So, coming from 3.0 and 3.5, one of the things I loved as a GM was to create some low-level unique magic items. Now the magic item creation system in 3.0 and 3.5 could be broken, don't get me wrong, especially if you let your players do whatever they wanted, but if you were clever about it as the GM, you could turn anything into a memorable item.
One of my favorite tactics was to use the system for magic items giving skill increases. The old formula was something like Bonus squared times 100 GP, so a +1 boonus cost you 100 GP, whereas a +5 bonus cost you 2500. You could stack this on top of other enchantments.
See that +1 longsword? Let's say it was a sword created by a mage so that their guards didn't look like social buffons when going to social soirees. It gives you a +2 to diplomacy rolls (remember, this is from 3.0/3.5, when diplomacy was a thing.)
See that +1 hide armor, it was worn by a shaman of a barbarian tribe who was known as a great healer, it grants +2 to Treat Wounds when worn.
See that Steel Shield? A paladin specifically had it enchanted so it was harder to lie to him. It grants the weilder a +3 to sense motive.
See how these things can be made super fun with just a small addition of a bonus thing they can do? Is there a way to do this in 5e? Add small bonuses to weapons or armor that make them unique. I'm new to the system and don't want to cause problems in a game by making something too overpowered or grant something that should be out of the player's purview. I just want to know what small bonuses I could give to an item that wouldn't break the game but would also be memorable. Any ideas?
In my opinion having focused bonuses can add flavor to your game, so instead of a +1 sword make it only +1 vs animals with feathers or vs PC's pets. In general magic items in 5e are not as much as a focus, yes the add something but often the game can be played without them.
So some other examples of limiting items from 3.0 or 3.5;
Wand of Fireballs that only affects giant creatures or does 1/4 damage to all creatures except giant creatures.
Armor: provides bonus only at night or only vs specific types of attacks. ie Vampires Lament a leather and steel band that goes around the neck and provides +3 Ac vs vampire bite attacks.
As you can see in the above examples there still is some functionality and benefit but I have narrowed when the benefit applies. One note is that you can make items too limited and thus players lose interest and are not impressed by the item you have worked so hard to create or have planed for the players to use in a specific encounter.
I think the examples you give are great, just need to convert to 5e language. Instead of diplomacy it would be persuasion, instead of plus 2 treat wounds it could add proficiency bonus to healing spells (this would grow with PC level so nice way to maintain balance).
As Thaumaturgist states magic items are not such a focus so maybe having the magic item grow and unlock power could be an idea so that they become attached (sort of like critical role and items of divergence.) but I think that is diverting from your intent. If you want examples of items that come with additions then the moonblade comes with set runes that add power/skills. (You crit on a 19 is 1 example)
Items can come with minor properties (DMG pg 141) Some examples are delving (you know what depth under the surface you are and the nearest, which might not be the safest, route to the surface. or hidden message which is a message that is only revealed on the item under certain conditions (moon phase, heroric deed by the wielder etc) that would be an awesome way to introduce a quest.
Oh, that does! I had started reading that list and saw only non-mechanical effects and stopped reading it! My bad!
So, extrapolating from what we see in that list, the effects we can add (at effectively no cost are)
6-> +2 to initiative: Hmmm, not much we can extrapolate from here. Init isn't really something we can port to other game mechanics without potentially messing up game balance. 7:-> Only takes a minute to attune. Since atunment normally takes a short rest, that's quite a reduction. You could probably extrapolate this to other time sinks. Like maybe, 1/day, the bearer can craft a healing potion (only the normal healing potion, not greater or anything) during a short rest instead of 4 days. I dunno, tell me what you think. 10:-> Free Language! Okay, here we go, in character creation, languages, skills, and proficiency with tools are treated as more or less the same. I think maybe giving proficiency with a skill might be too much, but giving out proficiency with a tool or a gaming set should be fine! 14:->So this one essentially gives you the equivelent of the 3.5 spell 'Endure Elements' which doesn't seem to exist in 5e. But an effect that is similar might not be out of the question . . . I'll have to think about this one. 16:-> Similar in power level to 14 17: HERE WE GO! Okay, Advantage on a specific application of a skill. Here is where we can really have fun. Obviously you shouldn't make things powerful as to give advantage on EVERY use of a skill, or go too broad like "Rolling perception to look for creatures" but you could have some real fun with this one. 19: You could combine 17&19 to do some cool tricks.
Off the top of my head:
7: Apprentice's stiring stick: This +1 club is thinner than most, though it deals the same damage as a club. When used to stir and help with the crafting of healing potions, the user needs only one day to craft a healing potion instead of four.
10: (Free tool proficiency) Dagger of Bloodletting: This +1 dagger, while typically used for aiding in medicine checks, can be weilded in combat. When attuned, the user finds that the pummel is hollow and that they can pull several madicinal herbs and tools out of it, seemingly endlessly. The dagger acts as an herbalism kit which the attuned character is automatically proficient in. The herbs and tools, while functional, are obviously magical and temporary and cannot be sold. They disappear after an hour if not used.
14: (Effect of a low-level 3.5 spell) Rapier of marking: As a bonus action, a character can jab this +1 rapier into some nonliving material (stone, earth, even clothing) and a personalized crest appears on that surface. The crest lasts for a year and a day, but can be removed by any form of dispelling magic. The rapier can mark up to ten objects, when it marks an eleventh, the first vanishes.
17: (Advantage on certain applications of skill checks): (In honor of Spelljammer being announced!) The Captain's Leathers! This set of +1 studded Leather armor is meant for captains of spelljammer ships. While worn you have advantage on Arcana rolls to navigate spelljammer ships. (Assuming you use arcana to do so.)
