How common are your cursed items

[Dyne]

I almost never use "cursed" items in the strictest sense. However, there are plenty of magic items that I've used that have some kind of drawback of restriction. These would usually be for more powerful items, however, so the drawbacks were usually well worth it.

 

[Li Shenron]

I was going to post that we use quite few of them, but since it's about 1 every 20-30 magic items (not including scrolls, potions, wands however) perhaps our group is actually one of the most fond of cursed items

For the record, almost all of them are usually DM-made, and usually they are useful items with one single drawback, which also is often just an aesthetic disadvantage.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

I usually can't figure out reasons my cursed items would be lying around unless you consider (a) a good item with a drawback or (b) a weapon that is helpful only to evil people.

 

[kirinke]

lol
my current moon elf female cleric-fighter is now wielding err being wielded by um... lol
a magical mithril longsword that will grow with her in power. the drawback is the sword is possessed by the spirit of a rather crusty female dwarven battle-maid who was a princess of her people.

yes.
they do get into arguments.
and my character looses more often than not.
Still, tis great fun to roleplay em out.

and while the sword isn't evil, there is a hefty drawback to wielding it. heheh.

 

[Thanee]

Very rare. I can really think of only a handful.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Nifft]

Hardly ever. I'm more prone to use Mortal-bane weapons if I don't want the PCs to sell them, or to use "items" that have drawbacks (but not curses) -- e.g., a PC fought a Hobgoblin who had an elemental symbiont that granted +2 Dex and Fire attacks, but cost -1 Con to keep "fed". That's an interesting trade-off IMHO, and the PC thought so too.

-- N

 

[Hand of Evil]

As common as any other magic item but I tend to refer to them as tainted items. The item takes on the nature of its user, good or bad and can cause players to change over time, in my world the sword can be evil. All items can be cleaned.

It is a check and balance, magic is common, evil is about, corruption and salvation walk hand in hand.

 

[frankthedm]

Quite common, the way i run things is a caster can take shortcuts for making items if the caster is willing to risk it to save gold and effort. Some cuses manifest right away, others develop as the protective magics wear away. Like a flaming sword burning the weilder's hand or wands that spend a charge a week if not used. Typicly PCs can tell if an item is safe to use by where it was--- In an NPC's hand, likly safe. Locked away, at your own risk.

 

[Sammael]

Uncommon. The only "cursed" item currently in posession of my players is Lors, an intelligent staff of power. What's that about charged items not being able to be intelligent? See, Lors is terribly afraid that once all his charges are gone (and he isn't telling how many he has left), he'll lose his soul. So, every time the PC wizard wants to cast a spell using Lors, he has to convince/bluff/bully him into releasing a charge. Oh, and the staff cannot be removed from his posession without a remove curse spell or some sort of anti-magic.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

I only put a small number in any campaign, perhaps one every 5-7 levels. I like to include quirky items though, like a recent suit of armor that I gave out. It's encrusted with salt. The salt wears off over time, so you have to go dunk it back in salt water again. But while it's encrusted, it gives you a Swim speed, even in fresh water. I also gave out Venombrawn, a sword that makes the wielder stronger when they get poisoned (which led to much hilarity where my giant akashic has been figuring out how to poison himself).

By far my most fun cursed item was the Staff of Curing. Just like a normal First Edition D&D staff, except that you had to hit someone with it to heal them. Do 1d4 damage, heal 1d8. It worked out on the plus side for the most part. However, there was one scene where the cleric kept whaling away on the fighter, doing slightly more damage than he healed every time, until someone else made him stop.