Here's what I'm looking for:
My MC has the Nature's Snare staff. It's pretty good. It has a nice special ability. That's great. He picks up the Selune Staff. Hmmm. Maybe I should keep both. Why? Because Selune's Staff is just as good as Nature's Snare, but it has a different ability that is just as good as Nature's Snare but I might use it against different enemies. Maybe the Selune Staff casts a Blinding Spell, but the Blinding Spell only works on creatures of the Underdark, like Drow and Duergar and Myconids and such. Or maybe it does more damage against such beings.
Another perfect example is already in the game, but my point is I'd like more of it. I pick up the spear Watcher's Whatever (can't remember the name right now). That's got a nice stat. If I miss, I get advantage on my next roll. Oh, but I forged the Absolute spear that gives me bonuses against spiders and other multi-eyed creatures. So I want to keep that spear around in case I fight like, you know, phase spiders. Later, I pick up another spear that does ice damage.
The sword in the stone is just a longsword + 1. Because they made a big deal out of it, I was hoping for some sort of neat special ability like, "This sword longs to drink the blood of evil drow. When you deal damage to drow, it is as if they are vulnerable to the sword's damage, meaning you deal double damage to them." Ah! Now you have a truly awesome blade, but it is only truly awesome against evil drow. Duergar, nope. Kua-toas, nope. Just evil drow. So, I might not even use it right away, but when I suddenly encounter drow, I'm having Lae'zel whip that puppy out to kick some serious drow butt.
THAT is what I think the game needs. Don't make a big deal out of a weapon and give it a special cutscene and then just make it a sword + 1. I should be able to buy a sword + 1 eventually from vendors as the game progresses. Adventure loot you find in chests and in special places, that is when you should be finding the really special weapons and equipment with special abilities and such.
And the loot you can buy at vendors in the Underdark should be better than the loot you can buy from Aron and Dammon in the grove. The further you go in the game, the better the equipment that the vendor's sell. That's how it's supposed to work.
