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Talic
2008-11-20, 01:48 AM
We all know the scene. Heroes break into the hidden temple of an evil god, and vanquish the evil clerics worshipping there. But it doesn't quite end there.

I'm looking for something in keeping with the temple. The temple was dedicated to the Stormlord, and I want one of the items in the temple to be cursed. A fitting curse, in keeping with the god.

Are there any items out there that deal electricity damage to the wearer/wielder/bearer/user? It can have an upside too, I don't care, so long as the person who has it gets a bit of a shock.

Low damage shocks that happen a lot would be preferred.
Shocks that happen whenever the item's used would be secondary.

And I'd like it to be RAW. See, I'm not the GM. I'm a mage that secretly worships the god. The group's on a collision course, and I can't blow my cover, but I want to plant something in the temple to make the party feel a bit more affected in the long term.

Oh, and before you ask, it's an intrigue game. Everyone's got a secret, everyone's advancing a cause, and everyone has to work together outwordly, while plotting against one another in secret.

SoD
2008-11-20, 02:30 AM
Well, it's not quite RAW, in fact, it's not. But there's an enhancement in CWar called 'explosive' which does 2d4 fire damage to all targets within 5 feet of whoever was hit (including the weilder). You could change it to 'shocking', I guess. And make it 2d6 to the opponant, and 1d6 to the weilder.

Talic
2008-11-20, 02:39 AM
Has to be RAW. That's the downside. DM's something of a stickler for it.

MeklorIlavator
2008-11-20, 02:44 AM
What level can the weapon be? If it can be at least a +3, how about a +1 Vicious Shocking weapon? Just have the fluff be that with each strike lighting flashes between the user and target.

The Glyphstone
2008-11-20, 02:55 AM
Enchant an item with a continuous Thunderhead spell? 1 Electrical damage per round to anyone holding it. Could get unpleasant after a while.

AngelSword
2008-11-20, 03:03 AM
The only thing I can think of would be to alter the Backbiter weapon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/cursedItems.htm#spearCursedBackbiter) by putting it on a Lightning Javelin (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#javelinofLightning). Both are core, and the lightning would be in keeping with a storm theme.

RTGoodman
2008-11-20, 03:05 AM
I agree with Meklor - a +1 vicious (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#vicious) weapon (fluffed that the damage is electrical, or maybe even with the shocking quality) with the added effect of the -2 cursed sword (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/cursedItems.htm#swordCursed) (after one week, the wielder can't draw any weapon except the cursed one) added on.

Talic
2008-11-20, 03:37 AM
Y'all may be on to something... However, that has a mechanical impact. I'll see though.

(Impact would be that as of now, DR covers vicious resistances. 'Refluffing' it - inaccurate because you're changing mechanics, not fluff - would make DR less useful, and the rarer electricity resistance more useful.)

Note: It's "refluffing" only if the change has 0 mechanical impact. Otherwise, it's "rebuilding", or "retooling". But fluff, by definition, is all descriptive. Has no concrete impact on game mechanics. If the change you propose has a mechanical impact, it's not fluff.


Another thought: One of the possible curses in the DMG is "opposite target". Are there any items that can produce an at will electrical targeted effect that this could be applied to? I'd like to avoid throwing physical damage on it too. A shocking +1 longbow would work, but that wouldn't really have the electrical wrath feel to it.

MeklorIlavator
2008-11-20, 03:45 AM
Uhh, I believe that viscous is not, in fact, blocked by DR. In fact, I asked that very question on the Q&A thread a while back, and here's the response I got:


A. 556

No, Vicious is a magical effect.
Original post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3113379&postcount=1486)

RTGoodman
2008-11-20, 01:48 PM
Note: It's "refluffing" only if the change has 0 mechanical impact. Otherwise, it's "rebuilding", or "retooling". But fluff, by definition, is all descriptive. Has no concrete impact on game mechanics. If the change you propose has a mechanical impact, it's not fluff.

Oh, I know - I wasn't suggesting that the +1 vicious weapon actually deal electric damage; I just meant you could say that the damage is like electricity flowing through the wielder. Even if he has resistance to electricity, you can tell him that it's like nothing he's felt before and could be some sort of divine untyped damage that just feels electrical because of the associated god. Eh, it's a stretch, but it could work.

