First thoughts. . . for 5EP, am ironwood (did you mean everwood?) or White silver item? Such items could logically be acquired though play, especially if the player goes to the right place. Hence my question about going to Mindoth's Tower to acquire a Druid Staff. Right place, materials available, according to the details a lot cheaper than many items you can just acquire off the shelf. Does make me wonder if such things need to be an EP buy.
For 10 EP a signature item is considerably more powerful than a 5EP, special material item. especially if it grows with the character. Not saying it's a bad thing, but it again brings into question the 5EP buy above.
What happens if the item becomes lost/destroyed? Will another such item "become available" or is it just an expended resource, kinda like spending EP on something ephemeral?
How does it compare to taking Soul-Bonded/Improved Soul-Bonded Edges? Would such an item have to be replaced because a character spent XP on it, or is that advance (potentially two advances) lost forever with a destroyed item, like one acquired through EP?
Example
The following is an entry for new Druid gear in Mindoth's Tower
Druid’s Staff
An Everwood staff filled with Life energies, a boon to any Druid.
Druid’s Staff (Str+d4, Parry +2, Reach 1, 2 hands, 5 Essence, 1 less maintenance penalty, +2 to resist Disruption)
Cost: 220; Value: -6; Availability: -6; Weight: 8
An essentially off the shelf item, albeit one that would only be available to Druids, and probably from maybe one or two places in the world. Lysennia should be able to acquire one through the druids . Its availability reflects that it is not commonly available, but I'd argue, in the right place, should be available. Also the price (220 comparative monetary value), is way cheaper than even partial chainmail, yet it has potentially 5 minors (+1 parry, 5 essence, 1 less maintenance penalty, +2 resist disruption, everwood properties). Though this may be in error because anything else with a value rating of -6 is generally having a purchase price of n/a eg Elvish weapons, or Shay'Von leather armour (which yes Lysennia could use
) indicating again that it's more a matter of being in the right place to get it.
Right, well that's opened the debate up. . . have at it.