I think it was when I made the mistake of saying my character carried his fathers sword (The Hellbringer). So even when better weapons came along I was reluctant to give it up, so instead I just craft new blades for it. Currently it's a +15 Katana that acts as my Warrior Mages focus / Mage staff, can be used for a scaled up elemental weapon spell twice a day, and makes my character's eyes glow red (Just for effect!).
Hey, that wasn't a mistake! That was part of your characters background !! And THAT weapon will be the best you'll ever have. And you will fight for it if you lost it or if it was stolen.
(hey, that could be a minor plot in your games, you know, big city, lots of thieves, one night partying and drinking and gaming and .... in the morning your katana has disappeared
) Someones roars and shouts VENGEANCE !!
)
Some of us once traded theirs chars for their sons (the fathers had visited half ME by then) and the sons didn't get the uber weapons of their fathers, those where their fathers weapons and they didn't lend them so easily. The child get nonetheless some great weapons from their father's stock. So to say, sometimes we used less powerful items but that where closer to the char. Some say it's stupid, some say it's roleplaying
Who hasn't looked for pictures or drawings that matches his char. Or, those that have the touch, drawed themselves their chars. Detailing your char is giving him live. The more detailed the more it's yours or the more it's you ...well at least it's what we see it in our group. We tend to begin with low lvl chars, a swift increase to higher levels until we reach the competence needed for the adventures/campaigns to come. That way the chars get a very nice background in short time, as well as a some team background also. In the meanwhile the players get inspirations for their chars background that helps roleplaying him that as we roleplay him give ideas and .... it's like a loop. Once a char ended with 90 pg background. It was in fact a short novel and nice writed I must say !!
Well that's getting tooooo long and off-topic. Just some thoughts