Curse Compendium

[Lysander]

Bestow Curse reads:


You place a curse on the subject. Choose one of the following three effects.

* -6 decrease to an ability score (minimum 1).
* -4 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks.
* Each turn, the target has a 50% chance to act normally; otherwise, it takes no action.

You may also invent your own curse, but it should be no more powerful than those described above.

So what other curse ideas have you come up with? Here's one:

*Inability to stop whistling showtunes. Speaking and verbal spell components are still possible but you must do so in a sing-song manner in between whistling.

[deuxhero]

Auto-fail on one skill (such as profession:farmer.)

[Kurald Galain]

One I really liked is the curse of Bad Luck.

Essentially, the universe hates you. Whenever a random character is targeted by a nasty effect (or an enemy shoots an arrow at a randomly picked PC) that means you. Your food spoils and tastes awful. Your saddle belt breaks. Stuff like that, certainly not to cripple the character, but enough to annoy him while he wonders what is happening to him.

[Choco]

Whenever you go #2, there will be nothing available to wipe with.

Thats the most fun one... but the ones that mess with game mechanics that I like are:

For casters: 50% chance each round to lose 1 spell per day/prepared of a random level. This is in addition to any spells that you actually cast that round.

For melee: Only able to use light weapons.

For throwers/archers: 50% miss chance on all attacks.

[Kaiyanwang]

There is a Dragon Magazine with a lot of suggestions for alternative Curses and Greater Curses. But I don't remember the issue number :smallfurious:

Maybe someone else with more DM-fu than me.. help!

[dsmiles]

Curses don't necessarily have to have "game" effects. One word: "Thinner."

[The Glyphstone]

All your items become cursed - anything that would give you a numeric bonus instead gives an equal penalty to stats, attack, or damage rolls. You may remove these items, but replacing them with other items only transfers the curse. Other people can wear your stuff freely.

All spells you cast become cursed - anything that would give a bonus now gives a penalty. Enemies are unaffected by this.

[Farlion]

Stolen from someone here from the forum (all credit to the one I don't remember):

"You develope the sudden urge to mate with red dragons"

Born ist your Dragon Layer!


Cheers,
Farlion

[Cyrion]

You become a jinx- things routinely go wrong for those around you.

You are a ------- (puppies, kittens, unicorns, pigs...) attractor. Wherever you go, you attract this animal- it will come to you, watch you, follow you, etc. Often in multiples.

[Zaq]

You know the 3rd level spell Unluck? Imagine that forever.

[TheCountAlucard]

My "slow the hell down" curse: taking more than a single move or standard action per round causes you to take one point of damage, plus any damage you've taken last round as a result of this curse.

Example: Round 1, cursed fellow double moves, takes 1 point of damage. Round 2, he full attacks, takes 2 points of damage. Round 3, he moves and attacks, takes 3 points of damage. Round 4, he takes a 5-foot step and drinks a potion, and takes no damage. Round 5, he 5-foot steps again and full attacks, and takes 1 point of damage.

[ericgrau]

Here are some past threads with ideas:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120114
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126056
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124194

Keep 'em coming, and I'll be noting the threads for my own future use :smallbiggrin:

[jiriku]

Curses based on the seven deadly sins are interesting.

* Uncontrollable greed leads to kleptomania and paranoia.

* Excessive sexual activity, with odd or unpleasant fetishes (pain, public places).

* Uncontrollable anger.

* Uncontrolled gluttony leading to massive weight gain.

etc.


The 2nd Edition Ravenloft boxed set, if you can get your hands on it, has pages and pages of useful information on greater curses.

[Hadessniper]

Any time you would roll a die roll 2, take the lesser of these rolls.

[Kaiyanwang]

There is a Dragon Magazine with a lot of suggestions for alternative Curses and Greater Curses. But I don't remember the issue number :smallfurious:

Maybe someone else with more DM-fu than me.. help!

#348, you moron!

ShadowsGrnEyes, thank you for the DragonDex suggestion in the Time Dragon thread.

[Kulture]

At any point when your character is considered flat footed, roll a percentile die.
There is a slowly increasing chance (starting at 1% and doubling each time until it's a certainty) that you will suddenly be attacked by a level appropriate raptor for no good reason other then it's a running gag.

[Rhiannon87]

At any point when your character is considered flat footed, roll a percentile die.
There is a slowly increasing chance (starting at 1% and doubling each time until it's a certainty) that you will suddenly be attacked by a level appropriate raptor for no good reason other then it's a running gag.

Oh god. I nearly choked on my sandwich at my desk at work trying not to laugh. When you are finally attacked by said raptor, does the percentile reset? And does the raptor stick around and continue to attack, or does it charge in, pounce and claw you, then disappear as mysteriously and suddenly as it came?

[TricksyAndFalse]

One I like from The Last Watch (http://www.amazon.com/Last-Watch-Book/dp/1401309275/), your character will fail to perform in his next 77 intimate encounters.

[Telonius]

Curse of the Silly Scabbard. Whenever you attempt to draw your weapon, you have a 50% chance to instead draw a ridiculously inappropriate item.

Examples:
- Lemon Meringue Pie
- Extra-large kielbasa
- Rubber Chicken
- Feather boa
- Pink flamingo (plastic)
- Pink flamingo (alive)
- Garden gnome
- Dead parrot
- Bouquet of flowers
- Shoe
- Adult toy
- Sack of potatoes

If you are wearing a locked gauntlet, you can still incur the curse. Every time you would take the first attack of an encounter, there is a 25% chance that the item (rather than your sword) is wired to your hand.

[chiasaur11]

Oh god. I nearly choked on my sandwich at my desk at work trying not to laugh. When you are finally attacked by said raptor, does the percentile reset? And does the raptor stick around and continue to attack, or does it charge in, pounce and claw you, then disappear as mysteriously and suddenly as it came?

I figure it resets and the raptor dashes off.

More fun that way.