What happens if you identify a cursed item (and you fail the d100 roll)?

[Jon_Dahl]

For instance, my players find a Helm of Opposite Alignment or a Vacous Grimoire. What happens if they identify it/them and they fail the d100 chance?


A simple detect magic spell yields a misleading aura and strength, often indicating that the item is a noncursed item of similar sort. An identify spell only has a 1% chance per caster level to reveal a cursed item’s true properties, including the cursed aspect.

As far as I understood, I should give them the most appealing false information so that they would use the item at once. Right?

[InvisibleBison]

Cursed items generally have a line in their entry describing what they appear to be if you don't identify the curse - for instance, the Helm of Opposite Alignment "looks like a typical helmet", and the Vacuous Grimoire "looks like a normal [book] on some mildly interesting topic". I'd say if the d% roll fails, the identify spell says that the item is what it appears to be, so a HoOA would be identified as a non-magical helmet, and a Vacuous Grimoire would be identified as a non-magical book.

[noob]

Cursed items generally have a line in their entry describing what they appear to be if you don't identify the curse - for instance, the Helm of Opposite Alignment "looks like a typical helmet", and the Vacuous Grimoire "looks like a normal [book] on some mildly interesting topic". I'd say if the d% roll fails, the identify spell says that the item is what it appears to be, so a HoOA would be identified as a non-magical helmet, and a Vacuous Grimoire would be identified as a non-magical book.

But who wears non magical helmets?

[InvisibleBison]

But who wears non magical helmets?

People who can't afford magical ones, mostly. I admit, my interpretation is not one conducive towards people unwittingly putting on a Helm of Opposite Alignment.

[Crake]

But who wears non magical helmets?

People who wear full plate? If the players find a set of full plate armor, where the helmet has been exchanged with a helm of opposite alignment, and they take the fullplate back to be readjusted for their fighter, presumably when the fighter dons the fullplate, that would include the helm too.

[noob]

People who wear full plate? If the players find a set of full plate armor, where the helmet has been exchanged with a helm of opposite alignment, and they take the fullplate back to be readjusted for their fighter, presumably when the fighter dons the fullplate, that would include the helm too.

It would involve giving the helmet to a low level adventurer (else they would be refusing something less good than a magical or mythril full plate) which might not have access to identify (if it is a mythril full plate and a mythril helmet of alignment change then you might have a higher level adventurer trying to don them).

[Crake]

It would involve giving the helmet to a low level adventurer (else they would be refusing something less good than a magical or mythril full plate) which might not have access to identify (if it is a mythril full plate and a mythril helmet of alignment change then you might have a higher level adventurer trying to don them).

Higher level players have access to analyze dweomer anyway, which automatically detects cursed items, so past that point, cursed items are pointless.

[noob]

Higher level players have access to analyze dweomer anyway, which automatically detects cursed items, so past that point, cursed items are pointless.

I was speaking of higher level as in level 5(at that level you might still like a non magical mythril full plate).
Beyond level 5 you have very high levels and adventurers tends to be able to do really epic stuff (like fighting opponents outnumbering your team massively or starting to kill gargantuan opponents).
It is why people like E6: you can do epic stuff and the game balance is not yet shattered by the varied exponential disparity creators such as spell levels, compounding class features and the like.

[Crake]

I was speaking of higher level as in level 5(at that level you might still like a mythril full plate).
Beyond level 5 you have very high levels and adventurers tends to be able to do really epic stuff (like fighting opponents outnumbering your team massively or starting to kill gargantuan opponents).
It is why people like E6: you can do epic stuff and the game balance is not yet shattered.

Ah, I consider 5-11 mid level, not high level. Still, a 5th level player's wbl wouldn't be able to afford them a mithril fullplate, their wbl is 9000gp, while a suit of mithril fullplate is 10,500gp. That said, 5th level is probably the limit of where players might be excited to find and put on an unenchanted set of fullplate.

Remember however, items can have multiple enchantments on them, so the helmet of a +1 suit of armor could be enchanted with the helm of opposite alignment effect as well, and when identified, it would just come across as "the helmet of that +1 suit of armor"

[noob]

Ah, I consider 5-11 mid level, not high level. Still, a 5th level player's wbl wouldn't be able to afford them a mithril fullplate, their wbl is 9000gp, while a suit of mithril fullplate is 10,500gp. That said, 5th level is probably the limit of where players might be excited to find and put on an unenchanted set of fullplate.

Remember however, items can have multiple enchantments on them, so the helmet of a +1 suit of armor could be enchanted with the helm of opposite alignment effect as well, and when identified, it would just come across as "the helmet of that +1 suit of armor"

I guess I am just too used to teams sharing their money to protect the party cleric.
Also they loved good weapons for the heavy hitters and cloaks of protection.

[Crake]

I guess I am just too used to teams sharing their money to protect the party cleric.
Also they loved good weapons for the heavy hitters and cloaks of protection.

Right, I was more considering from a "would the DM drop this item for the party or not", rather than a "lets go out and buy this item for our team" perspective. I'm not a huge fan of magic marts, especially when i run e6 games, so trying to just waltz into town and say "hey I want a set of mithril fullplate thanks", would generally be met with "sorry kid, we don't have that, we could maybe put the material on order, but the dwarves are having issues of their own, why don't you try traveling over to their lands and seeing what they can do for you" -> enter dwarven adventure hook.

[noob]

Right, I was more considering from a "would the DM drop this item for the party or not", rather than a "lets go out and buy this item for our team" perspective. I'm not a huge fan of magic marts, especially when i run e6 games, so trying to just waltz into town and say "hey I want a set of mithril fullplate thanks", would generally be met with "sorry kid, we don't have that, we could maybe put the material on order, but the dwarves are having issues of their own, why don't you try traveling over to their lands and seeing what they can do for you" -> enter dwarven adventure hook.

Oh yes I forgot that a skilled dwarven smith team of 10 smithes can take years to make a mithril full plate thus making them fundamentally rare.