I think one of the coolest things about DnD and RPGs as a whole is how you can really make an item feel like it’s yours. You’re 5th level and you’ve been using this greataxe since you were saving your town from giant rats? That’s awesome! But now comes along a greatsword that’s got better stats, so you feel like you have to sacrifice on character and theme for a better weapon. Or that chain mail you’ve been decorating with flowers? An armor change might feel like betrayal. Or how about the caster’s spell focus that they built themselves? Some rock being better might feel uncharacteristic.
Introducing Signature Items: like Vestiges of Divergence, these are items that the players can level up as they adventure!
The main difference is this: Around 5th-7th level, or when it feels appropriate, ask your players to choose an item they have in their inventory or easy to acquire to be their signature item. I guarantee you that they’ll have an interesting answer. Maybe the paladin wants their holy symbol to be what grows in power with them. Or the thief decides the Thieves Tools are their signature thing.
Then comes the fun part: Making new items! For all of the characters, you and the player can come together and design an item that fulfils the fantasy of that item. Maybe the holy symbol helps with smites, or buffs spellcasting, or does something you never expected!
I’d recommend giving these item 3 levels, and tie them to character development, whether that be personal quests, life changing experiences, or even by level. Either way, the idea is that these items level up with the characters, and become powerful because of the character’s connection to them and the character’s expertise with that item.
An example might be
Dallion’s Cutlass fantasy: a pirate (fighter) who uses magic to teleport around.*
Brave: +1 shortsword, can cast Misty Step 1/day
Heroic: +2 shortsword, has 3 charges. Every time you teleport, you get a free melee weapon attack with this weapon against a creatire within 5 feet of where you teleported
Mythic: +3, has 5 charges. When you start combat without a charge, you gain 1 charge. You can carry another creature when you teleport. When you teleport after hitting a creature with an attack, you can carry them with you. You can also carry willing creatures with you.
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