Cursed Item post #2: Completely Different Effect

[Matthias]

This page of the SRD deals with cursed items:

Cursed Items

Presented here is a table of possible cursed item effects, of which one is "Completely different effect."

All other possible effects are detailed in the PRD except this one. So I thought about how this might be implemented, and this is the result.

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Completely Different Effect

The cursed magic item retains its original physical appearance but its magical powers resemble those of a different magic item.

Use Table: Random Magic Item Generation in the Introduction section to randomly select a magic item of the same category (minor, medium or major) as the cursed item. The cursed item retains its original physical characteristics and occupies the body slot of its original type, but its abilities are those of the random magic item, even if those powers are functionally incompatible with the physical design of the cursed item. The cursed item’s method of activation is not predictable and may take after either the original item’s design, the magic item whose powers it resembles, or it may take some other form entirely. The cursed item retains its original caster level regardless of the minimum caster level of the substituted magic item powers.

Some examples:

▪ An item that appears to be a sword of life stealing which actually behaves as a horn of fog whenever it deals a critical hit. The obscuring mist spreads in a 20-ft radius (centered on the weapon rather than the target) and rises 20 feet high, and lasts for 7 minutes (minimum caster level required to create the sword).

▪ An item that resembles a +3 shield of arrow catching that actually functions as a ring of x-ray vision; its power is activated whenever the owner wields the shield. The negative consequences of a normal ring of x-ray vision still apply.

▪ An item that looks like a headband of mental prowess +4 but instead works like a ring gate whenever the item is worn. (Given that headbands do not inherently come in pairs, the destination of any material that passes through the headband is left to the GM’s imagination.)

Reroll for a different random magic item if the result is a limited-use item such as a wand, potion, or scroll. Reroll for a different form of curse if the cursed item itself is a limited-use item.
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The only 'flaw' that I see in these rules is that they would allow a player to create a 'cursed item' that isn't really cursed at all, just unorthodox and still quite useful for an item of the type that was selected randomly. The curse is only effective until the user can figure out how to get the cursed item to work, and may be able to figure out a way to use the item effectively in certain situations.

For this reason, I'm also leaning toward having this defect never occur by itself but have such items carry a delusion, intermittent functioning, requirement, or drawback curse in addition.

As well, the "Completely Different Effect" may have to come from an item of equal or lesser value, perhaps even an item from the next-highest category (for example, a Major cursed item would have a Medium substituted effect, and a Medium have a Minor substituted effect). A Minor cursed item with a Completely Different Effect may end up having to resort to a random 0-level spell, or else behave as a 'blank slate' (i.e. register as having a magical aura, but have no actual powers).

 

[gamerprinter]

It would seem to be that an item that functions as a different arcane effect than expected would seem cursed the first time you used it. Once you understood it's real purpose, you could rely on the item in it's unusual function. It would be odd, but not really 'cursed'.

Sorry, in my games a cursed item is truly cursed - like a mask that allows you to appear as anyone, but yourself, while the mask is stealing your face. If you remove the mask, you have no face - cannot eat, drink, see, smell nor breathe. You would require the mask to live, but you no longer appear as yourself. That is a curse. In Kaidan, there's an item that functions exactly as described here, called the Mask of Noppero-bo.

An item that works differently than it's supposed to is odd, not cursed. Do whatever works best in your game.

 

[ComradeGnull]

The only 'flaw' that I see in these rules is that they would allow a player to create a 'cursed item' that isn't really cursed at all, just unorthodox and still quite useful for an item of the type that was selected randomly. The curse is only effective until the user can figure out how to get the cursed item to work, and may be able to figure out a way to use the item effectively in certain situations.

A sword that grants x-ray vision rather than a +3 bonus isn't really cursed; it's just a Sword of X-Ray Vision with a deceptive aura- inconvenient for a moment, but hardly something I would call a curse. Even if a Ring of X-Ray Vision appears to be a Cape of Feather Fall until it is actually used in a fall of more than 10', that's not a curse, that's just a Ring of X-ray Vision that does 1d6 damage one time before becoming a regular ring of X-ray vision for the rest of the campaign.

