Each Warhammer Armies book describes in detail the many different kinds of magic item that each army can use. Here we shall examine the magic items that are commonly used by all races. Where a model has the option of choosing one or more magic items, it will be clearly stated in their army list entry, as will any restrictions on the magic items they can take.

In addition to any specific restrictions noted in the relevant Warhammer Armies book, there are rules that govern the selection of all magic items, regardless of the bearer's allegiance. These can be summarised as follows:

Unique

Magic items are considered to be unique – you can only have one of each in your army unless otherwise stated in the magic item's rules.

Balance of Power

Usually, only characters can carry magic items. Each model can normally only carry one of each type of magic item. Magic items are divided into six categories: Magic Weapons, Magic Armour, Talismans, Enchanted Items, Arcane Items and Magic Standards. Each category covers a particular kind of item and 'family' of effects – Magic Weapons give bonuses to a model's fighting skill, for example, whilst Talismans provide protection. A model can only ever choose one item from each category, unless specified. The only exceptions to this rule are some special characters, who might well have two magical weapons, for example.