MaxiDuRaritry
2016-09-23, 03:55 PM
We all know about how useful a -2 cursed sword is (cannot be dropped, stolen, sundered, or disarmed, acts as a returning weapon automatically, and is great for drawing multiple times per round for Iaijutsu Focus benefits), or the dust of sneezing and choking (unavoidable stunning condition unless the targets are immune), but what other cursed items could come in really handy? I'm mostly interested in the opposite effect, requirement, and drawback, if chosen carefully during crafting (rather than being randomly rolled).
Gender change or race change would be useful for someone who is either suffering from body dysmorphic disorder, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_dysmorphic_disorder) who wants assistance with avoiding being ID'd, or can garner a mechanical benefit from being, say, a dwarf at that time in their build progression.
Type change could grant some great benefits. Change into an outsider so you can alter self into a lantern archon? Gain the undead type so you gain all the benefits of being undead (including immortality) without having to kill yourself or go through a painful ritual? Gain immunity to critical hits because you became an ooze? Casting a heavily metamagicked awaken on yourself because you're now an animal? All of those and many more are possible.
If the item emits a disturbing sound, I could easily see a disturbed individual using it as one of his signature tells. A gnomish bard could use his undergarments of moaning +1 and a few well-crafted tales to spread the infamy of his bedroom prowess.
The changes character's alignment trait would be a much cheaper way to alter someone's outlook on life than a helm of opposite alignment. That cursed oil of cure minor wounds can be used as a splash weapon to turn the BBEG Lawful Good easily, especially given how cheap they are to produce.
The negative level(s) and cannot cast spells abilities could make for some seriously nasty weapons when added to ammo, potions, or oils. Whether you're firing them at enemies or attempting to (metaphorically) castrate an enemy by tricking him into using the cursed item, these can be quite nasty (and quite cheap).
Adding a specific requirement onto an item can be a great way to ensure that nobody can use it but you. Much like the PIN on a debit card or the keys to a car, if your dentures of the apocalypse are ever stolen, you can rest assured that the world is safe...unless the thief happens to be a transgendered male gnome by the name of Saint Sisyphus Sassypants the Seventh, of course.
However, the opposite effect trait is where things really start getting interesting, and it's where I imagine that most of this thread's focus will be, and it's what curses all the following:
Cursed arrows (or other weapon) of brilliant energy would completely ignore everything but nonliving matter. (This one goes to KittySLillian, who gave me the idea for this thread.) So they only affect nonliving objects, undead, and constructs. So if you're expecting a huge battle against invading hordes of undead, and lots of (living) innocent bystanders, grab yourself some of these with the exit wounds and explosive enhancements so you can fire right through the townsfolks' bodies and wreak havoc on the undead without worrying about friendly fire. Just make sure you're wearing gauntlets or gloves so you can actually pick up the arrows.
A cursed shortsword of defending would allow you to reduce your AC to increase the enhancement bonus on the weapon. Sure, you'll have to waste a point of AC to overcome the preexisting penalty to attack and damage, but it's a really cheap way to get an epic enhancement bonus to hit and damage.
A cursed great maul of disruption has a chance to automatically kill any living creature it hits, and it can also resurrect any corpse it strikes.
A cursed merciful sap allows you to carry around a weapon that appears to deal nonlethal damage but actually deals lethal damage, instead. It's a great way to make a paladin fall; he thinks he can knock out the civilian target he needs to subdue, but it turns out that, yeah, he just killed an innocent man.
Cursed arrows of seeking would normally not be terribly usable, but if a sneakthief can infiltrate an enemy fortification with cursed arrows that have a sizable miss chance whenever they're fired, it would certainly make the next day's attack against them a lot less painful for the attackers.
A cursed weapon of shocking/flaming/frost/holy/etc might actually heal anyone it hits. Get yourself a sap with these on it, and suddenly you're dealing 1d4 nonlethal and healing LotsD6 damage in return. Likewise, if it's a cursed anarchic unholy greatsword and you're wielding it as a Lawful Good character, expect to have some nice anti-negative levels in your future; gaining +2 on all skill checks, ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, effective levels (for determining if you're hit by blasphemy, etc), and gaining extra spell levels of your highest castable spells if you're a spellcaster are some REALLY nice benefits.
A Tiny sized cursed vicious dagger is especially nice, since it deals almost no damage, but it heals your target 2d6 damage and heals you 1d6.
