Berserker Axe Curse

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

Hypothetical judgement call time. Naturally the real anser is "It depends on the DM", but I'm wondering what you guys think.

So my PC is an Eldritch Knight/Wizard running through Tales of the Yawning Portal who finds himself in the posession of the Battleaxe of Tloques. This thing is seriously badass, but also cursed.

Curse. This axe is cursed, and becoming attuned to it
extends the curse to you. As long as you remain cursed,
you are unwilling to part with the axe, keeping it within
reach at all times. You also have disadvantage on attack
rolls with weapons other than this one, unless no foe is
within 60 feet of you that you can see or hear.
Whenever a hostile creature damages you while the
axe is in your possession, you must succeed on a DC 15
Wisdom saving throw or go berserk. While berserk, you
must use your action each round to attack the creature
nearest to you with the axe. If you can make extra
attacks as part of the Attack action, you use those extra
attacks, moving to attack the next nearest creature after
you fell your current target. If you have multiple possible
targets, you attack one at random. You are berserk until
you start your turn with no creatures within 60 feet of
you that you can see or hear.

As far as I can tell, the curse only forces me to take a specific action, and also would seem to direct the type of movement I can make though it does not explicitly call it out, except in the case of extra attack and felling the first target. But it seems I'm free to use my bonus action as normal.
So the question I'd like input on is: Would I be allowed to use misty step before I attack the nearest creature, thereby having at least a small amount of control over my targets? Or at least putting me out of reach of my most vulnerable allies.

I would picture this as the axe pulling my character into a frenzy against his will, and my character using whatever faculties he still can control in order to thwart this possession.

[mephnick]

I'd rule you'd immediately move to and attack the nearest creature when your turn starts which I think is the "obvious" intent of the curse.

Of course what a terrible item mimicking a terrible 3.5 class that ended games consistently.

[Unoriginal]

It's a cursed item called the Battleaxe of Tloques, not the Battleaxe-of-Tloques-except-I-can-use-spells-to-avoid-the-bad-effects.

It specifically says that you *have* to move to the nearest target, and that you do so only once you've dealt with your current one. If you used Misty Step, it'd be to move to the nearest target faster/more easily.




Of course what a terrible item mimicking a terrible 3.5 class that ended games consistently.

Eh, it's a cursed item. It's supposed to be terrible.

[KRSW]

As you say it is up to the DM, maybe try and convince him to let you roll Wisdom saves each turn you are berserk to try and end the effect. Otherwise, this thing is horrible and it being a powerful weapon just makes it more horrible.

[ElChad]

My hypothetical judgement would be as follows:

As is the curse says you must attack the next nearest creature, I would say you would definitely be able to use Misty Step; to Misty Step to the nearest creature that is and hit them. The "fun" of a curse item is extreme draw back that comes from wielding it. Your opportunity to fight back curse came and went with the Wisdom Save fail. After that, you become the equivalent of a wild animal as it takes full effect. Your party's options would be to try and knock you out, or just straight up have Wizard kite you until the rest of the party is 60 feet away before casting dimensional door on himself to get out of range. However, I would also DM rule 0 allowing the use of calm emotions to give you another save at advantage to calm down.

[PeteNutButter]

The weapon is actually quite good. Notice it doesn’t say anything about forcing opportunity attacks. That means your team can fairly reliably reposition to keep the bad guys closest to you.

One of my players has it and does quite well, until someone forgets about it. The big problem is once the baddies are dead. Since there is a warlock in the party that almost always casts darkness, the last round of every fight is the party taking the hide action in it. Lol

Calm emotions has come up a few times as well.

I’d rule you can take a bonus action as you see fit once you’ve completed the actions required by the axe. Maybe take resilient wisdom at some point...

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

The weapon is actually quite good. Notice it doesn’t say anything about forcing opportunity attacks. That means your team can fairly reliably reposition to keep the bad guys closest to you.

One of my players has it and does quite well, until someone forgets about it. The big problem is once the baddies are dead. Since there is a warlock in the party that almost always casts darkness, the last round of every fight is the party taking the hide action in it. Lol

Calm emotions has come up a few times as well.

I’d rule you can take a bonus action as you see fit once you’ve completed the actions required by the axe. Maybe take resilient wisdom at some point...

I was thinking along these lines. The axe doesn't force me to act fully hostile at all times while berserk, only to attack indiscriminately using my action on my turn.
I would think most DMs would allow a player to voluntarily fail a saving throw, so I could just be disabled that way if I get out of control.

[PeteNutButter]

I was thinking along these lines. The axe doesn't force me to act fully hostile at all times while berserk, only to attack indiscriminately using my action on my turn.
I would think most DMs would allow a player to voluntarily fail a saving throw, so I could just be disabled that way if I get out of control.

