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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Matthias" data-source="post: 5986802" data-attributes="member: 3625">This page of the SRD deals with cursed items:<a href="http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/magicItems/cursedItems.html" target="_blank">Cursed Items</a>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.[highlight]Completely Different EffectThe 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.[/highlight]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).</blockquote>

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