I'm creating a medieval type RPG, well more converting it from PHP to C#, so I'm trying to redo all the code and make things nicer, easier, and better. My big thing I want to change is the equipment design. Right now I have 3 types of equipment, Normal, Magic and Rare, much like Diablo 2, infact kind-of stealing the stat bonuses you recieve from their modifiers. I'm stuck on whether I want my equipment to enhance the players stats or not. I'm also stuck on whether I want to somehow dynamically create new equipment from the base equipment lists, or convert the equipment lists into the equipment themselves. Basically how the system goes now is, the function selects what to make (armor, weapon, jewelry), then it selects the base of that type (sword for weapon, chest plate for armor, etc). The base types have base attack speed values and base armor. From this the item then gets a name which is found in an array, and the stats of the equipment (armor, durability, weight, etc) are computed. So I can either keep that system in play, or just create a huge list of equipment and select from those few. Any suggestions are welcome.

Well it depends on how rare you want godly items to be. If you don't know already, diablo 2 has an affix calculator: http://www.diabloii.nu/affixcalc/ . They use weighted averages for the affixes, and magic items have 25% prefix, 25% prefix+suffix, 50% suffix. Rares have 50%/50% prefix or suffix and 2-6 mods, but never more than 3 prefixes or suffixes. If you want less junk to fall, make the weights for the higher-level affixes large, and the lower ones small. I'd shy away from prefix/suffix unless you want to do what diablo2 did and make prefixes more powerful, but rarer. I'm guessing your going to have random names for the items which i think is a good idea. "Skull Harness Breast Plate"....badass. I think a sword adding to energy is ok if it's a magic-based game, but stat bonuses from a belt seems weird, unless it's a unique or rare item. Just my thoughts. Any math/logic questions just let me know. ;)

Yea I'm still debating if I want stat enhancers from the equipment or not. I have at the moment a list of 72 random prefixes and suffixes that I draw from for the rare weapons. I'm thinking I may just remove the stat enhancers all together, but I'm not entirely too sure on that yet.

I quite like that idea actually. I think I may implement it and make some modifications. Have different materials (wood, bone, stone, bronze, iron, copper, steel, glass), to go along with the base weapons. Then have things such as polishing, gem encrusting, etc which add other modifiers to the weapons. Thanks, I like the idea for sure.