The best way to make most WeiNGINE items is, in fact, to start with an existing item. The power of template inheritance means that there are really very few cases when a good base will not already exist for an item you wish to make.

We will dive right in and make a simple magical longsword.(...) Most of our goals can be accomplished using simple XML attributes. The goal of having the magic sword "hit more often", however, requires that we give a Sword_Precision bonus to the wielder of the sword while it is equipped, and that requires a separate effect file, which we will explain.​