Looking to add "legacy" items that "power-up" as the characters level

[The Human Diversion]

So I've been tossing the idea around of adding items to an upcoming home game that grow in power as the characters grow in level, much like the way WoW legacy items work. Every time the characters level, they get to pick something on their tier for their legacy items. I was all set to post here when one of my players came up with a much better system than I did, so I'd like to toss it out here and get opinions on it.

The way it works: Each character picks an item and gives it some back story, I.E. "This sword has been in my family for generations, it was passed down from my grandfather to my father, and now me." or "The powerful wizard that I used to apprentice for gave me this ring and then teleported off"

When the character levels from 1 to 2, and then every level after that, they get to pick an upgrade from the following lists. You can pick anything from your tier or a lower tier as appropriate by level.

Tier A (Levels 1-4)
Strengthen A - from masterwork to +1 magic bonus
Enhance A - Add +1 equivalent item enhancement (must be magical already)
Ability A - Add +1 enhancement bonus to a stat
Skill A - Add +1 bonus to a skill
Resistance A - Add +1 to a saving throw (ie Will saves)
Caster A - 1 extra first level spell slot available for casting
Healer A - 1 maximized cure per day
Blaster A - Add +1 to a spell save DC (???/day)
Defender A - Avoid being flatfooted (1/day)
Magic A - duplicate the effect of a Misc Magic item (value < ???)
Trait A - gain a trait from the traits list
Channel A - Channel gets double area (1/day)

Tier B (Levels 5-8)
Anything on the Tier A Bonus List
Strengthen B - from +1 magic bonus to +2 magic bonus (must have done Strengthen A)
Enhance B - Upgrade +1 equivalent item enhancement to +2 (ie Flaming to Flaming Burst) (DM ruling on progression)
Ability B - Stat bonus becomes +2 (must have taken Ability A)
Skill B - Previous +1 skill bonus becomes +2 (must have taken Skill A)
Resistance B - The +1 to a saving throw becomes +2 (ie Will saves) (must have taken Resistance A)
Caster B - 1 extra second level spell slot available for casting
Healer B - 2 maximized cures per day (must have taken Healer A)
Blaster B - The +1 save DC becomes +2 to a spell save DC (???/day) (must have taken Blaster A)
Defender B - +1 Protection (as Ring, does not stack) (Must have Defender A)
Magic B - duplicate the effect of a Misc Magic item (value < ???)
Innate B - 1/day use of any 1st level spell (caster level = char level)
Meta B - 1/day spontaneous (free) use of any meta-magic feat that raises spell level by 1
Channel B - Channel gets +1 healing per die (1/day) (must have Channel A)

Tier C (Levels 9-12)
Anything on the Tier A or B Bonus List
Strengthen C - from +2 magic bonus to +3 magic bonus (must have done Strengthen B)
Enhance C - Upgrade +2 equivalent item enhancement to +3 (DM ruling on progression) OR take new +2 enhancement
Ability C - Stat bonus becomes +3 (must have taken Ability B)
Skill C - Previous +2 skill bonus becomes +3 (must have taken Skill B)
Resistance C - The +2 to a saving throw becomes +3 (ie Will saves) (must have taken Resistance B)
Caster C - 1 extra third level spell slot available for casting
Healer C - 3 maximized cures per day (must have taken Healer B)
Blaster C - Spell gets +1 damage per die (must have taken Blaster B) (???/day)
Defender C - +2 Protection (as Ring, does not stack) (must have Defender B)
Magic C - duplicate the effect of a Misc Magic item (value < ???)
Innate C - 1/day use of any 2nd level spell (caster level = char level)
Meta C - 1/day spontaneous (free) use of any single meta-magic feat that raises spell level by 2 or less (must have Meta B)
Channel C - Channel as move action (1/day) (must have Channel B)