For a different reasoning of why DR doesn't help against vicious weapons, the description of them says that it's the "disruptive energy" that deals the extra damage to both parties, and DR doesn't cover anything like that.

AKA_Bait
2008-11-20, 01:54 PM
Another thought: One of the possible curses in the DMG is "opposite target". Are there any items that can produce an at will electrical targeted effect that this could be applied to? I'd like to avoid throwing physical damage on it too. A shocking +1 longbow would work, but that wouldn't really have the electrical wrath feel to it.

You could make wonderous item that has a "shocking grasp" effect on it's weilder when activated. Something like this could actually be benificial to the wearer, depending on who the wearer is. One of my favorite cursed items was a cloak that did 1d6 negative energy damage every 10 rounds to it's wearer. It was originally created by a lich for his own personal use.

Riffington
2008-11-20, 02:32 PM
But fluff, by definition, is all descriptive. Has no concrete impact on game mechanics. If the change you propose has a mechanical impact, it's not fluff.



Then there is no "fluff" in D&D, only in Magic:the Gathering.

Hal
2008-11-20, 02:39 PM
It's a shame that it has to be RAW. I think a great "Stormlord" cursed item would be to have the wielder be followed around by a little storm cloud that constantly rains on him. Throw in the random lightning bolt and you have a very visible "stole from the Stormlord" cursed item.

Hm . . . I wonder if this might work with a Mark of Justice? RAW, MoJ can be whatever the DM wants it to be.

Riffington
2008-11-20, 02:50 PM
Anyway, if you have Craft Wondrous Item then you can create a trapped item, and just have everyone assume it's cursed... why else would it keep casting Shocking Grasp on me? (or a one-shot Chain Lightning trap might be even better than an auto-resetting trap).

Fax Celestis
2008-11-20, 03:04 PM
Any sort of magic item with a rider that casts the thunderhead spell from SC?

Talic
2008-11-21, 06:38 AM
Problem is, I'm not the DM.

Any item I create will have to be pretty solidly RAW. Item creation and such isn't his strong point.

How about the following:

Weapon crystal of energy assault (MIC) lesser. Energy type: Electricity.

Curse: Opposite target. (wielder instead of target)

Put it on a sword, curse it to stay with the sword, and make sure the sword it goes on doesn't suck.

Hal
2008-11-21, 08:36 AM
Problem is, I'm not the DM.

Any item I create will have to be pretty solidly RAW. Item creation and such isn't his strong point.


Here's the relevant portion of Bestow Curse (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/bestowCurse.htm):

"You may also invent your own curse, but it should be no more powerful than those described above."

If he's reluctant to do anything that isn't spelled out specifically, that's fine. But RAW, you have a degree of freedom with these things.

Talic
2008-11-21, 11:48 AM
Here's the relevant portion of Bestow Curse (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/bestowCurse.htm):

"You may also invent your own curse, but it should be no more powerful than those described above."

If he's reluctant to do anything that isn't spelled out specifically, that's fine. But RAW, you have a degree of freedom with these things.

"no more powerful than..." = subject to DM approval. I wouldn't call him reluctant, so much as supremely lazy.

Adumbration
2008-11-21, 11:58 AM
You could try making it an intelligent item that casts stuff against the wielder - such as Thunderhead or Shocking Grasp. It might be expensive, though, unless you manage to convince the DM to actually make it part of the loot gained.

Might even be friendly towards you?

only1doug
2008-11-21, 02:29 PM
if you think they would fall for it give them a Head of Vecna (http://www.blindpanic.com/humor/vecna.htm)

Prometheus
2008-11-21, 03:11 PM
Then there is no "fluff" in D&D, only in Magic:the Gathering.Naw, that's flavor.

Kalirren
2008-11-21, 04:09 PM
Hello, Stormlord?

Lightning spear; some effective weapon of the fighter's persuasion;
Cursed but effective (so he's not tempted to get rid of it); cannot be removed except by a cleric or other true/ordained believer of the Stormlord; Weather around wielder is always worse, and 1% chance every rainy day of blasty doom unless you advance the agenda of the Stormlord; bestow curse and/or mark of justice and/or geas.

Hell, since it's a intrigue game, as long as you can have the item effectively browbeat the other character into doing things for the Stormlord's sake, you win on the intrigue front, since he takes all the flak for the stuff he does to appease his weapon.