I would tend towards making the 'completely different effect' for a random cursed item something useless or detrimental- a ring of X-ray vision that shows everyone that you look at as an Orc, or a +3 Sword that functions as a -1 Dagger. Otherwise it isn't a cursed item- it's just a normal item with a deceptive aura.

As to players making them- I wouldn't allow players to intentionally make cursed items- they are supposed to result from accidents, and accidents are very hard to reproduce. This kind of goes back to the 'buying off bonuses with flaws' from the other thread. A sword of x-ray vision should be as hard to make, if not harder, than a ring of x-ray vision. Making it appear to have a +3 aura rather than it's real aura should require an investment of some additional illusion magic, rather than making it easier to use. If someone wants a sword that looks +3 but acts like a ring of x-ray vision, they aren't making a cursed item, they are just making a very complicated ring of x-ray vision.

 

[Sunseeker]

Seems less cursed, and more "mismatched". As people have pointed out, once you use the weapon you figure out what it really does, it's not so cursed anymore, just weird.

Generally speaking, curses are negative effects, so a cursed Sword of Lifestealing which actually summons a wall of fog might instread, only cause the wielder of the sword to perceive that they are surrounded by fog, when in reality they are not.

Maybe two matching circlets that appear to be magical bands of wisdom would instead be gate spells, but for the mind of the wearers. Fun times switching two of your player's brains! Removing the headband would of course, not remove the curse, and other's wearing the headband would add even more fun to the situation! Come on we've all see the shows where this happens!


IMO: tricking the player into thinking X is Y is a useful ploy for getting them to don a cursed item, however, it is limited fun when that magical item really does nothing other than some different magical effect. Eventually, players would use it as though you had handed them the actual item.

 

[Matthias]

I guess the "temporary curse" of this arrangement is more or less unavoidable if one effect is simply substituted with another.

So would this be an effective curse? Every time the item is activated, there is a 50% chance that the magic item does something completely different: the magic item casts a spell of the same class, spell level, school, and caster level as any of the required spells to create the item. If the random magic requires a material component, if that component is available on the user's person it is consumed; otherwise the spell simply fails.

Example:

Horn of Fog requires obscuring mist; 50% of the time it performs as expected but the rest of the time it might cast any of the following: grease, mage armor, mount, summon monster I, unseen servant, etc.

There should be no way a character could predict or control the exact spell to come out of the cursed item, and unless they are a spellcaster, they will find many spells simply fizzling on the spot because they don't know or don't have the necessary material component or focus on hand in order to complete the spell. (Nor should a random spell popping out of a cursed magic item be allowed to help a spellcaster somehow 'learn' that spell).

This curse wouldn't work for magic items that don't have a specific spell as a requirement.

 

[ComradeGnull]

I guess the "temporary curse" of this arrangement is more or less unavoidable if one effect is simply substituted with another.

So would this be an effective curse? Every time the item is activated, there is a 50% chance that the magic item does something completely different: the magic item casts a spell of the same class, spell level, school, and caster level as any of the required spells to create the item. If the random magic requires a material component, if that component is available on the user's person it is consumed; otherwise the spell simply fails.

Example:

Horn of Fog requires obscuring mist; 50% of the time it performs as expected but the rest of the time it might cast any of the following: grease, mage armor, mount, summon monster I, unseen servant, etc.

There should be no way a character could predict or control the exact spell to come out of the cursed item, and unless they are a spellcaster, they will find many spells simply fizzling on the spot because they don't know or don't have the necessary material component or focus on hand in order to complete the spell. (Nor should a random spell popping out of a cursed magic item be allowed to help a spellcaster somehow 'learn' that spell).

This curse wouldn't work for magic items that don't have a specific spell as a requirement.

That seems reasonable, as long as the spell doesn't benefit the user of the cursed item. A free Mage armor or Mount spell under the users control could be a nice perk, even if it is unpredictable. I would add that beneficial spells always affect opponents and harmful spells always target allies or random areas that include the user for AOE attacks. Also, any creature that is summoned would be uncontrolled, and might act as though under the effects of confusion- sometimes attacking at random, sometimes doing nothing, etc.

Not sure about the components requirement. Magic items usually don't function that way, and it effectively gives the item the unreliable quality for non-spell casters rather than having a random effect. Why not drop that requirement?