A bad example - The Sparkle Hands (and almost all of the other 'lightning charges themed' items). Why would gloves which have a mention of some Yrre the Sparkstruck in the description casually wait for you in the fetid bog in the middle of nowhere? How does it connect with wooden woads and mud mephits nearby? Why is there a chest here in the first place?
I agree that it's far better when we get context to magical items, and I'm not a great fan of the lightning items and hope they will be reduced, redesigned or at least renamed in the final game. But to be fair there may be a story for them we will find out more about.
If I recall correctly, you can find Yrre's workshop and a note from her(?) outside the Arcane Tower in the Underdark, saying she's waited for Lenore as long as she could. Possibly in the full game we'll find out more about Lenore and Yrre and how the items Yrre made got scattered through the wilderness near the druid's grove.
A bad example: If I am not a bard, I have no use for Blazer of Benevolence, Cap of Curing, Boots of Brilliance. If I am not a barbarian, I have no use for Reason's Grasp. Those items are useless outside of their class and it makes getting them from enemies or treasure chest an irritating rather than rewarding experience.
Again, I agree really good magical item design would be items that we can find creative uses for outside their obvious class affinities. But while they should be the minority, I don't mind some items that are good for one class and useless for the others, as long as in the end every class gets its fair share. These can be really rewarding to find if you have someone of the relevant class in your party, and if not then you can just treat them as sellable loot.
