From the book intro: "Magic items are a staple of fantasy in any form, evoking images of great deeds done, of dragons, of heroism and of terrible villainy. The true power of magic items comes not from their ability to work miracles, but from their ability to evoke wonder in all of us. Who does not remember the first time they, at the successful conclusion of a hard-fought adventure, lifted a new sword and pulled it, glittering and smoking in the dim light, from its bejewelled sheath? Who does not recall with fondness the first time they pointed a staff, uttered a few cryptic phrases and caused the world to erupt in fire? And who does not feel a sudden thrill each and every time a simple detect magic spell wreathes the treasure in cold, blue possibility? Encyclopaedia Arcane: Magic Item Creation is dedicated to the expansion and exploration of all the possibilities of magic items. Within these pages there are new powers, new feats and even a few new prestige classes, all focused on the use and creation of magic items. There are rules for expanding the role of intelligent magic items and for placing unique qualities and drawbacks in your magic items. Most importantly, there is a new creation system, the Mythic System; creating a flaming sword is less a matter of knowing how to cast burning hands than it is knowing where to go to pluck a tail feather from a phoenix. With the Mythic System, your swordsmen and rogues will be able to take a more direct hand in constructing what will be their most prized possessions, giving them a greater sense of ownership and accomplishment. No two magic items will ever be the same again."