The calm emotions spell specifically calls for this saying that you can choose to fail the save.

[MrStabby]

I would also rule that the "enraged" condition could be stopped by a restoration spell. I figure the more ways to interact with the curse the more fun.

For that exact reason I would be tempted to allow misty step, it isn't free costing a spell slot and if it has to happen after all other movement and actions the enemies get to respond to it as well.

[Ivor_The_Mad]

Hypothetical judgement call time. Naturally the real anser is "It depends on the DM", but I'm wondering what you guys think.

So my PC is an Eldritch Knight/Wizard running through Tales of the Yawning Portal who finds himself in the posession of the Battleaxe of Tloques. This thing is seriously badass, but also cursed.

Curse. This axe is cursed, and becoming attuned to it
extends the curse to you. As long as you remain cursed,
you are unwilling to part with the axe, keeping it within
reach at all times. You also have disadvantage on attack
rolls with weapons other than this one, unless no foe is
within 60 feet of you that you can see or hear.
Whenever a hostile creature damages you while the
axe is in your possession, you must succeed on a DC 15
Wisdom saving throw or go berserk. While berserk, you
must use your action each round to attack the creature
nearest to you with the axe. If you can make extra
attacks as part of the Attack action, you use those extra
attacks, moving to attack the next nearest creature after
you fell your current target. If you have multiple possible
targets, you attack one at random. You are berserk until
you start your turn with no creatures within 60 feet of
you that you can see or hear.

As far as I can tell, the curse only forces me to take a specific action, and also would seem to direct the type of movement I can make though it does not explicitly call it out, except in the case of extra attack and felling the first target. But it seems I'm free to use my bonus action as normal.
So the question I'd like input on is: Would I be allowed to use misty step before I attack the nearest creature, thereby having at least a small amount of control over my targets? Or at least putting me out of reach of my most vulnerable allies.

I would picture this as the axe pulling my character into a frenzy against his will, and my character using whatever faculties he still can control in order to thwart this possession.

Personally I would allow it but I would say that the teleportation is random if used while in the rage. I Picture it sort of like when you go into a rage the axe takes the surface thoughts like you thinking of casting misty step and then using it to get where it wants.

[Contrast]

The calm emotions spell specifically calls for this saying that you can choose to fail the save.

And if you're roleplaying your character as under the effects of a curse which fills them with an unquenchable bloodlust for friend and foe alike, would they choose to fail that save?

[PeteNutButter]

And if you're roleplaying your character as under the effects of a curse which fills them with an unquenchable bloodlust for friend and foe alike, would they choose to fail that save?

That all depends on how you view the curse. Is there still a clear part of you that is fully aware how you are acting but compelled by the magic? The fact that the spell specifically says you can choose to fail implies it works on things like this curse. Why would you ever choose to fail the save, when if you aren’t under some compulsion you can just say, “I calm down.”? I could see DMs ruling either way.

[Contrast]

That all depends on how you view the curse. Is there still a clear part of you that is fully aware how you are acting but compelled by the magic? The fact that the spell specifically says you can choose to fail implies it works on things like this curse. Why would you ever choose to fail the save, when if you aren’t under some compulsion you can just say, “I calm down.”? I could see DMs ruling either way.

I mean as a player you can just choose for your character to calm down but that's not how emotions work in real life.

Have you ever been in an argument where you know you're wrong but wouldn't admit it because you were too worked up? Or have romantic feelings for someone that you knew were only hurting you?

Even if you recognise that you're acting irrationally that doesn't mean you can simply turn off your feelings, even if you want to. Ask anyone who has had a bad day at work, comes home in a bad mood and snaps at their family if that was something they'd choose to not do if they had the choice. Ditto someone wracked with grief or a cowardly soldier who wants the respect of their comrades would potentially embrace the opportunity to have those emotions suppressed. Someone about to walk in to buy something from a particularly charming salesmen might well embrace the opportunity to have their mind cleared before any purchase is finalised. No implications about curses at all to me.

That said - I could definitely see DMs ruling both ways as well. *shrugs* :smallbiggrin:

[Angelalex242]

Calm Emotions is a lower level spell than remove Curse.

As such, I'd say it's ineffective against the Axe, for the same reason Darkness spells don't work against Daylight.

[PeteNutButter]

Calm Emotions is a lower level spell than remove Curse.

As such, I'd say it's ineffective against the Axe, for the same reason Darkness spells don't work against Daylight.

That’s only for spells that specify as such. More Specific spells are usually effective against their specific things. Gust of wind for instance disperses cloud kill. Besides it’s just temporarily treating a symptom of the curse.