Can a wish spell create a legendary magic item?

Question

One of the PCs in the adventure Curse of Strahd found a luckblade with one wish remaining. He wants to use that wish to get a staff of the magi, a legendary item (Dungeon Master's Guide 203).

The Player's Handbook on the spell wish (288-9) has guidelines on how to deal with a wish that I won't entirely cite here as they are quite long. However, the guidelines include the following elements:

1. "The basic use of [wish] is to duplicate any other spell of 8th level or lower."
2. However, "[you] might be able to achieve something beyond the scope of the above examples…. The DM has great latitude in ruling what occurs in such an instance; the greater the wish, the greater the likelihood that something goes wrong."
3. And "wishing for a legendary magic item or artifact might instantly transport you to the presence of the item's owner."

I take this to mean that, so far as the Player's Handbook is concerned, the DM can grant the PC's wish.

Here's my question: Other than what is found in the Player's Handbook regarding the spell wish, is there any further official written guidance that should also be taken into consideration to determine if a wish can create a legendary magic item? (Sources can include other 5e texts, Adventurer League guides, pronouncements from Wizards of the Coast officials and designers, and so on.)

Answer 1

The wish spell lets you ask for literally anything. The players request is specifically mentioned in the text of the spell, so that makes it even more reasonable.

How you want to fulfil this wish, however, is a completely different matter. Historically, and in the wording of this spell, the DM is encouraged to grant the wish in a way that is according to the literal meaning of the request, and not what the players necessarily intended. Like a genie.

As said in the spell text, if you wish "that I had the staff of the magi", you may find yourself teleported to someone's treasure chaimber, where the staff is. The problem then would be escaping from whoever had it before. This text is indicitive of the spirit of the spell. You should give the player what they want, but there should be a complication.

So per the PHB, this wish can be granted, but it should come at a cost. Given your setting, your party may find themselves teleported to Strahd's treasure room, where the staff is located. They would then have to sneak their way out of his castle with the staff, or risk Strahd trying to take it from them.

Answer 2

OK, I just found an official answer to my question in "D&D Adventurers League Amendments – Curse of Strahd v1.2" and it reads as follows:

Luck Blade and Wish Guidance

Wish is a potent spell that can result in a wide variety of interpretations. DMs have discretion on the adjudication of wish spells, but players should be forewarned that other DMs may rule differently; some may disallow some effects of their wish. For example, if a character wishes to be a Masked Lord of Waterdeep, one DM may accommodate that and consider it in the character’s adventures, but another DM may not.

Characters in the Adventurers League have two additional options to choose from when casting a wish spell by using the luck blade found in this adventure:

• Magic Items: A character may wish for a single item appropriate for their tier (Tier 1: uncommon, Tier 2: rare or uncommon, Tier 3: very rare, rare, or uncommon) of their choice from the Dungeon Master’s Guide or Dungeon Master’s Basic Rules. The magic item is awarded to the character making the wish and can’t be traded even if the character possesses campaign documentation that allows the trade of uncerted items.
• Ability Score Increase: A character wishing for an increase to their ability scores may add +2 to one ability score, or +1 to two different ability scores. A feat may be chosen as a substitute for the ability score increase, as normal.

Answer 3

Since you tagged this as a D&D Adventurers League question we must interpret it through that lens. The spell description says, "You create one object of up to 25,000 gp in value that isn't a magic item. " So, no you can't create a staff of the magi.

Source: Wish description at D&D Beyond

The Luckblade Guidance applies only to the Luckblade. The full Wish guidance in the AL FAQ is as follows:

WISH

The following guidance applies:

Reality Repairs Itself. Any of the bulleted options provided in the spell’s description are available as described, and are permanent until dispelled, unless a specific duration is provided in the spell’s description. However, the effects of a wish made for something outside of that list is at the DM’s discretion, using the guidance provided in the spell’s description. These discretionary effects can’t be made permanent, and expire at the end of the adventure or the session—whichever comes first.

This means that any conjured creatures or items disappear into nothingness, the dead rise as if nothing happened, the denizens of that backwater village don’t remember that amazingly-hilarious joke you told, etc.

Stressful Things Are Stressful. Any permanent stress-induced effects incurred by casting wish are permanent regardless of whether or not the effects of the wish are not. Losing the ability to cast wish in the future can’t be prevented or undone except by wishing for a reroll (as detailed in the spells description).

You Are You; and So Is He. If a simulacrum you have created casts wish, both you and your simulacrum suffer the stress associated with casting the spell—including the risk of being forever unable to cast wish again. The inability to cast wish extends to any simulacrum you create in the future.

Table Boundaries. Only characters in your group may benefit from permanent effects granted by a wish that you cast. The benefits don’t extend to other groups or tables during multi-table events.

Must Be Overseen by the DM. Due to the risks inherent in casting wish, it must be done in the presence of a DM; it may not be cast between adventures.

As a result, in AL you won't be transported to where the owner of the item is or apply similar effects that would take you out of the adventure you're currently involved in.