One of the parts of prep I like the least is generating good treasure. Especially at the end of an arch when the characters are getting something really good.
I want to give them a magic item that ties into the campaign, their class, and their backstory. Unfortunately, that either means I need to brew up something that I think they will like or just snag something from a book or online. Either way, my batting average with getting it right is pretty crap. It always feels like I am pushing the story for their character rather than letting the player tell me their character's story.
So what is a fix that is more engaging and lets me be lazy?
My most recent experiment is to give my players rarities instead of magic items in DnD. I say "Harbighar looks into the chest and finds a Rare magical item. Your homework before the next session is to tell me what that magic item is and the lore behind it."
The player can go home, find or make (with approval of course) an item, and come up with some lore for it. So far, this has turned out to be a great solution! The player gets an item that fits their build, my prep time is significantly lessened, and most importantly the player engages in the story. Creating the lore for the item and why it is significant for their character grows the world in an amazing and collaborative way and makes the player feel more connected to the story we are telling together.
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