And a cursed wounding sap would be nice, since it grants bonus Con to whoever it hits. Combine with all the other healing weapons above.
Cursed wild armor could be donned while in wild shape and meld with your human form when you turn back.
I'm sure there are other opposite-effect items which could be incredibly useful. What effects can you think up?
Gender change or race change would be useful for someone who is either suffering from body dysmorphic disorder, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_dysmorphic_disorder) who wants assistance with avoiding being ID'd, or can garner a mechanical benefit from being, say, a dwarf at that time in their build progression.
Type change could grant some great benefits. Change into an outsider so you can alter self into a lantern archon? Gain the undead type so you gain all the benefits of being undead (including immortality) without having to kill yourself or go through a painful ritual? Gain immunity to critical hits because you became an ooze? Casting a heavily metamagicked awaken on yourself because you're now an animal? All of those and many more are possible.
If the item emits a disturbing sound, I could easily see a disturbed individual using it as one of his signature tells. A gnomish bard could use his undergarments of moaning +1 and a few well-crafted tales to spread the infamy of his bedroom prowess.
The changes character's alignment trait would be a much cheaper way to alter someone's outlook on life than a helm of opposite alignment. That cursed oil of cure minor wounds can be used as a splash weapon to turn the BBEG Lawful Good easily, especially given how cheap they are to produce.
The negative level(s) and cannot cast spells abilities could make for some seriously nasty weapons when added to ammo, potions, or oils. Whether you're firing them at enemies or attempting to (metaphorically) castrate an enemy by tricking him into using the cursed item, these can be quite nasty (and quite cheap).
Adding a specific requirement onto an item can be a great way to ensure that nobody can use it but you. Much like the PIN on a debit card or the keys to a car, if your dentures of the apocalypse are ever stolen, you can rest assured that the world is safe...unless the thief happens to be a transgendered male gnome by the name of Saint Sisyphus Sassypants the Seventh, of course.
However, the opposite effect trait is where things really start getting interesting, and it's where I imagine that most of this thread's focus will be, and it's what curses all the following:
Cursed arrows (or other weapon) of brilliant energy would completely ignore everything but nonliving matter. (This one goes to KittySLillian, who gave me the idea for this thread.) So they only affect nonliving objects, undead, and constructs. So if you're expecting a huge battle against invading hordes of undead, and lots of (living) innocent bystanders, grab yourself some of these with the exit wounds and explosive enhancements so you can fire right through the townsfolks' bodies and wreak havoc on the undead without worrying about friendly fire. Just make sure you're wearing gauntlets or gloves so you can actually pick up the arrows.
A cursed shortsword of defending would allow you to reduce your AC to increase the enhancement bonus on the weapon. Sure, you'll have to waste a point of AC to overcome the preexisting penalty to attack and damage, but it's a really cheap way to get an epic enhancement bonus to hit and damage.
A cursed great maul of disruption has a chance to automatically kill any living creature it hits, and it can also resurrect any corpse it strikes.
A cursed merciful sap allows you to carry around a weapon that appears to deal nonlethal damage but actually deals lethal damage, instead. It's a great way to make a paladin fall; he thinks he can knock out the civilian target he needs to subdue, but it turns out that, yeah, he just killed an innocent man.
Cursed arrows of seeking would normally not be terribly usable, but if a sneakthief can infiltrate an enemy fortification with cursed arrows that have a sizable miss chance whenever they're fired, it would certainly make the next day's attack against them a lot less painful for the attackers.
A cursed weapon of shocking/flaming/frost/holy/etc might actually heal anyone it hits. Get yourself a sap with these on it, and suddenly you're dealing 1d4 nonlethal and healing LotsD6 damage in return. Likewise, if it's a cursed anarchic unholy greatsword and you're wielding it as a Lawful Good character, expect to have some nice anti-negative levels in your future; gaining +2 on all skill checks, ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, effective levels (for determining if you're hit by blasphemy, etc), and gaining extra spell levels of your highest castable spells if you're a spellcaster are some REALLY nice benefits.
A Tiny sized cursed vicious dagger is especially nice, since it deals almost no damage, but it heals your target 2d6 damage and heals you 1d6.
And a cursed wounding sap would be nice, since it grants bonus Con to whoever it hits. Combine with all the other healing weapons above.
Cursed wild armor could be donned while in wild shape and meld with your human form when you turn back.
I'm sure there are other opposite-effect items which could be incredibly useful. What effects can you think up?