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Just some rookie talk about magic items -

Is the "correct" way to think about magic items in tooling up characters for specific jobs or to cover weaknesses? For example giving a saurus oldblood (low initiative) relatively cheap sword of swiftness for always strikes first. Or giving extra attack items (usually expensive) to models that are already impressive in melee.

Then I suppose if you're more fluffy they're a way to create your own custom characters with special rules.

To me, "correct" means "maximizing effectiveness," and the correct way to use magic items is to equip a character for a specific purpose. Performing a job, as you say.

For example, your BSB's role might be to stay alive and extend his banner's benefits. In that case, give him magic armor and a ward save to keep him alive. A dwarf king's purpose might be to kill the enemy before they can hit your powerful, but vulnerable, Hammerers. In that case, give him a weapon with Always Strikes First.

No character can do everything, so pick a role and lean into it. When in doubt, give your character defensive magic items and rely on mundane weapons for offense.

I always see as Saber said, thinking about what I'm going to have at the other side and what I want them to do.
I may make a monster killer, a support character, etc. depending on who I'm playing against.

 Saber wrote:
To me, "correct" means "maximizing effectiveness," and the correct way to use magic items is to equip a character for a specific purpose. Performing a job, as you say.

Hmm. The role of my empire general and BSB is to shift CRes in my favor in a large, but obviously squishy, regiment of swordsmen. Yes, the general gives LD9 and the BSB gives rerolls, but magic armor is the wrong move for me. They have access to full plate and shield, so the only survivability buffs they'd benefit from is a ward save. That's fine, but extremely unreliable. For me, the best loadout for them is a mild magic weapon and a plan for them to swing at the enemy regiment, not any melee characters in it. If there's a challenge monkey in that unit, the unit champion will be happy to make the ultimate sacrifice. That's why both of them run swords of might.