https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=5065364#post5065364On randomly generated weapons, minimum level to equip the item is based on the item's Total Enhancement Value, which is the "plus number" in the top right corner of the item tooltip.
Weapons, armor, docents, robes, outfits, and shields follow the following progression:
+1 - Level 1
+2 - Level 2
+3 - Level 4
+4 - Level 6
+5 - Level 8
+6 - Level 10
+7 - Level 12
+8 - Level 14
+9 - Level 16
+10 - Level 18
+11 - Level 20
+12 - Level 21
+13 - Level 22
+14 - Level 23
+15 - Level 24
+16 - Level 25
+17 - Level 26
+18 - Level 27
+19 and higher - Level 28
"Accessory" items (gloves, boots, cloak, rings and such) use the following progression:
+1 - Level 1
+2 - Level 3
+3 - Level 5
+4 - Level 7
+5 - Level 9
+6 - Level 11
+7 - Level 13
+8 - Level 15
+9 - Level 17
+10 - Level 19
+11 - Level 20
+12 - Level 21
+13 - Level 22
+14 - Level 23
+15 - Level 24
+16 - Level 25
+17 - Level 26
+18 - Level 27
+19 and higher - Level 28
Up to level 20, this is the same they have followed for many years on the Live servers, as well. Random items with levels that do not match their value are the result of data entry errors or other bugs.
The difference now is that the game automatically handles item level on random equipment, and so these kinds of bugs automatically fix themselves, and cannot occur again in the future.
As evidenced by the fact that only a few people have seen alterations in the level of their items, there are not many bugged items out there that are in this situation. If we could somehow track and exempt them, we would do so- however, this is a global change to how items in DDO function. These items have nothing unique about them that we can check or otherwise track in order to exempt them from how item level is now set.
This goes both ways- some items that had too high of a level will correct themselves downwards.
We also adjusted the values of some properties downwards. For example, Banishing, Vorpal, Smiting, and Disruption are now +4 instead of +5, which means that they contribute less to the minimum level required to equip the items they are on.