My goal was to create magic items that use mechanics to reinforce a weapon's concept to make each magic weapon feel unique, as opposed to the default method of taking a generic weapon and adding a +1.
I will update this list as I come up with new weapons. If you have a cool idea for a weapon concept, let me know and I might try to come up with mechanics for it!
Ore Blade (swords, or rename it for hammers, axes): 1d6 extra damage on an attack roll of 20 or higher.
Fate's Edge (swords, requires attunement): Once per round, you can choose to re-roll either one attack roll die for this weapon or all damage dice involved in an attack with this weapon.
Rust Thorn (dagger or anything that isn't blunt): Advantage against targets wearing metal armor. Armor hit this way will require repairs.
Storm Caller (swords, hammers, spears, requires attunement): Only outside: deal +1d10 lightning damage; you can use your action to make a ranged spell attack using your melee attack modifier to deal 3d8 lightning damage to a target within 20 ft.
The Twin Blades (2 short swords or daggers): Using Two Weapon Fighting, if your main attack hit and the bonus attack hits the same creature, deal +1d12 lightning damage. If you hold both blades together crackling sparks appear that shine bright,yellow light for 20ft and then dim light for 20ft.
Optional Secret: The blade (if daggers, it was a short sword, if shortswords it was a longsword) was split in two by [insert lore] and can be forged whole again: +1d12 lightning damage. Unsheathed, sparks dance around the blade, shining bright, yellow light for 10ft and then dim light for 10ft.
The Silver Blades of the First of the Elves: Longsword, +1 attack modifier, has finesse. Secret: Elves or Half-Elves can attune to the sword to add their INT or WIS modifier (whichever is higher) as force damage.
Falcon Eye (bows or crossbows): The first attack during your turn gains advantage, if it already had advantage, it becomes an automatic hit.
Gnomish Crossbow: You can use your action to charge the crossbow causing the next attack, should it hit, to be a critical hit. The extra tension created by this is lost after 1 minute. This crossbow automatically loads itself (no loading property).
Homing Arrow/Bolt: Advantage on attack roll. Ignores half and 3/4 cover. Does not break.
Poison Gland: Works like a quiver that holds max 10 arrows or bolts. Produces 1d4+1 poison arrows per long rest. The poison dries after 6s in the air. Deals 1d4+1 poison damage or half damage when succeeding a CON saving throw (DC: 11).
Adjust damage and saving throw DC based on the monster that it was retrieved from.
Whoo! This makes me actually want to throw around magic items.
Some of these effects seem clearly stronger than others. I'll come up with some effects when I have some time, but some feedback on what's here:
- Fate's Edge seems like probably the best thing on this list. I'd get rid of either the expanded crit range (fighter feature), or the modifier to attack rolls (which is probably comparable to or better than advantage).
- Homing Arrow shouldn't give advantage, since this carries extra chances of critical hits and various riders. The arrow is aiming for you, so you shouldn't be able to properly employ these skills. Ever played a shooter with auto-aim and tried to get a headshot? I would be tempted to just say it automatically hits with no attack roll. No crits, no sneak attack, no sharpshooter, yes Hunter's Mark. The limit on how many you have should curb abuse; I suspect you'll see most players saving them for the "perfect moment." Maybe remove the "doesn't break" trait in that case.
Hm, actually...that's it! Nice list. Looking forward to its expansion.
I think these are neat, but I see a lot of static buffs which I find uninteresting 
Macv12 wrote:
Look what I found! 
I had a list of homebrewed "minor" weapons and other equippable junk. They're a great deal more complicated than the stuff you've listed, but they're in the same vein of alternatives to +1 weapons. They're more meant to emphasize a particular theme and allow somewhat niche styles. They may be terribly broken, as they're more a result of brainstorming than anything (and I had to proofread them just to remove things like "minor action" and "save ends," since I was quite new to 5e at the time).
Here they are in case they pique anyone's interest:
War Implement (arcane focus)
This wand, orb, or other arcane focus stores magical power in itself that a wielder can call on. While you hold the implement, you know the Fire Bolt cantrip, and can cast it as an action, doing force damage instead of fire. If you have levels in a class that can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus, use that class's spellcasting ability modifier for the spell attack roll, and add your proficiency bonus. Otherwise, add the highest of your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifiers, but do not add your proficiency bonus.
You can also overdraw the implement to cast Magic Missile at any spell slot level available to you, without expending that slot. Once you do, you cannot do this again until dawn the next day.
"Moonlight" throwing blade (battleaxe, longsword, war pick)
A large weapon with a blades at either end; round, half-moon shaped blades if in axe form; wide, flat, curved blades if in sword form; or long, curved, crescent-moon shaped blades if in pick form. Add your proficiency bonus to attacks with this weapon if you are proficient with battleaxes, longswords, or war picks.
When wielded in two hands, the wielder can treat each end as a separate weapon with the Light property that does 1d6 slashing damage, and can be used to engage in Two-Weapon Fighting; or, they can treat it as a Two-Handed weapon doing 1d12 slashing damage. Additionally, it has the Thrown property. When thrown, it has a range of 15/30, does 1d12 slashing damage, and uses your Strength modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You may target a single creature with this attack, or two creatures within 5 feet of each other.
Optional: it is normally a mundane weapon (vulnerable to resistance vs nonmagical weapons). If magic, it returns to the thrower at the end of their turn when thrown.
Elven forest sniping bow (shortbow, longbow)
When drawing this bow, plants (particularly trees) become transparent to the wielder. Arrows fired from the bow pass through plant matter without affecting it. The wielder can ignore all cover and concealment granted by plant matter that they can see.
Because the bow must be fully drawn, even intermittently, you can benefit from its effect continuously for one hour of exploration, without serious consequence. After that, make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw for each additional 30 minutes of use. Each time you fail this save, you gain a level of exhaustion. This limit resets after a long rest.
Orcish shaman staff (quarterstaff, spear, glaive, halberd, pike)
In addition to its function as a weapon, this item can be used as an arcane or druidic spellcasting focus.
When wielded by a Druid, Ranger, or any character who can use an arcane spellcasting focus, they can add their spellcasting ability modifier to attack (but not damage) rolls using this weapon, instead of their Strength modifier; conversely, they may also add their Strength modifier to spell attack rolls and their spell save DC, instead of their normal spellcasting ability modifier.
Barbed javelin (javelin; spear?)
This heavy javelin has flexible metal spines pointed back along its shaft, which bend outward if the javelin is pulled out, forming an umbrella shape that makes it extremely difficult and traumatic to extract the weapon.
When you throw this javelin and hit a target, the javelin lodges into their body, and they take 1d6 piercing damage whenever they start their turn, until the javelin is removed. The javelin is also easy to grab; checks performed to grab the target are made with advantage, and do 1d6 piercing damage on success.
The target, or any creature that has successfully grabbed it, can use an action to push the spear through the target's body or tear it out. Pushing it through is immediately successful, does 2d6 piercing damage to the target, and the javelin falls to its feat. Pulling it out requires a successful Strength (Athletics) check against DC 15. On success, the target takes 4d6 slashing damage, is dazed, and must make a DC10 CON save to avoid falling prone; additionally, the javelin is ruined, becoming a mundane javelin. On failure, the target takes 1d6 piercing damage.
This is not a magical weapon.