Can the spell Creation make magic items? (Official rulings only)

Question

Is there an official ruling or rule that determines whether the spell creation can be used to create a magic item?

I'd like to know if any of the developers have posted a ruling about this, or whether there are other rules somewhere in the game that explicitly specify whether it's possible.

Answer 1

The spell has no explicit restriction on creating magic items

The only thing creation specifies is that the object must be a "nonliving object of vegetable matter" or "mineral objects". The only examples given in the spell are generic item categories ("soft goods, rope, wood, or something similar") and not anything that would limit things to mundane items explicitly either. So, technically, if you wanted to make a Rope of Mending, you could, since it is an item object made out of hemp (assuming you have seen it before).

An argument could be made that magic items are more than just their materials:

Creating a magic item requires more than just time, effort, and materials. It is a long-term process that involves one or more adventures to track down rare materials and the lore needed to create the item. (XGE)¹

However, that could easily be explained away by the fact that this is a spell that creates objects (temporarily) and being magic could easily be seen to bypass the "normal" requirements for the creation of magic items (just as the spell already bypasses the normal crafting rules when it creates mundane objects).

It isn't intended to work that way

Jeremy Crawford has said in a now-unofficial Tweet that:

The creation spell is not intended to create magic items.

Which is pretty clear. It is possible they simply meant to have the word "nonmagical" in there as it is in spells like true polymorph:

You transform the creature into a different creature, the creature into a nonmagical object [...]

Though it is notable that this wording was only added to true polymorph after release with errata, so it seems that this oversight was made on multiple spells.²

While not exactly analogous (because true polymorph can create permanent objects and doesn't have material restrictions which itself is a huge step up in power), the fact that the 9th level true polymorph cannot create magic items is more indirect support for the fact that creation, a 5th level spell, should not be able to either.³

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^{1 - Note that this is from the optional rules in Xanathar's Guide to Everything.}

^{2 - Thanks @Medix2}

^{3 - Thanks @KorvinStarmast}

Answer 2

It is not intended, but RAW creation can make magical items

As DerekStucki's answer shows, Jeremy Crawford's now unofficial ruling here states:

The creation spell is not intended to create magic items.

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Using RAW, we do know that spells do what they say and that creation creates a "nonliving object" or "mineral object". It does not specify that they need to be a nonmagical and without that clause nothing prevents you from creating magic items.

A spell which does explicitly forbid magic items is true polymorph; as this Q/A explains there was an errata made to the spell so it now reads:

You transform the creature into a different creature, the creature into a nonmagical object, or the object into a creature

What we know about other methods of crafting magic items is found in the Dungeon Master's Guide which states:

The creation of a magic item is a lengthy, expensive task...

And in the "Crafting Magic Items" section in Xanathar's Guide to Everything which states:

Creating a magic item requires more than just time, effort, and materials. It is a long-term process that involves one or more adventures to track down rare materials and the lore needed to create the item.

Note that these rules are for crafting as a downtime activity. Spells like creation, fabricate, and true polymorph, already bypass/ignore these rules when crafting mundane items (as there is not time requirement like in the dowtime activity rules).
This supports the idea that the creation spell bypasses/ignores these rules even when crafting magic items.

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Note that allowing creation to create magical items would be rather out-of-line. This would be allowing a 5th level spell to do something a 9th level spell (true polymorph) cannot even do.
Even the incredibly powerful wish spell has one of the possible uses listed as:

You create one object of up to 25,000 gp in value that isn't a magic item...

As @Rubiksmoose pointed out, magic items created by the creation spell are not permanent and so the comparison to true polymorph and wish is not a complete one. However, I still believe a 5th level spell creating temporary magic items would give the spell an incredible additional amount of utility and still result in an imbalance.

Strictly RAW, because the creation spell does not explicitly forbid the creation of magic items, you can create magic items, but this is not intended and I believe makes the spell overpowered.

Answer 3

On April 18, 2016 Jeremy Crawford tweeted:

The creation spell is not intended to create magic items. #DnD