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Cursed items
- Thread starter Crothian
- Start date
demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
I've used cursed items on occasion, and only then for two purposes:
1. As a logical extension for items that were damaged, altered unintentionally or botched in creation. Example: a belt of Str +4 in a warehouse affected by a magical disaster might well survive, but it could turn into a belt of weakness or change the user's gender as a side effect.
2. As a magical boobytrap to prevent theft and to revenge against the despoilers. For example, a ghoul cleric I ran the party against had built a metamagic rod that dealt Con damage. As an undead, he was immune. And the benefit of the item was enough so that the temptation was there to use it.
Demiurge out.
1. As a logical extension for items that were damaged, altered unintentionally or botched in creation. Example: a belt of Str +4 in a warehouse affected by a magical disaster might well survive, but it could turn into a belt of weakness or change the user's gender as a side effect.
2. As a magical boobytrap to prevent theft and to revenge against the despoilers. For example, a ghoul cleric I ran the party against had built a metamagic rod that dealt Con damage. As an undead, he was immune. And the benefit of the item was enough so that the temptation was there to use it.
Demiurge out.
Shemeska
Adventurer
I don't use cursed items to 'get' PCs, so much as I'll use them as plot devices or items that give a large benefit but have a drawback.
1st cursed item: a cursed crystal ball that allowed a fiend to hitchhike, effectively, on the thoughts of a PC. They managed to get rid of them only after doing some service for them.
2nd one: a minor artifact ring that bound itself to the wearer and could not be removed short of the PC being dead or, maybe, losing a finger. Gave a rather substantial list of abilities, but the ring had an ego and goals of its own. It acted as a strong willed familiar in some ways, giving 'advice' at times, and not always being entirely cooperative with the wearer. I've yet to really play it up though, and its true origins and aims are unknown.
1st cursed item: a cursed crystal ball that allowed a fiend to hitchhike, effectively, on the thoughts of a PC. They managed to get rid of them only after doing some service for them.
2nd one: a minor artifact ring that bound itself to the wearer and could not be removed short of the PC being dead or, maybe, losing a finger. Gave a rather substantial list of abilities, but the ring had an ego and goals of its own. It acted as a strong willed familiar in some ways, giving 'advice' at times, and not always being entirely cooperative with the wearer. I've yet to really play it up though, and its true origins and aims are unknown.
Inconsequenti-AL
Breaks Games
Like quite a few others here - I'm a big fan of mixed items, drawbacks to a mostly useful item...
sums it up for me.
Have also used 'cosmetic' curses before. e.g. Had a moderately powerful weapon - but the first time you picked it up, all your hair grew one inch. (from the DMG, IIRC?) Some eyebrow, head and body shaving later it was usable - Didn't impede the user in any other way, but made it near impossible to sell - "If it does that, what else does it do?"
Did end up with the owner allowing a bald shopkeeper to touch it, in return for a healthy discount.
Others included a suit of armour that gave you a mild skin condition and potions that turned your teeth black for 24 hours.
sums it up for me.
Have also used 'cosmetic' curses before. e.g. Had a moderately powerful weapon - but the first time you picked it up, all your hair grew one inch. (from the DMG, IIRC?) Some eyebrow, head and body shaving later it was usable - Didn't impede the user in any other way, but made it near impossible to sell - "If it does that, what else does it do?"
Did end up with the owner allowing a bald shopkeeper to touch it, in return for a healthy discount.
Others included a suit of armour that gave you a mild skin condition and potions that turned your teeth black for 24 hours.
Dracomeander
First Post
Richards said:
I've been known to use the occasional cursed item, but they are never a generic item. They always have unique abilities and reasons for their existence. I generally put as much effort into the creation of a cursed item as I do into the creation of an artifact.
Read Lawrence Watt-Evans book "The Misenchanted Sword" for an example of how a near artifact level weapon came to be made with a curse. It is a very good and fun read just for the story as well.
Aust Diamondew
First Post
When I randomly generate treasure I always roll to see if any of it is cursed. But I only use drawbacks for the items other posters have said. Almost always any awesomely powerful near-artifact/artifact level item has some sort of curse.
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
I still use cursed magic items, though I never did use them much to begin with. One current PC has a "backbiter" dagger. He still hasn't figured out why he occasionally slips and cuts himself when using that dagger.
I don't use the -1 type cursed items, but prefer the ones that have bonuses to hit and have other drawbacks, like the above-mentioned blood-drinking sword. It adds more flavor to the game.
I don't use the -1 type cursed items, but prefer the ones that have bonuses to hit and have other drawbacks, like the above-mentioned blood-drinking sword. It adds more flavor to the game.
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