Tier D (Levels 13-16)
Anything on the Tier A-C Bonus List
Strengthen D - from +3 magic bonus to +4 magic bonus (must have done Strengthen C)
Enhance D - Take new +3 equivalent enhancement
Ability D - Stat bonus becomes +4 (must have taken Ability C)
Skill D - Previous +3 skill bonus becomes +4 (must have taken Skill C)
Resistance D - The +3 to a saving throw becomes +4 (ie Will saves) (must have taken Resistance C)
Caster D - 1 extra fourth level spell slot available for casting
Healer D - 4 maximized cures per day (must have taken Healer C)
Blaster D - The +2 save DC becomes +3 to a spell save DC (???/day) (must have taken Blaster C)
Defender D - +3 Protection (as Ring, does not stack) (must have Defender C)
Magic D - duplicate the effect of a Misc Magic item (value < ???)
Innate D - 1/day use of any 3rd level spell (caster level = char level)
Meta D - 1/day spontaneous (free) use of any meta-magic feat that raises spell level by 3 or less (must have Meta C)
Channel D - Channel as swift action (1/day) (must have Channel C)

Tier E (Levels 17+)
Anything on the Tier A-D Bonus List
Strengthen E - from +4 magic bonus to +5 magic bonus (must have done Strengthen D)
Enhance E - Take new +4 equivalent enhancements
Ability E - Stat bonus becomes +6 (must have taken Ability D)
Skill E - Previous +4 skill bonus becomes +5 (must have taken Skill D)
Resistance E - The +4 to a saving throw becomes +5 (ie Will saves) (must have taken Resistance D)
Caster E - 1 extra fifth level spell slot available for casting
Healer E - 4 maximized cures per day (must have taken Healer C)
Blaster E - The +3 save DC becomes +4 to a spell save DC (???/day) (must have taken Blaster D)
Defender E - +4 Protection (as Ring, does not stack) (must have Defender D)
Magic E - duplicate the effect of a Misc Magic item (value < ???)
Innate E - 1/day use of any 4th level spell (caster level = char level)
Meta E - 1/day spontaneous (free) use of any meta-magic feat that raises spell level by 4 or less (must have Meta D)
Channel E - Channel as immediate action (1/day) (must have Channel D)

[vramin]

I wonder if the skill bonus should start at +2 instead of +1?

[Goth Guru]

The player selects the power, then roleplays discovering the power that was already in there. It's good. I would add Random(a triggered wild surge) and Rainbow(a=color spray, on up to E=prismatic sphere)

[Marc Radle]

You might also want to check out the New Paths Compendium from Kobold Press - it has a number of fully detailed scaling Legendary magic items all ready to go!

[Bhaene]

I like this, I agree with vramin, skills should start at A +2, and work up to E +10.

[Redchigh]

Technically most of those upgrades can already be added to things-
Which means they have a gold value that you can look up.

[The Human Diversion]

Marc Radle wrote:

You might also want to check out the New Paths Compendium from Kobold Press - it has a number of fully detailed scaling Legendary magic items all ready to go!

I appreciate it, but I'm pretty hesitant to spend money on a book when the one thing I'm interested in isn't even mentioned in the description. If someone in official capacity could show me an excerpt, that would be great, otherwise I'm likely to go with what I posted and a few modifications.

The gold idea is great - maybe balance stuff out that way.

[Fabian Benavente]

I do this all the time in my games. I hate 'throw-away' magic items/weapons.

However, as suggested above, use the gold value of whatever ability you are using to make sure it is 'balanced'. Other than that, let your players' imagination go wild.

Also be aware that something that is too powerful (a flaming burst sword for a 2nd level character) can be 'balanced' by cutting down the time that some abilities are used. Instead of being permanently flaming burst, maybe it is so for a few rounds per day. As the character gains level, the 'ability' can become permanent.

Game on!

[wendell jones]

That is a very interesting idea. By fourth level, the player can have up to three different effects on his item and by 20th level the player can have up to 19 different effects on his item?

That seems very nice. I do however agree with Bhaene, the skill should work its way up to +10 if not higher. Most starting level magic items will get you +5 for the same cost of +1 sword.

Other than that. Great idea.