Taint-based curse for lv1 sorcerer PC

[mbolis]

Hi all,

I'm about to run a 3.5 adventure with some random n00b friends.
The game will start at level 1. One of the main threats is going to be tied to taint (cfr. Unearthed Arcana, or the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/taint.htm)).

One of the players is playing a sorcerer with a nice, complex background. As part of his backstory, he was cursed by a rival tribe and still carries the signs, so I'm arranging a taint-based curse.
My idea is to give him a bonus known spell per spell level, but when casting those spells he is going to roll vs fortitude as per the taint rules (cumulative penalty for each time he casts one) or accrue one point of taint.
I'm quite sold on the idea, but I'm tweaking it for balance and appeal. I'd love to see this player actually risking casting some of these "forbidden" spells every once in a while, but without breaking the game for the other players.
For example, should I grant him one bonus spell/day per spell level (usable only for his forbidden spells), or would it become too broken? The rationale is that if he abuses his powers he gets more and more tainted, so in the end the power would essentially auto-balance...

What do you think?
(Thanks :smallsmile:)

[BWR]

Are your players on board with the idea of the Taint? Do they know it's a Bad Thing? Will they get offended if someone chooses to give in to temptation? Is the Tainted PC's player ready to play against the party should his Taint become bad enough?

Thing about the Taint is that it grants bonuses if called upon. Increased ability scores is a common one. Various salient abilities (http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Taint#Powers_of_the_Taint) appear as you become more and more Tainted, and these should be more interesting than a simple bonus spell slot.

[Lapak]

Taint is tough; from medium levels on it’s mostly possible to bring it back down to 1 given appropriate down time, but at low levels it’s hard to remove and the CON penalty will make it hard to get to medium levels.

But as a Sorceror it would have to be a threat-of-TPK type situation to make me uncork something that downgrades my casting stat on a failed Fort roll, especially at low levels where shedding that penalty is so hard. I’d be looking for something really potent, which any given spell is unlikely to be (or I’d already pick it as a spell known.)

My instinct is you need something with more impact at lower levels and scaling at higher ones so the immediate impact is felt. Maybe a free Maximize or Quicken metamagic, but the taint increase is 1/spell level?

Edit: wait, I checked the link. I misremembered Taint as Con and CHA, not CON and WIS. That changes the calculation some.

[PrismCat21]

The extra spell known/level seems fine to me. Keep the spells/day the same. That way he'll have the option of using those spells multiple times day or not all if he wants, without feeling like he really wasted his resources.

If he runs out of spells, you could give him the option of automatically gaining more taint for an immediate additional spell slot.

[mbolis]

Thank you, guys.


Thing about the Taint is that it grants bonuses if called upon. Increased ability scores is a common one. Various salient abilities (http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Taint#Powers_of_the_Taint) appear as you become more and more Tainted, and these should be more interesting than a simple bonus spell slot.

Yes that's right, though I'm not giving them the big bonuses right away, also because I hope the player is trying hard to resist the Taint. Nice stuff about Legend of 5 Rings, never heard about it before (now I understand where all this Taint thing was born...)

Even if it doesn't look like (also because I was AFK for a long time because of work) I was inspired by all your ideas.
In the end, I'm settling for a physical power-up, stronger than a first level spell, that the character can use at will. I'm comfortable with that. If he overuses it he's giving in to the Taint and he's going to have dire consequences with the other party members. That's my balancing factor.

For the sake of it, the power is akin to Enlarge Person, but in my opinion better: the caster's body grows tougher and stronger and he gains the Powerful Build trait for 1min/level, along with a +2 size bonus to STR. He also gains a slam attack that deals 1d6 damage. Each minute, though, the caster has to make a Will save vs his own spell or become enraged (+2 STR and COS, cannot control himself anymore). The save must then be repeated every minute: if successful the effect ends and the caster is fatigued.

This is a 1st level version, I'll keep making it stronger with the passing of levels (increasing the Taint inflicted on failed Fort saves). I'll also offer other boons on a case-by-case basis as you suggested.

Does anybody like it?