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So, coming from 3.0 and 3.5, one of the things I loved as a GM was to create some low-level unique magic items. Now the magic item creation system in 3.0 and 3.5 could be broken, don't get me wrong, especially if you let your players do whatever they wanted, but if you were clever about it as the GM, you could turn anything into a memorable item.
One of my favorite tactics was to use the system for magic items giving skill increases. The old formula was something like Bonus squared times 100 GP, so a +1 boonus cost you 100 GP, whereas a +5 bonus cost you 2500. You could stack this on top of other enchantments.
See that +1 longsword? Let's say it was a sword created by a mage so that their guards didn't look like social buffons when going to social soirees. It gives you a +2 to diplomacy rolls (remember, this is from 3.0/3.5, when diplomacy was a thing.)
See that +1 hide armor, it was worn by a shaman of a barbarian tribe who was known as a great healer, it grants +2 to Treat Wounds when worn.
See that Steel Shield? A paladin specifically had it enchanted so it was harder to lie to him. It grants the weilder a +3 to sense motive.
See how these things can be made super fun with just a small addition of a bonus thing they can do? Is there a way to do this in 5e? Add small bonuses to weapons or armor that make them unique. I'm new to the system and don't want to cause problems in a game by making something too overpowered or grant something that should be out of the player's purview. I just want to know what small bonuses I could give to an item that wouldn't break the game but would also be memorable. Any ideas?
In my opinion having focused bonuses can add flavor to your game, so instead of a +1 sword make it only +1 vs animals with feathers or vs PC's pets. In general magic items in 5e are not as much as a focus, yes the add something but often the game can be played without them.
So some other examples of limiting items from 3.0 or 3.5;
Wand of Fireballs that only affects giant creatures or does 1/4 damage to all creatures except giant creatures.
Armor: provides bonus only at night or only vs specific types of attacks. ie Vampires Lament a leather and steel band that goes around the neck and provides +3 Ac vs vampire bite attacks.
As you can see in the above examples there still is some functionality and benefit but I have narrowed when the benefit applies. One note is that you can make items too limited and thus players lose interest and are not impressed by the item you have worked so hard to create or have planed for the players to use in a specific encounter.
Good Luck
I think the examples you give are great, just need to convert to 5e language. Instead of diplomacy it would be persuasion, instead of plus 2 treat wounds it could add proficiency bonus to healing spells (this would grow with PC level so nice way to maintain balance).
As Thaumaturgist states magic items are not such a focus so maybe having the magic item grow and unlock power could be an idea so that they become attached (sort of like critical role and items of divergence.) but I think that is diverting from your intent. If you want examples of items that come with additions then the moonblade comes with set runes that add power/skills. (You crit on a 19 is 1 example)
Items can come with minor properties (DMG pg 141) Some examples are delving (you know what depth under the surface you are and the nearest, which might not be the safest, route to the surface. or hidden message which is a message that is only revealed on the item under certain conditions (moon phase, heroric deed by the wielder etc) that would be an awesome way to introduce a quest.
Hope this helps.
Oh, that does! I had started reading that list and saw only non-mechanical effects and stopped reading it! My bad!
So, extrapolating from what we see in that list, the effects we can add (at effectively no cost are)
6-> +2 to initiative: Hmmm, not much we can extrapolate from here. Init isn't really something we can port to other game mechanics without potentially messing up game balance.
7:-> Only takes a minute to attune. Since atunment normally takes a short rest, that's quite a reduction. You could probably extrapolate this to other time sinks. Like maybe, 1/day, the bearer can craft a healing potion (only the normal healing potion, not greater or anything) during a short rest instead of 4 days. I dunno, tell me what you think.
10:-> Free Language! Okay, here we go, in character creation, languages, skills, and proficiency with tools are treated as more or less the same. I think maybe giving proficiency with a skill might be too much, but giving out proficiency with a tool or a gaming set should be fine!
14:->So this one essentially gives you the equivelent of the 3.5 spell 'Endure Elements' which doesn't seem to exist in 5e. But an effect that is similar might not be out of the question . . . I'll have to think about this one.
16:-> Similar in power level to 14
17: HERE WE GO! Okay, Advantage on a specific application of a skill. Here is where we can really have fun. Obviously you shouldn't make things powerful as to give advantage on EVERY use of a skill, or go too broad like "Rolling perception to look for creatures" but you could have some real fun with this one.
19: You could combine 17&19 to do some cool tricks.
Off the top of my head:
7: Apprentice's stiring stick: This +1 club is thinner than most, though it deals the same damage as a club. When used to stir and help with the crafting of healing potions, the user needs only one day to craft a healing potion instead of four.
10: (Free tool proficiency) Dagger of Bloodletting: This +1 dagger, while typically used for aiding in medicine checks, can be weilded in combat. When attuned, the user finds that the pummel is hollow and that they can pull several madicinal herbs and tools out of it, seemingly endlessly. The dagger acts as an herbalism kit which the attuned character is automatically proficient in. The herbs and tools, while functional, are obviously magical and temporary and cannot be sold. They disappear after an hour if not used.
14: (Effect of a low-level 3.5 spell) Rapier of marking: As a bonus action, a character can jab this +1 rapier into some nonliving material (stone, earth, even clothing) and a personalized crest appears on that surface. The crest lasts for a year and a day, but can be removed by any form of dispelling magic. The rapier can mark up to ten objects, when it marks an eleventh, the first vanishes.
17: (Advantage on certain applications of skill checks): (In honor of Spelljammer being announced!) The Captain's Leathers! This set of +1 studded Leather armor is meant for captains of spelljammer ships. While worn you have advantage on Arcana rolls to navigate spelljammer ships. (Assuming you use arcana to do so.)