Cursed items

[Crothian]

Do people still use these? I remeber them being a lot more common at least in modules in 1e. Nowe a days with the heavy reliance on magical items that game has I woulkd think that the introduction of cursed items would be even more fun for a DM but it just isn't something I see in campaigns or that I see people discussing on the boards.

Do you use cursed items? Do you like them as a player? Why or why not??

 

[the Jester]

Oh, lord, my poor character. Omrob is a dirty bastard of a dm. He ran us through the Desert of Desolation series (converted to 3e) and my character ended up under three curses at once. Just two games ago I picked up another cursed weapon. Dammit!!!

It's cool, though- I like cursed items as a dm, and as a player I think they're a lot of fun too. Though I never liked the 1/2e cloak of poisonousness- death without a save. :\ That's no good.

 

[Crothian]

I agree, there are some cursed items that are just unfair.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I find that since my PCs became paranoid about using non-identified items, and since it is somewhat difficult to pass off cursed items as non-cursed, I have changed the way I handle cursed items. Instead of making them all bad, I make them have a price for use. The PC doesn't have to use them, but its a temptation, there's a drawback but still something about the item that makes the PC want to use it.

I remember someone on, I think, Andy's board, but I can't remember where I read this, it was years ago. He said:

A "good" cursed item should always have something that makes the character say the famous last words: "Maybe the curse is worth it..."

And, I've stuck to that ever since.

 

[Nightfall]

I've used, on at least three occasions, cursed items that had some significant draw backs as well as "helpful" side effects. I always believed more in a person's own ability. So when I run Scarred Lands, unless its clerically made and sanctioned by Corean, you'd be watch yourself.

Oh and there's always that strange side effect to arcane magic. Thanks Mesos!

 

[Darth K'Trava]

We don't use them. Although jokes for awhile of getting that Belt (or girdle) of Gender Changing to change my male ranger's gender to female because half the group was getting confused as I'm a female playing a male character at that time before he died that third time and I left him be.

 

[Nightfall]

Third time is the charm I say!

Maybe he needed my "Armor of Enlightened Rage".

You can only rage if you can read out poetry for the first 5 rounds. In Elvish.

 

[astralpwka]

I've used cursed items as a dm, but mainly for comedy, and usually based after old Dragon Magazine cartoons. One of my favorites was the hammer of dwarf throwing.

 

[BullMarkOne]

I have to say as both a dm and a player I absolutely love cursed items.. As a dm I like tossing a cursed item or 30 at the pc's just to drag them off on tangents, or introduce plot twists. As a player I appreciate both the tangents and plot twists and the character development that can come out of a good curse. One of my favorite characters was a 2e NG ranger who had acquired a cursed berserking broadsword.. the constant fighting to the death, and several severe beatings by his own teammates turned him into a near pacifist.... hmm.. maybe I'll toss one of those bad boys into my 3e campaign and see how my pc's take it...

 

[RithTheAwakener]

I think cursed items are a waste of time, unless there is some GOOD to the item, bringing up the "maybe its worth it" quote.

Cuz if you really think about it, who would want to make a cursed item?
"Hey i just made this cool -1 Longsword. Im never going to use it, ever. Isnt it cool?"

I want a cursed item thats got something unique on it, that makes me wonder if i ever really do want to get a remove curse on it. Something flavorful