Here’s an item folks in my PbP campaign just encountered. In general, I’m trying to go for a kind of low-magic feel to a lot of my “magic items”, enhancing some aspect of their natural usage and providing some kind of additional flavor-based benefit that makes the item fit into the world. The item below I particularly like because for most wearers it’s more or less a normal item, but it also gives some additional benefit to those who are “special” when they wear it.
Armor of the Silent Priests
The Armor of the Silent Priests is a set of holy plate armor that operates as normal when absorbing damage from melee attacks and when imposing fatigue penalties.
However, the runes, sigils and icons of devotion to the Wanderer/Pilgrim/Red-Faced One that cover its surface have been lovingly and painstakingly etched into the armor over generations as bearer after bearer have committed themselves to the service of their Lord.
Because of the strength of faith imbued in the armor, it has two special qualities:
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It is more durable than normal plate. It can be damaged (1-2 vs. normal attacks, 1-3 vs. crushing attacks) once and remain serviceable. If it is damaged a second time, it is rendered unusable as normal. This durability does, however, increase the difficulty of repairing the armor–it may only be repaired when a forge, anvil and related facilities are available, though the Obstacle to do so remains the same.
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When the wearer has the Devout or similar trait, or a statement in the service of the Wanderer is included in the character’s Belief, Instinct, or Goal, the wearer gains +1D on any roll they make to recover from the Afraid or Angry conditions.