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How cursed are cursed items?
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<blockquote data-quote="Saeviomagy" data-source="post: 6938950" data-attributes="member: 5890"><p>It all comes down to "why is this item cursed?" in the multiple meanings of that statement: </p><p>What quality does the item possess that make it 'cursed'?</p><p></p><p>What is the reason that the item was created with a curse?</p><p></p><p>For the belt, it could be argued that the creature intended a gender swap, and the fact that it takes the form of an irremovable belt is the curse. Or alternately the entire item is a curse intended for a specific recipient.</p><p></p><p>It seems to me that with the default rules for magic item creation, it's just as hard to make a cursed item as not. To me, that would suggest that any cursed item that has a negative effect that can never be useful is an accident or an unavoidable side effect. </p><p></p><p>While one might want a sword that you cannot be disarmed of, and that springs to your hand on entering battle, there's no reason ever to make one that is -2: the resources required to enchant such a thing out shadow the requirements for a casting of remove curse by an enormous margin.</p><p></p><p>So the -2 cursed sword is an accident or an unavoidable side effect. I can't imagine a situation where having a sword outweighs the penalties of the -2 sword, so I doubt anyone makes one deliberately. It's firmly in the side effect camp.</p><p></p><p>However something like the berserker axe is more likely to be an unavoidable side effect. The axe is, after all, quite good. You have to use it, and it gives you a couple of vulnerabilities, but overall it's something you might consider worth it.</p><p></p><p>Personally I think that is the only ways that cursed items make sense: they're intended for some use. Either they do exactly what they intend (but that use is undesirable to the players) or they have a perfectly legitimate use that is hindered by some flaw in the item.</p><p></p><p>Either way, I think that including cursed items that cannot ever be useful leads to less excitement than an item that may be used for an unintended purpose, or may be used despite a drawback. The former at best drives a quest to overcome the curse and dispose of the item. The latter leads to ongoing drama and flavour.</p><p></p><p>The berserker axe is something that's going to stay in the campaign for a while, and quite possibly see some use. The -2 sword will be dumped or destroyed as soon as the players can let it go.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Saeviomagy, post: 6938950, member: 5890"] It all comes down to "why is this item cursed?" in the multiple meanings of that statement: What quality does the item possess that make it 'cursed'? What is the reason that the item was created with a curse? For the belt, it could be argued that the creature intended a gender swap, and the fact that it takes the form of an irremovable belt is the curse. Or alternately the entire item is a curse intended for a specific recipient. It seems to me that with the default rules for magic item creation, it's just as hard to make a cursed item as not. To me, that would suggest that any cursed item that has a negative effect that can never be useful is an accident or an unavoidable side effect. While one might want a sword that you cannot be disarmed of, and that springs to your hand on entering battle, there's no reason ever to make one that is -2: the resources required to enchant such a thing out shadow the requirements for a casting of remove curse by an enormous margin. So the -2 cursed sword is an accident or an unavoidable side effect. I can't imagine a situation where having a sword outweighs the penalties of the -2 sword, so I doubt anyone makes one deliberately. It's firmly in the side effect camp. However something like the berserker axe is more likely to be an unavoidable side effect. The axe is, after all, quite good. You have to use it, and it gives you a couple of vulnerabilities, but overall it's something you might consider worth it. Personally I think that is the only ways that cursed items make sense: they're intended for some use. Either they do exactly what they intend (but that use is undesirable to the players) or they have a perfectly legitimate use that is hindered by some flaw in the item. Either way, I think that including cursed items that cannot ever be useful leads to less excitement than an item that may be used for an unintended purpose, or may be used despite a drawback. The former at best drives a quest to overcome the curse and dispose of the item. The latter leads to ongoing drama and flavour. The berserker axe is something that's going to stay in the campaign for a while, and quite possibly see some use. The -2 sword will be dumped or destroyed as soon as the players can let it go. [/QUOTE]
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