that magic items continue to dominate the imaginations of both fantasy readers and, more importantly, fantasy gamers. Who among us does not remember the first time their character, at the successful conclusion of a hard fought adventure, lifted a new sword and pulled it, glittering and smoking in the dim light, from its bejeweled sheath? Who among us does not recall with fondness the first time their wizard pointed a staff, uttered a few cryptic phrases and caused the world to erupt in fire? And who among us, for that matter, does not feel a sudden thrill each and every time a simple detect magic spell wreathes the treasury in cold, blue possibility?

Yes, magical items have a long and storied and wondrous history in fantasy gaming and the future holds limitless possibility, particularly now that d20 gives us rules that allow our characters to construct their own items of power.

This book, the Encyclopaedia Arcana Magic Items is dedicated to the expansion and exploration of all the possibilities of magic items in fantasy role playing. Within these pages, you will find many new options to take the magic items of your characters and your campaigns to the next level. There are new powers, new feats and even a few new prestige classes, all focused on the use and creation of magic items. There are rules for expanding the role of intelligent magic items and for placing unique qualities and drawbacks in your magic items. Most importantly, there is a new system, the Mythic System, which supplements the basic rules for creating magical items and allows you to forge items of power in a way which is more in line with the stories and legends of old. With the Mythic System, when you want to create a flaming sword, it matters less that you know how to cast burning hands then it does that you know where to go to pluck a tail feather from the phoenix. With the Mythic System, your swordsmen and rogues will be able to take a more direct hand in constructing what will be their most prized possessions, giving them a greater sense of ownership and accomplishment.

No two magic items should ever be the same and thanks to this book, and to your imagination, they never will be again.

Magic Items is the latest in Mongoose Publishing’s long Encyclopaedia Arcana line, presenting a new look at one of the most critical components of any fantasy game, the magic item. Designed to be slotted seamlessly into any fantasy-based D20 system, these sourcebooks enhance and expand every element of arcane magic, adding a whole new dimension to your campaigns. Each book of the Encyclopaedia Arcana line is not just intended for the Game Master to enhance his campaign, however. Players themselves will find full details on how to use the new magic systems with new or existing characters, greatly increasing the wealth of options they are presented with in the Core Rulebooks.