Cursed Blow is the Most Internally Inconsistent Ability I've Ever Seen

[Zombulian]

Whenever you successfully deal sneak attack damage to a foe, you may also expend a spell slot (of up to 4th level), as a free action, to curse the target.
The curse places a penalty on the target's attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks equal to the level of the spell slot expended, and lasts a number of rounds equal to your spellthief level. Penalties from this ability do not stack; only the largest penalty applies. The curse bypasses Spell Resistance, but the target is allowed a Will save (DC 10 + your Charisma modifier + your caster level), with a successful save reducing the curse's penalty to -1 per level of the spell slot.
For example, Amara, a 7th-level spellthief with a 14 Charisma and cursed blow, attacks an ogre mage with her dagger while flanking him. She deals her 1d6 sneak attack damage and decides to use her cursed blow as well, expending a 1st-level spell slot. The curse ignores the target's spell resistance, but the ogre mage is allowed a DC 15 (10 + 2 Cha modifier + 3 caster level) Will save to reduce the curse's penalty to -1. Regardless of the ogre mage's save, the penalty lasts for 1 minute.

It's like the three paragraphs were written by five different writers who didn't check the others' work.

[atemu1234]

What am I looking at, this is bad even by WotC standards.

[Venger]

What am I looking at, this is bad even by WotC standards.

that's because it's some trash from dragon magazine.

that is a great find, though. if you were tasked with writing something deliberately confusing, I don't think anyone could do better

[Starbuck_II]

It's like the three paragraphs were written by five different writers who didn't check the others' work.
The curse places a penalty on the target's attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks equal to the level of the spell slot expended,
Dur: lasts a number of rounds equal to your spellthief level.
The curse bypasses Spell Resistance, but the target is allowed a Will save (DC 10 + your Charisma modifier + your caster level), with a successful save reducing the curse's penalty to -1.

Example: a 7th-level spellthief, 14 Cha
expending a 1st-level spell slot
The curse ignores the target's spell resistance, but the ogre mage is allowed a DC 15 (10 + 2 Cha modifier + 3 caster level) Will save to reduce the curse's penalty to -1. Okay, did they mean 3rd level spellthief or is the example DC wrong?

Does it matter if they save since it is -1 regardless.
Dur: 1 minute... okay, it should be 7 or 3 unless rules are wrong and it should be 1 minute.

How I'd rule it:
The curse places a penalty on the target's attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks equal to the level of the spell slot expended
Dur: lasts a number of rounds equal to your spellthief level (minimum 1 minute).
The curse bypasses Spell Resistance, but the target is allowed a Will save (DC 10 + your Charisma modifier + your caster level), with a successful save reducing the curse's penalty to -1.

[flappeercraft]

This is most definitely the worst written ability I have ever seen. Thank you for showing me this gem

[Crake]

Since anyone could submit to dragon magazine, I put this kinda stuff in the same category as homebrew, which is why I use almost no material from dragon magazine. Can't really blame WotC for this either, this is Paizo's fault if it was dragon magazine.

[lord pringle]

This may be the greatest thing I've seen in a while. It's like watching two people argue over a house rule in print form.

[AMX]

with a successful save reducing the curse's penalty to -1.

-1 per level of the spell slot, actually.
Which seems to be exactly the same as it was before the save...

[zergling.exe]

The ability itself is written just fine, the example is where the problems are.While odd that it allows a save, but saving does nothing, there isn't anything actually wrong with it. Just ignore the example and it works just fine.

[eggynack]

The ability itself is written just fine, the example is where the problems are.While odd that it allows a save, but saving does nothing, there isn't anything actually wrong with it. Just ignore the example and it works just fine.
Nah, it's still structured kinda inexplicably. The text says that this applies a penalty equal to the level of the spell you expended, but they get a save, and passing the save makes it only apply a penalty equal to the level of the spell you expended. I guess it's not technically self contradictory, but it's absolutely stupid. It's a save that does literal nothing, as far as I can tell.

[Douglas]

Yes, it's completely self-consistent, clear, and fully specified. It just doesn't make any sense because it has a save that "reduces" a penalty to the same value it would have anyway.

[eggynack]

Yes, it's completely self-consistent, clear, and fully specified. It just doesn't make any sense because it has a save that "reduces" a penalty to the same value it would have anyway.
Well, until you do indeed get to the inconsistent example. If you restrict the text to the first part, it's a technically RAW functioning ability that is completely illogical. Then you add the example and it's illogical and also not especially RAW functioning.

[AMX]

Maybe the idea with the pointless save is to interact with some other ability that affects "anything that allows a save?"

[Zombulian]

The curse places a penalty on the target's attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks equal to the level of the spell slot expended,
Dur: lasts a number of rounds equal to your spellthief level.
The curse bypasses Spell Resistance, but the target is allowed a Will save (DC 10 + your Charisma modifier + your caster level), with a successful save reducing the curse's penalty to -1.

Example: a 7th-level spellthief, 14 Cha
expending a 1st-level spell slot
The curse ignores the target's spell resistance, but the ogre mage is allowed a DC 15 (10 + 2 Cha modifier + 3 caster level) Will save to reduce the curse's penalty to -1. Okay, did they mean 3rd level spellthief or is the example DC wrong?

Does it matter if they save since it is -1 regardless.
Dur: 1 minute... okay, it should be 7 or 3 unless rules are wrong and it should be 1 minute.

How I'd rule it:
The curse places a penalty on the target's attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks equal to the level of the spell slot expended
Dur: lasts a number of rounds equal to your spellthief level (minimum 1 minute).
The curse bypasses Spell Resistance, but the target is allowed a Will save (DC 10 + your Charisma modifier + your caster level), with a successful save reducing the curse's penalty to -1.

Actually that part has an explanation. Spellthief CL is half their level.


Maybe the idea with the pointless save is to interact with some other ability that affects "anything that allows a save?"

That's actually a decent point. While other chumps are free to roll their saves to no avail, someone with Mettle would be able to bypass this.